SET- UP | I NTERV I EW
Dr Jonathan Wardle is director of the National Film and Television School and his vision includes making its students ready to be industry leaders I KNOW THIS MUCH... LEARNING ON THE JOB
I n a world where some would question whether study or experience is the best way to break into the filmmaking industry, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) claims to offer the best of both worlds, with a lineup of courses that are carefully geared towards delivering the skills and contacts that specific roles demand. Heading up the school is Dr Jonathan Wardle, whose previous experience includes establishing postgraduate partnerships with the BBC, Guardian and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe at Bournemouth University, and writing the Creative Skillset ‘Build Your Own MA’ framework. Made director of the NFTS last year, he’s responsible for developing a number of
new courses working in partnership with organisations including Sky, Channel 4, Discovery Networks International, the BBC and Aardman. We caught up with him to hear his take on the world of filmmaking and education. 1. WE TEACH WHAT OTHER SCHOOLS DON’T It was a huge privilege to get the job of director last year after working at the NFTS since 2012. When I first joined the School it had 240 students and taught a very core set of courses, but now we’ve got over 500 students and teach more behind-the- camera courses than any other film school in the world. We teach everything from assistant camera to production accounting
and script supervision, which are areas no other film school teaches. So the School changed and strengthened in that period by having that diversity of students. 2. YOU NEED TO FOCUS TO THRIVE We’re postgraduate, so that means, although it’s not a prerequisite, that most students have already done an undergraduate degree in a generalist area. What they come to us for is to build a portfolio and specialise in a particular area. The film and television industry is not a generalist discipline – you build a career and life in a particular area. And it’s only because of the specific nature of what we do and because people spend two years building a portfolio that within a few weeks of graduating they have the potential to get top jobs. For example, one of our 2017 composing graduates, Segun Akinola, has just been announced as the new composer for Dr Who , which I don’t think would have happened if he’d done a bit of sound, a bit of editing and a bit of composing. He got that
The... industry is not a generalist discipline – you build a career and life in a particular area
08 DEF I N I T ION | SEPTEMBER 20 1 8
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