The original UK Film Academy was founded 18 years ago by Louisa, fresh from the West End of London. What began as acting classes focused on helping young people access opportunities in television quickly grew into something much more meaningful.

Over the years, we realised our classes were not just about getting children on TV. Drama proved to be incredibly therapeutic. For many young people, the academy became a safe and supportive place where every child is valued, encouraged, and given the chance to grow in confidence. While television opportunities remain part of what we do, the personal development of our students is at the heart of everything.

We are extremely proud of our former students, many of whom now work regularly in television. However, what makes us most proud is seeing the lasting friendships formed at the academy and hearing from parents how the experience helps their children navigate the challenges of their teenage years with greater confidence and resilience.

Students at UK Film Academy have the opportunity to:

• Create their own professional showreels

• Perform in a live showcase in front of invited casting directors and agents

• Take part in award-winning film productions

We also teach the production side of filmmaking, giving students the chance to learn behind-the-camera skills. Our students have gone on to win several local film festivals with the films they have created.

We are proud to be an independent local academy with an experienced team of industry professionals, including Jeremy Edwards (Holby City) as our Senior Acting Coach and Oliver Perring as our Film Production Coach.

Each year we celebrate our students’ work with a special red carpet premiere event, where they get to watch their films on the big screen and truly feel like stars.