Dimz Inc. Academy : Meet the Next Generation of Storytellers
About Dimz Inc. Academy
Dimz Inc. Academy was a free, week-long creative experience for 18–24-year-olds aiming to break into the world of digital media. Founded by Amelia Dimoldenberg (creator of Chicken Shop Date) and powered by Spiral Skills, the immersive programme provided 18 young aspiring digital media professionals with the skills, confidence and connections to take their first step into the creative industries. Participants gained real-world experience working with high-profile industry professionals, created original content, learned the art of storytelling and went behind the scenes of one of the UK’s most popular online shows.
Chosen from over 140 applicants, these aspiring content creators spent five days turning ideas into reality: developing show concepts, shooting on location, editing like pros, and launching their concepts.
The mission was to give young people the tools, resources and networks to kickstart careers in digital media and the wider creator economy. Spiral Skills partnered with Dimz Inc. Academy to amplify this mission, co-creating pathways to empower the next generation of storytellers.
The Week in Action
Day 1- Ideas take flight
At Oasis St Martin’s Village, the icebreakers came first, setting the tone for a week of collaboration. Amelia shared her story and what makes a winning format, then teams got stuck into brainstorming and refining ideas. The day closed with a public speaking masterclass and three brand-new production teams ready to roll.
Day 2 – shadowing a live chicken shop date shoot
The 18 young people headed to the legendary Sam’s Chicken Shop, home of Chicken Shop Date. After a Q&A with professional creatives Diara and Matt, the participants shadowed a live shoot, tried their hand at filming, snapped photos, planned social media content, and even had a quick one to one with Amelia!
Day 3 – Shooting like pros
In YCUK’s amazing creative studio space, our industry mentors and camera professionals Bruno, Tayo, and Adrian ran a crash course in white balance, exposure, framing before teams shot their pilots from start to finish. All footage captured, ready for the edit suite.
Day 4 – The magic of editing
Supported by YCUK creatives and with guidance from Matt and Trent, participants learned editing workflows, cut their stories together before Edie role played a meeting with executive producers taking on board feedback to improve their edits. They finally completed their five-minute pilot episode.
Day 5 – pitching like a pro
We headed to the iconic Southbank Centre. After icebreakers, they were led in a marketing workshop by Ashleigh and Victoria and completed a 360° marketing brief, teams built full campaigns with branding, logos, and social plans. The grand finale was screening their pilots, pitching their launches, and celebrating a week of hard work.
Beyond the Programme
It was an action-packed week, but the learning and support did not end at the celebration session. Participants left with:
A creative portfolio: A professional pitch deck, a filmed teaser, and a show concept developed from scratch.
Hands-on experience across the content creation process: From generating ideas to filming, editing, and branding their own show.
Connections with high-profile industry professionals: Networking opportunities with real creatives and content makers who can help shape their next steps.
Ongoing support from Spiral Skills
Graduates have joined a supportive creative community with continued access to:
One-to-one career coaching
CV support and interview preparation
Opportunities in creative employment, training, and further education
Personalised action planning and goal setting
Connections to industry mentors
Thank You
A huge thank you to everyone who made the first-ever Dimz Inc. Academy possible. To the Spiral Skills staff, the Dimz Inc. Academy team and Amelia Dimoldenberg for leading the vision. To the professionals — Tayo, Trent, Edie, Matt, Bruno, Diara and Adrian, Ashleigh & Victoria, thank you for sharing your expertise, creativity and time with the participants, and to YCUK for their incredible facilitators and creative studio.
A special thank you to HotCam UK and Rode Mics for supplying the filming equipment for the young people to use this week. And Nando’s for keeping young people energised.
Your dedication turned this idea into an unforgettable week of learning, collaboration and inspiration.
Get Involved with Spiral Skills
Partners & Employers: If you are looking to collaborate on an exciting programme empowering the next generation of talent, contact Ben Kahn on ben@spiralskills.co.uk
Young People: Want to be the first to hear about upcoming events, programmes and support from Spiral Skills? Sign up to our opportunities newsletter or follow us online to stay in the loop.
