Poster at the Canadian Screen Training Centre in Ottawa, which has closed due to lack of funding. (CBC)

An Ottawa-based school that trained people in the film and television industry is closing its doors after 29 years, during which time it provided workshops for more than 7,000 people.

The Canadian Screen Training Centre has been trying to secure long-term funding ever since the summer of 2008, when the federal government cancelled a program that funded four national schools that trained people to work in film and television.

The not-for-profit CSTC's federal funding subsequently ran out at the end of March 2009, and its then executive director Max Berdowski predicted it might have to close in 2010. It turned out he was right.

"I compare it to saying goodbye to a dying friend," said current executive director Tom Shoebridge, who founded the training centre.

"So I've gone through all the stages of grief. I look back fairly proudly on the fact that 7,000 people came to the school over its 29 years.

"So I'm looking back on that as opposed to being sad about all the people we couldn't train," he said.

Executive director Tom Shoebridge said the centre's equipment will go to other non-profit film schools. (CBC)

The centre brought in top professionals to lead workshops on a variety of media-related subjects, from acting to documentary production.

Notable Canadian filmmakers who have been teachers or guests at the school over the years include Megan Follows, Atom Egoyan, Sarah Polley and Denys Arcand.

Professional screenwriter Marc Robitaille has attended workshops at the centre and said he uses what he learned every day in his work.

"Well, there's a void now, a huge void as far as training in all fields of cinema," Robitaille said.

Shoebridge said the centre will turn over its resources to other not-for-profit film and television schools in Ottawa.