London, 2ndJune 2016: The National Film and Television School (NFTS) today announces six new innovative, high-level and unique courses for 2017 including:
MA courses in Directing & Producing Science & Natural History; Production Technology; and Marketing, Distribution, Sales & Exhibition; as well as a full-time diploma in Graphics & Titles and a part-time diploma in Production Accounting and Directing Commercials and Promos. Applications are open for these courses until the 13th of October 2016 with students enrolling in January 2017. The six new postgraduate qualifications add to the already wide range of practical filmmaking, TV programme making and games design courses available at the NFTS.
Nik Powell, NFTS director says: “We are delighted to offer these exciting new postgraduate courses, which were chosen to fill gaps within the industry and to introduce a new range of skills that will benefit our industry and the wider public. Adding new courses to meet industry demand is a key part of our national remit bestowed by the government in 1971. As part of this responsibility, we added television production courses and changed our name to reflect this in the 1980s and added games design courses in 2012.”
“In 2016, we announced a significant investment of £1.5m from Channel 4 in addition to the funds already committed by the DCMS, Hefce, BFI/Skillset, Broccoli Foundation, NBC, Universal and others to boost and widen the pipeline of new industry talent in the creative industries and expand the capacity of the school site in Beaconsfield. The new buildings are set to open early 2017 and will coincide with the arrival of students enrolling onto the new courses.”
About the courses:
Directing & Producing Science & Natural History - MA
This course gives students the skills to direct science and natural history productions and the expertise to produce entire shows. Students will gain a practical knowledge of current science and natural history, which will enable them to generate relevant programme ideas and formats and pitch those ideas to commissioning editors.
The Production Technology MA covers all aspects of production technology in live and recorded environments. Students will learn about emerging technologies, production equipment and techniques as well as new distribution platforms. The need for production technologists with the latest knowledge is increasing, with numerous skills gaps apparent in the employment market from a wide range of companies including broadcasters, facilities companies, equipment manufacturers and systems integrators.
Directing Commercials and Promos – part-time diploma
The Directing Commercials and Promos course is a part-time diploma in partnership with D&AD, the global association for creative advertising and design awards. Students will be equipped with the unique skills required to become a successful director of commercials. Successful applicants will learn how to combine their creative vision with technical knowledge and how to negotiate the commercial environment in a highly collaborative way. All students will direct three commercials during the course from start to finish from developing ideas and storyboards, to pitching, managing the client, working with agencies, casting and the shoot process.
Marketing, Distribution, Sales & Exhibition – MA
The marketing, distribution, sales & exhibition MA is delivered in partnership with the UK Cinema Association and gives participants all the tools to pre-sell, market, distribute, retail and exhibit films, television shows and games in the digital age. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of how new and innovative media are used alongside traditional methods. They will also experience two four-week placements at major media firms as well as attend a key event covering each sector in a particular market such as the Berlin Film Festival.
Graphics & Titles – Full Time Diploma
This full-time 12-month diploma course is delivered in partnership with Sky and equips students with the skills required to become a film and television graphics designer. This role involves the design and production of graphics elements for TV channels, series, individual programmes, films and promotions. Students will benefit from work placements at Sky as well as practical experience on TV Entertainment, Science and Natural History and Sports shows.
Production Accounting – Part-time Diploma
The part-time 12-month production accounting diploma is delivered in partnership with the Production Guild and equips students with the skills required to foster a successful future career as a film or television production accountant. The diploma is ideal for those already working in a finance or accountancy role and who are keen to move into the film and television sector. Students will learn the specialist knowledge required to work as a production accountant and establish key contacts to enable them to develop their career as a result.
The NFTS offers more scholarships and bursaries to UK based students applying for MA courses than any other comparable institution. For the first time, we are able to offer five scholarships to international students who apply for the new MA courses: Directing Science and Natural History; Production Technology and Marketing, Distribution, Sales and Exhibition, as well as the MA courses in Digital Effects; Games Design and Development and Producing and Directing TV Entertainment.
For more information, please visit https://nfts.co.uk/ and follow us on Facebook and Twitter at https://www.facebook.com/NFTSFilmTV/ and https://twitter.com/nftsfilmtv
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Contact for further information: Vicky Hewlett, Head of PR and Communications, NFTS: VHewlett@nfts.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
The NFTS is one of the world's leading film, games and television schools. It has been cited by some media as one of the top five film schools globally and by one as the No.1 international film school. In 1967, the government recommended the creation of a national film school for the UK and in 1971 the National Film School opened its doors for the first time focussing on postgraduate education. In the 1980s, the school officially changed its name to the National Film and Television School to incorporate the demand for courses in television production and has since added games to its remit.
NFTS prides itself on producing world-class, award-wining industry leaders. It has more Student Academy Awards (Foreign Category) than any other film school. NFTS students and graduates also regularly win BAFTAs and have won the short film category for the last three years. Other prestigious accolades include the Grierson Award for Best Student Documentary, which NFTS students have won for the last three years as well as multiple Royal Television Society student awards and Annecy Animation Awards. NFTS graduates have gone on to win seven Oscars and 100 BAFTAs with alumni including cinematographer, Roger Deakins (12 times Oscar nominee); BAFTA winning director, David Yates, (best known for directing the Harry Potter films); Oscar winning animator Nick Park (creator of Wallace & Gromit) and Oscar winning composer Dario Marianelli among others. The NFTS is a registered charity (313429). For more information, see www.nfts.co.uk
