The BFI Film Academy delivered by the NFTS is the first ever national residential of its kind. With places for 54 young people aged 16-19 making short films under the tuition of industry experts, it’s a really exciting opportunity! The BFI Film Academy is supported by the Department for Education in England and key partners are BAFTA, Creative Skillset and Pinewood Studios.
APPLICATION DEADLINE:18 Feb 2013
INTRODUCTION
The NFTS is looking for talented filmmakers and passionate film fans aged 16-19 years old to join the BFI Film Academy delivered by the NFTS. Come to the same Film School as 2013 Oscar nominees Roger Deakins, Stuart Wilson (Skyfall) and Dario Marianelli (Anna Karenina). NFTS students have won five Oscars and eight BAFTAs and have been nominated for 15 Oscars and 18 BAFTAs for their student Films!
If you’re aged 16-19 and you are committed to working in the film industry, then this is the opportunity for you. We’re looking for 54 of the nation’s most promising young filmmakers to take part in a two week film academy project in which you will work with top industry professionals to make short films. A series of masterclasses with top auteur and commercial filmmakers and learn a craft specialism, such as directing or sound, will also be offered. The BFI Film Academy delivered by the NFTS is open to both those who are currently enrolled in one of the 24 regional film academies and to others who have the necessary talent and enthusiasm.
The BFI Film Academy delivered by the NFTS will take place from 2-12 April 2013 at the NFTS and at Lane End Conference Centre nearby, with a pre-weekend residential of activities on 9 and 10 March at the same venues. If you want to take part you must be available on all those dates. Participants will stay at the Lane End Conference Centre during the two weeks (See the Parent and Carer's Guide below).
The only costs associated with the academy are for your travel to and from the residentials and a £75 administration fee payable on invitation should your application be accepted. Bursaries to cover costs will be available on application to invited applicants who cannot afford the fee or travel costs.
To apply for this one-off opportunity you should:
- Be aged 16-19 years old - your birthday must be between 13th April 1993 and 18th February 1997
- Have a passion or talent for filmmaking
- Have evidence of this talent to show, such as scripts/treatments, online videos which you have made or to which you have contributed or any other relevant projects you have worked on
- Be free on 9/10 March and from 2-12 April
- Be committed to a career in the film industry
- Have a teacher, regional film officer or industry professional who knows your work and is prepared to write a supporting reference
- Send us your application by midnight on Mon 18 Feb (late submissions will not be accepted)
COURSE OVERVIEW
The academy itself largely takes place at two venues - the NFTS and Lane End Conference Centre, a conference venue outside High Wycombe, with excellent accommodation, facilities and grounds.
All applications will be reviewed by the Project Lead and by two other members of the selection team with film industry backgrounds and the successful applicants notified early in the week of Feb 25th-March 1st and invited to the introductory weekend on March 9/10th.
Academy participants should come from a wide range of backgrounds and we actively encourage applicants on this basis. Facilities are accessible to all and all necessary support can be in place for the start of the academy residential.
On application you will be asked to indicate which craft specialism you which to pursue. Please read the following job role definitions on the Creative Skillset website.
Pre-residential weekend ( 9th-10th March 2013)
The aims for this weekend are to get participants used to each other, the tutors and the main settings of the academy residential, so that they can hit the ground running at the main event, as well as establishing the six groups in which the participants will work for the majority of the main residential through some team building activity. Scripts written by NFTS graduates will be used as the basis for the projects; groups will undertake some initial work on their scripts with tutors during the weekend. By the end of the weekend NFTS production managers will have a clear idea of the requirements for the projects so that they can source actors, locations and props before the main residential commences.
The weekend will finish in the early afternoon, giving participants time to get back home ready for school/college the next day.
Between the pre-residential weekend and the main residential, participants will join a closed facebook group to continue dialogue about the projects.
Main residential ( 2nd-12th April 2013)
There will be a masterclass programme across the 11 days, where film-makers come to the NFTS to share their experience and screen examples of their work. NFTS tutors will lead craft specialist workshops for groups of around 10 students and there will be presentations and panels on the roles of sound, art direction, the film business and marketing. Much of the work will be in the six production groups, planning the short films and later going out onto location to shoot, followed by two days editing. There will be trips to studios, such as Pinewood and to London to visit both BAFTA and the BFI South Bank.
All meals and single room accommodation will be provided throughout the academy residential, with minibuses to take teams out onto location and coaches between the conference centre and the NFTS daily. On the final day, all participants will travel to London for a screening of their finished short films. NFTS students will also present their finished ‘behind-the-scenes’ film about the academy residential, in which all 54 participants will appear.
Alumni Network
Throughout the residential, participants will be encouraged to think forward to future opportunities. With the support of a designated alumni officer, you will develop a Professional Development Profile, create an online profile in LinkedIn and a dedicated portfolio in Vimeo, prepare for future work experience and the opportunity for involvement in NFTS summer Grad films. The alumni officer will work with industry partners to secure opportunities for the participants once the academy residential is over, including shadowing, placements, internships and apprenticeship opportunities. There will be further opportunities to attend events and showcase your work in the months after the academy residential.
FOLLOW US
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HOW TO APPLY
- The application deadline has now passed and all those who applied have been informed about the outcome of their application.
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
- Download a list of frequently asked questions here