Latest news with #LondonScreenAcademy
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Prince William Is Not at the BAFTAs
There was much speculation that Prince William and Kate would make a big return to the red carpet this month with a joint appearance at the BAFTAs. However, as the star-studded event takes place in central London tonight, the royals are staying away and leaving the screen stars to take center stage. Prince William has been President of BAFTA since 2010 and he and Kate have been the star attraction at the awards several times. But Kensington Palace sources advised last week that the Prince would not be there today, making the point that he does not attend every year. He was, however, expected to appear in a video package shown during the awards. Earlier this week, William carried out an engagement in his role as BAFTA President, intended to highlight the next generation of film talent being trained in the UK. He visited the London Screen Academy, which is a free-to-attend academy for post-16 education. 'Founded by leading figures in the film industry, the academy was created to address the skills shortage and lack of diversity in the UK screen and creative industries,' Kensington Palace said in a statement. 'The visit marks The Prince's continued support of the British TV, film and games industries as President of BAFTA, with a specific focus on breaking down barriers for emerging talent to allow them to develop their careers.' During the trip, William tried his hand behind a camera as well as visiting the make-up and costume departments. The Prince has had a busy late January and early February following a 2024 that saw a reduction in the number of official engagements he carried out as he supported his family during Kate's cancer treatment. No public engagements have been announced for him next week so far, which is half-term week for many schools in the UK. You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prince William gets behind camera on film school visit
The Prince of Wales was behind a film camera, being rolled along tracks, gradually closing in on a journalist, inch by inch. It was not a reporter's fever dream, but a movie scene on the roof of the London Screen Academy in north London, where Prince William was test-driving the state of the art facilities in a sixth form academy dedicated to teaching film and TV skills. He checked out the costume department too, where he saw a steampunk outfit with a lot of holes, hooks and tartan. "I might wear it on a Saturday night out," he said to the students showing him round. Prince William is president of Bafta, the British film and television industry body, and has spoken about the importance of widening doors to a notoriously who-you-know industry. The London Screen Academy, with 900 students, exists to widen those doors, offering practical skills in movies and televisions, all for free, alongside learning English and maths A-levels. Although there might be a successful TV and film industry in the UK, access to jobs is still too often limited to "white, middle class" youngsters, the school's co-founder and movie producer, Tim Bevan, told the prince. Bevan, is co-chairman of Working Title Films and has seen students moving from the school on to some of his recent films, including the forthcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and Blitz. He said the industry was "doing very well, but there was not "a broad enough cross-section of people working within it". "We wanted to provide the opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds, from not so much privilege," he said. Prince William, who was commended by a student for his camera skills - "very smooth, nice pan, did a good job", seemed impressed by the energy and opportunities offered by the academy. He said he wanted it to encourage young people from families who might have seen the film and TV industry as being an "elite environment". "It feels a lot of people don't know that they can be in the film industry," said Prince William, adding it was "distant from reality" for many. The prince was shown the make-up department, looking rather tentatively around a room filled with wigs, bright lights, and various levels of unusual make-up. He held out a hand to try out prosthetic skin, of the type used in zombie films, and said the post-apocalyptic TV series The Last of Us had been "quite full on". It was a relaxed and lively visit, no ties in sight, with the prince getting to take part in the final scene, in a mini-movie based on the idea of a London where music is banned. "Silence means security," said one of the fictional posters, as the prince glided past for the camera shot. Among the student film crew was Kendra Nwogu, aged 18, from Essex, who never thought that she would get these kind of skills, thinking that working in the movies was "not a realistic job" and must involve a "magic gateway". She found about the London Screen Academy by googling, and now she is part of a course that will give her practical links to the film industry. "I can have lessons about film. I can learn about cameras. I can learn about sound. I can learn about lighting. And anyone can do it," she said, as she marshalled the filmmaking by the royal visitor. It is about bridging the gap to make things seem possible. For Prince William it was a rare chance to be behind the camera after a lifetime in front of its unforgiving gaze. "Action," shouted a student as his camera moved and clapperboard snapped. And the point of a place like this is to achieve action in real life, as well as on the screen. Prince of Wales speaks to teens about grief Kate meets new mothers and babies on prison visit Donald Trump says Prince William 'looks better in person' Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis straight to your inbox every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
The Independent
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
William takes up role behind the camera on film academy visit
The Prince of Wales tried his hand at being a cameraman to help students film a project on a visit to a sixth-form academy. William operated a camera while sitting on the dolly and track as he took shots for part of a film scene at the London Screen Academy (LSA) in Highbury, north London, on Wednesday. The free-to-attend academy provides students skills and training with courses in film production, costume, editing and animation – and was created to address the skills shortage and lack of diversity in the UK screen and creative industries. Among the academy's co-founders are David Heyman, producer for all eight of the Harry Potter films, and Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson who oversee the James Bond franchise. William has been the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) since 2010, when he succeeded the actor and director Richard Attenborough. On arriving at academy, the prince first had a sit-down discussion with senior representatives from Bafta and the LSA board, where he was told by academy co-founder Tim Bevan that it was 'very much part of the vision that education and industry should come together'. Discussing industry opportunities for young people, William said the 'film star essence… is so distant from reality', adding: 'It feels a lot of people don't know that they can be in the film industry.' The prince was then taken into the hair and make-up studio, where he chatted with an artist and one of the students working as a model – and applied prosthetics on to his hand to make an 'instant fake scar'. Year 13 students at the academy were currently working on a collaboration project which transforms the school into a working film set to shoot a short film. This year's film, Melomania, is a futuristic story about four teenage characters living in a world where music has been banned. I think to get the endorsement of a young royal is sort of fantastic, and it's inspiring for these students. Tim Bevan CBE, co-founder of London Screen Academy William asked the model: 'How is it with the studs on? Is it comfortable? 'You can't really move your eyebrows very much.' The prince smiled and waved at students taking lessons in their classrooms as he walked around the college. After being taken to the costume department, William spoke to a student displaying their 'steampunk' outfit about the design process, which he praised as being 'quite cool'. Asked if he would wear the costume personally, the prince added: 'I might do – Saturday night out, why not?' William then spent time chatting to another student involved in post-production for the project, including adding water digitally into a scene. After being shown the final result, William remarked: 'That's amazing what you can do.' The prince was then shown to the building's rooftop, where the set for the project was built and students were busy filming a scene. He took up a position on the dolly for one take, keep a keen eye on the camera equipment as the scene played out. The whole set gave a round of applause following the take before posing with William for a group photo. Asked whether he would join the production by a student before he left, William replied: 'I might need a bit of practice.' Mr Bevan, who is also co-chair of Working Title Films, told the PA news agency: 'I think to get the endorsement of a young royal is sort of fantastic, and it's inspiring for these students. 'It shows the general public that the creative industries are a career that everyone should take seriously [and] that we're good at it.' Asked how important the college was for young people as a way into the film industry, Mr Bevan said: 'I think you can only tell anecdotally and that we're noticing on productions that more of our alumni are showing up. 'It just feels like it's all beginning to creep out there into the world. We're six years into the school, so we're four years in on our alumni, so it's beginning to work.' He added: 'To see these different voices, different backgrounds, different faces, different sorts of people coming into the industry, I think it's really important. That way, we will tell better stories.'
BBC News
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Prince William gets behind camera on London Screen Academy visit
The Prince of Wales was behind a film camera, being rolled along tracks, gradually closing in on a journalist, inch by inch. It was not a reporter's fever dream, but a movie scene on the roof of the London Screen Academy in north London, where Prince William is test-driving the state of the art facilities in a sixth form academy dedicated to teaching film and TV checked out the costume department too, where he saw a steampunk outfit with a lot of holes, hooks and tartan."I might wear it on a Saturday night out," he said to the students showing him round. Prince William is president of Bafta, the British film and television industry body, and has spoken about the importance of widening doors to a notoriously who-you-know London Screen Academy, with 900 students, exists to widen those doors, offering practical skills in movies and televisions, all for free, alongside learning English and maths there might be a successful TV and film industry in the UK, access to jobs is still too often limited to "white, middle class" youngsters, the school's co-founder and movie producer, Tim Bevan, told the is co-chairman of Working Title Films and has seen students moving from the school on to some of his recent films, including the forthcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and said the industry was "doing very well, but there was not "a broad enough cross-section of people working within it". "We wanted to provide the opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds, from not so much privilege," he said. Prince William, who was commended by a student for his camera skills - "very smooth, nice pan, did a good job", seemed impressed by the energy and opportunities offered by the said he wanted it to encourage young people from families who might have seen the film and TV industry as being an "elite environment"."It feels a lot of people don't know that they can be in the film industry," said Prince William, adding it was "distant from reality" for prince was shown the make-up department, looking rather tentatively around a room filled with wigs, bright lights, and various levels of unusual make-up. He held out a hand to try out prosthetic skin, of the type used in zombie films, and said the post-apocalyptic TV series The Last of Us had been "quite full on".It was a relaxed and lively visit, no ties in sight, with the prince getting to take part in the final scene, in a mini-movie based on the idea of a London where music is banned. "Silence means security," said one of the fictional posters, as the prince glided past for the camera the student film crew was Kendra Nwogu, aged 18, from Essex, who never thought that she would get these kind of skills, thinking that working in the movies was "not a realistic job" and must involve a "magic gateway".She found about the London Screen Academy by googling, and now she is part of a course that will give her practical links to the film industry."I can have lessons about film. I can learn about cameras. I can learn about sound. I can learn about lighting. And anyone can do it," she said, as she marshalled the filmmaking by the royal is about bridging the gap to make things seem Prince William it was a rare chance to be behind the camera after a lifetime in front of its unforgiving gaze."Action," shouted a student as his camera moved and clapperboard snapped. And the point of a place like this is to achieve action in real life, as well as on the screen. Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis straight to your inbox every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
William takes up role behind the camera on film academy visit
The Prince of Wales tried his hand at being a cameraman to help students film a project on a visit to a sixth-form academy. William operated a camera while sitting on the dolly and track as he took shots for part of a film scene at the London Screen Academy (LSA) in Highbury, north London, on Wednesday. The free-to-attend academy provides students skills and training with courses in film production, costume, editing and animation – and was created to address the skills shortage and lack of diversity in the UK screen and creative industries. Among the academy's co-founders are David Heyman, producer for all eight of the Harry Potter films, and Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson who oversee the James Bond franchise. William has been the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) since 2010, when he succeeded the actor and director Richard Attenborough. On arriving at academy, the prince first had a sit-down discussion with senior representatives from Bafta and the LSA board, where he was told by academy co-founder Tim Bevan that it was 'very much part of the vision that education and industry should come together'. Discussing industry opportunities for young people, William said the 'film star essence… is so distant from reality', adding: 'It feels a lot of people don't know that they can be in the film industry.' The prince was then taken into the hair and make-up studio, where he chatted with an artist and one of the students working as a model – and applied prosthetics on to his hand to make an 'instant fake scar'. Year 13 students at the academy were currently working on a collaboration project which transforms the school into a working film set to shoot a short film. This year's film, Melomania, is a futuristic story about four teenage characters living in a world where music has been banned. William asked the model: 'How is it with the studs on? Is it comfortable? 'You can't really move your eyebrows very much.' The prince smiled and waved at students taking lessons in their classrooms as he walked around the college. After being taken to the costume department, William spoke to a student displaying their 'steampunk' outfit about the design process, which he praised as being 'quite cool'. Asked if he would wear the costume personally, the prince added: 'I might do – Saturday night out, why not?' William then spent time chatting to another student involved in post-production for the project, including adding water digitally into a scene. After being shown the final result, William remarked: 'That's amazing what you can do.' The prince was then shown to the building's rooftop, where the set for the project was built and students were busy filming a scene. He took up a position on the dolly for one take, keep a keen eye on the camera equipment as the scene played out. The whole set gave a round of applause following the take before posing with William for a group photo. Asked whether he would join the production by a student before he left, William replied: 'I might need a bit of practice.' Mr Bevan, who is also co-chair of Working Title Films, told the PA news agency: 'I think to get the endorsement of a young royal is sort of fantastic, and it's inspiring for these students. 'It shows the general public that the creative industries are a career that everyone should take seriously [and] that we're good at it.' Asked how important the college was for young people as a way into the film industry, Mr Bevan said: 'I think you can only tell anecdotally and that we're noticing on productions that more of our alumni are showing up. 'It just feels like it's all beginning to creep out there into the world. We're six years into the school, so we're four years in on our alumni, so it's beginning to work.' He added: 'To see these different voices, different backgrounds, different faces, different sorts of people coming into the industry, I think it's really important. That way, we will tell better stories.'
