Sky awards TV scholarships to National Film and Television School students in partnership with RTS and BAFTA

Sky has awarded five Sky Academy TV Scholarships to successful applicants on two Sky partnered courses run by the National Film and Television School.  The Scholarships are also supported by the Royal Television Society (RTS) and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

The scholarships will fully fund three places on the Broadcast Production course and two on the Digital and Content Formats course, building on the support Sky already provides for these courses through placements and mentoring. The scholarships are part of Sky Academy – a set of initiatives which aim to use the power of television, creativity and sport to give up to one million young people opportunities to build skills, experience and self-belief. 

The successful Sky Academy TV Scholars are; Pav Janda, age 27 from Wolverhampton, Oluwatoni Adepegba, age 22 from Berkshire, Nosa Eke, age 22 from London, Sri-Pazhani Balavivekananthan, age 27 from Middlesex, and Moses Fapohunda, age 23 from London.

The scholarships have been offered to young people who may not otherwise have had the means to consider a career in the media, with a particular focus on supporting students from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. This reflects Sky’s determination to play a leading role in making the television industry more accessible to talented people from all backgrounds, both on screen and behind the camera.

The Scholars will start their courses at the end of January.

Bella Vuillermoz, Director, Sky Academy said “We can’t wait to welcome the next generation of TV professionals to Sky Academy. We specifically set out to help students who aspired to careers in media they never thought possible. By offering Sky Academy TV Scholarships, in partnership with NFTS, we’re creating opportunities for these talented students to unlock their potential”.

Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries expressed his support, commenting: “Sky Academy TV Scholarships are a fantastic initiative for driving access and improving diversity in the creative industries, the fastest growing sector in the UK. By giving more young people the opportunity to gain new skills, Sky Academy is also helping to supply the industry with a diverse, open and accessible pipeline of talent”.

National Film and Television School Director, Nik Powell said: “The NFTS is delighted that these Sky Scholarships enable the NFTS to offer the best teaching to the nation’s most talented students, regardless of their background.” 

Sky Academy TV Scholarship recipient Nosa Eke said “I am grateful for the opportunity that the Sky Academy TV Scholarship has given me, as it is a chance to better myself and prepare for a career in the field I would love to go into.”

The NFTS Broadcast Production course provides training for vision mixers, sound, lighting and camera specialists. As part of the course, students receive a six-week placement at Sky and then one student receives a three-month paid placement at the end of the course. All students also receive a mentor at Sky. 

Launched earlier this year, the NFTS Digital Content and Formats course trains students in interactive and new media skills.  All students receive mentoring from Sky and one student will receive a three month paid placement at the end of the course.

In addition to the funding, each scholar will receive:

• • Group mentoring session with a senior Sky staff member
  • One year’s free membership of the Royal Television Society, which includes one year’s free membership  of The Hospital Club
  • Networking opportunities within RTS and BAFTA including invitations to industry events.
  • A place on the BAFTA Youth Board

As well as the five opportunities at the NFTS, Sky has also awarded one scholarship at Ireland’s National Film School, part of the Irish Institute of Arts, Design and technology.  Carly Matthews-Lynch has been awarded a fully funded place on the Broadcast Production MA and will also receive mentoring from Sky and the opportunity for a placement within the industry.

For more information:
Alison Hackney
Corporate Communications
alison.hackney@bskyb.com

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Notes to Editors:
About Sky Academy

Sky Academy is a series of initiatives using the power of television, creativity and sport to help young people unlock their potential and gain the skills, experience and self-belief they need to prepare them for the world of work. Launched in 2013, Sky’s ambition is to create opportunities for up to one million young people to build skills and experience by 2020.

Headquartered in the Believe in Better Building at the heart of Sky’s West London campus, Sky Academy comprises: Sky Sports Living for Sport, Sky Academy Skills Studios, Sky Academy Careers Lab, Sky Academy Starting Out and Sky Academy Scholarships.

For more information, go to www.sky.com/academy

About the National Film & Television School (NFTS) 

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is the UK's centre of excellence for graduate film and TV training (http://nfts.co.uk). It selects the most talented people to enter the film, games and television industry at a professional level and  was named No 1 International Film and Television School by The Hollywood Reporter in 2014.  Two of NFTS’ student films have been nominated for 2015 EE BAFTAs and Academy Awards.

The NFTS has taught the country’s top media talent for over forty years including award-winning graduates Director David Yates (Harry Potter), Cinematographer Roger Deakins (Skyfall), Animator Nick Park (Wallace & Gromit), Composer Dario Marianelli (Atonement) and many other notable talents in the UK film and television industry.

NFTS graduates have won a stunning 7 Oscars, over 100 BAFTAs and the coveted Cannes Film Festival Camera d'Or prize among many others. In 2014 so far, NFTS graduates have been nominated for 13 Academy Awards and BAFTAs.  Our graduates received 6 out of the 7 Golden Reel awards for sound editing in a student film and won the top prize for the 12th time – more than any other school in the world. Last year it made history by becoming the first film and television school to win all three CILECT awards for fiction, animation and documentary.
The NFTS is a Creative Skillset Film Academy and its MA courses are recognised by the Royal College of Art.

For more information visit http://nfts.co.uk

About the Royal Television Society: 

The Royal Television Society is Britain’s leading forum for television and related media. Membership is open to everyone with an interest in the medium.

The RTS was granted its Royal title in 1966 and HRH The Prince of Wales became Patron of the Society in 1997.
The RTS brings together people to exchange ideas, debate and explore key issues. The RTS Awards are an internationally recognised hallmark for quality and originality.

For over 80 years, the RTS has provided the UK’s main platform for debate about the future of television. Its lectures, events and publications make a substantial contribution to raising standards and developing practice. The RTS organises dinners with influential speakers, lectures, monthly sessions on current issues, and the world famous biennial Cambridge Convention sets the agenda for the future.

Television, the leading UK monthly on television issues and broadcasting policy, is distributed free to members. Separate RTS Awards events cover Programme Making, Television Journalism, Craft and Design, Students and Innovation.

Many of the Society’s dinners and conventions are oversubscribed. Patron and individual membership entitles members to priority applications and advanced booking.

There are 13 regional centres in the UK, and a Republic of Ireland Centre located in Dublin. Each Centre provides a mix of programme, technical, and craft events.

The Society is an educational charity, embracing all aspects of television, including the creative community, broadcasting, equipment manufacture, professional consultancy, journalism, design, research and development, cable, satellite, video and interactivity.

The Society relies for its future on the contributions of individual members, corporate Patrons and the hard work of its volunteers. Individual membership is available from £65.00 per year.

For more information visit www.rts.org.uk

About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round Learning & Events programme that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, lectures, scholarships and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work.

For further information, visit www.bafta.org and www.bafta.org/guru