EVCOM offers several opportunities for young people to gain experience, get insight into the industry and receive mentorship. The Shadow Board and the shadowing scheme are open to people interested in the film and events industries, whilst the FOCUS Award is just open to filmmakers, and the Realise Award is just open to event organisers.
Find out more below:
The Shadow Board
In 2021 EVCOM were proud to launch a new initiative: a shadow board. Made up of filmmakers and events professionals between the ages of 18 – 25 years old, the shadow board has have the opportunity to shape our content, our event programme and our campaigning focus. The senior board and shadow board work together across several smaller committees with specific areas of concentration, including diversity and event programming. This initiative has been shaped in collaboration with Events 101.
Key areas that the shadow board are part of shaping include:
- Youth engagement in the sector
- How we can create a more diverse and inclusive sector
- Content and event programming
We will be opening applications again for this in April 2022. Find out more about our current shadow board here.
Hear from our shadow board in the interview section of our Next Gen Area!
The Realise Award
The Realise Award, in collaboration with Events 101, recognises emerging and/ or aspiring event professionals between the ages of 18 – 25 years old.
You’ll receive invaluable mentorship opportunities with top event agencies including opportunities to build relationships, ask questions and shadow at events, across the course of a year. Shortlisted applicants will also receive access to a mentorship session each.
For our inaugural year, we were delighted to be welcoming mentors from Pure Comms Group, Broadsword Events Group, FIRST Agency and BCD Meetings & Events.
Applications open on the 10th September 2022. Find out more here.
The FOCUS Award
Designed to celebrate young, diverse creative talent, the FOCUS Award is an award for young Black filmmakers and filmmakers of colour. We recognise that Black people, and People of Colour are massively under-represented throughout our industry. The FOCUS Award is designed to foster, nurture and grow talent, as well as open doors.
The award is open to filmmakers people who are 18-25, Black or a Person of Colour and not already working in the film and TV industry. Entrants apply by sending in a short film of up to ten minutes that they have made/ worked on. The winner receives invaluable mentorship opportunities with top corporate film agencies including opportunities to build relationships, ask questions and shadow at events, across the course of a year. Shortlisted applicants will also receive access to a mentorship session each.
Applications open on the 1st April 2022. Find out more here.
Our Shadowing Scheme
This 2022 we launched a shadowing scheme, where one of our member companies offers a day of shadowing a month to a college/ sixth form student interested in either film or events.
The member companies generously offering shadowing opportunities are:
Gorilla, Gorilla! (We produce brand documentary shorts, animated explainers, campaign films, and short and sweet social bites that help our clients make powerful connections with their audiences.)
Plastic Pictures (We’re a next-generation production agency. We thrive on disruption and are well known for our ability to adapt to any creative challenge.)
Casual Films (An award-winning video content production company who maximises the power of film. Services include video content production strategy, production, audio, pre-production and post production.)
Pukka Films (We are experts in changing behaviour through the universal language of film. Our award-winning films are used by global organisations to improve workplace, work practices and businesses.)
DRPG (DRPG are a leading global creative communications agency. Using some of the most advanced studios both in the UK and across the globe, we can deliver live web and broadcasts, pre-recorded shows, TV adverts, presentation videos and every other moving image imaginable, all available in 8K (where needed) and mixed in-house to offer the best sound and picture quality out there.)
TRO (Welcome to TRO – the Shared Experience Agency. We create moments that bring people together in person, online and in culture.)
TFI Lodestar (We create live events and experiences across multiple platforms and channels, from the physical to the virtual and all points in between, connecting businesses with their most important audiences.)
The Zoo XYZ (The Zoo is an international team of talented event architects, who are dedicated to elevating your brand. We combine your ideas with our expertise; we offer creative and honest consultation for any vision, no matter what the size.)
Ashfield Healthcare (The events world is constantly evolving, and we have evolved with it – discovering exciting new ways to bring people together, be that in person or online (or a little bit of both). Our creative approach embraces over 40 years of event experience , a decade of digital knowhow and a passion for making memories.)
Broadsword Event House (We’re an award-winning event communications agency delivering live, virtual and hybrid experiences for clients around the world. Our agency offering is end-to-end, from strategy and creative, to content creation and delivery, all joined together with seamless project management.)
If you’d like to offer shadowing opportunities, or you’re interested in getting to shadow some of the above companies, then please do get in touch with Amelia on amelia.brown@evcom.org.uk.