Directing Animation
- Course overview
- Recent credits and successes
- What you will study
- Current or recent tutors
- Fees & funding options
- Showcase
- Entry requirements
- How to apply
Location Beaconsfield
Duration 2 Years
Commitment Full-time
Next intake January 2020
Application deadline 07 Jul 2019
Scholarships available
Begin your applicationOverview
Directing Animation Open Day
Wednesday 29th May, 11:00 to 15:00
This unique two-year MA aims to equip students with the skills to write, direct and animate innovative films. NFTS graduate films have won some of the most prestigious awards in animation including the BAFTA for Short Animation for the last five years in a row.
Graduates include Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park, whose debut A Grand Day Out was his NFTS graduation film, and Peppa Pig creator Mark Baker.
Students will collaborate with those in other specialisms to make several films, putting into practice the skills they learn during the course. In the second year, students have their own work spaces and equipment to make their graduation film, which are finished in professional sound stages and post-production facilities – with all production costs met by the School.
We are the only UK animation course based in a film studio, so we can cater for ambitious ideas.
All NFTS students can attend the School’s masterclasses programme, with recent animation guests including Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings, The Boxtrolls), David O’Reilly (The External World, Please Say Something) and Dorota Kobiela (Loving Vincent).
Recent credits and successes
What you will study
Our aim is to help you create films that will steer the animation industry into new and exciting directions. The first year is packed full of inspiring workshops led by talented filmmakers and industry professionals covering a range of topics, including improving your animation skills, writing better narratives and developing fresh approaches to design and techniques. In the second year, you will direct a full production team to bring your vision to life, using the school's state-of-the-art production facilities.
We encourage all forms of visual storytelling; including drawn and stop-motion animation, life-size pixelation and even puppeteering. Students are inspired to push the boundaries; to find interesting new animated techniques and fresh approaches to storytelling.
Learning to work with a team is central to the course. Collaborative workshops with other filmmaking disciplines, help animation directors understand the role of each crew member and the skills they bring to the filmmaking process.
Current or recent tutors
Matt Abiss
Matt Abiss
Visiting tutorCredits include Poor God and Play
Robert Bradbrook
Robert Bradbrook
Head of AnimationDirecting credits include Home Road Movies, Dead Air, The Journey
Paul Bush
Paul Bush
Tutor, AnimationCredits include Babeldom, His Comedy, Furniture Poetry
Caroline Leaf
Caroline Leaf
Visiting tutorCredits include The Street and Two Sisters
Kim Noce
Kim Noce
Senior tutorCredits include Forget Me Not, The Key and After
Marjut Rimminen
Marjut Rimminen
Visiting tutorCredits include The Stain and Many Happy Returns
Showcase
Every year, our students direct a number of short films.
Entry requirements
We are looking for people with a desire to tell stories, who have a strong visual sense and the skills to direct a production team. While we take applicants from many varied backgrounds, the course is ideal for someone who works in the animation industry and has reached a stage where they want to develop their own work and become a director.
Successful applicants should have either a degree in a relevant subject, such as animation, graphics, illustration or fine arts; taken an intensive short animation course; or worked in the animation industry. All applicants must show a passion for animation though the work they are developing.
For international students, more information about our entry requirements, including Visa and English language requirements, can be found here.
If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk.
How to apply
Application deadline: 07 Jul 2019
All applications must be accompanied by the following supporting materials:
- A Portfolio of Animation/Moving Image with a maximum running time of 20 minutes. Your submission must include a complete film created by you. It can be either a personal or commissioned project, but it should be more than a simple exercises done on a previous course.
- A Portfolio of Still Images. This can include illustrations, sketchbook work, digital artwork, photography of puppets and sets that you have made or anything you think will suitable for your application.
Because the course focuses on collaboration and team work we have a workshop as a part of the interviewing process. The workshop gives us all the chance to meet in a working environment, and for you to learn about storytelling for short animated films. We provide extensive feedback to your work and candidates find the workshop very useful even if they were unsuccessful with getting on the course.
You can apply online by clicking on BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION below. We are happy to receive applications at any time up until the midnight of the application deadline date.
Begin your application