Our Ecosystem: From Script to Screen

(and everything in between)

At White Lantern Film Advance, we don’t operate in a vacuum. We are the central nervous system of a group of specialist companies that cover every stage of the modern media landscape. When you train with us, you aren’t just gaining a qualification —you are entering a working production pipeline.

White Lantern Film

Creative North Star

The heart of our operation producing bold, thought-provoking, and award-winning movies that entertain and matter. From gritty psychological thrillers like K-Shop to globally-reaching documentaries, this is where the stories begin. Our training is directly informed by the high standards and creative risks taken in our own independent British productions.

BH_Movies

Commercial Engine Room

An international powerhouse specializing in romance, daytime thrillers, and festive holiday features for global streamers like Paramount+, Hallmark, and Lifetime. With American and Canadian knowledge and experience, our training benefits from the commercial “know-how” gained from delivering high-quality content on time and on budget.

Unit Base One

Physical Hub

You can’t make film without a space to collaborate. Unit Base One is our Bournemouth media hub partner. It’s more than just an office—it’s the home to a network that bridges the gap between freelancers and productions, providing the literal and metaphorical “base” where our trainees meet potential future employers.

TLS Ideas Studio

Digital Frontier

The industry is changing, and we are leading the way by partnering up with TLS Ideas Studio, a specialist content creator agency. By integrating virality into our ecosystem, we ensure everyone masters the digital economy and viral trends that are shaping the future of screen entertainment

An integrated network where talent is discovered,
commercialized, housed and future-proofed.

Meet Adam J. Merrifield

Adam J. Merrifield has spent over a decade doing the one thing most film trainers only talk about: actually making films. As the founder of WLF Advance and lead producer at White Lantern Film and BH_Movies, Adam has produced features in the circa $3m bracket, navigating the international industry to create an active regional film ecosystems on the South Coast of England — spanning production, co-working, content creation, and distribution.

A Proven Track Record in Film

For 11 years WLF Advance managed the BFI Film Academy in the BCP region, giving 220 young filmmakers their first professional credits and overseeing the production of 11 short films. He founded the Short Sounds Film Festival, a platform dedicated to celebrating the best of British short film; and through his work with BCP Council and Screen Wessex, he has been instrumental in keeping creative talent working, and working locally. WLF Advance is the natural extension of everything Adam has built — a structured, industry-led training programme that doesn’t just teach filmmaking. It builds careers. His credits span drama, thriller, and romantic comedy, with films achieving global distibution deals on platforms like Amazon and Paramount+ and festivals from Manchester to MOTELx.

Creating Community as Well as Content

Through ongoing partnerships with BCP Council, Adam has also worked at a strategic level to shape the infrastructure of the local screen industry — attracting productions, developing talent pipelines, and making the case that world-class film can be made outside of London.

"The best way to learn film is to make film. Everything we do at WLF Advance is built around that principle. We don't run courses that teach theory — we run programmes that generate real credits, real relationships, and real careers"