(Behind the scenes of NFTS graduation film, Poles Apart, directed by Paloma Baeza)

NFTS has reached its highest ever position on this year’s prestigious ‘Top 100 International Animation School Rankings’, taking the number four spot.

Over a hundred animation schools across the globe were considered and the top 25 were picked based on their academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the programme, value and location. The list aims to help students find the School that is the best fit for them.

(Annushka Naanayakkara and team picking up the 2017 Short Animation BAFTA)

2017 was a memorable year for the NFTS Directing Animation MA department. Not only did its students win the British Short Animation BAFTA for the fourth year in a row with NFTS graduation film, A Love Story, directed and co-written by Anushka Naanayakkara, there were also big wins at The Edinburgh Film Festival (Poles Apart directed by Paloma Baeza won the Maclaren Award for Best Short Animation), CILECT (A Love Story won Best Short Animation) and Rhode Island Film Festival (Poles Apart won Best Short Animation).

(Behind the scenes of NFTS graduation film, Tête-à-Tête directed by Natasha Tonkin) 

In addition, NFTS graduation film, Tête-à-Tête directed by Natasha Tonkin was selected for 2017 Annecy Film Festival and Poles Apart has received a nomination in the Annie Awards, which takes place in February 2018.

(Still from A Grand Day Out directed by NFTS alumnus, Nick Park)

NFTS Directing Animation alumni credits include Oscar winning Nick Park (Creator of Wallace & Gromit), BAFTA winning Mark Baker(Peppa Pig, Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom), Emmy award-winning Benjamin Sanders (Nickelodeon’s Peter Rabbit), Oscar nominated Sharon Colman (How to Train Your Dragon), BAFTA winning Daisy Jacobs (Bigger Picture), BAFTA winning Nina Gantz(Edmond) and Stephen Warne (Kubo and the Two Strings; My Life As A Courgette). There are also no fewer than 14 NFTS alumni credits on the highly anticipated, upcoming Early Man directed by Nick Park.

Applications for the NFTS Directing Animation MA close on the 5th July 2018 (the two year MA course starts in January 2019) – for more information and to apply, please visit www.nfts.co.uk/animation

The 2018 BAFTA nominations have just been announced and it’s a record year for NFTS students and alumni with an amazing ten nominations in total and 119 alumni credited across all the nominated films! NFTS graduation animation, Poles Apart, directed and written by Paloma Baeza and produced by Ser En Low, has been nominated for a British Short Animation BAFTA, an award that has been won for the last four years by NFTS graduating students.

In addition, there are a further nine nominations for NFTS alumni including:

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director of Producer:

Emily Morgan (Producer) – I Am Not A Witch (Emily is nominated with Writer/ Director, Rungano Nyoni)

Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (Producer) – Lady Macbeth (Fodhla is nominated with Writer, Alice Birch and Director, William Oldroyd)

Outstanding British Film

Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly (Producer) - Lady Macbeth (Fodhla is nominated with Writer, Alice Birch and Director, William Oldroyd)

Animated Film

Hugh Welchman  – Loving Vincent (Hugh is nominated with Co-director, Dorota Kobiela and Producer, Ivan Mactaggart)

Original Music

Dario Marianelli – Darkest Hour

Cinematography

Roger Deakins – Blade Runner 2049

Sound

Stuart Wilson – Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Stuart is nominated with Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Matthew Wood)

British Short Film

Mahdi Fleifel – A Drowning Man (Mahdi is nominated with Signe Byrge Sorensen and Patrick Campbell)

Aneil Karia – Work (Aneil is nominated with Scott O’Donnell)

The 71st British Academy Film Awards takes place on Sunday 18th February 2018 and will be hosted by Joanna Lumley - good luck to all the nominees!

If you are inspired by our fantastic alumni, sign up to one of our upcoming open days to find out which course might suit you! www.nfts.co.uk/opendays

NFTS alumni credits in full:

Best Film

Darkest Hour: Composer, Dario Marianelli; Editor, Valerio Bonelli; Assistant Art Director, Isona Rigau; Set Designer, James Collins; Scoring Assistants, Jessica Jones & Tim Morrish; Production Coordinator, Lawrence Mason

Dunkirk: Art Department Assistant, Jelle Rebry; Location Co-ordinator UK, Caroline Houghton

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: Lead Compositor, Dillan Nicholls

Best British Film

Darkest Hour: Composer, Dario Marianelli; Editor, Valerio Bonelli; Assistant Art Director, Isona Rigau; Set Designer, James Collins; Scoring Assistants, Jessica Jones & Tim Morrish; Production Coordinator, Lawrence Mason

The Death of Stalin: Editor, Peter Lambert; Graphic Designer, Louise Begbie

God’s Own Country: Production Designer, Stephane Collonge; Art Director, Pedro Moura

Lady Macbeth:  Producer, Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly; Associate Producer, Pete Smyth; Art Director, Thalia Ecclestone; Production Coordinator, Daphnée Hocquard; Boom Operator, Jodie Campbell

Paddington 2: Composer, Dario Marianelli; Scoring Assistants, Jessica Jones & Tim Morrish; Concept Artist, Elo Soode; Art Director [Additional Photography], Dominic Hyman; Art Department, Assistant Jelle Rebry; Digital Compositor, Luke Hardisty; Sound Mixer, Danny Hambrook; Sound Effects Editors, Dayo James & Robert Malone; Cashier, Marta Henriquez

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  Lead Compositor Dillan Nicholls

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer

Emily Morgan (Producer) for I Am Not a Witch: Associate Producer/Location Manager, Gabriel Gauchet; Composer, Matthew James Kelly; Supervising Sound Editor, Maiken Hansen; Sound Effects Editor, Ania Przygoda; Dialogue Editors, Raoul Brand & Jens Rosenlund Petersen

Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (Producer) for Lady Macbeth: Associate Producer, Pete Smyth; Art Director, Thalia Ecclestone; Production Coordinator, Daphnée Hocquard; Boom Operator, Jodie Campbell

Best Animated Film

Loving Vincent: Producer/Co-Writer/Co-Director, Hugh Welchman; Rerecording Mixer, Markus Moll; Boom Operator, Jodie Campbell; Boom Operator [Dailies], Alex Bryce

Best Original Music

Darkest Hour: Composer, Dario Marianelli; Editor, Valerio Bonelli; Assistant Art Director, Isona Rigau; Set Designer, James Collins; Scoring Assistants, Jessica Jones & Tim Morrish; Production Coordinator, Lawrence Mason

Best Cinematography

Blade Runner 2049: DoP, Roger Deakins

Best Production Design

The Beauty and the Beast: Concept Artist, Eva Kuntz; Junior Draughtspersons, Isona Rigau & Alexandra Toomey; Work Experience, Sara Taddei; Compositors, Ruochen Wang & Nicholas Zissimos

Darkest Hour: Composer, Dario Marianelli; Editor, Valerio Bonelli; Assistant Art Director, Isona Rigau; Set Designer, James Collins; Scoring Assistants, Jessica Jones & Tim Morrish; Production Coordinator, Lawrence Mason

Dunkirk  Art Department Assistant Jelle Rebry; Location Co-ordinator UK Caroline Houghton

Best Sound

Star Wars: The Last Jedi:  Production Sound Mixer, Stuart Wilson; Boom Operator, Tom Fennell; Compositor, Adam Arnot; Compositing Supervisor, Dan Snape; Location Coordinator, Caterina Boselli; Stand-By Art Director, Huw Arthur; Concept Designer, Kim Frederiksen; Concept Artist, Tim Browning; Junior Set Designer, Paul Savulescu

Best Special Visual Effects

Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Production Sound Mixer, Stuart Wilson; Boom Operator, Tom Fennell; Compositor, Adam Arnot; Compositing Supervisor, Dan Snape; Location Coordinator, Caterina Boselli; Stand-By Art Director, Huw Arthur; Concept Designer, Kim Frederiksen; Concept Artist, Tim Browning; Junior Set Designer, Paul Savulescu

Best British Short Animation

Poles Apart: Director/Writer/Animator, Paloma Baeza; Producer, Ser En Low; Script Advisor, Shaun Raad; DoP, Jon Muschamp; Designer, Paula Giménez; Production Manager, Florencia Casas; Production Co-ordinator, Sophie Halton; Editor, Zsofia Tálas; Sound Designer/Rerecording Mixer, Morgan Muse; Composer, Hollie Buhagiar; VFX Supervisor, Gillian Simpson; CG Supervisors, Ollie Brummell & Shivani Shah; Compositors, David Sheldon & Suoran Li; Colourist/Online Editor, Alex Davis; Animator, Alex Crowley

Best British Short Film

Aamir: Additional Editor, Matteo Bini

A Drowning Man: Writer/Director/Producer, Mahdi Fleifel; Editor, Michael Aaglund; Sound Designer, Dario Swade; Editor, Ross Leppard

Work: Director, Aneil Karia

Wren Boys: Art Director, Alexandra Toomey

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) announces that Oscar and multi-BAFTA nominated writer, producer and director, Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later) has been appointed as the School’s first Associate Director.

(Still from 28 Days Later)

Alex is best known for his novel, The Beach and his Oscar nominated screenplay for Ex Machina, which he also directed and which won an Oscar for ‘Best Visual Effects’. He has written screenplays for films including 28 Days Later and Never Let Me Go and is directing and writing the forthcoming thriller, Annihilation, which stars Natalie Portman.

(Still from Ex Machina)

In his role as Associate Director, Alex will play a key role as a creative figurehead for the School, supporting the Director both internally with key creative decisions and externally in inspiring students. He will serve a term of two years. Key responsibilities will include:

·         To act as a role model and creative figurehead for the NFTS student body

·         To contribute to student learning through masterclasses and special events

·         To act as an ambassador for the School to promote its achievements and to enhance its profile both nationally and internationally

(Still from Never Let Me Go)

Alex Garland says: “It’s a great honour to be appointed as the National Film and Television School’s first Associate Director. I am a huge fan of the School, its achievements and unique focus on practical, career focussed learning across the widest available spectrum of film, TV and games disciplines. I look forward to being a part of the NFTS and working with the next generation of talent.”

Jon Wardle, NFTS Director says: “Since my appointment as NFTS director in August 2017, I’ve focussed on creating the best possible environment at the School to enable our film, television and games students to thrive and fulfil their potential. Adding to this, I think it’s important that the School has eminent creative people at its helm in prominent leadership positions, which is why I and the Board developed the idea of appointing Associate Directors. Alex is our first appointment of two and we are thrilled that he has accepted and will start in January 2018. He is an excellent fit for the role thanks to his commitment to and achievement within the film, television and games industries.”

Contact for further information:

Vicky Hewlett, Head of PR and Communications, NFTS: vhewlett@nfts.co.uk

In addition to a record 10 individual BAFTA nominations for NFTS alumni and 126 alumni credits in this year’s EE British Academy Film Awards, there are a stunning 16 NFTS Digital Effects alumni credits across eight of the nominated films. That means over 10% of our Digital Effects graduates worked on 2018 BAFTA nominated films, which is a fantastic achievement for the course, which was set up in 2005. Credits include:

Dunkirk

Thomas Phillips Howard, Animator

The Last Jedi

Adam Arnot, Compositor ILM; Jake Ferris, Layout Artist ILM; Shivani Shah, Layout Artist ILM; Dan Snape, Compositing Supervisor ILM; Kathleen Squire, Scanning Coordinator

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri

Dillan Nicholls, Lead Compositor

Paddington 2

David Sheldon, Compositor; Luke Hardisty, Digital Compositor; Carl Thompson, Digital Lab Operator

Beauty and the Beast

Ruochen Wang, Compositor; Nicholas Zissimos, Compositor

Jawbone

Andy Quinn, VFX Supervisor

Film Stars don’t Die in Liverpool

Andrew Scattergood, Digital Intermediate Operator

Victoria and Abdul

Sara Buxton, Assistant Colourist; Dillan Nicholls, Lead Compositor

If you are interested in following in our DFX graduates’ footsteps, there is a general open day coming up on the 10^th February and a dedicated Digital Effects and Games Design open day on the 16^th May 2018 – sign up at www.nfts.co.uk/dfx The application deadline for the Digital Effects MA is the 5^th July 2018 and the two year course starts in January 2019 – apply at www.nfts.co.uk/dfx

An incredible 17 National Film and Television School alumni are credited on Aardman’s highly anticipated prehistoric comedy adventure, Early Man, which is released in the UK on Friday 26^th January 2018.

Early Man is directed by NFTS alumnus and four-time Academy Award^® -winning director Nick Park, who created Wallace & Gromit during his time at the School. Shot in Aardman’s distinctive style, the film will take audiences on an extraordinary journey into an exciting new world unleashing an unforgettable tribe of unique and funny new characters voiced by an all-star British cast including Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne and Maisie Williams.

In addition to Nick Park, NFTS Directing Animation MA graduates credited on the film include Senior Storyboard Artist, Richard Phelan; Supervising Sound Editor, Adrian Rhodes; Sound Recordist, Danny Hambrook; Animator, Gareth Love and Assistant Animator, Suraya Raja who graduated from the Directing Animation MA in February 2017.

Graduates credited from the NFTS Character Animation Certificate course, which is delivered in partnership with Aardman, include: Animators – Raul G Eguia, Marie Lechevallier, Emanuel Nevado, Maria Moreira Castro, Maria Ribas, Laura Tofarides; Assistant Animators - Alex Crowley, Hywel Roberts, Adam M. Watts and CG Animators - Lian Mattson, Marta Arisa Clotet.

If you are interested in following in our graduates’ footsteps, sign up to one of our upcoming open days – the general open day takes place on Saturday 10^th February and there is a dedicated Animation open day on the 27^th April 2018 – more at www.nfts.co.uk/opendays

Applications for the NFTS Directing Animation MA are open until the 5th July 2018 (the two year MA course starts in January 2019) – for more information and to apply, please visit www.nfts.co.uk/animation

We are proud to announce that three NFTS alumni are nominated for Oscars in this year’s Academy Awards, which takes place on the 4^th March 2018.

Roger Deakins incredibly gets his 15th Oscar nomination in the ‘Cinematography’ category for Bladerunner 2049; surely 2018 will be his year! Stuart Wilson clocks up his sixth nomination, this time for Star Wars: The Last Jedi in the ‘Sound Mixing’ category. Hugh Welchman receives his second Oscar nomination, having won an Oscar previously for short film, Peter and The Wolf. His 2018 nomination is in the ‘Animated Feature’ category for, Loving Vincent, which is the world’s first fully painted animated feature film.

In addition, over 70 NFTS graduates are credited on Oscar nominated films (see below for full credits) meaning that there are an incredible 199 NFTS alumni credits across 2018 BAFTA and Oscar nominated films and thirteen individual 2018 Oscar and BAFTA nominations!

If you are interested in following in our graduates’ footsteps, why not sign up to one of our many upcoming open days – more info at www.nfts.co.uk/opendays

Best Picture:

Darkest Hour: Composer, Dario Marianelli; Editor, Valerio Bonelli; Assistant Art Director, Isona Rigau; Set Designer, James Collins; Scoring Assistants, Jessica Jones & Tim Morrish; Production Coordinator, Lawrence Mason

Dunkirk: Art Department Assistant, Jelle Rebry; Animator, Thomas Phillips-Howard; Location Co-ordinator UK, Caroline Houghton

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: Lead Compositor, Dillan Nicholls

Best Animated Feature:

Loving Vincent: Producer/Co-Writer/Co-Director, Hugh Welchman; Rerecording Mixer, Markus Moll; Boom Operator, Jodie Campbell; Boom Operator [Dailies], Alex Bryce

Best Animated Short:

Revolting Rhymes: Sound Designer/Sound Mixer, Adrian Rhodes; Foley Artist, Peter Warnock

Best Cinematography:

Blade Runner 2049: DoP, Roger Deakins

Best Sound Editing:

Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Production Sound Mixer, Stuart Wilson; Boom Operator, Tom Fennell; Compositor, Adam Arnot; Compositing Supervisor, Dan Snape; Layout Artists, Jake Ferris & Shivani Shah; Scanning Coordinator, Kathleen Squire; Location Coordinator Caterina Boselli; Stand-By Art Director, Huw Arthur; Concept Designer, Kim Frederiksen; Concept Artist, Tim Browning; Junior Set Designer, Paul Savulescu

Best Sound Mixing:

Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Production Sound Mixer, Stuart Wilson; Boom Operator, Tom Fennell; Compositor, Adam Arnot; Compositing Supervisor, Dan Snape; Layout Artists, Jake Ferris & Shivani Shah; Scanning Coordinator, Kathleen Squire; Location Coordinator Caterina Boselli; Stand-By Art Director, Huw Arthur; Concept Designer, Kim Frederiksen; Concept Artist, Tim Browning; Junior Set Designer, Paul Savulescu

Best Production Design:

The Beauty and the Beast: Concept Artist, Eva Kuntz; Junior Draughtspersons, Isona Rigau & Alexandra Toomey; Compositors, Ruochen Wang & Nicholas Zissimos; Work Experience, Sara Taddei

Darkest Hour: Composer, Dario Marianelli; Editor, Valerio Bonelli; Assistant Art Director, Isona Rigau; Set Designer, James Collins; Scoring Assistants, Jessica Jones & Tim Morrish; Production Coordinator, Lawrence Mason

Dunkirk: Art Department Assistant, Jelle Rebry; Animator, Thomas Phillips-Howard; Location Co-ordinator UK, Caroline Houghton

Best Visual Effects:

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2:  Visual Effects Artist, Cat Harris; Compositors, Luke Hardisty & Felipe Olid Guerrero; Creature Effects TD, Samuel Walsh

Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Production Sound Mixer, Stuart Wilson; Boom Operator, Tom Fennell; Compositor, Adam Arnot; Compositing Supervisor, Dan Snape; Layout Artists, Jake Ferris & Shivani Shah; Scanning Coordinator, Kathleen Squire; Location Coordinator Caterina Boselli; Stand-By Art Director, Huw Arthur; Concept Designer, Kim Frederiksen; Concept Artist, Tim Browning; Junior Set Designer, Paul Savulescu

Best Film Editing:

Baby Driver: First Assistant Editor, Jerry Ramsbottom

London 26th January 2018: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced today that the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will receive the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 18 February at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

The Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award is presented annually in honour of Michael Balcon, the British film producer known for his work with Ealing Studios. Previous recipients include Mike Leigh, Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jarman, Mary Selway, Ridley and Tony Scott, Working Title Films, Lewis Gilbert, the Harry Potter series of films, John Hurt, Peter Greenaway, Tessa Ross, BBC Films and Angels Costumes. Curzon received the award last year.

Marc Samuelson, Chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee, said: “I am thrilled that the National Film and Television School will receive this honour. The NFTS provides a fantastic training ground for the next generation of creative talent - each year many of BAFTA’s talented scholarship recipients receive their training at the school, and an overwhelming number of its students and alumni go on to become BAFTA-winners and household names. The NFTS is a truly integral part of our industry, and is hugely deserving of this award.”

Dr Jonathan Wardle, Director of NFTS said: “This award is a huge honour. For almost five decades the NFTS has trained and educated people who go on to power British cinema. Our graduates have been responsible for some of British film and television’s greatest moments in recent years. With the generous support from our donors and the wider British film, television and games industries, we will continue to provide the people that ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the creative industries globally for years to come.”

(Some of NFTS' BAFTA and Oscar winning alumni including Nick Park (Wallace and Gromit), Emilie Jouffroy and Nina Gantz (Edmond), Anushka Naanayakkara (A Love Story) and Dario Marianelli (Atonement))

Patrick McKenna, NFTS Chairman says: “For decades the National Film and Television School has been at the heart of Britain's creative industries and I am delighted that this has been recognised by BAFTA. This award marks a pivotal time in the School’s history as it enters an exciting period of growth and builds on its worldwide reputation for developing the talent that fuels our film, TV and games industries.”

The National Film School (as it was first named) opened in 1971, the culmination of a major effort by the industry and government to create an institution to educate and train talent for the British film industry. The NFTS bought the old Beaconsfield Film Studios in Buckinghamshire and set about refitting it to professional industry standards. Founder Colin Young established four permanent departments - production, camera, editing and sound - and in 1971 the first intake of 25 students passed through the studio gates. Directors Mike Radford (The Merchant of Venice, Il Postino), Bill Forsyth (Local Hero) and Ben Lewin (Ally McBeal), pioneering documentarist Nick Broomfield (Aileen: Portrait of a Serial Killer), and visual effects specialist Dennis Lowe (Cold Mountain, The English Patient) were among their number.

(Recent photo of NFTS staff)

In 2003 Nik Powell took over the running of the school. Under his leadership, Powell oversaw a huge growth in size and scale of the NFTS, and during his time as director he cemented its reputation as one the finest film schools in the world. Powell stepped down from the role in July 2017. In January this year, BAFTA and Oscar-nominated writer, producer and director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) was appointed as the school’s first associate director.

Today the NFTS focusses on producing career-ready students across a wide range of practical disciplines that meet industry needs. With more behind-the-camera courses than any other film school, the NFTS is recognised internationally as a model of excellence in specialist higher education and one of the world’s pre-eminent institutions in film and the moving image. The NFTS boasts alumni including BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated cinematographer, Roger Deakins (No Country For Old Men); BAFTA-winning director, David Yates (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them); BAFTA and Oscar-winning animator Nick Park (Wallace And Gromit), Oscar-winning and BAFTA-nominated composer Dario Marianelli (Darkest Hour), BAFTA-winning director, Sarah Gavron (Suffragette), Cannes Film Festival Vulcain Prize for the Technical Artist winning Cinematographer, Charlotte Bruus Christensen (Molly’s Game) and BAFTA-winning director, Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin).

(NFTS students on set of graduation film, Blood Type, credit Adam Cross)

The NFTS leads the way in bringing forward the best film, television and games design talent and is an essential talent pipeline for the UK’s creative industries. The school’s awards success is a testament to its teaching. The 2018 EE British Academy Film Awards marks a record year in this respect, with NFTS students and alumni garnering a total of ten nominations, and 126 alumni credited across all the nominated films.^*

Across the school’s history, NFTS students and alumni have won an incredible 129 awards across the BAFTA’s various awards ceremonies, including 20 at previous British Academy Film Awards. NFTS alumni have also won 10 Oscars and received a further 49 Oscar nominations for their feature film work. 12 graduation films by NFTS students have won BAFTAs, eight have received Oscar nominations and six have won Student Academy Awards.

The EE British Academy Film Awards will will take place on Sunday 18 February at the Royal Albert Hall. The ceremony will be hosted by Joanna Lumley and will be broadcast exclusively on BBC One and BBC One HD. The ceremony is also broadcast in all major territories around the world. On the night, www.bafta.org will feature red carpet highlights, photography and winners interviews, as well as dedicated coverage on its social networks including Facebook (/BAFTA), Twitter (@BAFTA / #EEBAFTAs), Tumblr and Instagram.

For further information, please contact:

Vicky Hewlett, NFTS Head of PR
vhewlett@nfts.co.uk

Notes:

NFTS alumni nominated in the 2018 EE British Academy Film Awards are: Emily Morgan (Producer - I Am Not A Witch), Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (Producer - Lady Macbeth) Hugh Welchman (Co-Director-  Loving Vincent), Dario Marianelli (Composer – Darkest Hour), Roger Deakins (Cinematographer – Blade Runner 2049) Stuart Wilson (Sound – Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Mahdi Fleifel (Short Film Writer/Director– A Drowning Man), Aneil Karia (Short Film Director – Work) and Paloma Baeza and Ser En Low (British Short Animation – Poles Apart)

About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For advice and inspiration from the best creative minds in working in film, games and television, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.

NFTS graduation documentary, Circle directed by Directing Documentary MA student, Jayisha Patel has been selected for the prestigious Berlin Film International Festival Berlinale Shorts competition. The film will have its world premiere at the festival, which takes place between the 15^th and 25^th February 2018, and is the only UK film selected in the shorts programme.

The short films in this year’s competition are described as “looking reality in the eye and actively contributing to the current socio-political discourse.”

About Circle:Circle is a haunting portrait of a rape survivor, caught in the devious ploys of her family. Through the poignant and personal story of 13 yr. old Khushboo, Circle explores the horrors of her gang-rape, emotional abuse at the hands of her grandmother, who orchestrated her rape, and her child marriage to a man she doesn’t know. Where does the circle begin? And can there be any release?

The NFTS Team: Director/ Producer/ Camera, Jayisha Patel; Production Managers, Garry David Frost, Athena Sammy, Celia Moreno Madrigal; Editor, Mdhamiri A Nkemi; Sound Designer/ Dubbing Mixer, Adam Woodhams; Colourist and Online Editor, Laura Jane Dart

If you would like to follow in Jayisha’s footsteps, sign up for our upcoming Directing Documentary MA open day on the 25^th April or apply by 3^rd May to start in January 2019.

(Poles Apart trailer)

NFTS graduation film, Poles Apart, directed by Paloma Baeza and produced by Ser En Low has won a prestigious Annie Award for Best Student Film. The Annie Awards honour overall excellence in animation in a total of 36 categories from best feature, production design, character animation, and effects animation to storyboarding, writing, music, editing and voice acting, and have often been a predictor of the annual Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. 

This is the second time that NFTS students have won an Annie Award and the fifth time NFTS graduation films have been nominated. Head Over Heels directed by Timothy Reckart won an Annie Award in 2012 and also received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short Film.

Poles Apart has also won the Maclaren Award for Best British Animation at the 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival and received a nomination for Best British Short Animation at this year’s BAFTA Awards.

(Poles Apart Making Of Video)

About Poles Apart:

Poles Apart tells the story of an unlikely meeting between Nanuk, a tough female polar bear, and Aklak, an enthusiastic male grizzly bear, brought together by their changing habitats. The lack of food in a melting Arctic has left the solitary Nanuk desperately hungry. When the hopeful and eager Aklak crashes into Nanuk's world, she has to decide if the naive grizzly bear is her food or her friend.

The team:

Director/ Writer/ Animator – Paloma Baeza; Producer, Ser En Low; Cinematographer, Jon Muschamp; Production Designer, Paula Giménez; Production Manager, Florencia Casas; Production Co-ordinator, Sophie Halton; Editor, Zsofia Tálas; Sound Designer & Re-recording Mixer, Morgan Muse; Compser, Hollie Buhagiar; VFX Supervisor, Gillian Simpson; CG Supervisors, Ollie Brummell, Shivani Shah; Colourist & Online Editor, Alex Davis.

If you are a budding animator and would like to find out more about our Directing Animation MA, sign up to our Animation open day on the 27^th April 2018 – more information at www.nfts.co.uk/animation

(Walter Murch and NFTS Head of Editing, Richard Cox with NFTS second year students)

NFTS students were treated to a masterclass of a lifetime when triple Oscar winning Sound Designer and Editor, Walter Murch deconstructed an iconic sequence from Apocalypse Now for which he won an Oscar for ‘Best Sound’ in 1979. Walter has won two further Oscars, one for ‘Best Sound’ and one for ‘Best Editing’ for The English Patient. He has also worked on a number of classic films including all three Godfather films and American Graffiti. 

(Walter Murch and Richard Cox with NFTS first year students)

The session was hosted by BAFTA winning NFTS Head of Editing, Richard Cox, who introduced Walter as an innovator, citing the fact that he introduced the credit of “Sound Designer” during his work on Apocalypse Now, which was the first film to be mixed on an automated mixing desk and the first feature film to be mixed in 5.1 surround sound. Walter’s editing Oscar for The English Patient was the first to be awarded for an electronically edited film (using the Avid system), and he is the only person ever to win Oscars and BAFTAS for both sound mixing and film editing on the same film.

Walter opened the session by reminding the students how young the medium of filmmaking is: “When I was your age in 1965, (American filmmaker) King Vidor gave a masterclass just like I’m giving to you. He made his first film in 1913 and passed the baton to me and I pass it to you. Bear in mind that the baton has only touched two human hands!”

Walter then went on to introduce the concept of how an audience can process only two and a half thematic elements at any moment. He discovered this when creating the sound of robot footsteps. He went to the Natural History Museum in San Francisco at 2am with metal shoes to record the sounds and then tried to sync them to the robot: “I made a discovery. If you have one or two robots, the sound has to be in sync but if you have three none of those footsteps need to be in exact sync.” When making the Godfather, he applied this concept to enable the audience to follow two and a half conversations at the same time.

To help explain the concept further and to set up his deconstruction of the Apocalypse Now sequence, Walter showed a diagram arc made up of ‘dialogue’, ‘sound effects’ and ‘music’. “You have to decode dialogue whereas music ‘just is’, it is embodied, not encoded. Music and dialogue are perceived and analysed by different parts of the brain. Sound effects provide the bridge between the two.”

Using the original black and white print that was projected in the dubbing theatre when he was mixing the sound of Apocalypse Now, Walter deconstructed the iconic sequence of helicopters flying over the breaking surf to the soundtrack of the Ride of the Valkyries, to demonstrate to the students how he mixed the complex layers of audio. He played, individually, all the premixes of background dialogue, the re-recorded principal dialogue, the sound of helicopters flying and landing, explosions, live ammunition from AK47s and M16s, footsteps and the music. Walter then explained what happened when he played these premixes together: “All premixes were cooked separately but my heart sank as the final mix at uniform level sounded like mud. Then the robot footsteps idea came back to me and I applied the law of 2.5 and blended things with the terror of a live performance so that only 2.5 things were active at one time. The impression at the end of the scene is that you’ve heard everything all the time, even though you haven't. That principle saved my bacon!”

Walter finished the session by giving every student a filmmaker fortune with quotes from people that have inspired him. Quotes included the following from Cinematographer, Robert Bresson: “The greater the success, the closer it verges on failure” and “Find without seeking.” As Richard Cox later tweeted, “I think these new students will always remember their first day at the NFTS!”

If you are a budding Editor or Sound Designer, sign up for one of our upcoming Post Production open days more info at www.nfts.co.uk/opendays

Oscar-nominated writer, producer and director Alex Garland talked about his ‘anarchist’ approach to filmmaking and his experience of writing for games in a masterclass with new students at the NFTS.

Alex, who became the NFTS’s first Associate Director last month, entered the film industry as a writer after his first novel, The Beach, was made into a film in the late 1990s. He has since written the screenplays for films such as 28 Days Later and Sunshine and made his directorial debut with Ex-Machina in 2014.

(Still from The Beach)

In a session hosted by NFTS director, Jon Wardle, Alex told the new first year intake that it was the experience of seeing The Beach turned into a film that made him want to work in the industry. He said: “As soon as I saw that film being made…I went to the set and thought ‘God, this is what I want’. What I saw was the collegiate aspect and I was attracted to that. Working with like-minded people is fun. The collaboration makes it enjoyable to me, novel writing is an isolated pursuit.”

It was that sense of collaboration that has stuck with Alex throughout his career and influenced what he described as his ‘anarchist’ approach to filmmaking. “There’s an old culture of film making – the cult of the director as dictator,” he continued. “That wasn’t my experience. Film making is self-evidently collaborative.”

(Still from Ex Machina)

He illustrated the point with a story from the making of Ex-Machina: “A female-appearing robot dresses herself in a white dress and walks out of the room. The white dress was chosen by the actress and the costume designer and I had no involvement in that. She walks past a painting by Klimt of a woman in a white dress, which is actually a painting of the sister of Wittgenstein (a philosopher referenced earlier in the film). I didn’t know that Michelle Day, the set decorator, had selected and hung that painting. It is a reference to the script and the costume. Rob Hardy (the Director of Photography) shot it beautifully. I was not involved at all in any of that…but when people noticed these details, I got the credit. And for one reason, on the credits it says the film was directed by me.”

Alex also talked about his experience co-writing a video game, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, for games company Ninja Theory, describing games as “the equal of any other medium”.

“Why wouldn’t they be? A game like Bioshock has a really beautifully constructed narrative. I’d always thought that games had this staggering latent potential.”

As well as novels, films and games, Alex has also written for TV and talked about a shift in demand in recent years towards complex, and sometimes difficult, characters and stories: “In the 70s we had Taxi Driver and now we have Breaking Bad. In both the protagonist, the hero, was morally flawed and complex. That’s hard, but not impossible, in cinema these days but TV is overtly opening its arms to that. Bring us that kind of complexity, we want it.”

Alex was speaking to new students at the NFTS part of Springboard Week, which marks the start of the new academic year at the school. Other speakers during the week included award-winning director, writer and producer Peter Kosminsky (The State; Wolf Hall), sound designer and editor Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now; The Godfather) and acclaimed BBC Miniseries, Three Girls director Philippa Lowethorpe and editor Una Ni Dhonghaile, who is an NFTS graduate.

Alex Garland’s new film, Annihilation, is released on Netflix later this month.

If you would like to experience masterclasses like these, sign up to one of our upcoming open days to find out more –www.nfts.co.uk/opendays

(NFTS students on location filming Gentleman Thief)

The NFTS has introduced a new Certificate Course in Location Management for Film & TV Production– the only one of its kind in the UK – to meet industry demand. We caught up with experienced Location Manager and 1^st AD, Richard Lingard to find out more about the 12-week course, which starts in May 2018:

Why has the NFTS introduced a Location Management Certificate Course? "We identified that location management was a missing piece of the production jigsaw at NFTS. All departments are represented from Production Management to Assistant Directing but we’ve never had a dedicated locations department. This function has previously been undertaken by producers and production managers but by the time the graduation films come around in the summer, they have too much on their plate with getting the shoot up and running so a dedicated locations department will be an enormous help as well as a great career launch pad for budding location managers.

There is also a big demand in the industry for trained location managers. Whilst it’s a career option that is often overlooked by the industry, location managing can be very successful and rewarding. A good location manager can be very hard to come by, especially at the moment given the recent boom in productions so there are plenty of opportunities out there."

(NFTS students on location in Germany filming Good News)

How is the course structured and what will students learn? "The 12-week course is timed to overlap with NFTS graduation films by 4-5 weeks. The first 4 weeks will consist of intensive workshops seminars and visits from key industry players including heads of production and  organisations such as Film London. Students will learn essential skills such as how to photograph locations well and how to present locations to a director. They will learn how to work within budgets and manage contracts and health and safety issues.  In a nutshell, the course offers students really good ground up tuition and provides practical experience of scouting, prepping and shooting films."

(NFTS students filming graduation film, Wild Horses)

Who should apply? "Applicants don’t need any formal education requirements but it’s helpful to have some experience with productions or locations. We’re looking for candidates who understand how locations work within the overall pattern of filmmaking and have an idea of what the locations department does. There are also lots of good career progression opportunities; location managers often continue on to be production managers or executive producers. It opens a lot of doors as you become integrated into the whole production team. It’s also important to be able to interpret a brief and work creatively. The location manager’s work is featured on the screen; they help choose the look and feel of the film or production as a whole."

(NFTS first year film, Present, being filmed in TV show, Grand Designs' presenter, Kevin McCloud's favourite house, Jacob's Ladder)

Why study Location Management at the NFTS? "This course is unique and the School is a production power house; we’re shooting something all the time so there are many opportunities to get involved and build experience. All the production facilities and contacts are right here at the School and the Production Managers and Producers you meet here could be valuable employers in the future. We also have great support for the course from Location Management company, Salt Locations who have helped design the curriculum and will help provide work placement opportunities for the students."

What’s are the highlights of being a Location Manager? "A location manager is integral to the production. It’s a hugely responsible and key role, which makes an important contribution to the look and feel of the film and ensuring the film runs to budget. If you can’t get the right location for the right price, you’ve got a problem."

(NFTS students filming in Germany on location for graduation project, Good News)

How does the Location Manager fit into the overall team? "The location manager works hand in glove from prep to the final wrap; they are long-term players on any production. At NFTS, they will work closely with all production roles including, directors, producers, cinematographers and designers, providing all the information and support necessary for a successful location shoot from initial scout to wrap and reinstatement."

(Recent NFTS grads filming on location in Cornwall for a Bridge to Industry project for fashion brand, Jigsaw)

How did you start out? "I started 25 years ago working as an in-house runner at film and TV advertising production company, RSA Films, set up by Ridley and Tony Scott. At first, I made the tea and did photocopying but by the end I was finding locations for commercials. From there, I went freelance and combined location managing with being a 1^st Assistant Director so I know exactly what goes into making any production work on location. I also had great fun working with American portrait photographer, Annie Leibovitz, finding locations for photoshoots for the likes of John Cleese, Judi Dench and Uma Thurman! I continue to do AD work while at NFTS on TV productions, features and commercials."

Applications are open for the Certificate Course in Location Management for Film and TV Production until the 15^th March 2018 and the course starts in May 2018. For more information and to apply, please visit www.nfts.co.uk/locationmanagement

Everyone at NFTS is on a high after an incredible evening at last night’s BAFTAs which took place at the Royal Albert Hall and were hosted by Joanna Lumley. Not only was the School honoured with the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema BAFTA but our students did us proud by winning their fifth consecutive British Short Animation BAFTA with Poles Apart directed by Paloma Baeza and produced by Ser En Low.

In addition, Producing MA graduate, Emily Morgan along with the film’s director and writer, Rungano Nyoni won Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer for I Am Not A Witch. And NFTS Cinematography graduate, Roger Deakins clocked up his fourth BAFTA winning the Cinematography award for Blade Runner 2049.

NFTS Director Jon Wardle and Former NFTS Director Nik Powell collected the Oustanding British Contribution to Cinema BAFTA from award-winning actress Celia Imrie. Jon delivered a powerful speech describing how for almost five decades the NFTS "has been at the forefront of developing film, television and now games makers who are not only highly valued members of the industry widely in demand, but who also have the skills, talent and social conscious to lead it." Jon paid tribute to NFTS founder Colin Young who wanted to develop a school that is dedicated to the idea that "filmmakers should be missionaries for a better way of life". Continuing, Jon said: "Colin imbued in our students not only a sense of purpose but a spirit of confidence, of fearlessness, of risk taking. And those qualities have been central to our school’s ethos ever since."

"You can see those qualities in the work our students produce at the school and you can see it in the work of the 10 students and graduates nominated for BAFTAs tonight. From Roger Deakins for Blade Runner 2049, to Stuart Wilson for Star Wars and Dario Marianelli for Darkest Hour through to more recent graduates such as Emily Morgan and Paloma Baeza who competed and won in the Best Debut and Short film Categories. At the NFTS our goal is to ensure that the future Roger Deakins or Emily Morgan – wherever they may come from and whatever their means – have the opportunity and support to reach their full potential.

(NFTS students celebrating the School's BAFTA win)

"But we can’t do that on our own.We are therefore hugely indebted to those who, year in and year out, continue to support the School including the DCMS, BFI, HEFCE, Creative Skillset, Channel 4, BBC, Sky, ITV, the Film Distributors Association and UK Cinema Association. As well as more than 80 annual scholarship donors, trusts and foundations. Thank you we couldn’t do it without you."

(British Short Animation BAFTA winning team of NFTS students)

2018 was a record year for NFTS with ten individual BAFTA nominations for its alumni and 119 alumni credited across the nominated films. Nominations included:

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer

Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (Producer) – Lady Macbeth (Fodhla was nominated with Writer, Alice Birch and Director, William Oldroyd)

Outstanding British Film

Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly (Producer) - Lady Macbeth (Fodhla was nominated with Writer, Alice Birch and Director, William Oldroyd)

Animated Film

Hugh Welchman  – Loving Vincent (Hugh was nominated with Co-director, Dorota Kobiela and Producer, Ivan Mactaggart)

Original Music

Dario Marianelli – Darkest Hour

Sound

Stuart Wilson – Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Stuart was nominated with Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Matthew Wood)

British Short Film

Mahdi Fleifel – A Drowning Man (Mahdi was nominated with Signe Byrge Sorensen and Patrick Campbell)

Aneil Karia – Work (Aneil was nominated with Scott O’Donnell)

21st February, Glasgow: The National Film and Television School (NFTS) announces that applications are now open for courses at its new Scottish base, NFTS Scotland, which will operate from BBC Scotland’s studios in Glasgow. Participants will enrol from April 2018 on courses designed to meet the growing needs of film, television and games production companies in Scotland.

The NFTS is an acknowledged global leader in the provision of postgraduate, high-level, creative and technical skills for the audio-visual industries and has just been recognised with the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema BAFTA.

First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon announced funding of £475,000 in her keynote speech at last year’s Edinburgh International Television Festival, to support plans for NFTS Scotland while the BBC’s contribution of premises and facilities for NFTS at Pacific Quay builds on the corporation’s additional investment of £40m a year in Scotland to provide additional and more relevant output for its audiences.

Courses available will include part-time Diplomas, short courses and certificate courses in areas such as: Production Accounting; Drafting for Film and Television; 16mm/35mm Familiarisation; Camera Assisting and Drama Production Management. Please visit www.nfts.co.uk/scotland for the full list of courses and sign up to receive information about further course launches which are expected over the coming months.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture Fiona Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government supported this project from the start and we were delighted that we were able to help secure this prestigious asset for Scotland.  We will continue to support Scotland’s screen sector which is why we also doubled funding this year for development, production and growth to £20 million.  As the industry here grows, it’s crucial we have people ready to fill employers’ needs across very specific roles. It is exciting to see the first courses from NFTS Scotland open up a new route to give people from all backgrounds an opportunity to learn essential specialist skills in film and television.”

Alison Goring, Head of NFTS Scotland said: “We are very excited to go live with our first courses and look forward to welcoming the first cohort of participants in Scotland. We have worked closely with the industry in selecting the first tranche of courses to ensure that we meet their needs while growing the skills and talent base in Scotland.”  

Diversity and inclusion are key priorities and there is a joint aspiration that a third of all places in the first two years will be fully funded bursary places. To that end the BBC and the Scottish Government is making a contribution to a bursary fund which will meet the costs of these places and ensure that participants will be drawn from a broad range of backgrounds.

NFTS Scotland is an official partner at this year’s Glasgow Film Festival, which runs from 21^st February to the 4^th March, and will host a series of public and industry events including:

• The Art of the Art Department - Friday 23^rd February
• From Script to Screen – the 1^st AD’s view - Sunday 25^th February
• Glasgow on our Screens – Bringing the Location to Life, Saturday 3^rd March
• Industry Spotlight session hosted by Dr Jon Wardle (Director of NFTS) with Andrew McDonald (Producer, Trainspotting, Ex Machina, 28 Days Later) - Friday 2^nd March
• 121 Surgery with Alison Goring, Head of NFTS Scotland - Friday 2^nd March

For more information, please visit www.nfts.co.uk/scotland

This year the NFTS annual Graduation Showcase will be sponsored by the processor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). From CPUs and GPUs to server processors, AMD delivers the technology needed for today’s modern end-to-end digital pipeline, which requires robust workstations and servers for massive data sets, countless pixels, secure servers, and cloud-based services.

Jon Wardle, NFTS Director, says: “It’s fantastic to have AMD Studios as this year’s NFTS Graduation Showcase sponsor. Blending the art of storytelling with the latest technologies is at the heart of the School’s philosophy and our partnership with AMD is a testament to that approach.”

The graduation showcase is a series of events and screenings in February and March 2018 featuring over 80 projects spanning a wide range of genres from fiction and animation to documentary, video games, commercials and television entertainment.

The event attracts influential industry representatives from the worlds of film, TV and games who come to experience the graduation projects and meet the stars of the future. AMD is proud to come on board as this year’s graduation showcase sponsor to continue their support of the future of high tech creation.

In the previous year, NFTS Games Design and Digital Effects students and recent alumni have worked with AMD to deliver a series of Virtual Reality projects as part of the School’s Bridges to Industry scheme. The students were among the first in the UK to access AMD’s latest Radeon™ Pro WX7100 graphic cards, which are capable of developing and driving VR experiences at a high fidelity level. The student projects include interactive and immersive VR experiences using real-time rendered 3D computer graphics and an entertaining and inspiring 360˚ video project.

To find out more about the NFTS, why not sign up to one of our open days – sign up here!

Industry guests who would like to attend an NFTS graduation showcase event, please visit www.nfts.co.uk/gradshow

NFTS students were treated to a special preview of highly anticipated and acclaimed “subversive” superhero movie from Marvel Studios, Black Panther followed by a masterclass with the film’s Executive Producer and Marvel Studios Vice President of Development and Production, Nate Moore.

Widely praised by critics, Black Panther is described as “a superhero with purpose” by Variety; “an African extravaganza that packs a muscular intensity and challenges as much as it exhilarates” by Empire and a “subversive and uproarious action-adventure, in which African stereotypes are upended and history is rewritten” in The Guardian.

Black Panther is the story of T’Challa, a young African prince who takes on the mantle of King and super hero, and the centuries’ old legacy that comes with it. The groundbreaking character made its first appearance in “Fantastic Four Vol. 1” Issue 52, published in 1966 and was soon firmly established as a fan favourite, crossing racial and cultural lines.  The imagery of a regal African King and his super hero alter ego continued to resonate with fans over the years and in 2016, the Marvel Cinematic Universe welcomed T’Challa/Black Panther and introduced him to its fan base in Captain America: Civil War. 

The session was hosted by journalist, Dan Jolin who began the Q&A by asking Nate what his role as Executive Producer entailed. Nate explained: “My job is to make sure the film is good from soup to nuts (from beginning to end). It’s very hands-on from selecting the director (Ryan Coogler) and writer (Joe Robert Cole) to helping hire in the production heads. If you don’t have a great crew, it’s hard to execute the vision and this movie was particularly complicated due to the detail required for the costumes and production design. We had to ride the balance between what makes a great individual movie whilst keeping to true to the Marvel universe.”

On Marvel’s recent tendency to select directors who haven’t worked on big VFX movies before like Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) and The Russo brothers (Captain America: Civil War; Avengers: Infinity War), Nate said: “The tech stuff can be taught. What matters is that the director can get a performance. We look for someone who is most germane to the story in question. It’s also better sometimes to find people who haven’t done a movie like this before so you get something unique. We want filmmakers who push us as that’s when you get cool ideas.”

Nate continued: “Our approach is that the content is based on super heroes but the film can be any genre. We were going for ‘The Godfather meets James Bond’ with Black Panther whereas Spiderman: Homecoming was made in the high school genre. Audiences want something different now, which means we can push the envelope but still build on the Marvel tapestry.”

Dan asked Nate if Marvel felt a sense of responsibility in making a movie that represents such a milestone in mainstream filmmaking. Nate responded: “The truth is that we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make the movie as good as possible so we didn’t get much time to think about the wider context of the movie. It was only at the end of the shooting day that we had time to think that this could be something really special. It had to work so it would enable other movies to be made like it; we had to blaze a trail.”

A self-proclaimed “genuine comic nerd”, Nate felt a personal connection to many of the Marvel characters and the Black Panther character particularly ‘spoke to him’: “As a black kid seeing someone like you helps you feel acknowledged. The comics were ahead of their time in addressing issues like refugees. It’s because it’s part of the source material that Black Panther rings true.  The challenge was to make the narrative propulsive and work as a piece of entertainment in its own right while addressing the social issues without forcing it.”

Nate was clear on the direction Marvel is travelling with regards to diversity:  “We are absolutely looking to be as diverse as possible in front and behind the camera. Black Panther is part of a wider initiative to be more inclusive. Different is good. Ryan made sure that the crew was pretty much 50/50 male and female and I hope it’s something Hollywood takes a cue from.”

If you would like to attend masterclasses like these, why not find out about our courses at an upcoming open day - www.nfts.co.uk/opendays

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) Board of Governors has bestowed an Honorary Fellowship on Academy Award and four-time BAFTA award-winning director, writer and producer Asif Kapadia.

NFTS Director Jon Wardle presented the Fellowship, which is awarded to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the industry, at the School’s annual graduation ceremony which took place on Wednesday February 28th, 2018.

Asif Kapadia won a ‘Feature Documentary’ Oscar for Amy, which documents the life and death of British songwriter, Amy Winehouse. His documentary, Senna about Brazilian motor-racing legend Ayrton Senna, was a huge international box office hit and won multiple awards including two BAFTAs. Kapadia’s career began at film school where he made award winning short films including his student film, The Sheep Thief, which won a prize at the Cannes Film Festival. 

(NFTS Chairman, Patrick McKenna with Asif Kapadia)

Kapadia followed this by writing and directing his debut feature The Warrior, an epic western shot in India, winning two BAFTAs for ‘Outstanding British Film’ and ‘Best Debut Feature’. He directed two episodes of David Fincher’s critically acclaimed Mindhunter crime drama TV Series and is currently in post with a documentary about footballing legend, Diego Maradona.

Asif Kapadia says: “I’m absolutely delighted to receive this Honorary Fellowship from the NFTS. I love what the School is about and the opportunities it gives to students from all backgrounds to immerse themselves in the filmmaking process and to be the best they can be. I wish all this year’s graduating students much success in their future careers.”

Jon Wardle, NFTS Director says: “It’s an absolute pleasure to award Asif an Honorary NFTS Fellowship. He is in great company with the likes of David Lean CBE, Ken Loach, Barbara Broccoli, Lynne Ramsay and Sir Alan Parker already named as Fellows. It’s important to us to recognise key figures who have made outstanding contributions to the industry and Asif is a fantastic addition.”

Former NFTS Director, and producer of Oscar and BAFTA award-winning films, Nik Powell OBE was also honoured at the event.

For more information and to see our full list of fellows, please visit https://www.nfts.co.uk/who-we-are/honorary-fellows

Contact for further information:

Vicky Hewlett, Head of PR and Communications, NFTS: VHewlett@nfts.co.uk

The morning after his double BAFTA win for Blade Runner 2049, Oscar nominated director Denis Villeneuve gave a thrilling masterclass to students at the NFTS.

Talking to NFTS director Jon Wardle, who had also collected a BAFTA the night before - for the NFTS which was awarded Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema - Denis revealed some of his processes behind creating Arrival, Prisoners, Sicario and Blade Runner 2049.

Beginning by talking about Blade Runner 2049 Denis said, in reference to Ridley Scott’s iconic original Blade Runner, -“I knew I was working on sacred territory.  I would never have dared to pitch for Blade Runner 2049, I thought there were loads of directors who could have done it better than me, but when the script came to me I connected with it and loved it.”

Asked about the difference between making Blade Runner 2049 compared to his previous films, Denis explained “It was my first time doing a movie of that scale.  I was used to directing a chamber orchestra and now I was trying to direct a symphony orchestra.  I like to make sure everyone is working in the same direction and that was one thing I missed, being able to have as much personal connection with everyone working on the film.  I like intimacy, direct contact.”

Denis emphasised his delight in the collaborative nature of filmmaking and the importance of those relationships, “Slowly you build a creative family.”  One of Denis’ regular collaborators is NFTS graduate Roger Deakins, who won a BAFTA and is Oscar nominated for his work on Blade Runner 2049.  Roger was Oscar nominated for his work on two of Denis previous films - Sicario and Prisoners.“I learn so much working with Roger Deakins, every shot I am learning from Deakins.” Denis said, praising Roger for - “The strength of his storytelling as well as being a master with light”

Asked about the key to working on a VFX heavy film like Blade Runner 2049, Denis replied “It’s about communication, storyboarding.  I discovered the power of storyboarding because of Deakins, and it is one of my favourite processes now.  It is the best way to communicate – I love it.”

Discussing the sound design and music on Blade Runner 2049 Denis said “I brought it in very early in the creative process.  Sound design and music can feel like it is something that is rushed at the end of the filmmaking process, but I love to work on it for a long time.  We worked on sound for a year.  It’s a big luxury to be able to do that, but I deeply love it.”

He paid tribute to composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, who sadly died recently, and who Denis had worked with on Sicario, Prisoners and Arrival, recalling “I’d give him the screenplay and he’d send tracks and ideas very early on and we’d back and forth about it, it was a very exciting process and very productive.”

Denis told the students that although he starts working on sound and music early, when he edits he likes to edit without any music.  “Music is very dangerous and very powerful, it can change the nature of a scene very easily.  So I love to edit without music, because it influences your perception of a scene – it can mask the weaknesses, so without music in the edit you can better feel the scenes or shots that aren’t working, where there is a lack of tension or emotion, then when you have the scene right, the music can add even more.”

Talking further about Arrival Denis said “A movie like Arrival is a movie that comes together at the very last second, when all the ingredients, the performances, the sound, the VFX, come together.”  He told students that his background in documentary had helped his editing process - “Arrival evolved a lot during the edit.  One of the challenges of it was the repeated nature of teacher going in, teaching, learning and coming out and processing.  Something that worked well in the screenplay didn’t always translate.  It deeply helped me on Arrival that I had a background of making documentaries – it helps you develop a way of seeing material in a different way – you see things that weren’t in the screenplay.  Documentary was the school for me!”

Asked by one of the students about how he developed the aliens’ language symbols in Arrival, Denis revealed “The idea of a circle language was there from the start.  I wanted the language to have nothing in common with any language of the earth, to have a kind of nightmarish quality.  I came up with this idea of them using ink like squid, I thought it’d be beautiful.  I wanted the writing to be part of their being.  At one point I thought it could be on their skin.  I come to cinema from words, I love words, it’s one of the reasons I chose to do Arrival– the power of words to change your perception of reality.”

Asked about working with actors Denis stressed, “Casting is massively important; you have to make the right choices.”  And then when you have the right actors to give them creative freedom to bring their contribution and ideas to the film - “I don’t rehearse with actors, I like the danger and spontaneity that it’s happening right now in front of the camera for the first time” he said.  Continuing, “If you do all the prep and have all the conversations beforehand with the actors, they can be free, and you can have wonderful explosions on set.  I always make sure to create a safe creative space for the actor.  I like to be prepared, but I’m ready to tear that apart if I get a better idea from the actors.” Explaining that it was an attitude he relished in the crew he worked with - “I need to work with cinematographers who’re flexible and who are inspired by actors bringing something fresh, that we hadn’t planned for.”

Reflecting on what makes a good producer, Denis said “I like people who are honest and direct.  For me, good producers are people I can trust.  And also people who can make strong decisions, sometimes taking a risk for the sake of the movie.  I like to work with people who are not afraid.  A producer must protect you from yourself – as a director I can make mistakes too and they can help keep you in the right direction - if they are brave enough to tell you.  Producers are supposed to be your best friends, your allies.”

(Denis was interviewed by ITV directly after the masterclass to give his reaction on the School's Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema BAFTA and working with NFTS alumnus, Roger Deakins - watch the interview here.)

Asked about his tips on directing, Denis recommended - “If you don’t know the answer right away it’s important to take the time, even if it’s only 15 seconds, to wait and think.  You have to be ok with being uncomfortable and not knowing the answer right away, to not be afraid of that.  I’ve realised when I’m in that space I’m very solid, the most grounded.”

Concluding, Denis advised students - “When you make movies it’s like a tattoo on your face – if you do well or if you mess up, it’s there for everyone to see, so you need to choose your projects carefully and work with good people.”

If you’d like to attend masterclasses like this one, sign up to one of our upcoming open days and find out which course is best for you: www.nfts.co.uk/opendays

NFTS alumnus, Roger Deakins – who has been nominated for an Oscar an incredible 14 times - finally won an Academy Award last night for ‘Best Cinematography’ for Blade Runner 2049.

Roger thanked his team in his acceptance speech saying: “I really love my job. I’ve been doing it a long time, as you can see, but one of the reasons I really love it is the people I work with, both behind the camera and in front of the camera. This is for every one of them.”

(Denis Villeneuve signing a Blade Runner 2019 poster for NFTS students)

Blade Runner 2049 director, Denis Villeneuve visited the School the day after Roger won a BAFTA for ‘Best Cinematography’ for the film and praised Roger for - “the strength of his storytelling as well as being a master with light; I learn so much working with Roger.”

(Roger Deakins with NFTS first year students)

Roger also visited the School recently and delivered an inspiring masterclass for the new first year students advising them: “So much of filmmaking is a jigsaw. It might be weeks apart from location to set but it needs to flow and feel like one piece.” During the same visit, the Cinematography MA students were treated to a lighting workshop of a lifetime and he took them for pizza – what a legend!

(Roger on location in Switzerland filming his NFTS graduation film, Horse Boy)

Two more NFTS alumni were nominated for Oscars including Stuart Wilson who clocked up his fifth nomination, this time for Star Wars: The Last Jedi in the ‘Sound Mixing’ category. Hugh Welchman received his second Oscar nomination, having won an Oscar previously for short film, Peter and The Wolf. His 2018 nomination was in the ‘Animated Feature’ category for, Loving Vincent.

If you would like to follow in Roger’s footsteps, sign up for our upcoming Cinematography MA open day on the 7^th March 2018 – www.nfts.co.uk/cinematography

News crews have become a common sight over the past couple of weeks as the BBC, ITV and Sky have visited the School to cover our Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema BAFTA, which we collected at the ceremony on Sunday 18^th February 2018.

BBC Senior Entertainment Reporter, Chi Chi Izundu was first to the School and interviewed NFTS alumni including Oscar winning composer, Dario Marianelli and recent Composing MA graduate, Jessica Jones who both worked on Darkest Hour.

Sky were up next and Reporter, Katerina Vittozzi interviewed Production Design MA student, Theo Boswell and Assistant Directing Diploma student, Stephanie Bradshaw about their experience of working with the Digital Effects MA students on this year’s horror style Gorefest set.

ITV visited after we collected the BAFTA and were lucky enough to interview legendary Blade Runner 2049 Director, Denis Villeneuve who was at the School to give a masterclass and they got to film the actual NFTS BAFTA itself!

It wasn't only TV that covered our exciting news. BBC Three Counties Radio also got in on the action and interviewed NFTS Director, Jon Wardle on why the NFTS was to receive such a prestigious award and why the UK is experiencing such a boom in film and television production - listen again here.

And here is the special video BAFTA created to celebrate our award plus Jon Wardle and former NFTS Director, Nik Powell's acceptance speeches:

If you would like to study at our BAFTA-winning School, sign up to one of our upcoming open days at www.nfts.co.uk/opendays