The film and television industry is not only an exciting creative journey, but can also be an attractive career choice. Unfortunately, it is often difficult for young people entering the labor market to know how to embark on this career path.
According to a recent survey by the Polish Producers’ Union (KIPA), about 90% of young people say that they find it difficult to enter the film industry due to lack of connections. Another barrier is living outside the major urban centers and not receiving professional education in secondary schools. The lack of new executives and employees entering the Polish film industry is a rapidly growing challenge for those making films and series. The number of productions in Poland is growing dynamically every year. According to the Olsberg SPI report prepared for KIPA, the Polish film industry already creates 21,000 full-time jobs every year.
So last year, Netflix and KIPA launched the “Film Your Future” project, targeting young people from different regions of Poland who want to pursue a career in the film industry. During a two-day summer workshop, 136 18-26 year olds from seven provinces learned the secrets of working on a film set, various professions in the industry, and made their own films. For the most dedicated workshop participants, Netflix provided a scholarship to attend the annual Film Spring Open workshop, a week-long event held in Kraków.
“For me, the “Film Your Future” project was a huge event that changed my perspective on the film industry and the opportunities it offers. (…) From someone who saw the film industry as an unattainable environment, I now know which doors to open and have already taken the first steps towards them,” says 20-year-old Mikołaj from Bohnia about his experience participating in the workshop.
The workshop received such a positive response that it provided young people with the opportunity, knowledge and skills to get a better start in the film industry, and Netflix decided to continue its partnership with the Polish Producers’ Union.
This year, the streaming giant will once again open the doors to professional careers in the field of film and TV series production thanks to the second edition of the “Film Your Future” program. This time, workshops will be held in the following provinces during the upcoming summer holidays: Podlaskie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Świętokrzyskie, Opolskie, Lubuskie and Wielkopolskie. The program is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
