Skills Bootcamp in Screen Craft and Digital

Course details

Course provider: Academy of Live Technology/Screen Yorkshire Ltd

Eligibility: Applicants must be aged 19 or older and reside in West Yorkshire

Start date: From September 2025

Duration: 22 days

Venue: The Skills Bootcamp will be delivered in person in Leeds:

• Sticks and Glass, Suite 6-8 York Place, Leeds LS1 2DS,
• Prime Studios, 94-96 Kirkstall Road, Leeds LS3 1HD
• North Yorkshire (if appropriate): 2 Victoria Avenue Harrogate, HG1 1EL

Course overview

This 8-week course offers you a choice of four pathways into the screen industries: Art Department, Camera, Sound, or Post-Production. Designed with industry employers and delivered by experienced craft professionals, the course provides immersive, practical training and insight into key creative and technical roles.

You will begin with a core induction week focused on:

• Set etiquette and terminology
• Freelance careers and working practices
  
• Sustainability and working safely in on-set environments
  
• Industry job roles, expectations, and progression routes

From Week 2, you will follow their chosen specialist route:

Art Department Pathway

• Set design, prop-making, model-making, and graphics
• Introduction to SketchUp and 3D pre-visualisation
  
• Collaborative project: Create a 3D virtual set using Unreal Engine

Camera Pathway

• Camera fundamentals: framing, composition, shot lists, focus pulling
  
• Use of mirrorless cameras and DSLRs
  
• Collaborative project: Camera operation for virtual production and studio shoots

Sound Pathway

• Introduction to on-set sound, boom operation, and field recording
  
• Recording environments and mixing fundamentals
  
• Collaborative project: Capturing and mixing audio for short-form scenes and virtual sound effects created in unreal engine

Post-Production Pathway

• Editing theory, storytelling with visuals, software basics (DaVinci Resolve)
• Colour grading, audio syncing, and workflow management
  
• Collaborative project: Edit and finalise content from virtual production/studio shoot

You will come together to complete a final project at Production Park’s Virtual Production Studio, gaining experience with motion capture, real-time rendering, and LED screen workflows.

Throughout the course, you will receive:

• Weekly sessions with craft professionals and employer mentors
  
• Skills workshops focused on teamwork, communication, and set readiness
  
• Support with career planning, networking, and job search
  
• Structured reflection to track progress and development

Employers such as Viridian FX, Prime Studios, and Production Park have directly contributed to the course design and delivery.

You will benefit from real-world context, mock interviews, and guaranteed interview/freelance opportunities aligned to industry roles.

Get ready to dive into the world of screen crafts and digital production!

With Screen Crafts & Digital, you’ll gain hands-on experience and entry-level skills that are essential to working in audiovisual production. You’ll build practical craft skills and explore digital tools tailored to your chosen specialism: art department, camera, sound, or postproduction.

You’ll start by developing traditional, practical craft skills, while also getting introduced to key digital skills relevant to your area. We’ll guide you through a full Virtual Production pipeline, giving you experience with industry-standard tools like Unreal Engine, SketchUp, and DaVinci Resolve. By the end of the course, you’ll have a strong awareness of the digital skills needed to thrive in this fast-moving industry.

When you join the programme, you’ll apply for and focus on one of four pathways:

• Art department,
  
• Camera
  
• Sound
  
• Postproduction.

You’ll come together with the full cohort for an introduction week, where you’ll get an overview of the screen industries, learn about set etiquette, and discover what it takes to build a career in your chosen area.

From January to March, you’ll immerse yourself in your chosen craft, developing your skills through practical learning. Then, you’ll reunite with the rest of the group to collaborate on an exciting joint project in the Virtual Production studio at Production Park.

Attending the programme will equip you with:

• Confidence in taking the first steps towards a career in the screen industries.
  
• An understanding of how screen industries work.
  
• Hands-on entry level, practical craft and digital skills specific to the chosen craft discipline.
  
• An understanding of how to thrive in an onset environment.
  
• Practical advice on how to successfully work as a freelancer.
  
• Knowledge and understanding of immersive & virtual environments.
  
• An understanding of how Unreal Engine and similar software and tools are used in the screen industries
• An understanding of how to work on a project from brief to realisation.
• Knowledge on preparing an industry relevant and craft specific CV.
• Guidance on job opportunities and next steps.

What next?

And the journey doesn’t stop when the training ends — Screen Yorkshire will be right there with you, supporting you as you take your first steps into work opportunities across the screen industries.

These pathways are designed to help you move straight into entry-level jobs in the industry. You’ll gain a wide range of transferable skills through both your individual training and a collaborative final project, giving you the confidence, experience, and practical knowledge to launch your career

Screen Crafts & Digital Skills Bootcamp - Screen Yorkshire