The University of Salford has announced a new celluloid film centre of excellence.
Backed by funding from the UK Research and Innovation’s Higher Education Innovation fund, the University of Salford will become one of the only universities in the world to provide celluloid filmmaking training when the Salford Centre of Celluloid Excellence (SCCE) is officially opened next month.
Closely supported by The Pipeline, the university’s in-house, training centre, the SCCE will be sited in Newton Film Hub on the Peel Park campus, and have use of 10 free-standing industry film sets plus extensive lighting and camera equipment.
Founded by cinematographers and lecturers Laura Hilliard and Steven Wyatt, the SCCE will build on the results of their recent partnership with Logmar, which has provided them with exclusive access to the Logmar Magellan 65mm camera as they work to inform development of a future 65mm camera system.
The SCCE aims to preserve the legacy of celluloid filmmaking while promoting its use in contemporary production. Beginning next February, single and multi-day courses will provide training across Super 8, 16mm, 35mm and 65mm formats. An online resource hub will feature R&D reports, training materials and archive documents as well as linking students and academics with industry professionals.
Christine Pyke, creative director of The Pipeline, said, “These courses, some of which have been commissioned by ScreenSkills, the UK’s flagship skills body for the screen industries, are designed to address knowledge and skills gaps across celluloid. At all levels of film production, from directors of photography to cinematographers to production managers, these new courses are in high demand across the industry, and we are very excited to begin rolling them out early next year.”
Commenting, Hilliard said, “We are really excited to be unveiling our Salford Celluloid Centre of Excellence today. Through the centre, we will train camera crew, collaborate with labs and scanning facilities, develop new technologies, share exposure reports, test footage and camera data openly with the global film community. The SCCE is committed to building a community of generosity through inclusivity and collaboration.”
“The centre aims to democratise access to film education for all who practice filmmaking, ensuring that access to training in analogue filmmaking is not just reserved for the privileged few,” added Wyatt
Partners for the project include Kodak Film Lab London, Orchard Film (of Digital Orchard Group), Sunbelt Rentals, No Drama, Provision, Whitepoint Optics, Logmar Camera Solutions and MKV.
Antonio Rasura, director of motion picture services at Kodak, said, “We are continually reminded that media courses – and institutions in particular – often stop short of many of the crucial practical skills and training programmes to develop talents to support sectors around our industry. I foresee the SCCE to bridge that gap and seed new opportunities. Critical thinking, and exploration of ideas that emerge from practical interaction in such an environment has the potential to foster innovation fields such as energy management, environmental consideration, preservation techniques and even smart technologies to name but a few.”
