Is Studying For A Master’s Degree A Suitable Choice For A Creative Entrepreneur To Make?

Ali Rasoul, a current student at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) shares his perspective on how he’s accelerated the growth of his business while studying at one of the world’s leading film schools and offers insight to those wanting to skyrocket their entrepreneurial careers.

“I’m a creative entrepreneur and founder of a creative agency dedicated to producing innovative campaigns, built with clever strategies and consumer retention in mind, delivered via engaging content. I’m currently completing my final module as a second-year student of the Creative Business MA course at the National Film and Television School.”

Life before the NFTS: Treating undergrad as a side-hustle.

Before I built my business, filmmaking and editing were prominent interest points in my early youth life. I considered merging into the industry from a film perspective when I participated in the 2017 BFI Film Academy Craft Skills program, delivered by the National Film & Television School in Beaconsfield, at 18. After completion, I frequently attended the BFI Film Academy monthly LAB events (formerly Future Film) in Southbank. It became a dominant element in boosting my network and providing an entry point into creative industries. As a result, I decided to go into further education and pursued a BA in Film Production at the University of Portsmouth directly after finishing my A-Levels.

Throughout the years, while side-hustling through at the University of Portsmouth, I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled the globe and delivered projects on life-changing campaigns with highly influential names. Clients include the likes of Nike, Warner Music, Universal Pictures, Malibu Rum, Dr. Martens, and Red Bull, and operating closely with inspiring figures like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, and Wizkid. Focusing on relationship building and adding value, I’ve been lucky enough to attend prestigious events and occasions, such as the Grammys, or meet King Charles and Camilla through the Royal Television Society. Additionally, my work has been featured by organisations such as Oprah Magazine, NBA, the Emmys, and Wheaties. I've been able to share my journey with numerous articles with publications including the BBC, BFI, and RTS.

The National Film and Television School: How I got in, and why I chose it!

I’m someone that loves to goal-plan on a whiteboard and vision life onward. In 2019, one of the goals I had written on my vision board was one day becoming a post-graduate student at the NFTS. This goal was significant, because I acknowledged the success I retained having completed the BFI Film Academy at the NFTS in 2017. Going back meant it would further accelerate my career. In 2020, I submitted my final year project at the University of Portsmouth. Like many, I remember hearing the announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic, which became a reflective period for many creatives about their next steps. I chose to dig deep into exploring courses at the NFTS and questioned whether to pursue an MA degree or not.

I initially applied for the Cinematography MA degree, which got rejected a few weeks after submission. After further conversations with Jon Wardle (the Director of the National Film and Television School), he informed me of alternative MA courses that could apply more to the direction I was heading in, one of which was the Creative Business MA. In 2021, my second application was approved, and I was successfully enrolled with seminars beginning in early February.

Studying an MA in Creative Business: How has it impacted my business so far?

I often reflect on the value this course has added to my business. Expertly led by Dr Alex Connock, it had brought me on an in-depth learning journey, from forming a company to understanding how to scale it up and everything in between. As a result of these learnings, I struck better deals and protected myself in contracts. In addition, I gained more in-depth knowledge about the micro-details behind IP-driven content. It was particularly effective in my first module, Mapping the Landscape, which is a sector-by-sector review of business practice, business models, and the value chain within each sector, taught by practitioners in each industry. Including dedicated weeks on theatre, publishing, games, film, television, music, and digital entertainment.

Since beginning the course up until now, I have worked on over 200 projects, 40% of which are from new clients and relationships formed based on the strategic methods of making deals acquired from being on the course. Some projects required me to tour Europe and the States numerous times, meaning I had to take my education remotely. With modules related to creative industries, handing in a deadline for classwork felt pleasant and less of a chore. Operating in the industry while being a student has made me much wiser and more strategic in how I view and tackle tasks, particularly when it comes to decision-making. Earlier this year, I made a small investment to build a high-tech studio that facilitates an innovative space to run my business. Utilising key speakers and my fellow course mates, I gained guidance on methods of this approach, from designing the space digitally via Cinema 4D to acquiring builders. Then, learning the designing process of building a powerful PC to support an 8K workflow. Having this community was an integral part of making this studio come to life.

Writing a 10,000-word dissertation: Is it worth it?

We all know that dissertations can be a big turn-off at universities, especially a 10,000-word one. The sad reality is it’s unavoidable, and my advice on this would be to write about a topic you love and cannot stop thinking about, a subject that is part of your everyday life.

Ideally, something you’re passionate about, and secondly, have someone to guide you in and out of the process so that you’re checking all the academic boxes. In my case, I tag-teamed with one of my course mates. We made it our mission to get through it together and, more importantly, make it an enjoyable process; we named it 'DISSO CAMP'. I did my dissertation on Afrobeats, titled: 'What strategies can the success of Afrobeats offer to the wider world of Digital Marketing?' a topic that shares resonance in my heart.

A dissertation compliments the portfolio as it demonstrates academic writing skills, which are often not explored in creative industries. While working on this dissertation, I researched and produced several sit-down interviews with influential industry figures. This was highly rewarding as it brought me closer to the genre and gave me knowledge of the business infrastructure. Using the NFTS as a source of credibility increased the likelihood of interviewing key gatekeepers and pioneers behind the mainstream success of Afrobeats.

The fear of committing: Risk it?

I must make this point clear to all entrepreneurs questioning whether to go into further education or not. Even if you already have existing clients and the business is thriving, not joining a course like this will ultimately have a cap on the potential growth of your business. I believe, as entrepreneurs, we should never stop learning, taking risks, and plunging deep into diverse industries, and this is what the course delivers. To answer the question of the article, is it a suitable choice? As an entrepreneur, I was worried that studying for an MA degree would hinder my progress. However, the course has revved my business even further and unlocked doors I did not know existed. In a few months, I'll be graduating with a strengthened and more strategic business plan and gained an MA in Creative Business from the National Film and Television School which will be a huge bonus! 

Find out more about this incredible course: nfts.co.uk/creative-business

Connect with Ali Rasoul
Instagram @ali.rasoul
alirasoul.co.uk