London, 5th October 2016: The National Film and Television School (NFTS) announces it has secured funding of £1.5m from Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (BTVLEP) to build a new Digital Content Production Training Studio. The studio will be one of the most advanced dedicated training facilities in the UK and will have the ability to shoot, record and stream live content in high definition 4k.
The studio is expected to open early 2017 coinciding with the new student intake.
The studio will benefit students on a range of postgraduate courses including the new NFTS Production Technology MA, which has been introduced to tackle a shortage of broadcast engineers and fill a skills gap in the industry. Top technologist and former BBC Scotland Head of Technology, John Maxwell Hobbs, has been appointed to lead the course. Applications are open for the MA now until October 13th 2016 and the course will commence in January 2017.
This Digital Content Production Studio Facility and Hub will enable NFTS to train future generations of broadcast engineers; digital content producers; directors and craft professionals who are comfortable with the latest techniques, equipment and software that employers require. Students will be able to produce a wide range of digital content alongside high-end TV entertainment, sports and games programming and the studio will be integrated with post-production systems. Graphics workstations will also be linked to the studio.
Andrew M. Smith, Chairman of Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We are delighted to be working with the National Film and Television School and supporting such exciting new talent. We want to enhance the creative industries sector and put Bucks on the global map as we are doing with other high profile institutions in our county such as Pinewood Studios. Buckinghamshire is already at the forefront of the creative industries and has the highest proportion of employment in this sector in the UK with over 16,000 jobs across 3,800 businesses.”
Nik Powell, NFTS director says: “We are incredibly grateful for the LEP’s support and can’t wait to get the new studio up and running. We are working with a range of partners to ensure that this project delivers key systems and tools so that our students start their careers with the skills and knowledge that broadcasters need and value. We have forged exceptional links with broadcasters thanks to the reputation and track record of the school and the graduates it produces.”
Applications are open now until October 31st 2016 for the Production Technology MA and the course starts in January 2017.
ENDS
Contacts:
Vicky Hewlett, Head of PR and Communications, NFTS:
Richard Burton, Communications Manager, BTVLEP:
richard.burton@btvlep.co.uk , call 01494 568933
About the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley LEP
Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (BTVLEP) prides itself in creating a vibrant and competitive economy in Buckinghamshire by establishing the right conditions to support businesses to invest, grow and thrive. Our strength lies in the resilient balance between our enviable environment and an over-representation in all the Plan for Growth sectors, including life sciences, space, creative industries, and advanced engineering. We are not just business-led but driven by entrepreneurs, as our strategy and projects are shaped by thousands of local businesses through our Local Growth Hub, Buckinghamshire Business First. It is therefore no accident that we are the creative film engine for James Bond and Star Wars at Pinewood Studios, the home of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Birthplace of the Paralympic movement at Stoke Mandeville.
About The National Film and Television School
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.
The 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
