Warner Bros. and RADA Celebrate a Decade of Partnership on Warner Bros. Creative Talent
(May 24, 2018 – London) – RADA President Sir Kenneth Branagh joined Josh Berger CBE, President & Managing Director of Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain, on stage at a special event to celebrate five years of Warner Bros. Creative Talent – part of the company’s commitment to invest in skills and training – and ten years of Principal Partnership between Warner Bros. and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
The event, held at RADA on Tuesday, May 8, welcomed Warner Bros. Creative Talent’s fifth season of scholars, trainees and apprentices, and featured performances from RADA students and young people from inclusive theatre company Chickenshed, a panel discussion with Creative Talent alumni and a Q&A with Sir Kenneth.
For a decade, Warner Bros.’ support has helped to embed film training into RADA’s classical curriculum, developing the craft of students who go on to work in high-profile roles in creative industries across the globe, and – over the past five years – Warner Bros. Creative Talent has directly provided scholarships for 22 RADA students.
Josh Berger said, “Warner Bros. is very proud to be RADA’s Principal Partner and we’re delighted that our close links include direct financial and mentoring support for a number of RADA students through Warner Bros. Creative Talent. It remains as essential as ever to nurture and develop future generations of diverse talent for the creative industries.”
Sir Kenneth Branagh, who played Commander Bolton last year in Warner Bros.’ Dunkirk, said, “Witnessing first-hand the investment made by Warner Bros. to support RADA I can say how truly special it is – enhancing the training opportunities for our acting and theatre production students, particularly in anticipation of careers embracing the film and TV industries. This event celebrates a decade of partnership and recognises a commitment shared by both RADA and Warner Bros. to increasing access to opportunities across the creative industries.”
Edward Kemp, Director of RADA, said, “Over the past decade, our Principal Partnership with Warner Bros. has continued to exceed all expectations. Alan Rickman provoked the discussions which would become the foundations of a collaboration he would later describe as transformative for RADA. The combined practical and financial support reverberates throughout the entire Academy, benefiting our students, staff and graduates, and championing the potential of robust, curious dialogue between training institutions and industry leaders.”
Rienkje Attoh, a Season One scholar and now a film & TV producer, said, “It’s just amazing when big organisations are backing you and believing in you. The actual relationships I have formed have led me to future employment and they are taking me closer and closer to my end goal.”
Warner Bros. Creative Talent collaborates with several higher education, creative industry and charity partners and, since 2013, has supported more than 250 young people from all backgrounds. Most former scholars, trainees and apprentices have gone on to work in the industry, many receiving critical acclaim, awards wins, nominations and festival screenings.*
Warner Bros. Creative Talent Season Five includes three Prince William scholars in Film, Television and Games in partnership with BAFTA; apprenticeships at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, Warner Bros. De Lane Lea’s post-production facilities in Soho and Warner Bros. International Television Production offices in the UK; trainee positions on Warner Bros. film productions in the UK; and training course places for young people at inclusive theatre company, Chickenshed.
Mentoring and a series of special events and master classes, delivered by executives and industry experts, are also an integral part of Warner Bros. Creative Talent.
* Rienkje Attoh (The National Film & Television School, MA Producing) received a BFI Vision Award in 2016, and produced “Dear Mr Shakespeare,” which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, and “A Moving Image,” which was shown at the LA Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival and was released across the UK in April 2017; Ciarán Dooley (The National Film School at the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, MA Screenwriting) was nominated for an IFTA for his short film, “The Great Wide Open,” which he wrote and directed; Abraham Popoola (RADA, BA (Hons) Acting) appeared in the title role of a production of “Othello” in Bristol, London and Germany, for which he received a four star review from The Guardian, who called his performance “outstanding,” and won Best Actor in 2017’s Stage Debut Awards; Amanda Gardner (BA (Hons) Film & TV, University of Hertfordshire) won the ITV Documentary Award for her graduation film, “The Elephant In The Room,” and was nominated for the Royal Television Society Student Award for Best Documentary; Charles Heales (BA (Hons) Digital Film Production, Ravensbourne) won the Film and Broadcast Award at Ravensbourne for finishing top of his year; David Jonsson (RADA, BA (Hons) Acting) appeared with fellow RADA graduate Juliet Stevenson in “Mary Stuart” at the Almeida and alongside David Tennant in the West End production of “Don Juan In Soho” at the Wyndham’s Theatre.
Warner Bros. Creative Talent Season Five currently comprises:
16 Scholars:
Daisy Fernandez** (The National Film & Television School, MA in Games Design and Development)
Hannah Cole** (The National Film & Television School, Diploma in Production Management)
Hazel Allan** (Edinburgh Napier University, MA in Screenwriting)
Kevin Walls (Glasgow Caledonian University, MA in TV Fiction Writing)
Allyn Quigley (IADT, MA in Screenwriting)
Sid Elbadawi (The National Film & Television School, MA Producing)
Natalia Lada (The National Film & Television School, MA in Games Design and Development)
Amir Moulfi (University of Ravensbourne, Undergraduate Digital Film Production Level 3)
Roylan Miller-Davis (University of Ravensbourne, Undergraduate Digital Film Production Level 3)
Gavi Chera (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, BA (Hons) in Acting)
Jemima Bond (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Foundation degree in Technical Theatre and Stage Management)
Bethany Lockitt (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Foundation degree in Technical Theatre and Stage Management)
Llinos Gunn (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Postgraduate Diploma in Theatre Costume)
Maybelle Laye (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Postgraduate Diploma in Theatre Costume)
Hannah Green (University of Hertfordshire, BA (Hons) in Film and Television Production)
Fateh Khaled (University of Hertfordshire, BA (Hons) in Film and Television Production)
** Prince William scholars in Film, Television and Games, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros., awarded in late 2017
Three Apprentices:
Apprentices are working at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden (WBSL), Warner Bros. De Lane Lea’s (WBDLL) post-production facilities in Soho and Warner Bros. International Television Production offices in the UK (WBITVP).
Tom Moloney (Runner / Studio Assistant Apprentice, WBDLL)
Emma Shearer (Studio IT Support Apprentice, WBSL)
Cara Dore (Office Runner Apprentice, WBITVP)
For more information on Warner Bros. Creative Talent, visit www.warnerbroscreativetalent.co.uk
Warner Bros. Creative Talent:
Warner Bros. Creative Talent supports the next generation of UK creative industries talent, with scholarships providing work placements, mentoring, apprenticeships and training courses, giving young people of all backgrounds invaluable industry experience and insight across Warner Bros.’ UK film, TV, video games and theatre operations. A series of special events and master classes delivered by industry experts form an integral part of the programme.
Warner Bros.:
Warner Bros.’ long-term commitment to the UK’s creative industries has seen significant investment in Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden; in TV production companies (formerly Shed Media) that are now part of Warner Bros. International Television Production; in leading video games companies Rocksteady Studios and TT Games; in Soho post-production house, Warner Bros. De Lane Lea; in the West End musical “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which ran from June 2013 – January 2017; and in the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.
Each year, Warner Bros. runs a successful intern programme for over 50 students who spend a paid year with the company during their degree courses.
Warner Bros. has been a principal partner of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) since 2008.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter hosts a range of educational classes, which to date have reached more than 70,000 school children.
RADA:
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) offers vocational training for actors, stage managers, designers and technical stage craft specialists. RADA prides itself on the exceptional standard of its facilities, teaching and productions, and the personalisation of the training tailored to the needs of each student. The Academy has an impressive track record of graduate employment in theatre, film, television and radio, including actors, directors, writers, producers, lighting, sound and costume designers, prop makers, scenic artists, stage managers, production managers, and many others. RADA is committed to creating opportunities for a wider community to engage with dramatic arts training, through short courses and widening participation and outreach work.
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