Content Tabs
Screen Craft Pathways: Assisting Art Department, delivered in partnership with the Sean Connery Talent Lab and supported by ScreenSkills, is a practical below-the-line crew training programme designed to give new and early entrants the hands-on skills, technical understanding, and on-set insight needed to confidently step into the role of a art department trainee or junior assistant on professional productions and understand the career progression route available within the department.
Led by experienced industry professionals, the course will take you inside the world of the art department — from interpreting scripts and preparing sets, to sourcing props, dressing locations, supporting set builds, and maintaining continuity throughout production.
You’ll gain a clear understanding of each role within the department, the workflows involved, and how to be an asset on set from day one.
The course includes visits to set, giving you the opportunity to observe working crews in action and contextualise your training in the real-world environment.
With course fees subsidised by the Connery Foundation, who support the NFTS Sean Connery Talent Lab, this course also provides an opportunity to work on one of the Lab’s prestigious short films, which are funded by BBC Film and will be shooting in Central Scotland in late September and October 2026.
This is a unique opportunity to work on a high calibre production as well as enhance your network by meeting and developing relationships with the Lab’s creative teams. The films from the first Sean Connery Talent Lab premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival and will screen on BBC iPlayer.
Whether you're starting out in the industry or looking to build on existing early entrant art department experience, this course is built to prepare you for freelance art department work on narrative film and television drama.
The course will be led by an experienced production designer, with industry guests from across the art department, and industry partners supporting delivery and set visits.
The course will be delivered at both Edinburgh and Glasgow venues, with travel to sets within Central Scotland also required (details of these will be available nearer the time).
Following the three week training course, you should also be available for the shoot (four days) of one of the Sean Connery Talent Lab films, which shoot at various locations in the Central Belt of Scotland between the 28th September and 6th November 2026 (with expenses paid).
The course will cover:
Introduction to the Art Department
Art Department Equipment & Materials
The Art Department Trainee Role
Script Breakdown & Visual Research
Working with the Art Department Team
Props, Set Dressing & Graphics
On-Set Workflow & Continuity
Set Preparation, Strike & Department Logistics
Industry Standards & Department Paperwork
Career Preparation and Feedback
You should have some experience of working within the art department and know that developing your skills and progressing within this department is the right route for you.
This experience may have been gained as an undergraduate student, or industry training programme, working on short films, or you may already have some initial industry experience in feature film and HETV as a trainee.
This programme is also available as a progression pathway from our Early Entrant Pathways: Working in the Art Department course which takes place on 7th and 8th September. If you wish to undertake both programmes, please apply here.
Otherwise please follow the guidance in HOW TO APPLY on this page.
To apply, please complete the application form and submit your CV to scotland@nfts.co.uk