Into Film Clubs
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Into Film Scotland has marked a milestone with a special event celebrating a decade of transformative work in education and culture.
Into Film Scotland brought together over 70 stakeholders from across the film and education industries for a festive breakfast on Wednesday 4 December in Edinburgh. The event highlighted key achievements and partnerships, while unveiling an ambitious vision for the future - one that promises to inspire and engage young people across Scotland through innovative programmes and creative opportunities.
Forming part of the 10 years of Into Film in Scotland celebrations, the event was a chance for attendees to meet our brand-new Scotland team: Nicola Kettlewood, Programme Lead, and Frederick Leo, Programme Coordinator.
The focus of the morning was exploring progress through partnerships, celebrating the unique collaborations that Into Film Scotland has achieved with colleagues over the past decade, and inviting new ideas for working together in the future. Attendees also discussed the opportunities for careers in the screen industries and the growing role for film and screen across education.
The Scotland team's track record of delivering high impact work across the nation with the support of a broad range of partners from both education and screen sectors has been amazing.
Fiona Evans, Into Film CEO
The event brought together colleagues from Scotland's education and screen industries, along with inspiring keynote speakers. Kieran Howe, an Into Film alumnus and accomplished director and producer, captivated the audience by reflecting on the pivotal role Into Film Scotland played in nurturing his early passion for the film industry. Known for projects including Gentle Sinners: Landfill, Tune Shorts, and Ewan McVicar: Heather Park - the latter earning him a Broadcast Digital Award nomination - Howe credited Into Film for its mentorship and providing opportunities that have shaped his career.
Howe is now at the helm of Oddness, a Glasgow-based production company specialising in commercials, documentaries, music videos, and social media campaigns. His journey began with a school film club and was propelled by winning the Ones To Watch category at the Into Film Awards in 2015. His contributions to Into Film events eventually led to a commission from James Bond producer and Into Film trustee Barbara Broccoli, who supported his short film My First Movie, a personal story about overcoming adversity to pursue his dreams in film.
"The opportunity I had with Into Film was life-changing", said Howe. "They set me on the path of turning a passion running around with my dad's tape camera making movies in the garden into a career. They gave me the courage to believe that I could tell stories. Into Film's mission of enabling every young person with the opportunity to tell their story through film - or to find their story in the movies - will create a generation of storytellers determined to do what's needed to improve society. They'll tell stories we've never seen, from perspectives that up until now have been stifled. Perhaps then we'll begin to understand ourselves, and each other, better."
The opportunity I had with Into Film was life-changing... They gave me the courage to believe that I could tell stories.
Kieran Howe, Filmmaker
Screen Scotland's Head of Education, Fi Milligan Rennie, highlighted Scotland's new draft Film and Screen curriculum, and the significance it will hold for educators, industry and young people when it launches in 2025. "As Screen Scotland develop its draft Film and Screen Curriculum for Scotland's schools, it's fantastic to be part of the Into Film event celebrating their work in Scotland and learning more about their plans for the coming year, supporting film and screen education across the country."
Our new Programme Lead, Nicola, joins Into Film Scotland from Film Hub Scotland, where she managed the programme for supporting exhibitors across the nation as part of the BFI Film Audience Network. Nicola thanked her predecessor Kirsty Gallacher, who is moving internally to become Into Film's Head of Programmes for the UK, for her 10+ years of work growing Into Film Scotland, ever since the programme launched in 2014. Nicola commented: "I am delighted to be joining Into Film Scotland at a time where there are positive developments in film education and growth in our screen industries. We have achieved so much over the past decade and are working to create more opportunities for young people to thrive in this sector."
Nicola also outlined Into Film's new programme, which has an even greater focus on screen careers and filmmaking, inviting attendees - as well as the wider education and Scottish screen industries - to discuss how new partnerships could be forged, and existing ones refreshed. She welcomes creative ideas on how to collectively champion and realise the potential of film, cinema and moving image to create inspiring, inclusive learning experiences in Scotland.
Into Film Scotland began just over a decade ago, with a small pilot of Into Film Clubs in a handful of schools. Since then, it has expanded dramatically, now actively engaging 53% of all schools in all 32 local authorities across Scotland through its dynamic film education programme.
Into Film Scotland is perfectly placed to support the education community through creative and collaborative approaches that will make a difference to the educational and cultural outcomes for young people in Scotland. If you're involved in the creative or education sectors in Scotland, please get in touch to speak to us about your own plans and ideas, and we'll happily demonstrate how we can bring the power of the moving image storytelling into your teaching and work with young people.
New Into Film Ambassador announced
At the event, we were also thrilled to announce award-winning actor Dougray Scott as a new Into Film Ambassador for Scotland. Emmy and BAFTA-winning Scottish actor and Producer Dougray Scott has built a distinguished career across both film and television. He is best known for the hit films Ever After, Enigma, and Hitman, as well as the second instalment in the hit Mission: Impossible franchise. He can also be seen in BBC's Emmy-winning and BAFTA-nominated Vigil, as Detective Inspector Ray Lennox in the television adaptation of Irvine Welsh's best-selling 2008 novel Crime, and in SKY drama A Town Called Malice, directed by Jason Flemyng.
This is a role I'm truly passionate about, and I'm thrilled by the opportunity to work alongside the Into Film Scotland team and to champion the incredible work that Into Film does. Together, we can inspire and support young people across Scotland.
Dougray Scott, Actor and Into Film Ambassador
The core Into Film programme is free for UK state schools, colleges and other youth settings, thanks to support from the BFI, awarding National Lottery good cause funding and through other key funders including Cinema First and Northern Ireland Screen.
