Did you know there’s a huge skill gap in the UK for film industry professionals? Over the next few years, the number is estimated to reach around 40.
Build Your Portfolio
Once you’ve decided to pursue a professional role in the film industry, start actively building a body of work that demonstrates your passions and areas of interest, your personality, and your abilities.
Saying you are interested in film isn’t enough – but you probably already know that. When you have a passion for something, the natural progression is to start learning, practising and ‘doing it yourself’. So, if you really are interested in film as a career, you’re almost certainly already making your own movies, writing scripts, learning about directing, acting, editing, cinematography, sound… all the exciting things that come together in any film production.
Creating a portfolio of work is no different when pursuing a career in film than in other creative professions. Your portfolio forms an important part of the application process, offering tangible evidence of your skills and talents.
Take Short Courses and Workshops
The London Film School runs short courses and workshops, and these are an ideal way to dip a toe in the water without making any full time or heavy commitments. Often run online as well as in person, there are evening and weekend courses as well as some of longer duration.
Taking part in courses like these gives you a taste of what more immersive film study might be like, and helps you develop your personal skill set – or identify weaknesses to work on.
Many of the sessions, workshops, or masterclasses run by LFS are low-cost, making them even more accessible while you consider your full-time study options.
Undertake Post-Grad Study
When you know you’re ready to pursue serious film study, consider postgraduate courses such as an MA in Filmmaking or Screenwriting.
A two-year MA course in filmmaking will take you to a professional level, immersing you in making films and dealing with all the issues professional film units face. At the same time, it’s non-specialist so you won’t be channelled into genres you’re not best suited to, but you’ll gain a deep, all-round grasp of the vital elements that go into making a film.
You will work with the best in professional equipment, producing a film every term with your crew. You’re effectively learning to make films by making films. You’ll then be able to screen them at prestigious international film festivals.
Applicants to an MA Filmmaking course come from all kinds of academic or creative backgrounds, not necessarily film-related.
Research Course and Funding Options
As with any professional-level study, many film students need help funding their course. Before you start your application process, make sure you fully understand the costs involved and the options available for funding. You could even look for a scholarship.
Begin by browsing the courses on offer to find ones that best fit your ambitions and future plans. Different courses have different tuition fees, may be longer or shorter than others, be totally in person, or deliver a mixture of online and face-to-face classes.
If you need more help than you can find online, don’t hesitate to contact admissions or recruitment teams. Their job is to help, and they’ll have answers to the questions burning hottest in your mind.
