The aim of the collective is to bring aspiring actors, crew and every other area of the filming industry together under one roof to enable them to gain experience through making short films.

Who can join?

Anyone 16 years old and over who has an interest in the film industry from actors to camera operators, sound and lighting, script writers, costume, make up etc.. You can join from outside the Northwest but must be willing to travel to shoots if you accept a role

How does it work?

You become a member of the collective and you can take part in the films we make either in front of the camera, behind it or both.

A aspiring script writer can write a script, pitch it to the collective and if chosen we will cast and crew it from collective members and everyone involved gets a show reel.

How many films?

We aim to make 6 short films a year.

Where do we film?

Mostly in the Manchester and Cheshire areas in a wide variety of locations.

When do we film?

We only film at weekends, either on a Saturday or Sunday with a meet in the morning for a table read. We break for lunch and then filming begins and we're usually done by 6pm. We never film during the week. On the odd occasion we may need to film over two days,

Public viewing of films

Our films are for the personal use of those who appear and are not shown to the public by us or used for financial gain. They are for show reel use, experience and helping those involved to get paid roles only.

Is there an age restriction?

16 years old is the minimum age to be part of the collective and under 18's must have a Parent/Guardian present at all times during a shoot,. There can be no exceptions to this rule.

What equipment do we use?

We use Cannon Cameras, soft box lighting, lapel and boom mics with a Tascam multi channel sound recorder. Our equipment is basic but we intend to get more and upgrade and the collective grows.

Will I get paid?

No there is no pay as the collective is not for profit and there is virtually no budget we cannot pay you, but you will gain valuable experience and get a show reel for each film you do.

Do we cover expenses?

Unfortunately we cannot cover any expenses but we do intend to get all short films shot in one day so overnight stays won't be required.

Is membership free?

Yes it's free to join the collective. We do appreciate donations to help with the running costs, website, investing in new equipment, printing paper and office supplies.

What if I am Disabled or Vulnerable?

All are welcome and we will do whatever we can to put reasonable adjustments in place.

What happens when I join?

You will be assigned a membership and your name, photo, gender, year of birth and basic contact details are uploaded to our database with your Spotlight profile. Your personal information will never be public. When we're casting for a new film you can apply for roles by simply using your member number.

Privacy Policy

We do not share the personal information of any member with any third party. We only use to contact you regarding roles