We caught up with National Film and Television School Directing and Producing Television Entertainment MA alumnus, André Sousa to find out what he has been doing since graduating. (If you are interested in following in André’s footsteps, sign up to our TV Entertainment open day on April 6th– more info here!)
André is working as Development AP (Assistant Producer) and acting up as a Producer-Director at Potato, an ITV Studios label. He did his work experience at Potato while studying at NFTS and was snapped up by them as soon as he graduated. “The work placement element of the course is key; do the best you can to prove yourself as it could influence your early career. During my work experience at Potato, I got to work on Beat TV, an ITV entertainment magazine show, which was broadcast live during the 2012 Olympics.
My NFTS graduation project, The Big Steal got a Warner Bros option deal (since then, every year all NFTS Directing and Producing TV Entertainment students pitch their graduation projects to Warner Bros and they have first option) which was a fantastic experience and after graduating in 2013, I was invited to join ITV as a Development Researcher. They saw The Big Steal and loved it so I worked on lots of quizzes when I first started!
I now mainly work across game-show development and fact-ent development, produce, direct and edit taster/sizzles and pitch decks that have led to a number of commissions (highlights include Ninja Warrior UK, Go For It, Devon and Cornwall Blues, An Hour To Catch A Killer, Cannonball). I did a taster tape for Ninja Warrior UK soon after starting, which was a big responsibility. I have also content managed three YouTube channels and managed the launch of the first UK concert release straight onto YouTube (for The Big Reunion), which has now amassed over 1.5 million plays.
I have just had my first Producer/ Director credit on Ninja Warrior UK and first Edit Producer credit on Bear Grylls Survival School, which I’m really proud of. My mum loves it when I send her screenshots with my name on it!
I particularly enjoy working in TV Entertainment and always knew I wanted to work at ITV. I love the thought of the audience on the other side of the screen; I see myself as a behind the screen entertainer!
I would advise anyone interested in studying at the NFTS to get experience beforehand. I worked as a Runner on Dancing on Ice and on Secret Story (a Big Brother on steroids!) in Portugal where I’m from. In fact, I was rejected the first time I applied to the NFTS and think that if I had been selected the first time round, I wouldn’t have learned as much.
NFTS gives you the foundation, experience and network you would otherwise take years to get. In the first six months of the course, you go from being a student to directing or producing your first show; it escalates very quickly. I have built a great network of NFTS peers who I speak to every day and it’s fantastic when we catch up face-to-face from time to time. I absolutely loved my time at NFTS and would never have been able to work in this country as I am now if I hadn’t studied there.”
For more information on the Directing and Producing Television Entertainment MA, please visit https://www.nfts.co.uk/our-courses/masters/directing-producing-television-entertainment and to sign up for the open day, register here.
