Composing for Film and Television

Entry requirements

There is no 'typical' student or perfect candidate who conforms to a mandatory list of qualifications.

Students normally have a degree in music. You may have a background in the arts or equivalent practical experience, with some composing experience preferred. We look for composers with a strong personal style, a flexible approach and an intelligent feel for drama and narrative. You should normally be able to notate the music you wish to be performed acoustically, have an understanding of the main historical styles and be able to communicate with others using non-musical terms. It is essential that you have a strong and demonstrable interest in film.

Months of entry

January

Course content

Modelled on industry working practices, you will compose for a wide variety of audio-visual material and work closely with other students including those from Editing and Sound Post Production, increasing your understanding of the relationship between audio and moving images. You will graduate with a number of credits which can include fiction, animation and science and natural history films, television and games.

We offer a flexible curriculum adaptable to our students’ individual needs, with access to individual music suites, recording sessions with live musicians and education in business, legal and professional skills.

On graduating, you’ll be qualified to take on all forms of work in film and television, as well as productions in multimedia and interactive programming.

Course Facilities

You will have access to your own composing cabin which will be your exclusive studio space. Our 20 composer studios are equipped with Apple Mac workstations running Logic, Sibelius and ProTools. We also have a dedicated Music Recording Studio for recording live music.

What You Will Study

In year one, you will be taught the techniques and contexts which inform writing music for the screen. It starts with an intensive process during which you will compose to a variety of exercises, each one chosen to focus on a particular aspect of film composition. Further exercises concentrate on scoring for live instruments, the combination of live and electro-acoustic elements and the integration of a limited range of sound design into film scores. You will also work on projects generated by other students at the NFTS and participate in visits from industry professionals.

In year two, activities will be dominated primarily by films and other projects including games and science and natural history, working with students from across the School. Lectures, seminars and occasional workshops will be provided alongside to clarify and expand issues arising from those projects.

Information for international students

This course is open to UK/EU/International students.

Fees and funding

Please visit our website for fees information. All production costs are included in the course fees, including the use of School facilities and equipment.

The NFTS is committed to ensuring it is open to students of genuine ability, no matter what their background or financial circumstances, which is why we award more scholarships and bursaries to British students, relative to the size of our student body, than almost any other educational institution in the UK.