About Guiding Lights
Guiding Lights is a year-long mentoring scheme designed to identify and support emerging
UK-based film industry talent.
Applications for the Guiding Lights 08/09 programme are now closed. Interest in this year’s scheme
was overwhelming, with a 60% increase in applications of a very high standard.
Following a rigorous selection process 25 Guiding Lights mentees have been selected and matched with some of the UK film industry’s most prestigious and inspiring practitioners. Information about the mentor/mentee matches and further details of their work can be seen here.
Over the year each mentee
will develop a one-on-one relationship with their carefully chosen mentor as well as participating in a number of
high-level industry networking and training events delivered as part of the Guiding Lights programme.
Guiding Lights is part of
A Bigger Future, the UK film
skills strategy setup by Skillset and the UK Film Council to address skills development across all job roles in film. The initiative is supported by the National Lottery through the UK Film Council and the film industry through the Skills Investment Fund.
The programme is run by Lighthouse Arts & Training,
with funding from the Skillset Film Skills Fund, Optimum Releasing, Arts & Business South East and Lighthouse. The scheme also benefits from the generosity of our in-kind supporters.
Guiding Lights supports filmmakers across all sections of the community and from a range of film industry disciplines. Directors, producers, screenwriters, cinematographers, talent agents and professionals working in sales, distribution, exhibition, marketing, publicity and business affairs were all eligible to apply.
Guiding Lights aims to help improve diversity within UK film industry by addressing the issues of access which individuals often face when establishing or progressing their careers. Participants are provided with financial assistance towards
pre-agreed travel, subsistence and childcare costs. We are able to facilitate access for deaf and disabled people. Please see the Guidelines for further information.
Guiding Lights 08/09 builds on
the success of the pilot scheme completed in 2007. For more information on it’s participants
click here.
