At Surge Films, we believe that storytelling belongs to everyone. Looking back at the creative landscape of South Yorkshire, few initiatives embodied this spirit more than the Futures Film School.

The program was a collaboration between the youth charity Sheffield Futures and the creative team at Goons Production. Together, they created a free, immersive film production program designed to break down the barriers of the film industry for young people aged 18–25 in Sheffield.

More Than Just a Classroom

The Futures Film School wasn’t your typical academic course. It was an intensive, hands-on journey that took aspiring filmmakers from initial concepts to final screenings. Over the course of the program, participants didn't just talk about movies, the got the oppertunity to they made them.

Working within a professional environment, the 2024 cohort produced two original short films. Along the way, they received:

• Industry Workshops: Direct training from some of the region's finest directors and technicians.

• Professional Networking: Q&A sessions and screenings that connected them with the local creative community.

• Technical Experience: Access to industry-standard equipment and facilities through partners like The Kurious and Sheffield Hallam University.

By offering this training for free, the program ensured that talent and passion (not bank balances) determined who got to tell their stories.

A New Chapter for Social Impact

The legacy of these projects continues to shape how we work today. We are proud to share that the social services and community-driven initiatives formerly managed by Goons Production have now found a new home at Surge Films.

This transition allows us to build upon the incredible foundation laid by the Futures Film School. At Surge Films, we remain committed to inclusive representation and creating pathways for underrepresented voices in South Yorkshire and the North of England. We are dedicated to ensuring that the socially impactful filmmaking that started in community hubs like Star House continues to thrive on a larger scale.

Looking Ahead

As we host this history on our site, we celebrate the filmmakers who started their journeys at the Futures Film School. Their work reminds us why we do what we do: because when you give a young person the tools to tell their story, you change the industry for the better.