The Young Film Academy Podcast

Young Film Academy
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The Young Film Academy Podcast is essential listening for young people looking to find their way into the creative industries. We chat with industry professionals who've worked on the biggest TV shows and movies, demystifying their job role, uncovering how they broke into the industry and learning what they did during their teenage years to set themselves up for success.

  1. 11H AGO

    CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 🎅 | The ULTIMATE 2025 MOVIE QUIZ

    It’s time for a festive showdown! Dan Allen takes the host’s chair for a special Christmas & 2025 Movie Quiz, putting film knowledge to the test as Ellen Thomas, Ruby, and Lewis go head-to-head. From  2025 releases to festive film trivia, surprises, and wild guesses, anything can happen. Who really knows their movies? Who’s bluffing their way through the answers? And who will be crowned Movie Quiz Champion of 2025? Grab a mince pie, play along at home, and see if you can beat the panel in this end-of-year movie quiz spectacular. 🎄🍿🎬

    1h 8m

  2. NOV 26

    Teddy Blanks — TITLE DESIGNER for GRETA GERWIG and HOLLYWOOD - Crafting Iconic Opening Sequences and the Art of Text on screen Storytelling

    Hosts Dan Allen and Ellen Thomas chat with Teddy Blanks, acclaimed title designer and co-founder of CHIPS, the New York-based design studio behind striking title designs for films and series such as Nosferatu From concepts to final frames, Teddy takes us inside the creative process of building visual identities that stay with audiences long after the credits roll. But WHAT exactly goes into making great TITLES ? How do typography, pacing, and sound design shape a viewer’s first emotional connection to a film or show? What’s it like collaborating with directors like Greta Gerwig and Robert Eggers? And how can emerging filmmakers use design to elevate their own storytelling?

    1h 7m

  3. NOV 12

    Yemi Bamiro — DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER (One Man and His Shoes, Black is Beautiful, Fight the Power): Telling Real Stories & Breaking into the Film Industry

    Hosts Dan Allen and Ellen Thomas chat with acclaimed documentary filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, fresh off the back of his BFI LFF screening of his latest film, Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story. His work includes One Man and His Shoes and Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World. Yemi’s documentaries blend striking visuals with cultural insight, exploring how media, identity, and power shape our world. But WHAT exactly goes into making a great DOCUMENTARY? How do you earn trust, find access, and tell real stories that connect with audiences? What does it take to break into the industry today—and how can young filmmakers find their voice in an ever-changing media landscape? Yemi shares his creative process, his challenges, and his advice for the next generation of storytellers.

    1h 2m
  4. Grace Dickinson - HALLOWEEN SPECIAL! Training CREEPY CRAWLIES and EXOTIC ANIMALS for FILM & TV: Behind the Scenes with Hollywood’s Wildest Stars

    OCT 29

    Grace Dickinson - HALLOWEEN SPECIAL! Training CREEPY CRAWLIES and EXOTIC ANIMALS for FILM & TV: Behind the Scenes with Hollywood’s Wildest Stars

    Hosts Dan Allen and Ellen Thomas chat with Grace Dickinson, a professional animal trainer and handler who works with exotic animals for film and television. From big cats to crocodiles and rats, Grace has brought some of the screen’s most unforgettable creatures to life, safely, ethically, and with a deep respect for the animals she works with.  She has worked for and alongside one of Europe’s most highly esteemed providers of trained wild animals for media since 2002 and continued to work freelance in this industry from 2013 as both an animal wrangler, stunt double/extra and animal coordinator and trainer specialising in reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and rodents as well as supporting other reputable names in the industry. But WHAT exactly goes into training animals for film? How do productions balance storytelling, safety, and animal welfare on set? What’s it like to direct a tiger, a cockroach… or even a snake? And what are the behind-the-scenes challenges and magical moments that come with working alongside Hollywood’s wildest co-stars? https://www.reptilesetc.co.uk/

    1h 26m

  5. OCT 15

    Steven Bernstein - MONSTER, White Chicks, SCARY MOVIE 2 Cinematography to Writer / Director

    Hosts Dan Allen and Ellen Thomas chat with Steven Bernstein, acclaimed cinematographer, director, and writer, whose work includes the Oscar-winning Monster, Like Water for Chocolate, White Chicks, Scary Movie, SWAT and more. Steven has built a career not only behind the camera but also as a teacher and author, helping filmmakers understand the deep connection between image and story. But WHAT exactly does cinematography bring to a story? How do visuals shape the emotional core of a story? How can you let go of what's not important when writing? And what can new filmmakers learn about the craft of storytelling, whether through words… or through light and lens? You can find Steven on https://www.instagram.com/stevenbernsteindirectorwriter/

    1h 27m

  6. SEP 2

    Vince Knight - BLOOD AND HONEY Cinematographer on Visual HORROR & Building a FILM FESTIVAL from Scratch

    Hosts Dan Allen and Ellen Thomas chat with cinematographer Vince Knight, whose striking visuals have shaped everything from genre films to glossy TV and music videos. Vince’s recent work includes the viral horror phenomenon Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey and its twisted sequel Blood and Honey 2. But WHAT exactly does a CINEMATOGRAPHER do? How do they translate a director’s vision into powerful, visual storytelling? What are the secrets behind great lighting—and why does it matter so much? And how do you keep your creative edge when moving between formats, genres, and budgets? PLUS—we dive into what it takes to RUN a FILM FESTIVAL, as Vince also founded and directs the Motor Film Awards, the world’s leading awards show celebrating automotive content in film and media.

    1h 14m

  7. AUG 19

    Nick de Semlyen — Editor of EMPIRE MAGAZINE: Inside the WORLD'S BIGGEST Movie Magazine

    Hosts Dan Allen and Ellen Thomas chat with Nick de Semlyen, editor of Empire Magazine—the UK's coolest and world’s biggest movie magazine—and author of Wild and Crazy Guys and The Last Action Heroes. Nick has spent years interviewing Hollywood legends, chronicling the rise and fall of blockbuster icons, and shaping how we talk about movies. From the glory days of ‘80s action heroes to the evolving world of film journalism, Nick brings deep insight and behind-the-scenes stories from both sides of the industry. But WHAT exactly goes into editing a world-famous film magazine? How do you interview the biggest names in cinema—and still get something real? And how do you go from movie-obsessed teenager to leading voice in film criticism?

    1h 2m

  8. AUG 5

    Suzie Davies - SALTBURN, CONCLAVE Oscar/Bafta nom Production Designer - How to build realistic and immersive worlds for your film

    Hosts Dan Allen and Ellen Thomas chat with BAFTA & OSCAR-NOMINATED production designer Suzie Davies, whose incredible work includes Saltburn, Conclave, Mr. Turner, Peterloo, The Lost King, and The Zookeeper’s Wife. Suzie has collaborated with some of the BEST directors around, including Mike Leigh and Emerald Fennell. Suzie has built a reputation for her meticulous attention to historical detail and atmospheric storytelling through design. But WHAT EXACTLY does a PRODUCTION DESIGNER do? How do they shape the visual world of a film—from the grand sets to the smallest props? What’s it like recreating entire time periods on screen? And how does a designer collaborate with directors, DOPs, and costume departments to bring a story to life?

    1h 17m
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About

The Young Film Academy Podcast is essential listening for young people looking to find their way into the creative industries. We chat with industry professionals who've worked on the biggest TV shows and movies, demystifying their job role, uncovering how they broke into the industry and learning what they did during their teenage years to set themselves up for success.

Information

  • Creator
    Young Film Academy
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Young Film Academy Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Young Film Academy Podcast