The Camden Young Filmmakers Collective is launching in November for 18 to 26-year-olds living in the borough.
With applications still open, the 12 successful participants will take part in free online workshops over the course of eight weeks.
They will delve into a variety of filmmaking areas, learning everything from how to shoot on a smartphone to the basics of screenwriting – with no prior experience needed to apply for the scheme.
The project will culminate in a premiere screening of participants' work followed by a Q&A session.
Maddie Kitchen, film director and founder of Sobriety Films, and producer Judith Hunt are behind the project. They will work alongside Keziah Hodgson, a multidisciplinary artist.
The collective is funded by The Future Change Makers panel, a programme launched by the charity Camden Giving in the wake of the stabbing of two young men in the borough in 2018.
Maddie said: “Young people on the panel were given the opportunity to decide how to use the funding to tackle crime in Camden.
“They decided to fund youth programmes that met their objective of providing employment opportunities with links to mentoring.”
A range of volunteers will be on hand to host workshops, with Dominique Murphy - de Neef, also known as DJ Pinks, leading a module on music video production.
Moira McVean, who currently works at Film London, will run a session on film exhibition and promotion.
For Maddie, nurturing young people’s confidence is key. “We hope that this new collective will provide inspiration and a sense of belonging to those interested in film,” she said.
“I often run workshops for young people recovering from addiction. This programme is not necessarily looking for individuals from that bracket, but we do want to encourage a diverse range of young people to apply, especially those who have been through difficult times or felt isolated during the pandemic.
“Filmmaking isn’t about having a degree, but finding the right people and helping them to develop original ideas.”
From January the collective will launch its second series of workshops, which will be exclusive to women.
Applications can be made via Instagram on @camdenyoungfilmmakers.
For more information contact camdenyoungfilmmakers@gmail.com.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here