Drama
We teach everything from budgeting to post-production with an unparalleled list of stellar guest speakers and tutors.
Drama COURSES
What if there was an emergency on set or out on location?
Could YOU fill in the time before the emergency services arrive?
If not, then why not come and join us for our 1 day course in 1st Aid for Film and TV
Successful participants will receive HSE recognized Emergency First Aid at Work Certification, and due to the specialism of the course this is also recognized under The Safety Passport Scheme (which used by many large agents such as BBC) and is valid for 3 years.
As well as your certificate, you will also get all relevant manuals and your own personal first aid kit!
The course is a fun and practical workshop - giving you the confidence to care for those needing your help whilst meeting regulatory compliance. Covering the following areas:-
• Life saving skills – such as CPR, Choking, treatment of Spinal Injuries, Serious Bleeds & Shock
• Illness and Injury workshop looking the common things you may see on a film set
• Industry specific module looking at the most common injuries (RoSPA)
• End the day with a scenario using Casualty Simulation makeup
So don’t delay, get your first aid knowledge up to date by joining us and knowing that if you should ever need to, YOU will be the one in know!
We are also able to provide this course directly to companies who wish to train a number of their personnel, please contact us for further details
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£125
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£275
This scheme is supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund.
This course provides a thorough overview of how an Assistant Location Manager works on a drama production, including the principals and practises of the work involved. The intensive training course includes classroom teaching, a number of location visits, case studies and practical exercises.
Over the six day workshop, you will learn:
- The role of the Assistant Location Manager and how they work with the Location Manager
- Understanding the needs of the schedule and budget
- Working with a Director and Production Designer and understanding the creative vision
- Location scouting & presenting the options to the team (including a practical exercise)
- Location agreements and negotiations
- How to manage a location, unit bases and the needs of the production
- Movement Orders and location signage
- How to run a technical recce (including a practical exercise)
- Filming in different locations – historic buildings, public transport, ports & waterways
- Legalities of filming in public spaces
- Road closures and traffic restrictions and working with the Police
- Working with local authorities and filming permissions
- Health & safety – the legalities and legislation of filming including dangerous activities
An ideal course for those working as Locations Assistant or similar, looking to advance through the ranks in the locations department. The main tutor is Location Manager Johnny Ludlow - with over seventeen years of locations experience in film and TV, selected credits include The Midnight Beast, A Touch of Cloth, Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Smack The Pony, Love Island, Splash!
Two days of this course will be based at NFTS Beaconsfield, the remaining four days will be in London and surrounding areas visiting location services, set visits and meeting other film industry professionals. Subsidised transport is available.
Successful applicants will be joined by NFTS students on the Production Management diploma course. After the training course participants are invited to join NFTS students to gain valuable location management experience on NFTS Graduation films and TV productions.
This training run and administered by the Production Management Department of the NFTS, so if you have any questions please contact Bex Hopkins directly on bhopkins@nfts.co.uk 01494 731 524
This scheme is supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund.
- Number of places:
4
- Freelance Rate:
£400
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£400
27 March, 2017
This course will give you a thorough working knowledge of how to use Movie Magic Budgeting. It is aimed at those who are already familiar with the basics of working with budgets for film and television in the UK but who wish to learn how to use this product to its full potential.
Participants will have individual, hands-on access to the computers throughout the course.
The course covers, among other things:
• Selecting a format for your budget
• Entering your budget data
• Navigating the Top Sheet, Account and Detail levels
• Fringes
• Using sub-groups
• Coping with foreign currencies
• Amending your budget
• Redrafting your budget
• Printing from MM
- Number of places:
8
- Freelance Rate:
£195
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£355
This two day course is for producers, script editors, writers, and people with ideas of making feature films or television drama. The course explores how best to develop drama proposals, script outlines, or un-commissioned scripts and target/pitch these to potential financiers, sales agents and distributors.
This course will make you think realistically about your ideas and give you a framework for going forward. If you’ve been struggling on your own, it will give you invaluable feedback, suggestions and ways of packaging your ideas.
- Topics to be covered include:
- the role of the producer
- how to develop a story
- options and contracts
- how to look for finance
In order to make the course most beneficial please come armed with a couple of your own ideas that you can work on throughout the 2 days!
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£335
- Length: 2 days
- Corporate Rate:
£550
During the course participants will explore the approaches required for different forms of shooting whilst taking into consideration the artists' needs which include clear and concise direction for characterisation and performance.
Practical exercises and informal discussions will cover all stages of the creation of 'that' performance from an actor - from casting to first reading, through blocking, rehearsing, voice levels, key lights, and shooting marks, to the performance itself. The main shoot occurs in our television studio on a purpose built set supported by a team of professional cast and crew.
In order for this course to be extremely beneficial for all concerned the directors will rotate for practical exercises, either working on 2-hander exercises, rehearsing or blocking, shooting or A.D’ing.
Feedback on past courses include:
”Fantastic week – totally invaluable to my work and the way I’ll look at it in the future” “Absolutely brilliant course” “Would advise it to anyone who’s looking for a serious insight on the subject” “The course was revolutionary for me!”
- Number of places:
8
- Freelance Rate:
£1300
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£2500
“Dying is easy; comedy is hard.”
Comedy is a serious business. It’s easy to get it wrong and hard to get it right. As Ricky Gervais once said about the state of comedy filmmaking in the UK: “We have a good tv comedy track record but it doesn’t usually translate to the big screen.”
This two–day seminar based workshop is for anyone who wants to direct comedy shorts or features. It aims to reveal the crucial steps to making distinctive comedy films that will connect with an audience.
If you have a script or outline for a short or a feature you are invited to bring these along to work on.
DAY ONE looks at the first things you need to do as a director: working on the script, finding the theme of your film (and subtext of your scenes), discovering who your characters are, and knowing what sort of film you are making.
DAY TWO looks at the final stages for you as a director; from casting, to rehearsing, to planning the shoot, to deciding the shots, to editing.
Below are just a few of the many subjects covered:
- Writing your logline
- What do you have to say as a director?
- The difficulty of writing a comedy script
- The difficulty of reading a comedy script
- Directing the romantic comedy
- Casting your film
- The difficulty of finding a great leading comedy actor
- To storyboard or not to storyboard?
- Finding your appropriate visual style
Comments from last course include:
“Tutor was enthusiastic & engaging” “Really practical & inspiring!” “Amazing course – thanks so much” “Left full of enthusiasm”
In order to make the course most beneficial please come armed with a couple of your own ideas that you can work on throughout the 2 days!
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£335
- Length: 16 days
- Corporate Rate:
£675
Do you have a feature script that you’d like to turn into a feature film?
Do you want to learn from a filmmaker who has a track record of three ultra low-budget feature films that have all been released in the cinema?
This course is aimed at directors who want to go out and make a micro budget feature (and get it shown in the cinema), and it concentrates on the most important things that need to be in place before going out to shoot your film: from getting the script right, to dealing with agents to deciding on a look, to the basics of knowing where to put the camera, through to working with a composer, and finally to getting the film out into the world.
So stop dreaming about making your first movie - all that’s stopping you from making a feature film is an economical, well-written script and a little seed money.
Comments from the last course include:
"Really enjoyed the course, learnt lots, feel motivated and inspired"
"Great course, great tutor"
"The huge energy was inspiring"
In order to make the course most beneficial please come armed with a couple of your own ideas that you can work on throughout the 3 days!
The course is tutored by Col Spector whose short “New Year’s Eve” with the young Keira Knightley won several prizes including Best British Short at the UK's largest short film festival. His first movie, the self-funded, ultra low budget “Someone Else” was released in UK cinemas by Soda Pictures, shown on BBC2 and distributed by the Independent Film Channel and the Sundance Channel. His second movie “Honeymooner” starring Gerard Kearns was made for £47,000, released in the UK in January 2011, and recently broadcast on BBC1. He is currently in development on his new dramedy feature "Marriage Material."
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£450
- Length: 3 days
- Corporate Rate:
£850
This course is full - but do not despair - places often become available - email us to be added to the Reserve List!
It's so easy today to just go out and make a short film however it’s rare to create a great short film that truly engages with an audience. Col Spector who has written and directed shorts and features that have all been released in the cinema (in the UK and the States) leads you through the good, the bad and the ugly of making short films with the ultimate goal of creating shorts that audiences, festivals and distributors will love.
This seminar based course will cover areas such as:
- Avoiding short film cliches
- Would you pay to watch it?
- Is it better to be funny or serious?
- Using improv in the writing
- Playing with irony
- Should a short follow the 3 act structure?
- Other screenwriting rules
- Improving your script
- The casting process
- Professional actors versus non-professionals
- Directing the actors
- Do you shoot it differently to a movie?
- Editing, music and sound design
- Launching your career
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£330
- Length: 2 days
- Corporate Rate:
£675
This intensive four-week training course will give you the creative confidence to realise your directing aspirations and is is limited to just 8 participants. Giving you exceptional opportunities to practice your technique and have 1-2-1 access to our tutors, not to mention a raft of industry personnel. Using professional actors and crew as well as specially constructed sets, you will have the opportunity to rehearse actors, direct a full crew, and most importantly, receive running feedback on your work.
What participants said about past Series:
"We have been given the information and the blueprints - now we just need to make the plane fly. - Wonderful thank you"
“I really got a lot from the series- it’s been incredible valuable, and changed the way I think as a Director.”
“Reading a script and being able to draw from it was a very important session for me. I think actors will understand me now and I them."
“Invaluable :-)”
Week One: Focuses on how a director reads and analyses a script in order to prepare for work with the actors; how to give playable directions, and how to get the truthful and spontaneous performances you want from your actors. You will have the chance to work with professional actors on challenging scenes as well as the opportunity to study and review those scenes from the original films.
Weeks Two & Three: Participants will be given a focused overview of the processes of film-making from the point of view of the director, from a host of top industry professionals brought in from a range different specialisations. You will be given a screenplay that will form the basis of much of the work over the 2 weeks; there will also be a staging and visual-storytelling exercise to build on the study and an assigned scene to stage with professional actors (and shoot as a workshop).
Week Four: Participants will have the opportunity to test their skills directing a complex scene of their choice in the studio with a professional cast and crew, which will then be edited for review and feedback.
Places are awarded on a first-come first served basis - so don't miss out on the chance of a place on the superb series!
Although we require you to pay the standard £100 deposit upon application, should you not be offered a place, this will be refunded to you. However, should you be offered a place but not be able to attend we will retain 100% of the deposit. Also due to the nature of this training the deadline date for full balance payment is 6 June 2017.
- Number of places:
8
- Freelance Rate:
£6250
- Length: 26 days
- Corporate Rate:
£6300
This course provides those attending with an introduction to the principles and practices of the work involved in film and television drama production management.
The basic thread throughout the week is that participants will learn how to break down a short script which they will schedule, and have a full understanding of all the elements which go into making up the budget.
In brief, areas covered are:
• Role, function and responsibilities of a drama production manager
• Breaking down and scheduling a script
• Union Agreements
• The principles of a budgeting
• Contracts
• Insurance; Completion Bonds; Health & Safety
• The Unit: on location (foreign and at home)
• Progress Reports
• Post-production
The course tutor is a Drama Production Manager/Line Producer with a wealth of experience of feature film and television drama productions. Specialist speakers will also be brought in throughout the 5 days.
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£795
- Length: 5 days
- Corporate Rate:
£1450
Absolutely crucial training for ALL directors, this two-day course covers all aspects of the camera script, beginning with a detailed study of how to stage a scene, and moving onto the detail, terminology and grammar of the camera script which is required for drama productions.
This course will be tutored by one of the UKs most established drama directors and tutors, Laurence Moody and will provide participants with up-to-the-minute information and advice on this indispensable but often overlooked aspect of directing.
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£265
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£525
Do you have a burning desire to make a feature film but are daunted by the sheer scale of your ambition?
This 4 day micro-budget filmmaking course strips away the mystique of film production and shows that anyone with drive and passion can produce and sell a feature film. It is specifically geared towards those working in the industry who no longer want to just talk about making a feature, but actually want to get down to the nitty-gritty and actually make a feature film.
Led by multi-award winning film producer Bruce Windwood*, the course explodes the myth that filmmaking is a ‘dark art’ and explains in a very practical nuts and bolts way, how to make and then sell your micro-budgeted film. The course will be full of invaluable industry insider tips, allowing participants a unique insight into the real, rather than perceived, world of independent filmmaking.
The course will cover as much ground as possible, so that participants gain a broad understanding of the whole film-making process – from story and script development right through to the key areas of marketing and distribution. There will also be on-going opportunities for Q & A, allowing participants to deal with specific queries and concerns as and when they arise.
*Bruce Windwood is an independent film producer, scriptwriter and director based in Oxfordshire. His micro-budgeted feature film, “12 In A Box” (co-staring Miranda Hart), has picked up international sales, won three awards and been critically acclaimed by the likes of ‘The Los Angeles Times’ and ‘The Hollywood Reporter’ along the way.
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£565
- Length: 4 days
- Corporate Rate:
£1000
Following on from our hugely successful Pilot course, we are delighted to announced the return of the first course in the UK dedicated to VFX Producing as a career.
Carlos Ciudad is a graduate of the NFTS. On leaving the school he decided to base his career as a producer on VFX producing within a company, a possibility just opening up in the UK film industry. Since that decision he has worked on such major movies as Suicide Squad, Ghostbusters, The Jungle Book, The Hunger Games, The Martian and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Over two days, Carlos will introduce participants to the fundamentals of this exciting new career path.
The course will start with an introduction to the visual effects pipeline followed by an overview of VFX tools, technology and equipment. Participants will learn about people management as blockbuster movies often involve large numbers of people, sometimes up to 1000, and require specialist project management skills. A practical session is included where students get hands on and learn to apply the principles of the VFX pipeline when scheduling a movie. The course concludes with a session on how to start a career in the VFX industry, from CV tips to how to find jobs in the industry today.
· Introduction to Visual Effects Pipeline.
· Overview of VFX tools, technology & equipment used.
· The VFX Production Team.
· VFX Project Management.
· Scheduling & Budgeting Principles.
· People Management.
· How to start a career in the VFX Industry. Resume/CV Workshop.
The skills taught on the course also apply to animation and games so would suit anyone with production experience keen to work in these industries as well as visual effects in movies.
Applicants should have either relevant work experience or knowledge of producing or production management.
This weekend course will be held at a North London location.
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£295
- Length: 2 days
- Corporate Rate:
£525
Not only is a Location Manager responsible for finding and securing locations and coordinating the logistics involved, they are also the face of the production to the public.
This course is aimed at people who wish to broaden their experience and knowledge in this absolutely vital area of production.
The course covers:
• The basic principles of location management and the skills involved
• Day locations
• Resident and non-resident locations
• Foreign locations
• Arranging the chosen site
• Running the location on a day to day basis
• The wrap
Practical exercises will include finding and clearing a location and completion of accompanying paperwork.
- Number of places:
8
- Freelance Rate:
£395
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£775
This comprehensive hands-on course will give you the tools to manage multiplatform projects by taking you through the dynamics of the multiplatform system, and the time cost and creative methods that can be utilised to make a successful project.
Course Aims & Objectives:
To appreciate how project management skills can transfer to the multiplatform arena;
To understand the responsibility and tasks demanded by multiplatform;
To recognise the value of good multiplatform management
By the end of the course, participants will be able to
Understand multiplatform opportunities and options;
Draw up realistic schedule for a multiplatform project;
Apply management skills accordingly to multiplatform projects
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£275
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£525
This one-day seminar based course will provide those who attend with a thorough understanding of how best to market and publicise feature films. It is essential information for all filmmakers and professionals to see how vital ‘first impressions’ are for films to be successful.
Through a series of case histories for low and medium-sized budget films, the course will follow a production through to its theatrical release, sales and distribution.
In brief, the course will cover:
- An overview and definition of publicity and marketing for a film from it's inception to final theatrical release [This includes television, video, satellite and the internet, although the focus is on the theatrical release]
- Unit Publicity
- Media coverage during pre-production, production and post-production
- The importance of Genre and positioning of a film to make sure it connects with its target audience.
- Release and Distribution
- Preparation for screenings, media coverage, premieres and releases
- The role of Social Media in film Marketing and Publicity
By the end of the day, you will have gained insight into how the marketing and publicity machine works and fully comprehend how important the role is in connecting an audience to your film.
- Number of places:
15
- Freelance Rate:
£165
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£330
This is a great two day workshop investigating the complex relationship between Directors and Actors for Film and Television; understanding what they may need, the tools they use, tackling the problems that might occur and how to get their most truthful performance for your project.
Using practical exercises as well as watching film references combined with informal group discussions, this workshop is designed to develop director's understanding of an actor's needs and how to build relationships with them both on and off set. Specifically what an actor really is, the innate pressures and challenges they face by default, their roles in the production, how to talk through and work with problems that can occur for an actor, from read-through through to the final ADR session.
We will be exploring some of the different tools and various methods good actors may use in preparation and during filming, how to cope with ‘bad’ or unchosen actors and tackle motivational issues on set. This course aims to provide the knowledge to establish an environment and dialogue that can create a trustful, collaborative working environment as well as the possibility for unexpected 'happy accidents' that the production can never foresee but that an actor can reveal in the moment.
All the course attendants will participate as a group in two and three hander exercises designed to show and explore the types of scenarios directors will face in professional life with many different types of actors.
The course is suitable for directors with little or no experience of working with actors as well as more experienced directors who wish to develop their understanding and skills at working with actors. This is not a Directing Actors course - this is from the point of view of actors taking direction.
The tutor Neil Newbon is a professional working actor primarily on screen, with over twelve years of experience. He has worked on over fifteen feature films ranging across all kinds of budgets, as well as many television and theatre projects in predominately lead or supporting lead roles. Neil is also an established working performance capture specialist and voice over artist in numerous computer games.
- Number of places:
9
- Freelance Rate:
£325
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£625
This five day intensive course provides people with a very special opportunity of having a complete and thorough understanding of all the elements involved in producing low budget films.
In these times of diminishing budgets, it is vital that film-makers understand the complex financial structures, distribution points or percentages, rights issues as well as the delicate jigsaw of producing film drama.
From the initial idea, through scripting, finance, legal issues, production, publicity and distribution, participants will acquire an enormous amount of in-depth information from the course tutor, and speakers from different specialist areas in drama, and covers everything that involves being the producer on a drama, which is properly financed to be shown theatrically.
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£725
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£1200
26 March, 2018
Quite simply this 1-day course is for production personnel who need to breakdown scripts and schedule using Movie Magic
In brief, the course covers:
• Getting started on the computer
• Creating, adding and deleting elements
• Element Information Window
• Inserting element quantities and IDs
• Renaming, moving and merging elements
• Printing out strips
• Clearing, cutting, copying and pasting strips
• Sorting and selecting strips (basis)
• Setting the calendar, setting the day breaks and banners
• Re-ordering and saving schedules
• Page set-up
• Picture information
• Printing out default schedules and DOOD
• Modifying reports and strips
- Number of places:
8
- Freelance Rate:
£195
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£355
Grants available up to £800 – Skillset Film funding priorities currently include SCRIPT SUPERVISORS
This comprehensive course will prepare participants to be fully conversant in continuity through a series of lectures and practical sessions which will culminate in each participant doing continuity for a shoot which will be reviewed afterwards by the tutor and an editor.
Course Aims & Objectives:
- To teach participants how the role of Script Supervisor fits into production
- To ensure that participants gain technical understanding for continuity
- To familiarise participants with set protocol and film conventions
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand ’crossing the line’ and its implications
- Mark up scripts for a director/editor
- Demonstrate ability on set
This course is aimed at production assistants/co-ordinators, makeup and wardrobe assistants and anyone currently doing continuity with little training.
The course will cover all of the practical and aesthetic considerations of Script Supervision including breaking down a script, timing, continuity breakdown, film grammar and conventions.
- Number of places:
8
- Freelance Rate:
£925
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£1750
This course is currently full - but do not despaire - places often become available! Please email us to be added to the Reserve List
This consistantly sold-out six day intensive screenwriting workshop (with the weekend off to prepare the assigned homework), is aimed at writers who would like to improve their chances of gaining commissions to write scripts for feature film and television drama.
"Excellent course... A years' knowledge in six days"
The emphasis of the course is on narrative; within this framework, issues of form, action, dialogue, characterisation, image and sound will be analysed and discussed.
The course will include, amongst other things:
- Working to a brief: treatment, synopses, adaptations
- Practical advice on layouts and presentation of scripts.
- Analysis of key sequences from a variety of films
- De-constructing script passages
- Meetings with other established writers and writers' agents on the demands and expectations of the industry, which includes how to sell yourself and market your script
- Overnight and weekend writing assignments by all participants is essential in order to gain the maximum benefit from the course.
Those who want to apply for the course should submit, along with their application, a two page treatment for an idea they intend developing, or a piece of work already completed, should also be submitted - this can be emailed direct to shortcourses@nfts.co.uk
Successful applicants should be prepared to work long hours over this period in order to gain the maximum amount they can from the course. Participants will be expected to write each evening of the course, as well as prepare for their final exercise over the weekend which separates the course days.
This is a practical course in which we help develop an idea that you have for a script. Therefore, please bring along your idea(s), no matter how crazy they are!
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£825
- Length: 8 days
- Corporate Rate:
£850
31 December, 2017
Over the years, our Scriptwriting for Film & TV Course Tutors Tony Bicât, Tony Macnabb and Selina Ukwuoma have frequently been asked to provide some sort of follow up from past participants…..
Where do I go from here? How can I develop my project now that it has been rewritten and take it forward, eventually bringing it to the market?
Until now, this has happened on an informal basis, but demand has now grown to the extent where we have been able formalise it.
What we're offering is a synopsis of your draft script and a critical report addressing elements such as:
Concept
Theme
Conflict
Story structure
Character
Audience appeal
Available throughout the whole year - as a guide, prices range upwards from:
£150 = Treatment (must be 15 pages 5/6k words)
£220 = Full Length Screenplay
£150 = Sitcom
£175 = TV Eps (30mins)
£220 = TV Eps (60mins-90mins)
£100 = Short Films minimum
Let The Script Squad help - please contact us directly on shortcourses@nfts.co.uk or give us a call on 01494 677903 before making an online application, so we can provide you with a quote and timescale!
- Number of places:
- Freelance Rate:
£100
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£220
Have you ever wondered how they make an army of 5 into 500?
Would you like to know the difference between 2D & 3D graphics?
This course is based at Jellyfish Pictures, in Central London. Jellyfish are a BAFTA award winning CGI house who create graphics for TV and Film. The course will take place in their screening room, with opportunities to move around the building and experience the different stages in the production process. The course is aimed at Researchers, APs, Production Managers, Producers & Directors in documentary and drama (TV & Film), who are interested in finding out more about the world of CGI.
The tutors are industry professionals who have worked in documentary & drama for over 12 years; one as a CGI Producer the other as a Producer/Director of award winning CGI intensive films.
Using workshops and discussion groups the course will cover:
• Introduction to CGI and some examples of great shots and how they were achieved
• CGI Budgets and Schedules – how to make the most out of the money and time you have
• Pre-production – Pitching, Storyboarding & Reference finding
• Filming for CGI – backplates & assets that won’t make the CGI production house cry
• CGI Pipeline – things to consider in terms of workflow
• When things go bad in the world of CGI. Learn from other’s mistakes
During the afternoon, we will run a workshop with creatives from a leading CGI studio, where you'll have the opportunity to brainstorm some of your ideas - their insights will be both revealing and fun.
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£125
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£265
TV Drama has entered an era of unprecedented audience acclaim and global success. US TV drama series like The Wire, Mad Men, Games of Thrones and Breaking Bad have thrilled audiences across the world with drama that is original, complex and non-formulaic. Recent TV drama series from Denmark and Sweden have created an appetite among UK audiences for ground breaking thrillers such as The Killing and The Bridge as well as the political drama Borgen. There is a new appetite among British drama producers and
commissioners to develop work along these original lines.
COURSE OVERVIEW
‘TV Drama: Creating The Bible’ is a four-week course that will equip writers and producers with the knowledge and skills required to create a long running drama series for the both the UK and global market. Led by award-winning TV drama producer and Commissioning Editor Peter Ansorge, participants will write and complete a full bible for a TV Drama series that has the potential of running over several seasons. Participants will work on and complete their bibles for two seasons. The UK model of six hours per season – rather than thirteen as in the US - will be adopted.
The course will not follow any received academic idea about screenwriting. It will create the actual conditions of working on an ambitious drama project among professionals. There will be high-profile guests from the industry, reading and commenting on your work-in-progress. Leading independent producers will discuss the market today. There will be intensive overnight writing assignments with time to develop your characters and narrative in an individual and meaningful way.
WEEK ONE: MODULE 1
The First Hour
What makes a great TV drama. The idea. Examples. The importance of metaphor. Developing the characters. The sense of place.
By the end of week the first hour will be mapped out, and its potential market/broadcaster addressed.
A guest speaker will review the ideas and comment
WEEK TWO: MODULE 2
Hours Two, Three and Four.
We move on. Discuss endings of episodes, hooks and surprises.
Guest speakers will speak give feedback to participants on the ideas and their potential in the market place.
WEEK THREE: MODULE 3
Season Two
Review the detailed bibles for the first season.
Moving on. The shape of Season Two.
Guest speakers will give us insights into their successful drama series.
By end of the week first three episodes of Season Two are mapped out.
WEEK FOUR: MODULE 4
Hours Three, Four, Five of Season Two.
Bibles of Season One and Two are completed.
Participants pitch to a guest speaker.
What happens next?
Course Tutor Peter Ansorge joined the BBC's English Regions Drama Department in Birmingham as a script editor and producer. Under David Rose's innovative regime, he worked on Mike Leigh's early success 'Nuts In May', David Hare's 'Licking Hitler' and Philip Martin’s ‘Gangsters.’ 'Licking Hitler' won the 1978 BAFTA for best drama. In Birmingham, Peter devised and produced the UK's first black soap opera 'Empire Road' (1980) written by Michael Abbensetts and starring Norman Beaton. He also produced 'Come To Mecca', based on Farrukh Dhondy's collections of short stories.
In 1982 Peter followed David Rose to the UK's new broadcaster Channel 4 where he became a commissioning editor for fiction and helped to create the Film On 4 strand with Rose and Karin Bamborough. Originally devised to prolong the life of the single fiction TV film, Channel 4's unique relationship with independent producers led to a raft of iconic British theatrical releases such as 'My Beautiful Laundrette', 'Letter To Brezhnev', 'Wish You Were Here' and 'Four Weddings And A Funeral.'
Subsequently, under Michael Grade's era at Channel 4, Peter became Head of Drama for television series and serials. His award-winning commissions included 'A Very British Coup' (1988), 'Traffic' (Simon Moore's television serial on which the Oscar-winning movie Traffic is based) Alan Bloomsdale’s 'GBH' (described as the UK's 'best-ever television drama' by the Observer newspaper) and 'Jake's Progress'. These critical and audience lauded shows were followed by Armistead Maupin's 'Tales of the City' (1993), Jimmy McGovern's 'Hearts & Minds' (1994), Paula Milne's 'The Politician's Wife' (1995) and Dennis Potter's 'Lipstick On Your Collar'.' His final commission at C4 was Hugh Whitmore’s award-winning adaptation of Anthony Powell's 'Dance To The Music Of Time', starring Simon Russell Beale.
After leaving Channel 4 in 1998, Peter developed screenplays for the BBC by Paula Milne, Careel Phillips and Farrukh Handy. He produced 'Red Mercury', starring Stockyard Channing, Juliet Stevenson and Pete Postlethwaite.
He has since developed 'Extreme Cities' written by Glenn Wilhide, which has been acquired by Will Smith's Overbrook Company in Los Angeles with Roger Donaldson attached to direct. Peter's stage play 'Familiar Things' has been optioned by David Aukin Productions with Alan Rickman and Juliet Stephenson to play the leads. He is currently a producer with Pampaset Productions developing work for television and film from second and third generation black and Asian writers.
- Number of places:
10
- Freelance Rate:
£2000
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£2025
Today, with innovative technology embracing the way we do things – and giving us all a multitude of complicated options to follow, it is even more vital to understand all the elements that make up the post-production and completion schedules of any feature film or television drama series. Because if you don’t, then you run the risk of severely affecting the plan, schedule, budget and contractual delivery requirements all producers must abide by.
This three-day intensive course provides a thorough overview of the different processes and practices that work successfully in post-production. It is aimed at producers and production personnel who need to fully understand how their work and decisions can impact on what happens during the post and completion phases of a film or television drama series.
By unravelling in detail, facets of post-production; by explaining in clear, concise terms what the many different processes are, and briefly how they work; by discovering that decisions made in pre-production can affect how the production is lit and shot for completion in post, a picture will be built up which shows how post-production must be carefully considered, assessed, planned and scheduled, and - with careful monitoring – is delivered legally, administratively and technically, on time and within budget.
- AREAS COVERED INCLUDE:
- The Role of the Cutting Room
- Digital Post Production
- Post Production Routes
- Formats
- Picture & Sound Workflows
- Shooting in the Field
- Budgeting & Scheduling
- Paperwork
An absolutely essential course for anyone working in production!
- Number of places:
12
- Freelance Rate:
£400
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£775
The success of ‘Box Set’ TV Drama has created a new appetite among audiences for original and challenging drama series on television.
At the BBC, ITV1 and Channel 4 drama commissioners have emphasised that they are looking to develop drama series of this ambition over the next decade. They will need to identify new talent.
Writing the Pilot is a course designed with this background in mind. It will offer writers, and creative producers, the chance to plan and write a 50-minute pilot episode of an original drama series over an intensive two-week period.
Be prepared to write and re-write, and fine-tune overnight .
We will encourage the kind of ambition achieved by the best drama series based on the actual practice of working on a script among professionals.
Led by Peter Ansorge whose award-winning career includes: A Very British Coup, Traffik, GBH, The Politician’s Wife, Tales of the City, Brookside and The Camomile Lawn. We are looking for fresh ideas and the tenacity to bring them to screen.
Week 1 – The challenge of writing the opening minutes of the pilot. We’ll look at landmark series and analyse how you grab an audience. At the end of the week, a group of actors will work on your opening ten minutes. We will reference great drama series of the past and present. You will be writing between three and five minutes of your pilot each day, and reworking overnight.
Week 2 - We move towards the completion of your pilot, and offer advice on the next stage, how to get your pilot script onto the desks of the right producer and commissioning editor.
In the past we have managed to secure guest speakers such as Michael Grade CBE and David Hare (true money can't buy opportunities) and we would hope to do this again subject to availability.
"Peter helped us all find the best in ourselves and make this experience truly rewarding, inspiring us every step of the way."
"I can't believe that I wrote an entire one-hour drama script in just 8 days! And it was Peter's inspiration and knowledge that made that happen"
Places are awarded on a strictly first come first served basis so don't delay get your application in today!
- Number of places:
10
- Freelance Rate:
£1000
- Length: 1 day
- Corporate Rate:
£1025