Bad Wolf, one of the UK’s biggest film and television companies, this week announced scholarship support of three students training at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
Postgraduate students, Sanjana Nagesh Doddamani, who is studying Design for Performance, and Hollie Morrison and Luis Yatco, both on the Stage and Event Management course, have all benefitted from support towards the cost of their studies, thanks to scholarship funding made available by Bad Wolf, with match-funding provided by Arts & Business Cymru.
The funding shows Cardiff-based Bad Wolf’s ongoing commitment to nurturing young, diverse talent and opening up opportunities to access the world-class training provided by the Royal Welsh College.
The Film & TV industry is booming in Wales and demand for highly-skilled creative practitioners is bigger than ever and the College plays a big part in feeding this industry.
Bad Wolf, the Cardiff-based production company responsible for acclaimed TV series’ His Dark Materials, A Discovery of Witches, Industry, and I Hate Suzie, and RWCMD have a long history of partnership, with students going on regular placements which often lead to full-time employment when they graduate.
No less than 30 RWCMD graduates worked on Bad Wolf’s award-winning His Dark Materials, featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, who came to the College for a visit during filming.
Bad Wolf also supports RWCMD’s Young People’s Production Arts programme (YPPA) which introduces young people aged 11-18 to crucial ‘back stage’ specialisms such as stage management and theatre design, through masterclasses and summer schools.
They’re also supporting the promotion of its new Foundation Degree in Scenic Construction, developed in response to the acute shortage of suitably qualified entry-level Scenic Construction Technicians to work in the rapidly expanding stage and screen industries.
‘We’re delighted that Bad Wolf, together with Arts & Business Cymru, are partnering with us to open up pathways into creative industries in Wales,’ said Sean Crowley, Director of Drama at RWCMD.
‘Production companies are screaming out for new talent and the College is uniquely positioned to produce highly-skilled, industry-ready graduates. Scholarships like these help us to ensure talented individuals from all backgrounds can access our training, and help us to promote a diverse workforce for the industry.’
Luis Yatco, who has come to Cardiff from the Philippines said, ‘The industry’s full of successful RWCMD graduates and the College fosters a deeply nurturing environment for its students that’s conducive for their preparation for a professional career.’
‘With its esteemed mentors, the most up-to-date equipment and the best facilities, the MA programme will allow me to reach heights that I wouldn’t have been able to before. I’m so grateful to Bad Wolf and Arts & Business Cymru for the support which has helped me make it to Cardiff from the Philippines, and now I can’t wait to be a part of the thriving industry here.’
Featured Image: Last week the three students were welcomed for a rare backstage glimpse of the studios and met RWCMD graduates, who are now in trainee positions with Screen Alliance Wales, Bad Wolf’s education and training scheme. The students also met Bad Wolf COO and RWCMD Board Member Natasha Hale and Rachel Jones, Chief Executive of Arts Business Cymru.
Credit: Kirsten McTernan
Editor’s Notes
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD), the National Conservatoire of Wales, and part of the University of South Wales Group, operates within its international peer group of conservatoires and specialist arts colleges. It trains young artists drawn from around 30 countries to provide a constant flow of emerging talent into the music and theatre industries and related professions.
For further information please contact press@rwcmd.ac.uk or visit www.RWCMD.ac.uk
Bad Wolf Ltd
Bad Wolf was launched in 2015 by award-winning producers Jane Tranter & Julie Gardner. Bad Wolf America, based in Los Angeles and run by Gardner, was formally set up as a sister-company in 2019. Bad Wolf productions include THE NIGHT OF (HBO), HIS DARK MATERIALS (HBO/BBC) and INDUSTRY (HBO), A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES (Sky/AMC), and I HATE SUZIE (Sky Atlantic/HBO Max).
Arts & Business Cymru
A&B Cymru’s role is to promote, enable and develop mutually beneficial partnerships between business and the arts.
The team works across Wales with a range of arts professionals, from individual practitioners to flagship organisations, and the private sector from micro businesses through to multi-national corporations.
A&B Cymru’s work has proven value in the current economic climate of Wales. The impact it has can be felt on children, people in the workplace, communities large and small.
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