Due to the massive demand for professional Assistant Directors and the difficulties in finding suitable candidates to fill open positions in Nordic productions, we established the BBG AD Bootcamp in 2022. It aims to go one step further and show how Assistant Director’s can support the design and artistic work of their colleagues to enable higher quality content to be created.
Our AD Bootcamp started as a one-time pilot course and has now formed into an umbrella under which we provide further training in Assistant Directing in multiple different ways.
So far we’ve offered the following training opportunities:
- 8-week part time-program on Assistant Directing in Finland (covering duties of 1st’s, 2nd’s and 3rd’s)
- 2-month full time course of Production Planning in Sweden (covering duties of 1st and 2nd on prep)
- course of 10 lectures for 2nd Assistant Directors on call sheets in Finland
- course of 10 lectures for 3rd Assistant Directors (2nd AD Crowd) on extras casting and management in Finland
- 4-day intensive course as part of AMPI+ program for spring 2023
- 3-day intensive workshop with FOCAL and Background Action in Switzerland
- additional, open lectures for filmmakers on different topics of Assistant Directing in Finland
None of the trainings alone give qualifications for a particular job role. Instead, depending on the content they give the participants better awareness of other departments’ needs, an overview of the job and an understanding of how to do the work. It helps them grasp what will be required of them in the role of an AD. Instead of having to learn everything on their first day in the job, they are given a skills-based overview of the work process to prepare them for the job.
We’re constantly evolving our content and hope to be able to share our knowledge further and learn more from other AD cultures in the coming years.
88% of the participants felt the Bootcamp provided them better positioning in the job market
According to anonymous questionnaire for the participants of BBG AD Bootcamp 2022 answered by 17 of 19 participants.
88% of the participants felt better prepared for upcoming work after the Bootcamp
100% of the participants felt their expectations were met or exceeded
”Teachers were true professionals and had the most up-to-date knowledge from the field. Felt like the honest goal of the program was to pilot us towards the future productions.”
“Must be the best place in Finland to have training for AD’s.”
”Great people – never felt like a competition.”
”Though not knowing anyone beforehand, it felt like we all were a big group of friends. Help was always available.”
”Must be one of the coolest things I’ve had this year!”
”Besides teaching me a great amount of new things, the program also introduced me to many wonderful people. I’m touched of the workload all our teachers have done to train new professionals into this industry and evolve it towards a healthier, more sustainable future.”
Bootcamp was founded by Blockbusters Gang’s Co-Founder Iiris Orasmaa and has been evolved further with multiple AD’s involved in the process. Currently it’s run by Iiris and Aino Niemi, who’s in charge of training future 2nd Assistant Directors. Besides Iiris and Aino, Assistant Director Olli Kasper and Casting Director Pia Nurmi are regular teachers.
