Europe is getting serious about film business training. Richard Brass speaks to graduates from some of the key courses.

When he started an MA in film producing and business management at Screen Academy Wales in September 2005, Ed Casey was sceptical about how beneficial the business-focused parts of the course would be to his development as a film producer.

But, since graduating last December, he has come to realise those lessons were much more valuable than he expected. 'At the time, I was thinking it was too far removed from film producing to be any use,' he says. 'But I have been able to call on those skills in freelancing and thinking about setting up my own production company.'

Casey had previously spent three years completing a BA in film and video at the International Film School Wales in Newport, but says the MA's business element provided a new side to his skills set.

'It has taught me skills that I need to look at to be successful, which I hadn't really considered before. You learn how to develop yourself as an entrepreneur. Also there was a module on research methods, which gave you an understanding of how to do professional market research, and a legal element on copyright law, which has been very useful.'

Currently working as a freelance producer, Casey has also won a scholarship to the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing in Warsaw, where he is the producer in a team working on a highly practical course, with the aim of shooting a long-term project in Naples at the end of next year.