The Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB) in association with Walt Disney Studios, has presented the annual Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award to Million Youth Media, an organisation offering training and development to the next generation of filmmakers and under-represented talent.
The Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award recognises the inspirational work that is helping foster and progress talent inclusion in Britain’s screen production workforce. The award was presented in a live ceremony at London’s Savoy Hotel on Friday 8th February, as part of PGGB’s Talent Showcase.
Disney backs the Talent Showcase as part of its work supporting underrepresented talent in the British production space via several industry initiatives, including the Star Imagine creative talent programme in partnership with the National Film and Television School (NFTS), as well as collaborations with the London Screen Academy and MAMA Youth Project.
Vice President of Lucasfilm Physical Production, Candice Campos, said: “At Disney, we know that it would not be possible to tell the stories we want to tell, and to reach the people we want to reach, without harnessing the unique imagination and creativity of the next generation of storytellers. That’s why it’s so important to create those opportunities, to secure the vital pipeline of talent from different backgrounds, and with different views of the world, to make sure our content truly is for everyone.”
Million Youth Media and MYM Academy was founded by Fully Focused Productions which is one of the UK’s leading youth-driven production companies, making award-winning content with and for young people.
The MYM Academy has allowed thousands of talented young people from diverse backgrounds to shine, and that vision and commitment is helping to change the face of the film and TV industry. Their 2021 BBC Scripted comedy Series PRU created over 60 paid placements across the show and was recently acquired by Netflix, streaming on the platform since December 2023. In turn the youth led, managed and curated, MYM: Million Youth Media YouTube channel has launched and supported over 450 films with over 87M views and almost 500k subscribers, making it the leading platform for young and up-coming filmmakers across the UK and around the world.
Commenting on the winner PGGB CEO, Lyndsay Duthie, said: “This award spotlights those whose innovations have expanded accessibility, diversity and inclusion in our industry to inspire the next generation of talent and Million Youth Media’s passion and commitment to that very goal shines brightly. We celebrate their relentless endeavours to provide talented young people from under-represented communities, with the tools, opportunities and knowledge they need to thrive.”