Composing for Film and Television
- Course overview
- Recent credits and successes
- What you will study
- Fees & funding options
- Showcase
- Entry requirements
- How to apply
Location Beaconsfield
Duration 2 Years
Commitment Full-time
Next intake January 2022
Application deadline 06 May 2021
Scholarships available
Overview
The NFTS trains composers in both live and synth/sample-based music for the moving image in a production context closely modelled on industry working practices.
Graduate Dario Marianelli won the Oscar for Best Music (Original Score) for Atonement and was BAFTA-nominated this year for Darkest Hour.
Students will compose for a wide variety of audio visual material and collaborate closely with those in other specialisms to produce several films – with all production costs met by the School. In particular, composers work closely with other students in Editing and Sound Post Production, increasing their understanding of the relationship between audio and moving images.
We offer a flexible curriculum adaptable to our students’ individual needs, with individual music suites, recording sessions with live musicians and education in business, legal and professional skills. Composing graduates are qualified to take on all forms of work in film and television as well as productions in multimedia and interactive programming.
All NFTS students can attend Masterclasses. Recent guests include David Fincher (Fight Club), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave), Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), Ben Wheatley (Free Fire), Rapman (Blue Story), Louis Theroux, Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone), Denis Villeneuve (Bladerunner 2049), Lynne Ramsay (You Were Never Really Here), Sam Mendes (1917), Asif Kapadia (Senna), Joanna Hogg (The Souvenir), Russell T Davies (Doctor Who) and Martin Phipps (The Crown).
This course is industry recognised by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK's screen-based industries, and carries the ScreenSkills Select quality-mark which indicates courses best suited to prepare students for a career in the screen industries.
Recent credits and successes
What you will study
In year one, students are taught the techniques and contexts which inform writing music for the screen. It starts with an intensive process during which students compose to a variety of exercises, each one chosen to focus on a particular aspect of film composition. Further exercises concentrate on scoring for live instruments, the combination of live and electro-acoustic elements and the integration a limited range of sound design into film scores. Students will also work on projects generated by other students at the NFTS and participate in visits from industry professionals.
In year two, students’ activities will be dominated primarily by films and other projects working with students from across the School. However, lectures, seminars and occasional workshops will be provided to clarify and expand issues arising from those projects.
Download programme specification (PDF)
Head of Department
Head of Composing is the BAFTA-nominated composer, and NFTS graduate, John Keane (A Very British Coup, Hornblower, Anna Karenina TV series, Hideous Kinky).
Current or Recent Tutors
Regular visiting tutors include Simon Coleman (In Britain, The Dales, The Lakes, Electric Angels), Miguel D'Oliveira (Genova, First Dates), Stuart Earl (Little Women, The Accident, Doctor Foster, Rillington Place, Gold Digger), Dario Marianelli (Darkest Hour, Paddington 2, Anna Karenina, Atonement), Quentin Poole, Mark Russell (Cold Feet, Leonardo, Inspector George Gently, The Worst Witch, The Evermoor Chronicles) and Filip Sijanec (Talking Tom and Friends, The Break).
Showcase
Composing graduates Jessica Jones and Dario Marianelli talked about the course and the School in a BBC News report about the NFTS earlier this year.
Entry requirements
The Composing MA course is part of the Post Production department, where we are looking to assemble a group of students with diverse and varied backgrounds. There is no 'typical' student or perfect candidate who conforms to a mandatory list of qualifications. You might have had some Industry experience in your chosen field, or a background in the arts or other media. You may now be looking for a further professional qualification, or wish to broaden your knowledge of composing for screen, taking you to a higher level of work.
Students normally have a degree in music but applicants with equivalent practical experience are also accepted; some composing experience is preferred. We look for composers with a strong personal style, a flexible approach and an intelligent feel for drama and narrative. Candidates should normally be able to notate the music they wish to be performed acoustically, have an understanding of the main historical styles and be able to communicate with others using non-musical terms. It is essential that applicants have a strong and demonstrable interest in film.
For international students, more information about our entry requirements, including Visa and English language requirements, can be found on our What You Need To Know section of our Students From Abroad page.
If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk.
How to apply
Application deadline: 06 May 2021
Once your application has been recieved and reviewed, to support your application, we will provide you with a link and password to download two film clips. You will be asked to write music for each of these clips and return the completed work as Quicktime video files with sound and music track, as downloadable links via WeTransfer. The files should be sent to Registry@nfts.co.uk
If you are invited to attend an interview, you will be invited to bring further material that may be of interest for the selection panel at the discretion of the interviewers.
Applications open 4th January 2021.
We are happy to receive applications from 4th January until the midnight of the application deadline date.