Awardees include three beneficiaries of the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros.
LONDON/NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES -- The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the names of 30 students in financial need who will receive scholarships to study in the U.K. or U.S. As well as financial support, the BAFTA Scholars will gain free access to BAFTA events and receive one-to-one mentoring from BAFTA members, award-winners and nominees.
For a third year, three students receive the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros. These scholarships -- an integral element of Warner Bros. Creative Talent, Warner Bros.’ investment in UK creative industries’ skills and training -- are awarded in the name of HRH The Duke of Cambridge in his role as President of BAFTA.
The BAFTA Scholarship Programmes, managed by BAFTA in the UK, Los Angeles and New York, are part of the organization’s charitable activity, supporting talented people at all stages of their career in film, television or games.
In the U.K., 13 new and three returning British students will receive up to £10,000 as part of their package of support. This year, for the first time, BAFTA is awarding scholarships to students on undergraduate Acting courses, as well as a range of students on postgraduate courses.
Hosea Ntaborwa, from Croydon, Christopher Schlechte-Bond, from Widnes in Cheshire, and Shivani Shah, from Leicester gain the additional honor of being named Prince William Scholars. Their fees will be funded by Warner Bros., and they each will receive a short funded work placement with the Warner Bros. group of companies in the U.K., access to a Warner Bros. mentor, and invitations to Warner Bros.’ series of industry masterclasses.
The ten other U.K. scholarship recipients announced are: Tom Barnes, from Reading; Adam Barnett, from Newcastle; Jurell Carter, from Leicester; Laura-Beth Cowley, from Isle of Portland in Dorset; Jason Harris, from Wolverhampton; Kyle Horwood, from Swindon; Michael Johnson, from Liverpool; Jonny Lavelle, from Houghton-le-Spring in County Durham; Benjamin Luff, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and Daniel Seager, from Whitstable in Kent.
In addition, Matilda Ibini, from Hackney and Elizabeth Mercuri, from Chesterfield in Derbyshire -- who were both named Prince William Scholarship recipients in 2014 -- and Bradley Johnson from Norwich, will each receive a further scholarship from BAFTA to complete the second year of their course.
Click HERE to see the course details and biographies of the BAFTA Scholars studying in the U.K.
“Having met previous recipients of the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games, I know the impact that the BAFTA and Warner Bros. initiative has for these talented students,” said HRH The Duke of Cambridge. “As President of BAFTA, I am proud of the opportunities for progression that the scheme offers. I would like to congratulate this year's recipients Hosea, Christopher and Shivani -- and all the new BAFTA Scholars -- and wish them all the best in their future careers.”
“BAFTA’s scholarship programs in the U.K. and through our international branches continue to go from strength to strength,” said BAFTA chair Anne Morrison. “Through these schemes we’re able to provide talented individuals, who might otherwise be lost to our industries, with the financial means and professional support to advance their careers in film, television and games. We’re delighted that previous beneficiaries, such as BAFTA winner and Oscar nominee Daisy Jacobs, are already making an impact at our Awards ceremonies.”
“Our commitment to finding, funding and nurturing talented people from all backgrounds continues,” said Josh Berger CBE, President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain. “Every year, we are excited to see the Prince William Scholars making the most of the insight, experience, and financial support provided to them. We are confident that Hosea, Christopher and Shivani will do just the same, and we wish them all the very best as they lay the foundations of their careers.”
The BAFTA Scholarship Program in the U.K. is overseen by BAFTA’s Learning and Events Committee, chaired by Sara Putt, and made possible by the generous support of a number of individuals, foundations and partnerships.
BAFTA Los Angeles provides financial support and mentorship to British graduate students who are studying in the US. This year's recipients are: Emily Rice, studying at the University of Southern California; Richard Tuft, at California Institute for the Arts; Amelia Hassard, at Columbia University; and Alexander Noël Ivan Polunin, at the University of Southern California. In addition, Sean Dunn, studying at Columbia University, is awarded the first ever Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship; and Michael Clarkson at the University of Southern California receives the Nigel Lythgoe Television Scholarship. Click HERE for the students’ biographies.
“Our scholarship program has provided much needed support to British film students in the US for over 20 years,” said BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman Kieran Breen. “We are proud to support this year’s emerging talents and continue the cultural exchange of expertise between the US and UK industries. I sincerely thank Mark Pigott, KBE for his incredible support of our program.”
BAFTA New York specialises in supporting both graduate and undergraduate students pursuing media studies at institutions located within the New York City area, through its Media Studies Scholarship Program. This year, it awards eight scholarships, made possible due to the continued generous support of partners such as BBC America, DLT Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation, Walkers Shortbread, HBO, Cinedigm and Discovery Communications. This year’s recipients are: Amina Ebada, Salomeya (Sally) Lomidze, Jeremy Norris, and Lamont Baldwin, all studying at Brooklyn College; Charlotte Wells and Giuliana Monteiro at NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Matthew Marquez at Hunter College, and Melisande Bliss at City College of New York. Click HERE for more information.
“Of the veritable cornucopia of programs BAFTA New York offers, our scholarships are undeniably the most rewarding,” said BAFTA New York Chairman Luke Parker Bowles. “Our incredibly generous roster of donors allows us to make a significant difference in the lives of students, so you cannot help but grin from ear to ear when you eventually get to see the results of these tremendous students’ work. We are excited to continue to grow the program and, in doing so, open the door for more filmmakers of tomorrow.”
“Now in its fourth year, the BAFTA New York Media Studies scholarships recognize deserving students to enable them to pursue their studies in film and television,” said Linda Kahn, Chair of BAFTA New York Educational Outreach Committee. “This year, we have an unprecedented eight scholarships, totalling $30,000, and the participation of four universities located in New York. BAFTA New York is thrilled to support the next generation with contributions from so many sponsors. The Media Studies scholarship is just the beginning of ongoing mentoring activities with these outstanding students.”
In 2016, BAFTA will offer scholarships to enable talented Chinese and British nationals in financial need to study film, television, or games as an international student in the U.K. or China respectively. The new scholarships aim to encourage creative collaboration and cultural exchange between British and Asian practitioners. They follow on from the successful programme in Hong Kong, supported by the Yip Foundation, for which BAFTA is providing a scholarship to British student Tian Macleod Ji for a second year, to complete his studies in Hong Kong.
Source: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
