How the National Film and Television School is Shaping the Future of Sports Broadcasting with IMG

Nestled in the leafy surroundings of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, one of the world’s best film schools isn’t necessarily where you’d expect to find the next generation of budding sports production talent.

Home to alumni luminaries such as double Oscar winning cinematographer Roger Deakins (1917, Blade Runner 2049), acclaimed writer Malorie Blackman of Noughts and Crosses, and Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) also excels as a powerhouse for nurturing talent in sports broadcasting. Its track record of outstanding success makes it a prime destination for those passionate about a career within TV sports.

 Students filming a rugby match

Following a chance encounter between the Director of the School Jon Wardle and Tim Ball, VP and Head of Production for IMG’s studios business, a pioneering collaboration was born, bringing together the talents of arguably both the world’s leading media educator and the world’s leading sports producer. Since its inception in 2016, senior tutor Tom Lewis has been at the helm of the 12-month Diploma in Sports Production, now steering its ninth cohort of students through the course.

It equips students with the skills necessary to produce state-of-the-art sports and live events coverage, along with creating highlights packages, feature content and a wide range of other media forms. With more than 30 years of unrivalled experience in sports television, including working on the Olympics and many other high-profile sporting events, Tom’s extensive background brings a vast range of expertise and a broad network of connections to the National Film and Television School.

Under his stewardship, students have transitioned from eager to learn beginners to quickly securing roles behind the camera working at prestigious events like The Ryder Cup and crafting engaging content for Premier League Productions and the World Gymnastics Championships, among other significant sporting spectacles.

We caught up with course leader Tom Lewis, two of his recent graduates, Charlie McCarthy and Anoushka Mason and IMG’s Tim Ball to delve into the success and longevity of the course and explore just how it provides emerging content creators with the essential tools for making their mark in the competitive arena of sports production.

“The idea behind the Sports Production diploma is learning to become a Producer-Editor,” says Tom. “Our students are trained in camerawork and editing, and it’s not a requirement that they have these skills before beginning the course. Students often go into roles such as Junior AP but the course also tries to get participants to understand the enormous variety of jobs available in the industry, with some starting off as media managers or even in studio gallery roles.”

The course partnership with IMG is integral to enhancing the learning experience and opportunities available for the up to 10 students who enrol onto the course each January. Providing a four-week in-house work placement to each student is a key benefit, with many securing long-term roles with IMG after they graduate. “The course provides an ongoing source of the finest new entrant talent. We have taken on around 50% of the students since 2016 which demonstrates the high calibre of the intake and the professional training they receive at the NFTS,” says IMG’s Tim Ball.

Charlie McCarthy, an alumnus of the Sports Production course, graduated in 2022 and has since advanced to the position of Assistant Producer for IMG’s golf production, focusing primarily on the non-live aspects of the game, producing and editing features for the Ryder Cup. Prior to enrolling at the NFTS, Charlie had no background in sports production, starting his journey as a complete novice.

Fast forward two years and a typical day for Charlie now sees him editing content for the Ryder Cup’s social channels and regularly working on location; filming and interviewing both current and former players.

Reflecting on his time on the course, Charlie says: “The Sports Production diploma gave me a wealth of knowledge on how the sports production industry works, with specialist teaching from figures who have worked in the industry for many years. Throughout the year, we worked on a number of projects ranging from creating features on football and rugby clubs, to setting up and directing a live pool tournament. Learning from industry professionals in these environments made it a smooth transition into starting my career at IMG.” Tim Ball concurs, reflecting that “a key benefit of the course is that it enables students to meet and work with editorial and production experts at all levels, and add these to their growing network of industry contacts.”

Anoushka Mason graduated in 2023 and since last November, has been working full time as a Media Coordinator for Premier League Productions, IMG’s production partnership with the shoots and ingesting, processing and archiving media, to working within the gallery nerve engine on match days. “Having such a spectrum of responsibilities makes the work exciting as each day brings new challenges and work that you are across. The course upskills you in so many areas that you’re already in a great position to apply what you’ve learnt to the job when you graduate. You are taught about industry basics and systems that the company uses, which covers everything from editing to organisational software. I found this extremely helpful when I came into my role.”

With a background in producing live events, Anoushka didn’t have all the practical know-how necessary for a career in the sports industry. Essentially a beginner when she began the course, she rapidly advanced her skillset. “Everybody in my cohort came from a variety of backgrounds, so the course was great at teaching everyone the basics and then advancing those basics so that we quickly developed. The variety of projects that you are across from the very start help these skills to flourish, so you become more confident and prepared when it comes to producing and directing your own features later in the year. Tom and the other guest tutors encouraged us all to continually create projects outside of the course, which I found helped to rapidly evolve my practical skills and has absolutely been beneficial to my work today.”

Charlie and Anouska both credit the work placements secured for them at IMG with helping to understand the busy working environment of a sports production office and adjusting from being a student to a professional. “The course creates a seamless transition and you feel very prepared for going straight into the industry,” notes Anoushka.

The paid, four-week placements happen over the summer, typically between mid-July and mid-September. The nature of each one depends very much on how the students develop over the first two terms of training, with Tom and Tim making the placement as relevant to each student’s abilities as possible. They could find themselves working with Premier League Productions, DP World Tour, or across IMG’s cutting-edge digital and branded content output.

“The support of IMG is very important to us,” continues Tom. “As well as the work placements, we also arrange behind-the-scenes visits to events such as the World Snooker Championship. More recently, we have run EVS and media management workshops at IMG and they help in other ways, such as allowing us to access sports footage for editing workshops. These experiences, as well as being fun, help students understand the kind of work available in the industry. The students visit IMG’s studios at Stockley Park in the first week of the course; it is usually their first exposure to the industry and it can be quite an inspiring visit.”

Current Sports Production students at Wycombe Wanderers

How did his NFTS training and the coursework that came with it prepare Charlie for his current role? “It taught me the essential skills needed for sports production. I learned how to shoot, edit and write scripts which are all skills I now use daily. The coursework was incredibly beneficial in making me ready. We produced a range of features which involved lots of collaboration and also the ability to test and improve our personal skills in interviewing, shooting and editing. Before joining NFTS I had no confidence in being able to interview but now it is one of my favourite parts of the job!”

Working in live broadcasting, particularly in the fast-paced and high-pressure environment of live sports coverage, demands quick thinking and resilience. In what way does the course prepare students to effectively manage these challenges? Tom says: “We concentrate on encouraging producing and editing, and improving the students’ ability to tell a story. We also run exercises in our 4k studio on site at the NFTS which simulate a live environment, for example, a sporting chat show or pool tournament. We assign different roles during the exercise such as director, graphics lead, and replays, so students get a broad understanding of how the production works.”

Now fully immersed in the world of bringing live football to the screen, Anoushka took working on her first live match in her stride, bringing the skills she developed whilst training to the fore. “I’ve been across so many matches throughout the season, but I will always remember the first Premier League match round I worked on with the live team. I sat across all the games observing the intricacies of how a gallery worked and the amount of people it takes to be able to broadcast a match on the world feed. That thrill of the gallery further spurred my desire to work in this field.”

Students behind the scenes at the Snooker World Championships Broadcast

The NFTS is famed for its commitment to staying ahead of the curve, innovating its training to reflect the real-world requirements of the industry. Is this also the case for the Sports Production course? “Of course!” laughs Tom. “Our students are always made aware of the importance of new technological advancements in sports broadcasting. We have also added an EVS exercise to bring them up to speed with this new technology, and our link with IMG enables all students to receive Simply Live training if they wish.”

The NFTS has an impressive graduate employment rate of over 90%. This success is largely supported by the comprehensive support and networking opportunities the School offers across its myriad of courses, ensuring that students are well-prepared to secure employment within six months of completing their training.

"The NFTS is an incredible institution with so much to offer,” says Tom. He emphasises the importance of engaging with the school's vibrant social life, where students have the opportunity to network with their peers, the film, TV and gaming talent of the future. These interactions often lead to lasting professional relationships that can significantly benefit their careers. Tom continues: “They will meet and collaborate with fellow future film and TV professionals and forge connections that can last a lifetime.”

Anoushka’s first-hand experience during her time at the School reinforces this. What words of wisdom would she offer to prospective students thinking of taking the leap and applying to the NFTS to study sports? “My main advice would be to put yourself out there. I fully invested in the course and was open to learning all the different areas that it had to offer. Using the contacts that we made to take up shadowing and freelancing opportunities to get that hands-on experience was also vital to finding work. The School provides so many opportunities to network and I found that I developed a much better understanding of creating and producing content by collaborating with friends from editing, sound design and composing, as well as camera operators and sound recordists. I found that I was able to gain so much from working alongside everyone throughout the course that I wouldn’t have learned if I didn’t put myself out there and network. The exact same applies to the industry, building contacts and relationships is so important. You never know where it will take you.”

World-class training comes at a significant cost, and with the rising cost of living, scholarships and bursaries are more crucial than ever before. The NFTS awards close to £1 million in funding to British students annually, surpassing almost any other educational institution in the UK. Both IMG and the BBC offer scholarships specifically for those from underrepresented groups, allowing recipients to join the course without the burden of financial concerns. "If the cost of training is a deterrent to entering the industry, please apply anyway," encourages Tom. "We prioritise talent over financial capability and the School is completely committed to doing everything possible to ensure that individuals with true potential can attend."

As a fertile training ground for future talent behind the scenes in sport, the course is designed to be hands-on and give students confidence in their abilities. Beyond practical exercises in the studio and fieldwork, the curriculum culminates with each student producing their own unique graduation film.

Tom expands on the importance of creating the graduation project that will become an industry ‘calling card’; “Students employ their skills to craft their own stories or a series of stories, often becoming a significant feature of ten minutes or longer, which they research, produce, and edit—frequently with classmates assisting as camera operators. The final productions are then premiered at the School’s Graduation Showcase, held annually at London’s BFI Southbank each February.” The event attracts high profile industry executives, offering students a prestigious platform to present their work and network with leading figures in sports production and broadcasting.

Reflecting on the success of the course since 2016, Tim Ball says: “I don’t think we knew at the time just how fruitful this collaboration would turn out to be.  You only need to look at the quality of participants which increases year-on-year to see how the diploma is one of the best avenues into what is a very competitive industry.” IMG hopes to widen participation too. “For the past two years we have offered a scholarship for those who are at a social, economic or educational disadvantage. Like many of our fellow indies, we can do more to further improve diversity access, and this seems a perfect opportunity to do so.” 

Key Facts

• The NFTS plays a leading role in addressing skills gaps and shortages in specialist areas such as Production Accounting, Virtual Production and Post Production Supervision.
• No other UK higher education institution has provision in these areas. The NFTS is the partner of choice for many of the world’s biggest film and television companies, both domestically and internationally.
• In addition to IMG, Amazon, Walt Disney Studios, BBC, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, Channel 4, BFI and many more partner with the School on significant talent and skills development activity.
• NFTS graduates go on to become key creative leaders for much of the UK’s largest and most high-profile film and television content, working in key roles on 97% of the biggest budget inward investment films.
• 85% of UK broadcaster spend on high end television and two thirds of all Netflix productions have at least 1 NFTS graduate in a key role.
• The NFTS is one of only a handful of schools globally to have had students nominated for Academy Awards based on the films they have made as part of their studies.
• The School benefits from some of the most high profile and significant names in the industry, teaching at and delivering Masterclasses for students, including Denis Villeneuve (Dune), Charlotte Moore (BBC), Louis Theroux (Forbidden America), Asif Kapadia (Amy), Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Mitchells vs The Machines) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag).
• The Hollywood Reporter considers the NFTS to be one of the 15 ‘Top International Film Schools’ in the world. The NFTS is the only School in Europe to have consistently appeared in this list for more than a decade.

The next intake of the Sports Production diploma will welcome its next cohort of students in January 2025, including international students for the first time.

• To apply head to: nfts.co.uk/sports-production
• The NFTS runs a variety of events from Open Days to Taster Workshops, both in person and online. Check out all the latest events here: nfts.co.uk/events 
• To follow NFTS on social media, search for @nftsfilmtv 
• For more info on IMG Studios: img.com/sports