The Filmmakers Collaborative of Trinidad and Tobago, is kicking off its first ever Young Filmmaker Lab (YFL) by offering 23 young people the chance to take a deep dive into the world of film production through an immersive, three-month introductory programme.
The Young Filmmaker Lab is a new training and development programme targeted at at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 21, who could also be at risk of falling through the cracks resulting from a scarcity of access to opportunities and resources. By taking this step now, FILMCO hopes to create a positive, pivotal moment of their lives. The film industry can offer creative and employment opportunities to individuals from all walks of life. With the initiation of this programme the filmmaker organisation is providing an answer which will otherwise seem out of reach to this underserved group of young people, making a path to potential future careers.
YFL’s progressive twelve week programme is led by a lot of expert practitioners from the local film industry and takes participants through all points of the film development, production and post-production process. Upon completion of the programme, the cohort may have the knowledge essential to enter the film/ television industry in junior roles – expanding their employment options as they move on to the subsequent stage of their lives.
Speaking on behalf of the JB Fernandes Memorial Trust 1 (YFL’s primary funder) Le Anne Alexander notes, “The Trust is a proud partner of FILMCO and values collaborating with an organisation that supports the creativity and expression of young people, while teaching them lucrative skills that help them unlock profession pathways within the creative and film industry. The Trust firmly believes within the direct relationship between early exposure to the humanities and improved socioeconomic outcomes of young people. The Trust congratulates FILMCO for its support of young people to expand their imaginations and be a component of a vibrant, creative community of storytellers.”
FILMCO has worked through three community partners, The Heroes Foundation, Servol and the St James Police Youth Club, to pick participants who’ve expressed an interest in creative production and can due to this fact reap essentially the most profit from the YFL.
Lawrence Arjoon, CEO of The Heroes Foundation, comments: “The Young Filmmaker Lab is a possibility to equip young individuals with skills and tools to start out constructing sustainable livelihoods in film. It also enables them to inform their stories and the stories of individuals in Trinidad and Tobago in creative ways. Our stories are vital, beneficial, and powerful, and the voices of young people should be heard loudly and clearly in all parts of our society to construct a sustainable future. Congratulations to FILMCO for the wonderful undertaking.” The Young Filmmakers Lab has been made possible through the financial support of the JB Fernandes Memorial Trust 1, with additional support from National Lotteries Control Board and Fernandes Memorial Trust 1, with additional support from National Lotteries Control Board and Massy Foundation. The programme runs from 04 March to the top of May 2023 and can culminate in a screening of the movies made throughout the Lab.
