Assistant Production Accountant Training Scheme (APATS)

Name of project: Assistant Production Accountant Training Scheme (APATS)

Overview of Project: The APATS is the only industry developed, delivered and recognised full-time training scheme, which trains new entrants to enter the UK film industry as skilled, freelance Assistant Production Accountants.

Established in 2001, the scheme has now trained 27 young people from a range of backgrounds, skills and abilities and, as of January 2007, 25 graduates are currently working in the film industry as Assistant Accountants.

Aims: To recruit young people across the United Kingdom with an interest in financial administration and train them to become competent and rounded freelance Assistant Production Accountants.

To provide a mix of formal skills training covering the key functions of film production accounting – Accounts Payable, Payroll & Petty Cash – and a range of production placements covering low and high budget features, location and studio-based filming with expert Production Accountant members of the Production Guild.

To ensure that all trainees have a real and practical understanding of the demands of production and the role and activities of the Production Accounting Department in supporting the physical realisation of the feature film – on time and on budget.

To establish a network of practitioners who will provide trainees with their first jobs in the UK film industry and kick start their careers and enter the industry on completion of the training scheme.

Research carried out in advance of project / during project: The need for the training scheme was first established during the research undertaken by the industry that led to the publication of A Bigger Picture and was subsequently further researched by the Production Guild – the leading UK film association representing and serving the interests of senior production management and production accounting personnel.

Over the four years of the scheme’s delivery, the programme has been continually refined and qualitatively developed by the Production Guild so as to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and delivers skilled junior production accounting talent to the British film industry on a time and cost-effective basis.

Benefits to individuals / Organisations concerned: Funded by the industry and the Skillset Film Investment Fund, the scheme provides an established and industry-recognised route for young people to enter the industry with the skills and know-how that junior film production accounting assistants need if they are to secure paid work and develop careers in the Production Accounting Department of British feature film production.

Whilst training, the selected candidates receive a non-taxable training allowance, assistance with travel and support costs and are therefore able to work intensively on the strongest range of feature film productions being made in the United Kingdom.

Supported by members of the Production Guild, the trainees receive an unparalleled level of support, tuition and mentoring whilst on formal skills training and production attachments.

On graduation from the scheme, trainees become junior members of the Production Guild and are provided with opportunities for continuing professional development via seminars, short courses, access to industry briefing notes and documentation and networking.  Additionally, as members of the Guild all graduates are given access and support via the Guild’s Members Availability Listings which are used by the US Majors, UK Independents and broadcasters when looking to crew up their productions.

Key lessons learnt / How it meets the targets: Many applicants have little or no prior experience of feature film production, so we ensure that during the induction period the selected trainees gain practical insights into the expected behaviour, attitudes and level of performance that will be expected of them.  Equally, trainees need to understand the range of environments they will be working in, and the hours demanded by the Department.

As well as drawing on our most experienced members to provide these inputs, we always seek to ensure that our selected trainees meet previous graduates who can speak plainly and directly to them of their experiences and the strategies they have developed to maintain their careers.

The programme is developed and delivered by the industry.  Indeed, industry practitioners are involved at the very outset of the scheme, reviewing and selecting applications for interview and being involved in the final interview panels too.

All trainees are given between four and six feature film attachments over the ten-month length of the programme.  This provides all trainees with a sufficient breadth of experience that they graduate from the scheme and work as Assistants successfully.  It also provides them with a broad base of contacts enabling them to sustain their freelance careers.

From the outset, trainees are working with and are learning from the very best Production Accounting talent that the UK can offer.  Fran Triefus, the Guild’s Training & Development Officer, undertakes regular review sessions with each trainee to monitor their progress and ensure that they are building and enhancing their skills whilst on the scheme.

Trainees are invited to all of the Production Guild’s seminars and networking events so that they are building up their production knowledge but extending their contacts within the industry.

The Production Guild is committed to achieving diversity in all of its activities and services and was one of the first industry organisations to sign up to the UK Film Council’s Industry Leadership in Diversity Charter.

Recruitment to the scheme is widely advertised through the trade and ethnic presses, across the National & Regional Screen Agencies network and via the Production Guild’s website and e-mail notifications.  We seek to ensure that half of the available places are taken up by women and a third are taken up by people from ethnic minorities.

Further info / Links: Further information on the scheme and recruitment schedules will be posted on the Production Guild’s website – www.productionguild.com