Scottish Talent Shines: Cara Ellison and Kyle Banks Part Of The BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 Cohort

The Scottish Games Network is delighted at the inclusion of two outstanding Scottish talents, Cara Ellison and Kyle Banks, in the prestigious BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 cohort.

BAFTA Breakthrough is one of the industry’s most respected talent initiatives, identifying and supporting the next generation of creative stars across film, television, and games in the UK and US. Inclusion in the programme is a significant achievement, reserved for individuals who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and skill and are now ready to make the next major step in their careers.

What is BAFTA Breakthrough?

The programme provides a year of bespoke support to its participants, including:

• Mentorship: Access to world-class industry professionals.
• Networking: Opportunities to connect with BAFTA members and leading creatives globally.
• Showcasing: Promotion of their work to a wider audience.

The goal is to provide a crucial launchpad, removing barriers and helping the participants build successful, long-term careers in the creative industries.

Championing Scottish Talent

The selection of both Cara Ellison and Kyle Banks in the same year is a powerful statement about the quality and diversity of talent emerging from the Scottish games ecosystem.

Cara Ellison has built a stellar reputation as a writer, narrative designer, and critic, working on an incredible range of high-profile creative projects that push the boundaries of storytelling in games. Her recognition highlights the increasing importance of narrative and cultural criticism within interactive entertainment.

Kyle Banks is the creator of 2024’s critically-acclaimed Farewell North, which left players and reviewers around the world profoundly impacted by its handling of loss, hope and saying farewell.

This achievement serves as a vital beacon for the entire Scottish games sector. It validates the ongoing work – from the Games Action Plan to initiatives like Hello World! – that are focused on creating clear pathways for professional growth and development. Cara and Kyle are excellent examples of Scottish talent being recognised on the global stage.

We offer our warmest congratulations to both Cara and Kyle and look forward to tracking their continued success as they move through the BAFTA programme.

You can find the complete list of the BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 cohort on the BAFTA website.

#BAFTABreakthrough #CaraEllison #FarewellNorth #games #KyleBanks #scotland #uk

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BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 – Applications Open – Scottish Games Talent Wanted

A golden opportunity has opened for new and mid-level games professionals across Scotland to gain significant career momentum, as applications for the globally recognised BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 programme are now open. Run by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the Breakthrough programme is designed to identify, support, and showcase the most exciting emerging talent across the UK’s film, games, and television industries.

For those in Scotland’s games sector who are at a pivotal ‘breakthrough’ moment in their careers, this programme offers a unique platform for growth and recognition. BAFTA Breakthrough provides a bespoke 12-month package of support, including one-to-one mentoring from industry leaders, invaluable global networking opportunities, professional coaching, and full BAFTA membership. Participants also benefit from dedicated PR support to help elevate their profile on a national and international stage.

What is BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 Looking For?

The programme seeks out individuals who have demonstrated exceptional talent and are poised to make a significant impact in their field. For games industry applicants in the UK, this typically means having a key professional credit on a project that has been released or broadcast in the UK between June 1, 2024, and September 1, 2025.

Crucially, BAFTA also encourages applications from those who may not have a released title within that window but are currently working on an exciting unreleased project and can provide supporting evidence of this. This opens the door for many talented individuals who are on the verge of making their mark. The key is that applicants should not yet be established names or have already won a major award (like a BAFTA).

A Call to Scotland’s Rising Stars

This initiative represents a significant chance for Scotland’s games talent to gain UK-wide exposure and connect with some of the leading figures in the global creative industries. Whether you’re a designer, programmer, artist, producer, writer, or working in another discipline within game development, if you feel you’re at that breakthrough point, this could be the catalyst your career needs.

The Scottish Games Network strongly encourages eligible individuals from across our diverse and innovative games community to consider putting themselves forward. Programmes like BAFTA Breakthrough are vital for nurturing the next generation of creative leaders and ensuring that talent from all corners of the UK, including Scotland, is seen and celebrated.

How to Apply

Applications for BAFTA Breakthrough are free and must be submitted via the official BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 online application portal.

The deadline for UK applications is Tuesday, July 2, 2025, at 10 PM (BST).

This is more than just another skills programme. it’s a comprehensive support system designed to help talented individuals take the next crucial steps in their professional journey. If you, or someone you know in the Scottish games scene, fits the bill, don’t let this opportunity pass by.

For more information and to begin your application, please visit the BAFTA Breakthrough 2025 website.

#BAFTA #BAFTABreakthrough #careers #games #uk

Games Success For Scots In TIGA Awards, Hot 100 & BAFTA Breakthrough

Games success for Scots: It’s been a week of awards and recognition for game creators in Scotland, with success in the recent TIGA Awards, The List Magazine’s Hot 100 and the 2024 UK BAFTA Breakthrough cohort.

TIGA Awards

Sad Owl Studios, the team behind the multi-award-winning Viewfinder, have yet another trophy to add to their Scottish Games Awards, BAFTA, UKIE, IndieCade, Indie Connect, A Maze and many other trophies.

In addition, Sophie Knowles, the lead Artist at Sad Owl Studios has been selected as one of the 2024 BAFTA UK Breakthrough cohort.

Other winners include Scotland-based horror game, Still Wakes The Deep (Best Audio Design and Heritage In Games), Glasgow-based PTW (Best QA/Localisation services) and local heroes Johnston Carmichael (Best Tax & Accountancy Services).

The List – Hot 100

Scottish indie developer, Sean Wenham (83), creator of breakout hit Apartment Story hit The List’s 2024 Hot 100 List, which features the 100 Scots making the biggest contribution to arts and culture. They’re joined by Consolevania creators Rab Florence and Ryan MacLeod (43), who are now running the excellent CVXX podcast and Creative Edinburgh Chief Exec Ola Wojtkiewicz (95) who’s championed games as a part of the organisation’s creative work over the last several years.

It’s fantastic to see games and people in Scotland being recognised across all of these different ceremonies, categories and groups. Far too often games are missing in action when it comes to the creative industries in Scotland, or the studios and releases from developers across the country are not even finalists in the games-specific competitions.

If we want to make games matter to players across Scotland, the UK and around the world, it’s important to highlight and celebrate the success and creativity of the amazing games community (and ecosystem) we have here.

Congratulations to all of the winners.

Photo by A Friend on Unsplash

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#BAFTABreakthrough #baftaScotland #games #hot100 #scotland #TheList #tigaAwards #Winners

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