find your perfect postgrad program
Search our Database of 30,000 Courses
National Film and Television School: Writing and Producing Comedy
Institution | National Film and Television School View institution profile |
---|---|
Department | Film and Television |
Web | https://nfts.co.uk/ |
info@nfts.co.uk | |
Telephone | 01494 731425 |
Study type | Taught |
Postgraduate Diploma - PgDip
Summary
Hone your skills to become a confident and versatile comedy writer.
**In partnership with BBC Comedy / BBC Studios** - This unique part-time course will enable you to develop all forms of scripted and unscripted comedy including sitcoms, sketch shows and panel shows for television and radio.
The course is carefully designed to gear you up for a career in comedy writing and production so you become practised at juggling deadlines, talking about your ideas concisely, assessing your own work and those of others, and being part of a writers’ community.
There is an emphasis on ‘learning by doing’ at the NFTS, so you will experience professional actors and comedians reading your work and giving immediate feedback; you will pitch ideas to development producers and commissioners; and you’ll get a taste of a writer’s room atmosphere.
You will get the opportunity to grow an idea into a fully formed vision, whether that be a five minute teaser for a sitcom, a sketch, a professionally recorded radio snippet or a script reading. By the end of the course, you will have produced your own body of work, which will put you in good stead to approach industry professionals.
There will also be inspirational and informative talks from some of the most successful creators of comedy working today.
Level | RQF Level 7 |
---|---|
Entry requirements | 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. Applicants must have a proven talent for comedy and a desire to succeed in this competitive field. 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 |
Location | National Film and Television School Beaconsfield Studios Beaconsfield HP9 1LG |
Summary
This course is an 18-month part-time Professional Diploma in Writing and Producing Comedy.
**"The course Rachel Stubbings runs at the NFTS is a great way of acquiring the career sustaining skills it takes to be a comedy writer today. The course won’t make you funny though, you have to do that bit yourself." – Jon Petrie (Director of Comedy at BBC)**
This unique course aims to equip the participants with the relevant tools to be a skilled and versatile comedy writer. It enables students to develop all forms of scripted and unscripted comedy including sitcoms, sketch shows and panel shows for radio and TV.
The course is carefully designed to gear you up for a career in comedy writing and production so students will become practiced at juggling deadlines, talking about their ideas concisely, assessing their own work and those of others, and being part of a writers’ community.
There is an emphasis on ‘learning by doing’ at the NFTS, so they will experience professional actors and comedians read their work and give immediate feedback, they will pitch ideas to development producers and commissioners and get a taster of a writer’s room atmosphere.
Students will get the opportunity to grow an idea into a fully formed vision, whether that be a five minute teaser for a sitcom, a sketch, a professionally recorded radio snippet or a script reading. By the end of the course, they will have produced their own body of work, which will put them in good stead to approach industry professionals.
There will also be inspirational and informative talks from some of the most successful creators of comedy working today.
Since the course started in 2014 many students have gone on to write for shows including: Sex Education (Netflix), Outlaws (BBC/Amazon), 8 Out Of 10 Cats (E4), Famalam (BBC), The Now Show (BBC R4), The Mash Report (BBC), Joe Lycett's Got Your Back (CH4), The News Quiz (BBC), Dead Ringers (BBC R4) and many are developing their own scripts with Channel 4, BBC, Sky, ITV, Apple and Comedy Central.
All NFTS students can attend Masterclasses. Recent guests include David Fincher (Fight Club), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave), Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), Ben Wheatley (Kill List), Rapman (Blue Story), Louis Theroux, Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone), Denis Villeneuve (Bladerunner 2049), Lynne Ramsay (You Were Never Really Here), Sam Mendes (1917), Asif Kapadia (Senna), Joanna Hogg (The Souvenir), Russell T Davies (It’s A Sin) and Ricky Gervais (The Office).
Level | RQF Level 7 |
---|---|
Entry requirements | Applicants must have comedy talent and have evidence that bears this out. Applicants do not necessarily have to have a university Bachelors degree to apply for the course, but must be able to: demonstrate a knowledge of television/film; provide details of past achievements; demonstrate a clear focus for their future ambitions; and, crucially, show a passion for comedy. If you are an EEA or International citizen, you must already be in possession of UK settled/pre-settled status or another visa which allows you to study for the duration of the course. If you do not already hold a UK status, unfortunately we cannot accept your application as we are currently unable to support a visa on our Diploma courses. If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk. |
Location | National Film and Television School Beaconsfield Studios Beaconsfield HP9 1LG |
Fees
England | 8500 GBP for Whole course |
---|---|
Northern Ireland | 8500 GBP for Whole course |
Scotland | 8500 GBP for Whole course |
Wales | 8500 GBP for Whole course |
Summary
This course aims to enable students to develop all forms of scripted and unscripted comedy including sitcoms, sketch shows and panel shows for radio and TV.
The course is run in partnership with Channel 4. Students will hear from regular industry speakers and get the opportunity to develop and write an original show and make a taster tape.
Writing and Producing Comedy commences in January each year. The course is part-time (one evening a week and occasional Saturdays) over eighteen months and is delivered in central London. You will be expected to spend at least eight hours a week working on assignments for the course. You will leave the course with a portfolio of material, which could include a 10-minute taster tape of an idea you have developed, or a full script and some sketches and one-liners.
Level | RQF Level 7 |
---|---|
Entry requirements | Applicants must have comedy talent and have evidence that bears this out. Applicants do not necessarily have to have a university Bachelors degree to apply for the course, but must be able to: demonstrate a knowledge of television/film; provide details of past achievements; demonstrate a clear focus for their future ambitions; and, crucially, show a passion for comedy. We are only able to accept EU students who hold settled/pre-settled status on our Diploma courses. We cannot support a visa for EU/International students wishing to study. If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk. |
Location | National Film and Television School Beaconsfield Studios Beaconsfield HP9 1LG |
Fees
England | 8500 GBP for Year 1 |
---|---|
Northern Ireland | 8500 GBP for Year 1 |
Scotland | 8500 GBP for Year 1 |
Wales | 8500 GBP for Year 1 |
Channel Islands | 8500 GBP for Year 1 |
Republic of Ireland | 8500 GBP for Year 1 |
About the National Film and Television School
First established in 1971, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) has evolved to become a leading global institution, developing some of Britain and the world’s top creative talent. In 2018, the NFTS was awarded both the BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema and the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.
As one of the leading film schools in the world, the NFTS operates like a major studio, with state-of-the-art production facilities that are essential for creating outstanding content for film, TV, games, animation, design, and much more. It’s a …
View ProfileNot what you are looking for?
Browse other courses in Literature, Creative writing, Media studies, Media production or Film production, or search our comprehensive database of postgrad programs.Scholarship Opportunity with Postgrad.com
Are you a PG student at this University or have you applied to study a postgraduate program at a university in Europe? Tell us your plans and qualify for a £500.00 PGS Scholarship.
Click here