Entry requirements

Students come from a wide range of backgrounds: you may be an independent filmmaker, you might have a degree or you may have experience of working in the industry.

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 your application is successful and you are offered a place, we will ask you to attend a 4-week Foundation Course which is run uniquely for the Fiction Directors. The Foundation course is not part of the selection process, but an integral part of your teaching which then leads into the 2-year MA course, running from January to December.

The Foundation course usually happens mid-October to early November (4 weeks). Dates may vary slightly, but will be announced with your offer of place.

Please allow time and allocate funds for travel and accommodation to attend the Foundation course.

Months of entry

January

Course content

The course is highly practical, giving you the opportunity to learn in a unique environment and to make high quality films in our on-site studios or on location. You will also have the chance to learn from top industry professionals and to collaborate with other NFTS students, with all production costs met by the School.

Collaborate with students in other specialisms as you make several films and practical projects, putting into practice the skills you learn throughout the course – making the most of having access to our purpose-built film and television studios and professional standard post-production facilities, with all production costs met by the School.

The essence of the course is the practical experience of filmmaking, combined with a wide-ranging series of workshops emphasising performance, mise-en-scène and an examination of how narrative works in cinema and in television.

Course Facilities

We are the only UK film school with its own Industry standard film studio. You will have access to four full-scale film stages, the School's cinemas which are used for rushes and work-in-progress screenings as well as curriculum and exclusive screenings, and high-end production and post production facilities where your work will be brought to life.

What You Will Study

This two year course allows you to add depth and understanding to your abilities whilst regularly producing work. This is an environment where you will be both challenged and supported by staff and fellow students. The tutor to student ratio is high, thus allowing the teaching to be specific to the needs of the individual director.

The course includes weekly sessions on film and television culture, both contemporary and historical, and opportunities to learn from the work of more established directors through masterclasses and set visits. It also involves interaction with other disciplines, ranging from visual art, literature and architecture to installation and performance art.

In order to be awarded an MA Directing Fiction degree, you will also be asked to complete a dissertation/research project. The dissertation/research project should relate to your own work and practice as a director – help articulate your sense of cinema, what you love or what you reject – to enable you to think about how you might wish to develop as a filmmaker. It will be supported by tutors at every stage, and you will be guided in your choice of subject and approach.

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.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

  • MA
    full time
    24 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification

Course contact details

Name
Course Enquiries
Email
info@nfts.co.uk