Explore Filmmaking: from Script to Screen

Learn from award-winning filmmakers about how films get from script to screen with this course from the NFTS and BFI Film Academy.

Deepen your understanding of the filmmaking process.

Over six weeks, our team of award-winning filmmakers will take you through their approach to telling stories, as well as demystifying their own filmmaking specialisms - from writing and directing to cinematography, editing and composing. Each week your filmmaker host will use examples from their own work as well as the films that have influenced and inspired them.

This course will deepen your understanding of the filmmaking process and show you how to take it further – whether making your own short films, thinking about a career, or simply a deeper appreciation of the films you watch.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1- Introduction: how does a film get from script to screen?

Week 2- Storytelling: what’s the difference between plot and theme?

Week 3- Decisions: how to choose budget, schedule, location and kit

Week 4- The scene: how does a director make choices on set?

Week 5- Time and space: how does editing affect meaning?

Week 6- Sound and music: what is the impact of a film’s soundtrack?

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

• Discuss the differences between story and theme in a film 
• Explain the different roles involved in a film shoot 
• Explore the contribution of the camera to storytelling 
• Reflect upon the role of editing in telling a story on film 
• Identify the contribution of sound and music to a film's meaning 

Who is the course for?

Whether you’re a budding filmmaker or a film fan who wants to understand more about what happens behind-the-scenes, this course from the internationally acclaimed National Film and Television School will have something for you.

What software or tools do you need?

This course doesn’t require any existing specialist film-making skills or equipment, though there will be extension activities if you want to enhance your learning experience.

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