Sargent-Disc has announced the new Sargent-Disc Scholarship for two NFTS students on theProduction Management for Film and Television diploma starting in September 2013 for two years. Apply for the course before the June 6 course deadline.
The scholarship is being established in recognition of the importance of this key production department and to support the training of talented individuals - demonstrating the commitment Sargent-Disc has to the UK industry (the company provides integrated payroll and residuals, accounting and software services for the entertainment industry and is also the European distributor of international industry standard software).
Students on the NFTS Production Management diploma course have recently enjoyed work experience placements on productions as diverse as the BBC/Discovery film The Whale; Keeping up with the Joneses, a British Film Institute short film starring Maxine Peake, and on the critically acclaimed ITV hit Downton Abbey.
One month of the Production Management course is spent on work placements, which not only provide valuable contacts, but also opportunities for paid work during or after the course.
Keith Abela first started working in film as a runner on the French feature film Asterix & Obelix: God Save Britannia. He also worked as a Production Assistant on World War Z and the Sky series Sinbad before specialising in Production Management at the NFTS. Studying on this course gave him the opportunity to work for five weeks as Trainee Assistant Director on the much-anticipated BBC One/Discovery epic feature film The Whale, shot on location in Malta and at the Mediterranean Film Studios. The coming-of-age adventure film starring Robin Hood actor Jonas Armstrong is based on the experiences of cabin boy Thomas Nickerson on the ship The Essex, which inspired the classic novel Moby Dick.
Keith said it was an eye-opening experience: “It was an amazing opportunity to be so close to the HoDs and see them working. It was great to be on set and see how they make decisions and problem solve.“
Gina Marsh, Line Producer of The Whale said having an NFTS student on the crew was a positive experience: “Keith was an absolute delight and threw himself into the production. It was a very happy production and he was an important part of the team. No doubt he'll be joining me on another production at some point. Thanks for training him up so well and sending him to us!”
Before coming to NFTS, student Maria Salcher worked on large-scale fashion events such as London Fashion Week. Her five-week placement as Production Co-ordinator on the BFI short film Keeping Up With the Joneses, included six days shooting on location with the Bafta-award winning actress Maxine Peake and gave her an opportunity to work closely with the Producer Megan Stuart-Wallace.
“I learned so much about how to work with big actors, working with a small production team and on a small budget. The NFTS training gave me the confidence to go beyond my comfort zone and take on a range of roles – making myself useful. As a result, I benefitted from a breadth of experience,” says Maria.
Student Síle Jane Culley came to the NFTS after experience on low-budget films in Ireland. She found her time spent on the set of Downton Abbey very rewarding: “It’s a massive production involving helicopter shots, a big crew and cast and all the excitement of being filming on location at a historic building. It gave me a real insight into working on large-scale productions and I saw a well-gelled crew in action. The NFTS course enabled me to slip into the crew confidently and raised my ambition; I definitely want to work in high-end TV drama now.”
Other work placements included the Moli Films feature film Montana; the BFI SciFi 48hr Challenge– produced by Alexandra Breed and directed by Michael Earnest. Students also worked with Origin Pictures, Bedlam Productions, Endemol, StudioCanal, Passion Pictures, Academy Films and All 3 Media.
Don’t miss out on your chance to join the NFTS’ Production Management diploma course. Apply before June 6, 2013. A £5,000 Northern Ireland Screen scholarship available to a successful applicant from Northern Ireland. To find out more about our scholarships and bursaries here
Pictured: Crew on location for the BBC in Malta, filming The Whale
