Warp Films’ Mark Herbert and BFI’s Mia Bays among mentors for Screen Yorkshire film lab

Warp Films chief executive Mark Herbert and BFI Filmmaking Fund director Mia Bays have been named as mentors for the filmmakers on Screen Yorkshire’s Local Landscapes, Global Horizons lab.

The other mentors are Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (Joi Productions), Mike Goodridge (Good Chaos), Damian Jones (DJ Films), Kevin Loader (Free Range Films), Teresa Moneo (Good Chaos), Emily Morgan (Quiddity), Piers Tempest (Tempo Productions) and Faye Ward (Fable Pictures).

The lab is the next stage of a talent development programme backed by the BFI Creative Challenge Fund, which awards National Lottery funding.

It pairs producers and their creative teams from the previously announced cohort with industry mentors who will advise them as their projects develop. Screen Yorkshire said the calibre of the mentors “reflects the strength of the projects and Screen Yorkshire’s commitment to nurturing bold, distinctive voices from the North.”

The projects cover drama, sci-fi, horror and comedy, and aim to combine regional authenticity with international appeal.

Caroline Cooper Charles, chief executive of Screen Yorkshire, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be supporting this cohort of ambitious producer talent and appreciative of the amazing mentors we’ve been able to bring on board – each one offering invaluable experience, insight and support as these films move closer to the screen. It’s a powerful combination that will help these stories reach their full potential.”

The programme is part of Screen Yorkshire’s work to support regional voices and build a lasting pipeline of filmmaking talent in the North. The projects will now continue in development, moving towards production and audiences in the UK and abroad.

Screen Yorkshire has worked since 2002 to build the region’s reputation for film and TV production. Through its Yorkshire Content Fund it has backed upwards of 60 film and TV productions, which has brought in more than £225 million of production spend.

Its credits include TV dramas Peaky Blinders, All Creatures Great and Small, Ackley Bridge and Virdee, and feature films The Duke, Ali & Ava, A Bunch of Amateurs, Sky Peals, The Choral and Dragonfly.