Leverhulme Trust Extends Long-Standing Commitment to NFTS Talent Development

For 25 years, the Leverhulme Trust has supported over 170 diverse and promising National Film and Television School students to make it in the film, TV and games industries. By awarding up to 20 scholarships annually, the Leverhulme Trust has made a significant impact on the lives of talented scholars, and played a vital part in shaping future storytelling.

The NFTS is pleased to announce the continuation of this long running partnership, with the Leverhulme Trust investing significant funding into the futures of NFTS students as part of their Art Scholarships. 

This incredibly important initiative focuses on offering financial aid to outstanding students in the creative industries, and is dedicated to supporting specialist art institutions and registered charities that train the next generation of talent. 

The new three-year grant will support a further 45 students to train with the NFTS, providing an important thoroughfare into the film, television and games industries, through the world class training offered by the School. 

Former Leverhulme Scholars from the NFTS have gone on to achieve notable success across the film, television, and games industries.

Sound Design graduate and Leverhulme scholar Guldem Masa has gone on to work in the sound department of a number of impressive projects, such as TV series Wolf King and Emerald Fennel’s award winning Saltburn. She was also nominated for the Verna Fields Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing at the 70th MPSE Golden Reel Awards.

Reflecting on the support of the Leverhulme Trust, Guldem commented:

“Getting the scholarship made all the difference for me as it allowed me to take hold of my education and career. I believe accessibility is extremely important as it means the stories we see can reflect the diversity of the world we live in. And scholarships like this open up that access.” 

Daniel Peoples graduated from the NFTS Visual Effects in 2022. As a digital compositor, he collaborated with fellow Leverhulme Scholar and Directing Animation graduate Lisa Kenny on Mum’s Spaghetti, an NFTS short that went on to win a Student Academy Award and earn a BAFTA nomination. Since graduating, Daniel has continued to build an impressive portfolio, working as Digital Compositor on the BAFTA-nominated feature Love Lies Bleeding, directed by NFTS graduate Rose Glass and on Oscar-winning director Andrea Arnold’s Bird. He has since joined VFX powerhouse studio, Time Based Arts (TBA.) 

The success of the scholars doesn’t stop there! Composing graduate Samuel Read has found success in the music department of a wealth of high-profile projects, including Black Adam, Argylle, An Evening with Dua Lipa, Ghosted and M3gan, and has collaborated with composer and orchestrator Ben Foster, contributing to projects including the BBC’s Happy Valley, Good Omens, and Greatest Days. This has followed the success of his work on NFTS graduation documentary Burnt Country.

The continuing support the NFTS receives from the Leverhulme Trust is invaluable in creating vital pathways into the screen industries for the exceptional talent awarded these scholarships each year. The School is incredibly grateful for this ongoing generosity and commitment to nurturing the next generation of creative professionals and looks forward to the continued success of its Leverhulme Scholars and the stories they will go on to tell.

All MFA courses at the NFTS are supported by the Leverhulme Trust. For more info go to nfts.co.uk/courses