FAQs
How do I get a job on a production?
Working on a production which has received Northern Ireland Screen funding
Northern Ireland Screen is not responsible for crewing up or casting on productions which film here. However, we will host calls for crew on productions which receive Northern Ireland Screen funding. When there are live crew calls, they can be found in the Vacancies section/Calls for Crew.
We would advise you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and intermittently check back to the Vacancies/Calls for Crew section of the website.
You can register as crew on our database for free. This can be found in the Crew and Facilities section. Please note, we are only able to accept registrations from people or companies based in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Screen cannot give out any names, phone numbers, emails, addresses or any other contact details of anyone connected with a production.
The main function of Northern Ireland Screen is administrating and facilitating funding for film, television and digital content production in Northern Ireland rather than actual production itself. You can read more about us here.
How do I approach a broadcaster for a commission?
Broadcasters can be contacted via their commissioning portals. Links to UK and Ireland broadcasters can be found below:
ITV
BBC
SKY
Channel 5
Channel 4
RTÉ
TG4
Work experience, internships, volunteering?
ScreenWorks, supported by Northern Ireland Screen and delivered by Into Film, is an exciting new scheme to help young people in Northern Ireland aged 16-19 to explore screen crafts through a range of unique work experiences.
Young people are invited to apply for a ScreenWorks experience, where each participant will learn about a craft or technical role in the Northern Ireland film industry on a 3-5 day work experience placement.
You can find more information regarding ScreenWorks here.
Crew calls for productions which are funded and facilitated by Northern Ireland Screen will be hosted on our Calls for Crew page.
Our searchable online production guide can be used to contact independent production companies in Northern Ireland.
Please also visit the other pages within the FAQs section of the Northern Ireland Screen website and the Vacancies section for further information.
The various film festivals in Northern Ireland do offer volunteer opportunities and you should visit the websites of the Belfast Film Festival, Cinemagic and Foyle Film Festival for information.
From time to time, the news section of the Northern Ireland Screen website (“News and Events” is accessible from the Northern Ireland Screen website home page) will also host calls for volunteers from the film festivals.
We would advise that you regularly visit our website and/or follow us on our various social networking sites including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can I be an extra?
If you are interested in being an extra for a production, please look out for calls on our website. We would recommend you sign up for our e-zine and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. You may also wish to use our fully searchable online production guide for extras agencies.
Please note that Northern Ireland Screen is not responsible for casting on any production which receives funding from Northern Ireland Screen. The main function of Northern Ireland Screen is administrating and facilitating funding for film, television and digital content production in Northern Ireland rather than actual production itself. You can read more about us here.
How do I get a job as an actor?
Northern Ireland Screen is not responsible for casting on any of the productions which it funds and we are unable to give contact details of casting directors and production teams.
We are sorry, but we are unable to give any careers’ advice on how to become an actor, as this is outside of our core remit.
Information on being an extra is available here.
Studios and set visits
Belfast Harbour Studios, Titanic Studios and The Linen Mill Film and Television studios are working studios which house live productions. They are not open to the public and tours and visits are not possible.
For industry enquiries regarding studio usage, please visit the appropriate pages in the Filming in Northern Ireland section of our website.
Many locations across Northern Ireland are used for filming purposes. Northern Ireland Screen cannot disclose location information during live shoots. You may find location information on past productions in our Production Catalogue here.
How do I start a career in the industry?
Northern Ireland Screen receives many queries about starting out in the industry. Please note that we are not the agency for careers and you should find ScreenSkills a useful resource in this area as they offer career navigation for the creative industries.
Additionally, BAFTA Guru has a wealth of advice from industry practitioners, podcasts, interviews and resources for those starting out in the business.
We have also included a link on this page to the National Film & Television School. There are other film schools across the UK and Ireland and you should be prepared to undertake your own research.
ScreenWorks, supported by Northern Ireland Screen and delivered by Into Film, is an exciting new scheme to help young people in Northern Ireland aged 16-19 to explore screen crafts through a range of unique work experiences.
You may find the information in our Skills Development section of interest, and in particular, please note that our Skills Fund is available to support you financially for training and development.
How do I submit a story to the Northern Ireland Screen website?
We are happy to share information regarding the Northern Ireland screen industry on the news section of our website.
If you have a story / event / programme or training initiative, which you would like to promote, we require all relevant information to be supplied in the following format:
- A headline.
- Two-three paragraphs on the story.
- A JPEG image to accompany the article. *Please note, JPEGS must be sized 500 x 500 pixels.*
- If your story relates to a TV programme or feature film, please ensure you include all relevant dates, times and broadcaster information in the text.
- Please note, we are unable to publish TX cards.
If you would like to submit a job vacancy to the Northern Ireland Screen vacancies section, please submit the information in the following format:
- A brief job description.
- A personal specification.
- A closing date.
- A contact email address or telephone number for applications.
Any stories submitted to the Northern Ireland Screen website will be published at our discretion as priority will be given to Northern Ireland Screen related content.
To submit a story, please email [email protected].
Can I promote my training course / workshop on the Northern Ireland Screen website?
Northern Ireland Screen cannot promote commercial training schemes or workshops, which are not affiliated with Northern Ireland Screen or an accredited training body like ScreenSkills.
However, if you would like to share the details of a training opportunity, which is free of charge for all participants, then please email [email protected] with the appropriate details.
