COURSE OVERVIEW
Do you know what it takes to be a great producer?
The key to becoming a producer who is attractive to creative collaborators and financiers alike is an understanding of the whole process. An understanding, in short, of the market, the business – and of yourself.
This part-time course is designed to help you find your own producing strengths and how to succeed in the world of filmmaking.
Content Tabs
The best producers know how to start the right projects in the right way, with a strong creative sense and commercial purpose. You must have a wide range of skills, from creative and organisational intelligence to financial prowess and marketing insight. The aim of this six-month Certificate course is to develop your skills and judgement across the entire cycle of a feature film’s life, helping you as a new producer to enter the world of professional filmmaking.
Meeting weekly in central London or online (depending on which cohort you choose to join when you apply) in an evening class format, we aim to help participants develop and discover their own producing strengths by teaching technical producing skills and using real case studies.
Over 24 weeks, and across four modules, you’ll explore the key components of development, finance, production/post-production, sales and distribution, seen from a producer’s perspective, whilst developing your individual strengths.
During the course you will develop an understanding of which projects have the potential to entice and excite audiences; hone your ability to work with writers to achieve a screenplay that can attract director, cast, finance, and distribution; develop the ability to package those creative and financial elements to an industry standard; acquire an understanding of how to run cast and crew; and learn how to manage the expectations of finance and distribution partners as you take the film through post production and delivery – all while keeping a firm grip on the sales, distribution and marketing opportunities to ensure the film can reach the widest audience possible.
The course culminates in the presentation of a market-ready proposal for your own feature film, including an outline of the film’s talent, finance, and sales/distribution package.
Module 1 – Development
- Investigating why you want to be a producer
- How to choose the right projects
- Identifying what films work in the current marketplace
- Discovering what ideas you are most passionate about
- How to source the best stories
- Understanding how to secure or option rights contractually, to industry standard
Module 2 – Packaging and Financing
- The director’s engagement
- Creating an overall proposal
- Key questions to ask before proceeding
- Attaching cast and working with a casting director
- Sales agents – researching them and finding out who is right for a project, and why
- Distributors – the cornerstone of your financing?
- Which companies fit which projects and what are their criteria
- Funding sources and finance plans
Module 3 – Production and post-production
- Closing your finance plan and achieving greenlight
- Essential agreements, rights and liabilities
- rights and responsibilities as A producer
- Crewing up; scheduling and budgeting
- The pre-production countdown
- Managing production and ensuring a smooth-running, efficient and enjoyable shoot
- Editing and maintaining the vision of the film throughout post-production, including technical post, music, and deliverables
Module 4 – Distribution, Sales and Marketing
- Executing a distribution plan across all platforms and windows
- Developing a film festival strategy
- Marketing, PR and social media campaigns, artwork and awards
- Managing the release and maximising the audience
- Getting a distributor or sales agent
- How to move onto the next film
If you choose to apply to the in-person course in London, you need to be either a UK applicant or EU/EEA nationals with UK pre-settled/settled status (subject to meeting residency requirements) or currently in the UK on a valid visa for the full duration of the course.
We’re looking for people who are passionate about filmmaking and eager to pursue a career in producing. You should have a good general education, but no other specific educational requirements or producing experience are needed for this course.
Successful completion of this course will lead to a guaranteed interview for those who may be interested in applying to the 2-year full-time Producing MA at the NFTS.
If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk
The following item(s) should accompany your online application:
Please tell us about any relevant experience you may already have, if any, in theatre/film/TV. (300 words max.)
What characteristics do you have that you think make you a good producer? (300 words max.)
Summarise a story idea that you want to make. (300 words max.)
We are happy to receive applications until the midnight of the application deadline date.
Graduate Success
The course is designed to give you a solid foundation to enter the Industry as a producer. Course graduates include…
The Myth of Control
Producer Celine Ribard
Graduate Success
The course is designed to give you a solid foundation to enter the Industry as a producer. Course graduates include…
toni_with_an_i
Executive Producer Rachelle Nerida Ruddock
