A new multi-million-pound funding boost for the film and television industry is set to help Glaswegians secure jobs in the growing sector.

Screen Scotland announced £3 million of funding for the BFI Skills Cluster will be used to develop film and TV opportunities in Glasgow, Lanarkshire and across Scotland over three years.

Industry and training providers nationwide will work together as part of the BFI Skills Cluster delivered by Screen Scotland.

The funding, largely drawn from the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding) and the Scottish Government, will support three projects initially which focus on technologies like VFX, virtual production and animation as well as developing crew skills in Gaelic language production.

These include a first-of-its-kind fellowship in the Virtual Production programme, broadcast skills training under the Stornoway Studio Training Programme, and RESET which aims to help people from a wide array of backgrounds pivot to a new career in animation, VFX or video games.

The goal of the funding program is to help create clear pathways for people to secure long-term employment in film and TV production.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “I am delighted that this funding, of £3m over three years, will be able to support such a wide range of skills and talent development programmes across Scotland.

"We know that investing in skills, education, and training is the best way to ensure that those who want to build a career in our thriving screen sector are able to do so.

"And by building that workforce, we are securing a sustainable, resilient future for the Scottish screen industry, with all the wider economic, creative, and cultural benefits that brings.” 

Isabel Davis, Screen Scotland’s executive director, added: “The skills landscape in film and TV is constantly evolving and the line between film, TV and games is increasingly blurred.

"Thanks to the support of the Scottish Government and the BFI awarding National Lottery funding, Scotland is in a strong position to establish itself at the forefront of these new technologies.

"Sustained funding commitments such as the BFI/Screen Scotland Skills Cluster allow national bodies, local industry and individual productions to provide structured training where it’s most needed, making the most of those new opportunities.

"This additional BFI Cluster funding complements the annual investment of £2.1m Screen Scotland already makes to support skills development and training initiatives.

"We see this investment as core to our strategy to grow Scotland’s film and TV sector and sustain rewarding and creative jobs across the country.”