Script Development

COURSE OVERVIEW

The most comprehensive vocational programme in script development in the UK.

This course aims to give you all the skills and expertise you need to work with writers, to develop highly polished scripts for film and television.

In partnership with BBC Drama

“The NFTS Script Development Diploma was invaluable in giving me a vocabulary to use when working with writers.”

Tessa Inkelaar

Executive Producer, The Ink Factory

Course Outline

This Diploma course offers you a comprehensive contemporary overview of the script development process, and ongoing practical learning in an intensive professional environment, preparing you for a successful career in the Industry.

During the course, you’ll get access to new screenwriters and regular industry speakers, develop your skills in critical script analysis, and work on a practical development project with a screenwriter.

You will learn how to give constructive notes, nurture new writing talent, and graduate with the necessary knowledge to develop scripts to industry standard.

Learning is part-time, delivered by fortnightly online evening sessions over 14 months.

The course combines lectures, seminars and workshops alongside talks by Industry practitioners, as well as supervised practical work with a screenwriter.

There are continuous written assignments throughout the taught section of the programme which are mostly practical and designed to be useful to a career in development, as well as other areas of the film industry.

The programme consists of fortnightly online sessions held on a Monday evening from 6.30pm - 8.00pm, plus 3 intensive weekend workshops running from September to July (final workshop). The Final Project element of the Diploma is a five-and-a-half-month supervised development project, which begins in July when students are paired with a screenwriter. The delivery of all assessed material for the Final Project is due in December.

This course is open to UK applicants and EU/EEA Nationals with UK pre-settled/settled status (subject to meeting residency requirements) and applicants who are currently in the UK on a valid visa for the full duration of the course.

We are looking for people who:

Already work in development and feel they may benefit from a structured course in story theory and working practice in order to build their confidence and resources
Already work in the film industry and are keen to develop or hone their skills when working with scripts and writers, to get the best work from those writers
Are producers keen to get an edge on finding and nurturing new writing talent
Have experience in other creative industries and would like to explore script development and believe that they can bring new experience and ideas to the process of developing scripts and cultivating writers
Have a passion for film, a love of storytelling, can demonstrate initiative, and have an enthusiasm for, and a commitment to, working collaboratively

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.

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

Course Fee: £7,050

This is the fee for September 2025 intake, and is updated yearly in June.

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

Please note, the following fee applies:

Deposit on confirmation of place: £500
This fee is non-refundable

Although NFTS scholarship and bursary funding is not available for this particular course, we recommend that you investigate all potential sources of independent funding available online. There are dedicated websites to help you begin your search. Please visit our Funding Guide for more information.

The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding website is all about alternative sources of funding - especially charities - which can make awards (fees, maintenance, research costs) to any student regardless of subject, or nationality.

The following item(s) should accompany your online application:

Applicants must supply a short piece (750 words max) telling us about a film or TV drama you wish you had developed. Please include:

The reasons you have chosen this piece.
A brief description of the main story line and the protagonist’s story arc.
Your ideas around what you think might have improved the script.

Applications will close at 23:59 on the day of the deadline, shown at the top of this page.

Funding Available

The NFTS want to encourage applications from the brightest and best talent out there, whatever your background. We are actively seeking to redress imbalances within the Industry by encouraging applications from under-represented groups, and have a limited number of bursaries on offer for UK applicants.

Visit our Funding Guide

Tutors

Course Leader for Script Development

Anna Seifert-Speck

Script and story editor

Anna Seifert-Speck

London