Course summary
Get the professional training you need to kickstart your career in a world-leading UK Industry. Despite uncertain economic times, the UK continues to lead the world in creating and producing unscripted series. From hit formats that have been sold around the globe such as Traitors or The 1% Club, to surprising and absorbing factual shows such as Clarkson’s Farm and Beckham – the global appetite for innovative and engaging content is huge, and it all starts with development. The Unscripted Development Diploma is a year-long part-time blended learning diploma, which seeks to capture the dynamism and creativity of unscripted television - with a particular focus on factual entertainment and formats - and provide you with the skills you need to make your own professional contribution to it. Learning from industry professionals, including channel commissioners and top producers in production and development, this course plots the evolution of unscripted programmes from the initial idea to transmission. The course embraces all kinds of unscripted from premium docs and returnable factual series to formats which can travel the globe and factual entertainment with many of the major factual commissioning channels represented across the year (Prime Video, Sky Netflix, BBC, ITV, C4, C5 etc.).
Modules
The curriculum has a specific focus on programme development - on brainstorming ideas, writing proposals/creating decks, producing sizzles, pitching to commissioners. There will be a focus on factual entertainment and formats. This blended learning course is delivered from our NFTS Main Campus but is available to students across the UK and features a stimulating combination of weekly evening online sessions and all-day in-person weekend workshops (including a 2-day camera course). Across the year, students are required to complete six assignments. The course is made up of a combination of modules and workshops, where participants learn by ‘doing’, as well as understanding theory and developing a variety of practical and creative skills.
Assessment method
Graduation project.
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. This is not a new entrant programme – this is an upskilling or re-skilling programme. You should have at least two years’ experience in TV at any level (PA, Researcher, AP, Co-ord etc). Or you should have experience of an associated creative industry (eg gaming, advertising, marketing). You do not need to have a formal qualification to apply for this Diploma, but you must be able to demonstrate a genuine passion for unscripted television and development. You must be able to demonstrate that you devour hours of TV and content each week, are obsessed by new programmes and are interested in the broadest range of genres. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Students with EU settled / pre-settled status are still eligible to apply.
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.
Sponsorship information
NFTS Bursary available for UK Students.
Provider information
National Film and Television School
Beaconsfield Studios
Station Road
Beaconsfield
HP9 1LG