Young adults who are interested in a career in the film industry can now sign up for film training sessions at Augustana College in Rock Island.
Fresh Films and the Illinois Film Office have teamed up to ignite a new batch of film industry professionals. The organizations will host an accelerated training program to prepare and train 18- to 26-year- old Illinois residents interested in launching their career in film.
Selected applicants will participate in intensive, hands-on weekly film training from March to June along with speaker sessions and soft skills to accelerate their learning, connections and job opportunities within film and TV. Trainees will work alongside Fresh Films’ industry partners Sony, Roku, and Fremantle as they master their skills developing multiple film projects.
Training sessions begin March 2 and will be held at Augustana College, home of Fresh Films.
The paid training program, made possible through the Illinois Film Office Training Grant, is open to all Illinois residents ages 18-26. No previous film experience is necessary. Applications are reviewed and limited spots are filled on a rolling basis through Feb. 20 at freshfilms.org/IL.
“Illinois Film and TV production had a record year with more than $630 million in production spending. To support this growth, we need more trained talent. Fresh Films is one of six training programs across the, and the only one in Western Illinois. The program not only helps young adults launch their career in film and TV, but also diversifies and grows the labor pool,” said Peter Hawley, director for the Illinois Film Office.
“This program will engage diverse 18-to-26 year-olds in hands-on learning with the best of the best in film and television,” said Kelli Feigley, Fresh Films co-founder and managing partner. “This program’s No. 1 goal is to jump start new careers in film and television production and at the same time help fill the void in staffing challenges with new talent.”
