North East Screen joins forces with North East Universities Screen Network

An ambitious programme designed to bridge the gap between academic study and real-world experience in the screen industries has been launched by North East Screen, in partnership with the North East Universities Screen Network (NEUSN).

Teesside University is one of the region’s five universities involved in the Connected Campus@NEUSN programme, along with Durham University, Newcastle University, Northumbria University and University of Sunderland.

The aims of the programme are to equip students with the skills, confidence, and networks needed to thrive in film, television, and digital production.

Connected Campus@NEUSN consists of two high profile events in this academic year. The first, Frame your Future, devised by all partners and led by North East Screen’s Education Partnerships Manager, Catriona McAvoy, was held last month in Durham.

This gave students from all five universities exclusive access to industry experts, practical workshops, career understanding and networking opportunities.

The practical elements of the event saw students learn about digital content from a local content creator working with big brands and creating short-form engaging vertical content, as well as scripted productions with a presentation and task from two regional location managers, along with a presentation about pitching unscripted ideas for factual TV programmes.

Gayle Woodruffe, Operations Director at North East Screen, said: “We’re committed to nurturing a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable screen industry in the region. This collaboration with the North East Universities Screen Network is a powerful step forward to ensuring we have multiple pathways into the industry.

“By directly connecting students with leading industry professionals, North East Screen are not only equipping them with the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed, but also fostering a talent pipeline that will ensure people can have a career in the screen industries and stay in the North East.”

Connected Campus is part of the BFI Skills Cluster partnership work of Screen Alliance North, a unique partnership between the northern screen agencies - Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester, Screen Yorkshire = driving inclusive growth, skills development, and sustainable screen production across the North of England.

Neil Percival, Chair of the North East Universities Screen Network and Co-Director of Cultural Partnerships at Northumbria University, said: “This partnership is real, tangible evidence of what we can achieve when universities work together with the sector to support the creative industries and build a robust skills pipeline for the future. The collaboration mirrors the work we're doing through the Universities of the North East of England (UNEE), where these same five institutions recently established a creative industries group.”

NEUSN is a network set up to generate collaboration between staff and students from the five North East Universities in subject areas related to screen-based media, production and industries, in order to maximise the potential benefits of joint research, teaching, employability activities, skills development and income generation, in support of regional and national screen sector partnership, resilience and growth.

The network holds joint research development events for academic colleagues as well as careers focused events for students from all five institutions. This project has been part-funded by Screen Alliance North with the support of BFI, awarding National Lottery funding.

---