The Screen Arts Institute (SAI) was founded in 2011 by Stephen May with the support of established talent within the film and TV industries. It is designed as a “for-benefit”, low profit organization.
The emphasis of our work is the development and production of diverse stories, from diverse storytellers. We are guided by the simple notion that we are all unique… and the same.
We believe that the power of great stories can never be over-estimated – and that all great cultural innovations are driven by the engine of narrative. We are a species that builds meaning through stories.
Our key collaborators have acted as our Advisory Council, our Mentors and, most importantly, our example of excellence as a group of ongoing professionals.
Tim Bevan – Co-Chairman at Working Title Films (“Fargo”, “Atonement, “Bridget Jones” etc.)
Hossein Amini – Writer/Director (Oscar nominated for “The Wings of a Dove”, “Jude”, “Drive”)
Oliver Parker – Writer/Director (“Othello”, “An Ideal Husband”, “St. Trinians”)
Olivia Hetreed – Writer, & Writer’s Guild Film Committee (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”, “Wuthering Heights”)
Rob Kenny – Director of Operations, Curzon Cinemas
Nick Marston – Chairman of Media at Curtis Brown Group, & CEO of Cuba Pictures
But the truth is, of course, that every participant in the work that we do – be it an Oscar-winner or a first-year undergraduate on a half-day workshop – has equal importance – there is no hierarchy in human experience.
Collaborating with the BFI and Industry
For six years the SAI was based at the British Film Institute, Southbank – training and supporting emerging film talent, with an emphasis on diversity and with particular support for female writer-directors.
YAYS – Our Primary Purpose from 2020 onwards
Living Well, Talent Development & Outreach Programmes
For nearly 20 years, Stephen May, working with a core team of mentors, has continued to develop techniques to maximize talent development and to use workshops and a knowledge of story structure to reframe negative personal narratives.
This work has led mentees and colleagues to many BAFTAS, Oscars and the breaking of box office records. But, more importantly, it has supported young (and not so young) people from all walks of life to “live well”. Our workshops and mentoring have been helping all of us to confirm our existing value, address our anxieties, examine and retell the story of who we are, and become the true authors of our lives.
This work, the culmination of some thirty years of experience, has led to the establishment of The Institute for Story-Guided Therapy & Mentoring:
Initiatives and programmes designed to support education, business and individuals.
YAYS is now the SAI’s primary endeavour. And there is 30 years of evidence to support the enormous benefits of the work that we do.
We have a core group of some 50 industry professionals who contribute to our sessions. As well as writers, producers, directors and actors they include psychotherapists, university professors, special forces servicemen and women and leading experts in talent and team development. More information HERE
The Screen Arts Studio – stories for everyday heroes
We continue to be actively involved in the development of film and TV projects. The emphasis of our work is: “best process”; diversity of authorship; and the celebration of the everyday hero.
We believe that by nurturing the next generation of storytellers, and by assertively supporting the most diverse group of talent as possible, that we are doing our best to walk the walk… to generate positive role-models for all.
The Director of The Screen Arts Institute is Stephen May. Stephen May has 30 years of experience in talent development and mentoring.
As an ac
tor/writer/producer/director he has worked with the best on both sides of the Atlantic including; Warner Bros, Film4, Universal Studios, ITV, Tiger/Aspect, the BBC. His colleagues and mentees have won many Oscars and BAFTAs and broken box office records. He and his partners at The Screen Arts Institute are recognized as international leaders in talent development and education.
As an educator he has worked with Oxford University, NYU, USC, UCLA, Columbia, Royal Holloway, the Open University and others. He designed and led a Masters programme in Screenwriting & Producing at Westminster University, continues as an external examiner for several institutions, and is a national adviser on validation policies for the Open University and others. Stephen graduated from Oxford University with a BA Hons and MA.
For over ten years he has been an innovator in wellbeing initiatives, and his YOU Are Your Story workshops seek to shift focus from the static notion of well-being to the active process of Living Well. He has been the Director of The Screen Arts Institute for 8 years, working in close association with the British Film Institute and hand-in-hand with the leading production companies in the UK and around the world.