Written By
Pinewood Group
10 February 2026
Pinewood Studios welcomed more than 4,500 aspiring filmmakers and career changers to the Futures Festival 2026, Europe’s largest free careers event for those looking to break into the Film and TV industry. Held on 30–31 January, the two day event brought together leading creatives, educators and industry specialists for an immersive showcase of opportunities across the sector.
The event was attended by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, who met with visitors and exhibitors and announced the Government’s new Youth Guarantee, designed to support young people into high quality training, skills and employment.
“Pinewood Futures Festival is a flagship moment in our year. Opening our stages to thousands of young people allows them to see first hand the breadth of opportunity within the Film and TV industry. Pinewood has always been a place where careers are made, and it’s inspiring to witness the passion, curiosity and ambition of those who will shape the future of storytelling.”
Dan Burton
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Senior Community Outreach and Education Manager
Hands-On Studio Experiences
Schools, colleges, universities and specialist training providers from across the UK took part in bespoke tours of Pinewood’s world renowned facilities. The festival utilised four major sound stages—including the Richard Attenborough Stage, the iconic 007 Stage, and the Underwater Stage—as well as Pinewood’s Post Production theatres and a range of tenant spaces.
Visitors met professionals from across the filmmaking pipeline, who shared practical insights, career advice and behind the scenes knowledge from across the creative industries.
"Our students had an absolutely incredible time and I have had so many positive comments from their parents. The organisation of the event was magnificent and all of the Pinewood staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. I think it is such an amazing event for young people and I am extremely appreciate that you made the arrangements for Tanbridge House School to be able to attend."
Robbie Newman
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Tanbridge House School
Industry Leaders Take the Stage
In the John Barry Theatre, BBC Radio 1 film critic and journalist Ali Plumb hosted a series of in conversation sessions with leading voices from across the industry. Speakers represented a diverse range of disciplines—from acting and directing to sound, production design and costume design.
This year’s guests included:
- Adam Teeuw, VP Physical Production, Lucasfilm
- British Film Commission Panel, Samantha Perahia MBE, Gareth Kirkman, Kelly Spearman, Sarada McDermott
- Colin Trevorrow, Writer, Director and Producer
- Connor Swindells, Actor
- Dean Clegg, Supervising Art Director
- Lindy Hemming, Academy Award-winning Costume Designer
- Louise Burton, Supervising Dialogue Editor
- Luke Hull, Production Designer
- Mia McKenna-Bruce, Actress
- Nicky Bentham, Producer, Neon Films
- Nina Hartstone, Supervising Sound Designer
“It's always an honour to be in Pinewood full stop, least of all be involved with the Futures Festival - such a wonderful celebration of the amazing work done here in the UK in the film and TV industry, and a brilliant way to get the word out about it all."
Ali Plumb
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BBC Radio 1 Film Critic and Journalist
Showcasing the Creative Ecosystem
Attendees also experienced a live soundmix demonstration in Pinewood’s Post Production Theatre. More than 50 industry organisations and educators exhibited across the festival, representing disciplines including VFX, armoury, propmaking, production, and editing.
Teams from Disney, Marvel, and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) were on hand to highlight current opportunities, skills pathways and real world career routes into the industry.
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for such a well-organised and inspiring event. We attended on Saturday with my Level 3 Makeup students, and it was an incredible experience for them and for me too. The festival has truly inspired us to explore and pursue pathways into the film industry, and the students came away feeling motivated and excited about their futures. Experiences like this make such a difference to young creatives.”
Laura Millington
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North Kent College
Our onsite tenants provided an especially rich programme of demonstrations:
- Iver Make Up Academy delivered live hair and makeup sessions in a stateoftheart Translux Makeup Trailer.
- Sony hosted an interactive live shoot experience, allowing students to step into different onset roles and understand the workflow of a professional production environment.
- Creative Media Skills Institute (CMS) hosted an interactive live set where they showcased their tenant space.
- On the Richard Attenborough Stage, MBS Equipment Co., Panavision, Mr Helix and Futures in Film collaborated on an immersive workshop where participants could practice filming, lighting and presenting short video sequences.
- The Greens Team created a striking installation featuring a central tree surrounded by landscapes representing all four seasons.
- Cineco built an internal and external set with ongoing demonstrations of set painting and prop making, offering visitors a close look at craft techniques used in production design.
- Imaginarium Studios showcased cutting edge performance capture and virtual production, giving attendees a glimpse into the future of filmmaking technology.
- Turtle Canyon gave a live demonstration of Post Production software in the John Barry Theatre
Each session over the two days concluded with a spectacular live stunt demonstration on the 007 Stage, delivered by The Fall Guy Stunts, giving guests a rare look at the craft behind major action sequences.
The 501st Garrison delighted visitors throughout the weekend with appearances from stormtroopers, droids and wookiees.
Photos by Kit Fanner
