David Yates on the value of film

We recently met up with British director David Yates, where he took part in a Q&A session with a selection of young people hoping to gain insights into the film industry.

Yates emphatically agrees with our directive, highlighting the importance of storytelling as a means of learning about and exploring the world around us. "It's existed since we came out of caves, and we should celebrate that need and we should nurture it, support it, encourage it. And thats why it's important that young people make and watch films."

Our commitment to providing children and young people with access to film and learning resources has been in evidence in the many events that have been hosted throughout this year's Into Film Festival, and the reactions from our young audiences have been fantastic - something that comes as no surprise to Yates. "I always love talking to young people about the job I do because they are always so enthusiastic and curious about the whole film making process", says Yates, very much emphasising that young people often need only the faintest of encouragement to dive headfirst into the world of film.

And for Yates, as with most people steeped in the film industry, it was an experience with film as a young person that proved to shape his future interests and passions not to mention his career.

"The film that got me into film was Jaws, by Steven Spielberg. I loved it because it had so many different aspects to the story that were all quite thrilling. I believed the characters, they all felt utterly real to me, and it was full of adventure and thrills, comedy and some quite exciting and dramatic moments. And that sort of symphonic experience at age 13 just made me want to make films. And I saw it 15 times - I was the geek who sat at the back of the cinema watching it again and again just to learn and watch and see how people responded to the story telling."

That sort of transformative experience, which led to David Yates becoming one of Britain's best-loved and highest profile directors, is the type of experience we hope to be able to provide for the next generation.

Through Into Film Festival, as well as through our continued year-round efforts, we hope to be able to inspire and nurture a new wave of young filmmakers, as well as continuing to help educate all young people, in all subjects, through the medium of film.