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Want to work in film and TV, but not sure where to start?  
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Are you aged 16-19,  passionate about film and eager to pursue a career in the film and TV industry?

This could be your chance to explore opportunities and kickstart your career!
What's new for 2026-27?
After 3 years of successfully delivering the BFI Film Academy Short Course, City Eye is now a consortium partner for the new Introductory Course, bringing free training and career development opportunities to young people across the South-Central region.
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This year's 'Introductory Course' has been curated for 16-19-year-olds and designed to provide an overview of the film industry with a focus on below the line production roles, screen heritage, exhibition and distribution.
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The introductory course is designed to provide a practical and accessible introduction to the range of careers available across the screen industries.

Participants will:

  • Gain an overview of how the film industry works, from development and production through to exhibition and distribution
  • Explore the wide range of below-the-line roles involved in bringing films and screen content to audiences
  • Develop practical and transferable skills through hands-on, collaborative activities
  • Learn about different routes into employment and further training within the screen industries
  • Develop confidence, communication and teamwork skills
  • Meet people working in the sector and gain insight into real-world careers
  • Explore screen heritage and the role of cinemas, exhibition and distribution in connecting films with audiences
  • Begin building the knowledge, skills and networks needed to take their next steps towards a career in the creative industries.
Based at City Eye in Southampton but serving the wider Solent and South-Central region, our recent BFI Academy Short Courses have recruited talented young filmmakers from Guildford to the New Forest and along the South Coast from Bournemouth to Chichester.  City Eye is working closely with partners across the region to ensure that this year's activity  is accessible to all young people.
All courses are FREE to attend.
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We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities, who are LGBTQIA+, from lower socio-economic backgrounds, from ethnically diverse communities, and from other disadvantaged groups. We want to ensure opportunities for people under-represented in our workforce and in the industry.​
Course Dates
This year, we will be running two courses. 
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Southampton - October Half Term 2026 (Monday 26 October - Saturday 31 October)
​Portsmouth - February Half Term 2027 

Applications for Southampton are now open.

If you would like to register your interest for the Portsmouth course, please contact [email protected]
Thank you for your interest in the
BFI Film Academy Introductory Course 2026-27 (our application for Portsmouth will be available later this year).
In order to apply you must:
  • be aged 16 to 19-years-old on the first day of the course (applicants who are in receipt of an EHC plan (an education, health and care plan) may be recruited up to 25 years old)
  • be a UK resident
  • have a passion or talent for filmmaking and an ambition to work in the screen industries
  • be able to commit to the duration of the course
  • not currently be at university, enrolled at university when the course starts or have plans to attend higher education
  • not have previously enrolled on a BFI Film Academy course
To become a member of the South West region's Film Academy Hub and to enusre that you receive all information about BFI Academy and how it can support you to be involved in the film industry
BFI Film Academy Introductory Course is delivered by City Eye as part of BFI Film Academy South West,
​supported by the UK Government and National Lottery Funding.
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