13/12/2019 - The SVoD giant continues to address the skills shortage and talent development in UK media

Netflix will partner with the UK documentary organisation The Grierson Trust’s mentoring scheme, Grierson DocLab, in order to create a training programme for up-and-coming, unscripted producers.

From next year’s scheme onwards, the US streaming giant will support two initiatives to develop skills in production management and editing in factual titles and documentaries. These will take the form of intensive residential courses, devised for the cohort of selected filmmakers.

Grierson Trust chair Lorraine Heggessey explained, “These are the skills that the industry is crying out for,” upon unveiling the partnership at the Grierson Awards last month.

This project is part of a large swathe of investment by Netflix in the European film and TV industries. At November’s Westminster Media Forum, UK policy director Ben King spoke of the “necessity and opportunity” for Netflix to contribute to practical skills-based training, and focus especially on fostering diversity and inclusion in the industry.

Netflix has already run production training schemes for its popular UK show Sex Education, as well as a "diverse directors" strategy on Top Boy and with BAFTA.

DocLab itself is open to 18- to 25-year-olds with a passion for television and factual storytelling, and who can offer a broader perspective than what’s usually seen on UK screens.

The Grierson Trust is a registered charity that exists to promote documentary filmmaking and commemorates the pioneering Scottish filmmaker John Grierson, widely regarded as one of the fathers of the form and responsible for coining the term "documentary". His most famous work includes Drifters and Night Mail, both made for UK national film units.