NFTS Marketing, Distribution, Sales & Exhibition MA course leader and entertainment marketing expert, Deborah Rowland discusses the new course and how marketers are influencing the film, TV and games industries.
In a nutshell, what is the Course about?
The Masters in Marketing, Distribution, Sales and Exhibition is a really exciting new course that looks at how we connect content such as films, TV shows and games to audiences and consumers. It will equip you with all the tools you’ll need to sell, market, distribute, retail and exhibit – looking at how cinemas, TV channels, games and film distribution companies operate, how to identify your audiences, and how to reach them through creative and effective sales and marketing techniques. By the end of the course, you’ll have an unrivalled overview of the film, television and games industries and be able to move between them with ease – making you highly employable executives in these sectors.
What sort of roles will it qualify me for?
The course will qualify you for a huge number of commercial roles within the films, television and games sectors, these might include:
- a marketing manager who creates the campaigns for feature films or games, ensuring the trailers, posters and advertising all connect with the right audiences
- a commissioning exec who spots the best television shows and talent and brings them to your channel
- an exhibition marketing manager who ensures that audiences have the best experiences at their cinemas
- a publicity manager who looks after the cast of a popular television show or film, managing their interviews with the press or their appearances at premieres and events
- a social media exec managing the online word of mouth for their film, television show or game
These are just a few of the roles you will be prepared and qualified for once you’ve taken the course.
Are the film, television and games industries as glamourous as they seem?
There are moments when they are very glamourous! Film festivals abroad, launch parties and working with stars are a big part of the work involved. But it’s also very hard work, and often long hours, to bring a product to market in these industries. That said there is a great deal of satisfaction in seeing a poster, trailer or advert for a film, television show or game that you’ve worked on, or a game or DVD on a shelf in a store, and you can say “I did that!”
What can I expect from my two years on the course?
The two years will be packed with everything and everyone you need to know to make a successful career in film, television and games! The emphasis is on practical application and experience – this is not a course of theory. You will have a work placement each year in a business in one of the three sectors – which will look great on your CV. We will take you to the Berlin film festival and market, television market MIPCOM and games conference EGX. Your projects and assignments will all focus on embedding the knowledge you’ve gained on the course. The tutors and speakers on the course will all be industry execs out there doing it, so you will emerge for the course incredibly well connected with some extremely valuable experience.
What are the most exciting developments and challenges in the three industries right now?
For film, companies such as Netflix and Amazon have become influential players in film distribution and marketing and the industry as a whole is adapting and changing in response to this. The growth of ‘event cinema’ – where people are watching non-film content in cinemas including, opera, ballet, concerts, even museum exhibitions – is also having a huge impact not just on how films are released, but on how and what audiences want to see in cinema.
For television, broadcasters are having to react to a change in how we are watching television – it’s a lot less linear now; it’s more online, catch-up or appointment to view. More and more they are having to create content and “worlds” around the programmes themselves for audiences to engage with online.
On the gaming side, the popularity of mobile gaming is increasing and bringing in a whole new audience while the key hardware leaders, such as Playstation and Xbox, are constantly looking at ways to expand their existing user bases.
Piracy continues to be a challenge across all three industries, as does finding and reaching audiences and consumers as they become ever-more fragmented in a digital age.
The potential impact of virtual reality is a very exciting development across all three areas. Each is looking closely at how audiences will respond as well as the implications for content creators, and everyone is wondering if it will be as successful as 3D.
It’s certainly a fascinating time to be in the creative industries right now!
Who is the course aimed at?
The new MA is aimed at people looking to get into, or to develop their careers in, the business and marketing aspects of the film, television and games industries. If you’re interested in being part of how the content from the three sectors reaches people, then this is for you.
You might be currently studying film, media or marketing and want to specialise and get valuable experience in these industries, or you may already work in them and are looking for a way to expand your working knowledge of distribution and marketing. Either way, the course is designed to give you the knowledge, experience and contacts to make you more employable in marketing, distribution, sales and exhibition.
What makes this course different from similar ones out there?
There are lots of reasons this MA stands out from others:
1) NFTS has an unrivalled reputation. It has been described as “the best film school in the world” and is a centre of learning excellence for the creative sector. The course leaders and tutors are some of the most experienced in the film, television and games industries – you will emerge from completing your course incredibly experienced and well connected!
2) Practical application and experience is a major focus of the course. As a student you will have valuable work experience placements that will shine on your CV: We will take you to film and television markets, Berlinale and MIPCOM, and games conference EGX; you will work with the producers and designers on other NFTS courses on live projects; and have countless networking opportunities to meet and learn from the industries’ best talent.
3) The course aims to give you not only the business-to-consumer skill set - how to connect films, games and television shows with the public - but also the critical business-to-business mind-set to manage a brand or business in relation to other businesses within the industries, to really command each sector with ease.
4) The content and delivery has been developed by the film, television and game industries. We have consulted with them thoroughly in the creation of the objectives, framework and subject matter covered. This is a meaningful qualification to the sectors you will soon be working in.
How can I make my application stand out?
The application will test how you currently think about connecting content to people. How aware you are of the importance of audiences how they consume media, the challenges in finding them, reaching them and converting them into a viewer or a player? We want to see your analytical approach to why you think a marketing campaign has been successful or otherwise - not from your own personal tastes, but from an audience and consumer perspective. We also want to see your passion for film, television and/or games shine through too!
What are the key things I need to know to apply?
- The course is two years, full-time and starts in January 2017
- Applications are open now; please click ***Here*** to apply.
- There are no specific educational requirements for the course. Some experience or study in media and/or marketing and publicity is desirable and a love of film, television and/or games I would say is essential!
