Channel 4 has teamed up with organisation, We Are Parable to create a mentoring and training programme for 60 Black TV, filmmakers and content creators across the UK.
The new scheme Momentum will be run in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and London as part of Channel 4’s drive to create new opportunities for Black people to progress in the film and TV sector, across the UK.
Channel 4 Creative Diversity lead Neila Butt:
“The Black to Front Project was a huge commitment and an industry first from Channel 4, and we are very proud of it. We always wanted it to have a strong legacy and for it to lead to significant commitments. We loved working with We Are Parable at the time so it’s great to be partnering with them again as we continue our work to nurture and support Black talent, especially across the nations and regions.”
The 60 filmmakers will be paired with a mentor and offered one to one sessions over a six month period. Additionally, they will have access to masterclasses and discussions with top experts from across the industry including from Channel 4 and Film4 as well as Apple, Altitude, Park Circus, STX and many more. Those taking part will get help with everything from script development, financing and funding to collaborating, sales and even distribution as part of a comprehensive guide to what they should do next to advance their careers.
Channel 4 and We Are Parable first worked together on The Black to Front Project. Last September, Channel 4’s entire programming schedule was fronted by Black talent and contributors across all genres and advertisements for one day, with the aim of amplifying Black voices and talent in front of and behind the screen.
Momentum, which is funded by Channel 4’s training and development strategy 4Skills, is part of the important legacy of the ground-breaking Black to Front Project.
Anthony Andrews, Co-founder and Creative Director at We Are Parable:
“We’re really excited to collaborate with Channel 4 on the new iteration of Momentum. Their commitment to supporting talent behind, as well as in front of the camera, has been evident especially with last year’s Black To Front Project. By providing us with the tools and networks to scale Momentum to a nationwide level, we’ve been able to support more Black Filmmakers than ever.”
