Our mission is simple: to nurture and develop the next generation of screen professionals in Bradford and West Yorkshire.
Newly formed production company Magical Society have been commissioned by BBC1 to produce VIRDEE, a six-part crime drama created by the Bradfordian writer AA Dhand, based on his own best-selling series of Harry Virdee novels.
As the first High-End crime drama to be set and shot within the city, VIRDEE presents a huge opportunity to celebrate and nurture the extraordinary talent Bradford has to offer. To meet this, Magical Society have created Screen Academy Bradford – an in-work training programme to boost capacity for the high-end TV production sector in the region.
Screen Academy Bradford is supported by the BBC, ScreenSkills, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Screen Yorkshire.
Our Team
Ameenah Ayub Allen
Academy Producer
Ameenah Ayub Allen, BAFTA-nominated and BIFA-winning producer, leads as the Academy Producer.
Her work as a producer includes ROCKS (2020), which earned seven BAFTA nominations and five BIFA wins, including Best British Independent Film. Ameenah is proud to have produced several stand-out films in the Bradford area, including ALI & AVA (2022 - directed by Clio Barnard for BBC Film/BFI), ALL THE LIGHTS STILL BURNING (2023 - BFI/Bradford 2025) and TYPIST, ARTIST, PIRATE, KING (2023 - directed by Carol Morley); as well as realising THE SELFISH GIANT (2013 - Film4/BFI), THE ARBOR (2010 - Arts Council England/C4), and YASMIN (2004 - C4).
Ameenah has been championing underrepresented Bradford talent for twenty years. Her role as the Academy Producer allows us to build on this in a formal and structured way, bringing together and nurturing creatives and technicians who would not otherwise have the opportunity to work together on a project of this scale.
Madiha Ansari
Training Manager
Madiha Ansari, Training Manager at the Bradford Screen Academy, is a West Yorkshire-based actor, trainer, and creative facilitator. Founder of Culture101, a bespoke talent development program for Global Majority Creatives, Madiha's achievements include lead roles in national tours, voiceovers for award-winning animations, and producing at the Edinburgh Fringe. As the Engagement Manager for LUNG Theatre and founder of SONG-GEET, the UK's leading South Asian Women's Choir (featured at the Coronation Concert 2023), she's committed to empowering marginalized artists and cultivating diverse audiences, driving the Academy's mission for an inclusive screen industry.
As training manager, Madiha oversees the day to day operations of the Academy, and plays a pivotal role in guiding participants on their journey through the programme.