Women in Film and Television (WFTV) has extended itsmentoring programme Directing Change to help women develop their careers in technicalroles within the film and TV industry.

WFTV willofficially launch the new initiative, called Technical Change, on October 10.

Working inconjunction with Skillset and the UK Film Council with the backing of theEuropean Social Fund's EQUAL programme (ESF EQUAL) and the support of Channel 4and United International Pictures (UIP), Technical Change aims to place six talented individualswith six leading professionals in the grades where women are currently mostunder-represented.

Recentfigures published by Skillset show that women make up only a small proportionof the numbers working in lighting (8%), camera (10%), special physical effects(10%), sound (11%), interactive media (20%) and post production (22%).

Led byproject manager Jemima Gibbons, Technical Change will seek to help redress thisbalance.

WFTV chiefexecutive Jane Cussons said: "Over the past three years, Directing Change hasgained huge support and respect throughout the industry. It seemed a naturalstep to extend the initiative to other areas in which women struggle to succeedand I am delighted our sponsors felt the same way."

As withDirecting Change - which allows up and coming female directors to shadow wellestablished directors during a film shoot - Technical Change placements willnot be entry-level but will be for industry professionals with several yearsexperience behind them. The placements are likely to last around 2-3 months intotal - with the first three starting in January 2006 and the second threerunning from October 2006.

Applicationdeadlines are November 14 (for January 2006 placements) and September 4, 2006(for October 2006 placements). Further information and application forms willbe available from www.wftv.org.uk.