Over 600 young people were welcomed to the Young BAFTA Showcase on 24 and 25 November at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. Hosted by the BAFTA Young Presenters ranging in ages 13 -18, the event is designed to inspire younger audiences to be creative and explore the range of careers available in the screen industries.
BAFTA/Scott Garfitt
The events featured a mix of in-depth panel sessions and drop-in activities, focusing on Young BAFTA’s year-round initiatives: Young Creators, Young Game Designers and Young Presenters. There were opportunities to engage with professional autocue equipment alongside BAFTA Young Presenters; to design game concepts and receive feedback from the experts at Tt Games; to explore character design with staff from Moonbug Entertainment and collaborate on a seasonal campaign for SpongeBob SquarePants with Nickelodeon creatives.
Working with Into Film and the Central London Careers Hub, 14 schools and colleges visited 195 Piccadilly on Friday. The panel sessions included insights from BAFTA nominated animation director Simone Giampaolo (Only a Child), CG Supervisor, Industrial Light and Magic, Amanda Johnstone-Batt (The Creator) and actor Taz Skylar (One Piece). Students delved into their respective careers, exploring technical and transferable skills and entry routes into the industry. BAFTA/Alecsandra Dragoi
The following day, a family audience met voiceover artist Lizzie Waterworth, BAFTA nominated for her role as Horrid Henry, and got creative with the team from Pop Paper City by building their own Plom character. AlumniBAFTA/Alecsandra Dragoi from Young BAFTA initiatives shared experiences and insight to encourage our younger audience to get involved with BAFTA.
Check out the feedback board below to see what people thought of the showcase. Watch the highlights video here.
BAFTA/Alecsandra Dragoi
With thanks to our Official Partners Cartoon Network, Moonbug Entertainment and Nickelodeon, as well as our generous patrons Thompson Family Charitable Trust, Michelle and Simon Orange and those who wish to remain anonymous.