Photo Credit: England and Wales Cricket Board
ECB partners with BFI to offer bespoke filmmaking courses to cricket clubs
- ECB launches First Run: BFI Filmmaking and Production for Sports – a new course designed exclusively for cricket clubs in partnership with BFI
- Programme funded by #Funds4Runs, a £1m investment initiative from LV= General Insurance and the ECB helping grassroots cricket recover and rebuild from the pandemic
- Representatives from cricket centres across England and Wales can apply to take part via: www.ecb.co.uk/news/2050787
- Partnership aims to boost clubs’ digital engagement and online presence
Aspiring filmmakers from the cricket network will be able to improve their film skills in order to showcase their clubs more effectively thanks to a unique partnership between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the British Film Institute (BFI).
Five representatives from cricket clubs and centres across England and Wales will be given the opportunity to take part in a bespoke 15-week online course on filmmaking and production in sport led by the BFI, designed exclusively for and with the ECB.
The scheme is funded by #Funds4Runs, a £1m investment launched in 2020 and jointly funded by LV= General Insurance and the ECB to support areas of recreational cricket affected by COVID-19. This includes supporting clubs to offer facilities and programmes that help improve diversity and inclusivity within cricket.
As the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image, the BFI is a cultural charity that aims to make the UK a creative place for film to flourish. The BFI is looking to help people from other professions and communities engage with the power of the moving image as a tool for effective communication.
Applicants can apply for the First Run course from today for the opportunity to learn from industry-leading film tutors how to create compelling films showcasing the character of their club. It will equip them with editing, communication, digital and planning skills, enabling them to create a variety of exciting video content.
Commenting, ECB Director of Participation and Growth, Nick Pryde said:
“We are delighted to be taking cricket to new spaces through this exciting partnership with the BFI, thanks to LV= General Insurance’s #Funds4Runs initiative. We share a mission with the BFI to connect communities. That’s why this partnership was designed to help selected clubs digitally showcase what they do with the overall goal of getting more people engaging with cricket in the community.”
Also commenting, England Women’s player, Sophia Dunkley said:
“First Run is a great opportunity for aspiring content creators and filmmakers to gain amazing experience which could really benefit their club. Bringing the sport to life through the power of film and digital content is crucial to getting more people into the game and promoting what clubs are all about.”
Heather Smith, Managing Director of LV= GI, said:
“LV= is delighted to be able to give five talented young people an opportunity to begin an exciting journey of learning with the BFI on First Run through #Funds4Runs. The #Funds4Runs initiative was created to support members of the grassroots cricket community, and the participants in the First Run programme will hopefully be able to take the filmmaking skills they’ve learned back to their club. Best of luck to all the applicants.”
Mark Prescott, Head of Business Development and Consulting at BFI, said:
“We’re excited to work with the ECB on a project that will enable people from cricket clubs across England and Wales to learn a range of filmmaking and storytelling skills that will help them promote their clubs and activities within their local communities. In today’s digital environment, having the skills, techniques and confidence to communicate through video and the moving image couldn’t be more important. We are looking forward to working with the ECB and these participants this summer.”
To apply for the course, head to www.ecb.co.uk/news/2050787.
Applicants must be aged 18 or over and a player or volunteer at a cricket club or centre in England and Wales. Applications open on 26 March 2021 and close on 23 April. No experience is necessary but a passion for filmmaking, communications, journalism or marketing is preferable.
