4Skills | NFTS TV Careers Roadshow

The National Film and Television School has partnered with Channel 4 to bring you a series of unmissable free career events taking place across the UK. Designed to give you information and advice about a wide range of roles and career paths in television, the events will comprise a series of sessions delivered by leading figures in the industry and offer the perfect opportunity to develop your tv career and grow your network.

Each event will run over 2 days and span a wide range of roles in both drama and factual genres with full details provided at each location listed below. At the event, we will also be providing information about a Channel 4 bursary scheme to support further training with the NFTS exclusively available to attendees of these events. Please note eligibility criteria will apply.

To book your FREE place, please click on a location below. You must be 18 or over to attend.

Newcastle | 15 - 16 October | This event has passed

This event has passed - please see the other events we have coming up in the dropdowns below.

Bristol | Tues 21 - Wed 22 November 2023 | This event has passed

Day 1 – Tues 21st November (09:45 - 18:30)

Working in the Assistant Directors Department - Being an Assistant Director is one of the most rewarding careers in tv and film yet few people outside the industry understand what the role entails. Richard Lingard is 1st AD who has worked on a wide variety of productions all over the world with directors such as Stephen Poliakoff and Beeban Kidron.

The Role of the Casting Director - There is an art to casting: Casting Directors need a wide range of skills at their disposal, an encyclopaedic knowledge of actors, instinct about which actors would be best for a role and the ability to articulate and demonstrate the reasons why. Join Casting Director Jane Arnell to hear about this pivotal role.

Writing for Tv: Tips and Myths - Zina Wegrzynski shares her top tips on how to be a successful tv writer and also busts some of the most common myths around what it takes. Zina is a former Development Executive at Bad Wolf (His Dark Materials, Industry) who currently has a drama series in development with Eleven (Sex Education, Lord of the Flies).

16:30 - Masterclass with Ashley Way, Director (Who Is Erin Carter? Doctor Who; Viewpoint; White Lines)

17:30 - 18:30 Networking Drinks

Day 2 – Wednesday 22nd November (09:45 - 18:30)

How To Make A Successful Documentary - What are the essential elements you need to make a documentary that really engages with its audience? Documentary consultant and director Col Spector takes you through the basic principles that should be applied to every idea before it gets turned into a film.

Documentary Interviewing Skills - Interviews are at the heart of most good docs but they need careful planning and thoughtful execution. So what do you need to think about before you head out and how do you ensure you come back with what you need for the edit? Tutor Nick Skinner is an award-winning producer, director and journalist.

A Career in TV: Getting In and Getting On - This essential guide to working in television will take you through the job roles and career paths from entry level upwards, reveal how and where to find work and where to find resources that will help you progress your career. This session is delivered by Jude Winstanley a freelance producer and industry trainer.

CV Clinic - Your CV is still the most effective tool in marketing yourself and there are simple but effective ways to make it stand out. Get tips on writing and updating a cv and the common mistakes everyone should avoid

16:30 Masterclass with Jessie Versluys, documentary Executive Producer (24 Hours in Police Custody; Grenfell: The Untold Story; Katie: My Beautiful Face)

17:30 - 18:30 Networking Drinks

@nftscymruwales #CareersRoadshow

Glasgow | Sat 20 - Sun 21 January 2024 | The Boardwalk

Day 1 - Saturday 20th January (09:45 - 18:30). BOOK YOUR TICKET FOR DAY 1 HERE

Principles of Self Shooting (with a Smartphone) - Do you have an idea but don't think you have the skills or the equipment to make it? Ever wondered how to get your experiences, thoughts and material across on screen and reach an audience? Join Ashley Dick, director, animator & editor as she leads you through how to create your own content using nothing more than your imagination, storytelling skills and your smartphone.

Introduction to Wildlife Filmmaking - This session will see wildlife cameraman, Andrew O'Donnell, take us through his career making natural history and adventure films. Andrew will explain the skills & techniques, the patience and resilience needed when filming outdoors in all weather and landscapes and how to make films that aim to inspire others to appreciate the wilderness that surrounds us.

Introduction to Unscripted Factual Development - Unscripted development is all about ideas and original stories - but how do we make those ideas stand out from the rest and how do we pitch them successfully so that they are seen on screen? In this session Dawn Elrick, Head of Factual Development at Beezr, will help to explain the process from ideation to greenlight and show us where those successful story possibilities might lie.

CV Workshop - Your CV is still the most effective tool in marketing yourself and there are simple but effective ways to make it stand out. In this session Jeannot Hutcheson, Talent Manager at Raise the Roof Productions, will give top tips on writing and updating a CV and the common mistakes everyone should avoid.

For those who attend the CV Workshop we will be offering a limited number of 1-2-1 CV clinic slots, where you can bring your CV to be reviewed, the week following this event. These will be available to book on the day.

16:30 Masterclass with LS Productions.

17:30 Networking Drinks

Day 2 - Sunday 21st January (09:45 - 18:30). BOOK YOUR TICKET FOR DAY 2 HERE

Screenwriting - What makes your 'voice' stand out from the rest? How do you deepen your character's motivation and create a story: one that only you can write? During this conversation with clips, Colin McLaren, BAFTA winning screenwriter of The Legend of Barney Thomson & course leader of the NFTS Scotland screenwriting course, will lead us through some of the tips and techniques that will allow you to create stories that resonate on a personal level.

Introduction to Post Production Supervision - A dive into the role of a Post Production Supervisor in Episodic TV Drama led by Dionisis Sarakinis (Shetland 7, Screw 2, Six Four). What is the role and what are the responsibilities in a production, the skills and experience required to do the job and viable paths to get to this position. The session will also be starting with a general overview of the Post Production process, from planning during Pre-Production and all the way to final Delivery.

Scotland as a Location - How the Location Department puts Scotland on the screen. Scotland is more than just a backdrop when it comes to its onscreen attraction. The cities, towns, landscape and architecture add their own particular ambience to a wide variety of productions. Join Supervising Location Manager, Lloret MacKenna Dunn, as she takes you through the process of transforming a scene description into a location on screen.

CV Session - Your CV is still the most effective tool in marketing yourself and there are simple but effective ways to make it stand out. In this session Amy Shaw, Co-Manager at BECTU Vision, will give top tips on writing and updating a CV and the common mistakes everyone should avoid.

16:30 Masterclass with Clare Kerr, Producer: Karen Pirie, The Nest, Six Four

17:30 Networking Drinks

@nfts.scotland @NFTSScotland #CareerRoadshow

London | Mon 29 - Tues 30 Jan 2024 | Hilton DoubleTree, Kensington

Day One – Monday 29th January (09:45 - 18:30) BOOK YOUR TICKET FOR DAY 1 HERE

Production Management - As the creation of content skyrockets and studios continue expanding across the UK, productions are actively seeking to fill vital PM roles that are at the heart of all film and television productions and are integral to their success. Bex Hopkins, Course Leader of the NFTS Production Management Diploma will demystify PM’ing as a career

CV Clinic - Your CV is still the most effective tool in marketing yourself and there are simple but effective ways to make it stand out. Get tips on writing and updating a cv and the common mistakes everyone should avoid. Delivered by producer and educator Emma Dobinson who has over 20 years of TV, film, live event and social media experience.

Writing and Creating Comedy - Ironically, comedy is a serious business and Rachel Stubbings (8 Out Of 10 Cats, Mock The Week, The Last Leg and Trollied) will be discussing the various avenues into the business and why it's so important to keep writing and creating, whether that's one liners, sketches or 30 minute narrative scripts

16:30 - Masterclass with Hannah Moulder Head Of Comedy Development at VAL (Chewing Gum, Cockroaches, Juice)

17:30 - 18:30 Networking Drinks

Day Two – Tuesday 30th January (09:45 - 18:30) BOOK YOUR TICKET FOR DAY 2 HERE

How To Make A Successful Documentary What are the essential elements you need to make a documentary that really engages with its audience? Documentary consultant and director Col Spector takes you through the basic principles that should be applied to every idea before it gets turned into a film

Unscripted Ideas Development is one of the most creatively rewarding roles in the television industry. Rewarding, yes. But it’s also one of the most competitive. So how can you stand out from the crowd? Simon Broadley Course Leader of the NFTS part-time Unscripted Development Diploma highlights the combination of personal qualities and practical skills required to make your mark

16:30 Masterclass with Cheryl Richardson TV Producer (The Great British Bake Off, Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star)

17:30 - 18:30 Networking Drinks