Producing

COURSE OVERVIEW

Could you develop, finance and produce a feature film or high-end TV drama?

As a creative producer, you will train in the four key skills you need to succeed in the industry: creative development; hands-on producing; finance and business affairs; and distribution/sales.

In partnership with BBC Film

"The school has provided a safe space for me to express my stories I want to tell, but also a safe space for me as a Black student to challenge the industry."

Solomon Golding

Current student

Programme Specification Full Course Outline

As a student, you will lead teams made up from the other disciplines at the School to produce at least three films to industry standard. You will undertake a Cannes Festival work placement and will be individually mentored by a successful producer through the second year of the course.

As a graduate, you may well go on to work as a producer or executive in the UK and/or internationally. Typically, new graduates combine their own project development with paid employment in various roles across the film and TV industries (assistants to producers, development associates, producing short commissions).

COURSE FACILITIES

You will be working at the only UK film school with its own film studio alongside a 4K television studio, rehearsal stages and exhaustive production facilities, giving you invaluable experience that reflects the Industry.

You’ll be taught by Industry professionals in:

Development skills: script analysis and script editing; developing a project from source material; working with writers and directors; pitching and negotiating the deal.
Producing skills: budgeting and scheduling; casting; managing the production; post-production techniques; editing, sound and music, business skills: publicity, marketing; sales, distribution; financing, co-production and legal/business affairs.
Television-specific strands include: developing a drama proposal to a broadcaster’s commissioning brief; understanding the television commissioning process; financing a TV drama series; the international market for UK drama and HETV tax credits.

We will encourage you to take Industry placements in the summer break of the first year, and in your second year, you are formally teamed with individual industry mentors as well as undertaking a work placement at the Cannes Film Festival.

More than 30 senior industry tutors contribute to the course with specialist seminars over its two-year span, and students undertake visits to leading companies in the market such as Aardman Animation, NBCUniversal and ITV.

We’re looking for people with a lively and proven interest in film, television and the world about us. You’ll ideally have a strong personality; good communication skills; a commitment to story-telling; and the ability to work collaboratively. Your role as producer is a many-sided one that means you’ll need skills that encompass creative intelligence, team leadership, and problem-solving.

While many applicants will have a degree from a British or overseas university, we will consider applicants who do not have a degree if they have an impressive portfolio, a creative track record or an alternative qualification.

International students Visa and English language requirements

If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk

UK* Tuition Fees: £14,800 per year

*Includes EU Nationals with settled/pre-settled status subject to meeting residency requirements.

International/EU Fees: £26,000 per year

These are the fees for January 2024 intake.

Please note:

Fees are confirmed/updated in June each year for the following intake date.

There is a non-refundable £25 application fee for each MA application.
A non-refundable deposit of £500 is required against the cost of your fees on confirmation of your place.

As a part of our admissions selection process for this course, following a successful interview, applicants are required to attend a selection workshop for five days, which has a fee of £150.

All production costs are included in the course fees, including the use of School facilities and equipment.

We will do all we can to help you make the finances work to come to the NFTS, so please visit our funding guide to find out more about what support is available to you.

Along with your online application, you should supply the following supporting material as PDF files. All materials should have your full name at the top of the page and be saved with your full name included in the file name.

A proposal written by you for a feature film or TV drama, either original or adapted from a novel or other source. Tell us why you would like to make it and what you believe its audience appeal could be. If it is an adaptation please give us the title and author of the source material (Approx. 500 words).
A brief analysis of three films or television programmes that you have seen in the last 12 months. Include comments on the directorial style (Approx. 500 words).
An analysis of a favourite film or television programme and your personal response to it (Approx. 500 words).
Choose a British or European producer (film or TV) whom you admire, explain why (Approx. 500 words).
Describe briefly key lessons about producing you have learnt from any book about producing or producers that you have read. Please name the book (Approx. 500 words).

Applications open 8th January 2024. We are happy to receive applications from 8th January until the midnight of the application deadline date.

Funding Available

The NFTS awards more scholarships and bursaries to British students, relative to the size of our student body, than almost any other educational institution in the UK. If you’re successful at gaining a place on the course, you will be contacted by our funding team with details on how to apply for one of these scholarships.

Visit our Funding Guide

Tutors

Visiting Tutor

Tracy Shaw

Animation producer

Tracy Shaw

Main Campus

Visiting Tutor

Simon Bosanquet

Film producer

Simon Bosanquet

Main Campus

Visiting Tutor

Matt Delargy

Film producer

Matt Delargy

Main Campus

Student Showcase

Play video

Night of the Living Dread (Trailer)
2021 graduate animation

Director - Ida Melum
Producer - Danielle Goff

Night of the Living Dread has been multi-award winning including the Annie Award for Best Student Film. It was also nominated for the Best Short Animation EE BAFTA 2022

Play video

Tremolo (trailer)
2022 graduate fiction film

Director/Writer - Jade Li
Producer - Thijme Grol

A young Chinese violinist battles with a tremble in her right hand that resurfaces during her first week as a soloist for a prestigious British orchestra.

Play video

Do Not Feed the Pigeons (trailer)
2021 graduation animation

Director - Antonin Niclass
Producer - Jordi Morera

Do Not Feed the Pigeons won the EE BAFTA Award for Best Short Animation in 2021.

Play video

The Leper (trailer)
2022 graduation film

Director - Hugh Mulhern
Producer - Alexander Handschuh

The Leper is a comedy drama about Frankie, a paparazzo reflecting on the encounter that made him question his career.

Play video

Tease (trailer)
2021 graduate documentary

Director - Jessica Brady
Producer - Danielle Goff

Tease was named the Best Student Documentary at the Grierson Awards 2021.

*Video contains adult content, intended for mature audiences only. Viewer discretion is advised.*