TRAINING SPOTLIGHT This month: National Film and Television School
THE UK’S NATIONAL Film and Television School is a respected institute that you might not associate with game development. But that could soon change thanks to the school’s two-year MA course in games design and development. The course, which started just last
year at the Beaconsfield-based school, gives a maximum of eight students specialised training, which is intertwined with disciplines found in its fellow MA courses. Jon Weinbren, head of games design and development at the NFTS, says the course aims to equip students with the skills and production knowhow in all areas of game development, so that they can “innovate within the games domain and beyond”. “No other MA games course takes
place within what is effectively a working film, television and media production studio setup,” says the course leader. “Clearly there are also
sub-specialisms within games development itself, but our approach is to allow students to develop deep cross-disciplinary games knowledge and understanding.”
inComm +44 (0) 1489 556700 Students are encouraged to work
together in cross-discipline teams. For instance, animation students teaming up with producers, writers or cinematographers. In the first year, students undertake
exercises and workshops together in sub-teams of specialisms to verse them
There are also sub-specialisms
within games, but our approach is to allow students to develop deep cross-disciplinary games
knowledge. Jon Weinbren, NFTS
in the creative and technical aspects of their craft, before working extensively with others prior to their final major projects in the second year. The NFTS is well supplied, giving students access to Autodesk and Adobe software. It primarily teaches