BFI Film Academy Sustainability & Locations Training Course
The BFI Film Academy Sustainability and Locations Training Course offers young people from across the UK the opportunity to explore two vital areas of film and television production: sustainable filmmaking and location management.
Completely free to attend, this course gives participants hands-on experience of how productions find, manage and protect filming locations while reducing their environmental impact. Working alongside industry professionals, participants will develop practical skills, gain insight into a range of career pathways, and learn how sustainability is shaping the future of the screen industries.
“It really opened my eyes to how things work behind the scenes and gave me a better idea of what I might want to do in the future.”
During this Training Course you will:
• Learn about the locations and sustainability departments in film and TV, the different roles within them, and hear directly from industry professionals about their career journeys and routes into the sector.
• Explore how film and TV productions can reduce their environmental impact, from travel, energy and catering to waste, materials and protecting biodiversity, and discover how sustainability is built into real productions.
• Get hands-on experience of location scouting, learning how to assess potential locations, carry out recces, work with location owners and communities, and use tools including 360° cameras, LiDAR scanning and VR.
• Visit real filming locations and hear behind-the-scenes case studies from major productions, exploring how locations are found, managed and protected and the practical challenges involved in filming there.
• Discover how productions work with heritage and environmentally sensitive locations, including visits to places such as Dunster Castle and West Somerset Railway, and learn about conservation, biodiversity and responsible filming practices.
• Put your learning into practice by responding to a simulated industry brief, working as a team to research locations, develop a sustainability plan and pitch your ideas.
• Build valuable employability skills, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, CV development and portfolio building, to support your future career in the screen industries.
• Become part of the BFI Film Academy Alumni network and access exclusive opportunities, advice and professional development beyond the course.
Applications open on 11 November 2026 for the BFI Film Academy Sustainability & Locations Training Course. Apply by completing the online application form.
Applications close at midnight on Friday 8 January 2027.
If you require support to complete your application, please contact us on: info@somersetfilm.com
We welcome applications from talented young people aged 18-22 not currently enrolled in higher education, from any background and from anywhere in the UK.
Places are limited, and you will need to complete an application form as part of the selection process. Applicants will need to demonstrate a genuine passion for the specific subject area they’re applying for.
Training Courses take place at various location across the UK. If you’re offered a place, you’ll travel to the course location and stay for the duration of the programme, giving you the opportunity to live and learn alongside your fellow trainees while immersing yourself in the course experience. Accommodation and meals are fully provided.
If you’re offered a place on a BFI Film Academy course and are concerned about the cost of travel, our bursary scheme can help. If you have the talent we will make sure you can attend!
BFI Film Academy offers 12 different specialist Training Courses, as well as year-round activities and opportunities.
For more info, visit: www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-film-academy/bfi-film-academy-training-courses