FilmSchool.org

I'm currently on an MA at the NFTS and left a review down below, but I just wanted to clarify some mentioned in the post above.

"I agree with one of the comment I`ve read "In the past the only criterion to get there was talent/skills. Now the most important criterion are: gender, race, country, religion." In the last 5 years it started to be all about politics."

Having more diversity in the film industry is not just a nice goal, it's necessary. Walking around on an average film set and 9 out of 10 people you see behind the camera are white, middle-aged men. This reflects in the films being made, and the NFTS seems to do everything it can to make this more diverse. I can't see any reason why this is a bad thing.

The only course worth apply is VFX. Tutors have connections in film industry, they do provide job opportunities after graduation, they do have useful workshops. Rest courses are expensive wasting of time.

I've got friends in many different courses, both 1st and 2nd years. I have yet to come across someone who doesn't feel like the NFTS has been a good investment in their career, so I wonder where you get this experience from.

Big filmmakers have SOMETIMES masterclasses there only because the have free moment, they were asked for it, probably they got paid as well. The same big filmmakers you can meet doing masterclasses on film festivals, other film schools, film events. And every masterclass is just lecture which is exactly about the same you can find on YT

First of all, there are masterclasses on a weekly basis, with sometimes even 2-3 possibilities to meet almost exclusively BAFTA awarded filmmakers. Being able to stand and have a drink with Alex Garland and asking him questions on which you will get in-depth, confidential responses is such a different thing than Q&A's with massive crowds at film festivals. Since no-one signed NDA's there you will never get the same amount of meaningful responses, if you even get the chance to ask something. I won't even start on YouTube, which is definitely a great resource but no replacement for face-to-face meetings and mentoring.

There are no job opportunities after school. This is illusion selling by people like Jon Wardle. By the way, one of the most fake and bully person I`ve ever met.

Stating that "there are no job opportunities after school" is just simply not true. People I know ended up with better jobs than they could have ever wished for before starting their course. As mentioned in my review, I got a job offer 3 months after starting my course. It's not just the school, it's about yourself as well. Jon Wardle is the most down to earth director of a school I've ever met, and I've done several other studies before applying here. Saying that he's a bully makes me wonder whether you've ever spoken to him. The fact that he takes time for several meetings with every student from every course is unique and shows that he and the school cares about every individual student.

About the job, before you apply to any course, try to contact alumni (those who graduated 1-5 years ago), ask them what they are doing, where they are working, how often, how do they find jobs, did they find job after course or they just came back to job they had before NFTS.

You are right, you should definitely contact alumni if you're interested in genuine experiences. The grads this year from my course ended up with amazing job offers, and that's a combination of hard work and opportunities the NFTS gave them.

Alumni are scared to talk about it because they think school is so powerful and will close industry door. Apart from alumni (and some people in companies like BBC, CH4), industry doesn`t know about NFTS. It`s just another film school in London.

The fact that the school is situated in London is not the only falsehood in your statement. The industry does know about the NFTS, I doubt they would fund an institution they don't know about (Partners) All in all, I would argue that studying at a certain school does not equal a golden ticket. You need to match this with hard work, ambition and talent. I feel like you expected the NFTS to somehow do these things for you, which is simply not possible. I feel like with a mindset like this you would end up writing a similar review for Lodz or UCLA.

I'm not saying that everything you state is wrong. I'm sorry to hear that you don't have job opportunities after leaving the NFTS. But I think your reasoning is remarkably flawed since ending up with a job is at the end of the day still your own responsibility. Having experience, the name on your cv, and friends from the NFTS will never be a bad thing. How you use it in the future is up to you. But I do think this review is unfair towards new applicants who might not get a fair picture of the school.

"situated in London is not the only falsehood in your statement" - Seriously? Please kid. So your "25 mins from Marylebone" is also false. Most of trains stop on every station on the way to Beaconsfield which makes journey not 25 mins but 40 mins.

"The grads this year from my course ended up with amazing job offers"... I'd love to hear details of this illusion. Luckily I still know people. They are not able even to afford studio in London without parents support or wife/husband,etc. Not mention half of them abandoned film industry to survive.

Those "Fantastic guest lectures..." do rounds visiting all school and film festivals in London.

"Good scholarship opportunities" ??? "partners include Universal Pictures, Netflix and YouTube" ???? Do you study there? I feel like talking with guys from Curriculum Dept. How N or YT support NFTS? (they are not sponsors!!!) They pay for BFI theatre during grad show? Ohhh, I'm sorry, they don't do it in BFI any more but moved to prestigue... Picturehouse.

"class of 6 people?" Which class in 2019 has 6 people? Only composers had 6 people and then they increased to 8-10 in every main course. You sound like employee who tries to give positive review, especially looking at your "PROS" which are sooo similar to what they have in their leaflet. Coincident??? Hmm...

I have nor a student at NFTS nor do I have any affiliation to NFTS but..... I think ValDalMil might be a bit sensitive on this topic... Doing my own research. I have found that majority of NFTS students have been successful. And before you say "Roger Deakins graduated a long time ago", I do have some current crop to choose from. Laurie Nunn, graduated Screenwriting in 2013, is the head writer/creator of the Netflix Original Series Sex Education. Krysty Wilson-Cairns graduated Screenwriting the very same year and co-wrote 1917 and Edgar Wright's new film next year, Last Night in Soho. But I get it.... That's 2013. 7 years ago... I get it. How about some recent ones. Nosa Eke (who I've met personally), graduated the Digital Platforms Diploma in 2016 and after co-writing and directing a short film that played at the BFI London Film Festival, is currently working on an interactive feature film that's in development.