Workshops aim to encourage diversity in film industry

Students have been taking art in film workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the industry.

North Hertfordshire College hopes the sessions, led by self-taught filmmaker Amar Hayer, will encourage young people to consider different career options.

Fatima Belakehal, who took part, said it made her want "to become a role model" herself.

Mr Hayer, from Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, said he wanted to inspire others.

The 32-year-old, who is of Indian heritage, said he was expected to follow a "traditional corporate job - lawyers, doctors, being in finance".

"But in 2016 I left behind my traditional career path to pursue my dream of video," he said.

He said he taught himself filmmaking in his childhood bedroom before setting up his own company.

"At the time, a lot of people thought, 'What is this boy doing?'

"In specific cultures you want to look at certainty and stability, and especially if you come from a different country and you're migrants in this country, but I didn't really relate to that - I was trying to forge my own path."

Business student Fatima Belakehal, 18, said she was interested in "content creating because it helps get stuff out there".

"Seeing someone who's South Asian it does make me think, maybe I can be the first Arab," she said.

"And especially for women and girls - don't get me started on that - we don't see much of that. I want to be a role model."

Daniel, 17, also a business student, said: "It gives you motivation to know it's actually possible to do, to become successful in the business and have all the experience."

"Video editing's a very good skill to have," he said.

"It gives you motivation to see what you can actually do.

"It's good for everyone to see that there's different paths to take after uni... all his [Mr Hayer's] other mates went and got 'proper' jobs and he went and did his own thing, so there's more than one path."

Claire Cooper, head of student experience at the college, said: "We really do promote employer engagement.

"If you can see someone who looks like you, talks like you and appears to be from the same sort of background as you, I think that really does inspire you to think, 'Maybe that could be me?'"

Naren Patel, founder of Media for All, which looks to help people from ethnic minority backgrounds "thrive" in media and advertising, said: "The industry remains significantly underrepresented when it comes to people of colour.

"Despite being largely based in London, our industry does not adequately reflect the diversity of the community we operate within.

"To foster a truly inclusive environment, we must work towards changing organisational cultures to ensure that individuals from minority backgrounds feel welcomed and valued."

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