About Chocolate Films Workshops

Our story

Chocolate Films was founded in 2001 as a video production company with a difference. We wanted to make a production company that ran more like an arts organisation or theatre company - one that provided outreach and learning alongside professional productions.

We started as a team of two alternating our work in production with workshop projects. Soon both sides of the company grew and so did the team. By 2007 we’d teamed up with producer Duncan Kenworthy to lead the BBC’s filmmaking competition at Pinewood Studios, which included two weeks of appearances on Blue Peter and by 2012 we’d been actively involved in many of the outreach programmes of the Cultural Olympiad.

Two cartoon directors chairs, one with the word 'director ' on the back, the other with the words 'year 10' on the back.

As time moved on, we became a separate company and social enterprise in our own right, supported by Chocolate Films.

Our rich expertise in engagement and outreach has made us a leader in the world of youth film making. We work with arts organisations, schools, young offenders insitutions, PRUs, and many more groups to encourage creativity and share skills.

Cartoon chocolate sign in the style of the Hollywood sign

Our team

Our workshops are led by professional filmmakers from Chocolate Films’ in-house team. Our team is skilled and experienced in working with adults, young people and a range of special focus groups. All of our filmmakers are DBS checked, have had safeguarding training, and many of them are also first aiders.

Our values

As a Social Enterprise, our mission is to make filmmaking and animation accessible to people of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds. We firmly believe that filmmaking is for everyone.

We facilitate workshops across the UK and around the world in a variety of settings, from our own studio, classroom, and youth clubs to museums, galleries, heritage sites, and businesses large and small.

To learn more about our different workshop packages, take a look here:

From the start, our founders were determined to build a video production company with a clear purpose: helping to make future generations of filmmakers more diverse.

Over 20 years later, we fund free workshops for many young people and vulnerable adults every year through the support of our Business and Youth workshop clients. Learn more about our outreach programme and how you can help us make a difference.