The VFX Industry’s Newest Equality Collective Launch National Inclusion Week Events

National Inclusion Week kicks off next Monday the 25th of September, uniting some of the VFX industry’s most influential talent leaders who have come together for the first time ever to create a jam-packed schedule of panels, workshops, discussions and career events, to connect and inspire the next generation of artists, producers and creatives. 

 

The best in industry talent representatives from the likes of The Mill, Moving Picture Company, Framestore, Double Negative Visual Effects, UK Screen Alliance and Escape Studios have joined forces to create a diversity focused group ‘Access:VFX’ - inspired by the mutual aim to lookout for the interests of minorities within the industry. 

Click here to see the event schedule.

 

Access:VFX sees the industry community working together toward a shared goal, a crucial motive for success within innovative companies, proving that commercial success must be deeply rooted in the celebration of different perspectives, ideas, backgrounds and people by accepting everyone into the inclusion conversation. 

 

The overall theme of this year’s National Inclusion Week is to “Connect for Inclusion”, encouraging those taking part to meet people from different teams, other parts of organisations, regions, countries, backgrounds and heritages, to enrich both individual and collective thinking and understanding of how we can be at our best for organisations. 

 

With this in mind, there will also be a careers fair, workshops and mentorship pairing scheme taking place on Wednesday 27th for students from diverse and economically challenged backgrounds, looking to break into the industry. 

 

Spearheaded by Mill Head of Learning and Development Simon Devereux, the Access:VFX have worked tirelessly to create a schedule that will join the industry together to put inclusion at the forefront of people’s minds. 

 

Simon states:

“From Monday 25th September Access:VFX will launch an incredible week of events during this year’s National Inclusion Week, including a full timetable of free workshops, talks, panel discussions and evening screenings. In addition to the industry-wide schedule, the team will host a VFX careers day and mentoring mixer for students within under represented communities, a mental health awareness panel, and an apprentice takeover event designed and delivered entirely by the current cohort of VFX apprentices. 

 

Our continued work on diversity and inclusion has provided the Access:VFX team with the most challenging, creative, rewarding and important work of our careers. I am constantly finding myself inspired and motivated, whether it be via the truly inclusive collaborations with The Mill’s peer studios and institutions as part of the Access:VFX team, or the amazing people I encounter daily who tirelessly campaign, direct and discuss, create, build and  disrupt to create real change. I am incredibly proud to be a part of this movement.” 

 

Access:VFX | Company Credits