THREE tutors at Ealing’s MetFilm School are serving as an inspiration for young talent in the film-making world.

With this year’s Oscar nominations proving to be the most diverse yet, they are working on the site of the former Ealing Film Studios to bring through the next generation.

Ella Bennett, a director of 10 years’ experience, said: “I don’t think there was a particular script or film that pushed me towards the screen industries.

“My mum would disagree and swear it was when I first watched Titanic on tape. She said I just kept watching it over and over, crying every time.

“My advice to anyone considering a career in the screen industries is to never limit the kind of person you are and the kind of team you follow. Recognise the stories you can make international, and look inward before you do.”

Emma Lindley’s films have been broadcast on the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 and sold to TV networks around the world.

“My dad was an editor and my mum was an actress so it may have been inevitable that I would end up working in the industry.

“But I also read a lot of books as a child and was glued to the TV in my teens before joining a drama group and discovering acting and directing.

“The MetFilm School is a community of film-makers who enjoy teaching and sharing what they’ve learned with people making their first films.

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“To any new director, I’d say be yourself, make films you care about, but also be open to shooting something completely unexpected that comes your way.”

Deidre Rairie is relatively new to MetFilm School and delivers camera skills lectures for ScreenSpace. 

After 30 years at the BBC, she left as a senior camera trainer at the BBC Academy.

“My journey to MetFilm School started when I was asked to come along and meet Dr Lisette Johnston (Head of School, ScreenSpace) to discuss whether I could be involved in a fantastic new partnership that MetFilm School had launched,” she said.

“Immediately I was hooked. I loved the vibe, I liked the irony that it was also the ex-BBC Ealing Studios.”

“The only advice I can offer to females entering the screen industries is to follow your heart, stay strong, say yes to any work - as you never know where it might take you - and fight for the same pay and conditions as men.”

Launched in 2018, ScreenSpace is a partnership between MetFilm School and the University of West London, offering practical degree courses.

Students are taught alongside MetFilm School students at the Ealing Studios campus and at the University of West London.