Action! Scotland’s new film and television school opens it’s doors

Students have begun the first course at Scotland’s new film and television school as a result of Scottish Government funding.

This is the first time the school – NFTS Scotland, which is part of the UK’s National Film and Television School – has had a base outside the southeast of England. The school is working in partnership with BBC Scotland and is backed with £475,000 of Scottish Government funding, offering courses in all aspects of film, television and games development at the BBC’s Pacific Quay and Dumbarton studios.

The school aims to provide bursary funding to a third of students in the first two years in order to improve diversity and inclusion in the screen sector. The Scottish Government and BBC are jointly funding the bursary scheme.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop met students and tutors on the school’s first course at Pacific Quay, a documentary storyline module led by BAFTA-nominated Peter Dale, former head of documentaries at Channel 4 and NFTS Co-Head of Documentary.

Ms Hyslop said: “We want to continue to support our growing screen industry. This new school will give people in Scotland the opportunity to develop their careers and move up the creative ladder, while also providing the industry with a stream of well-qualified talent.

“The bursary scheme means people who might otherwise not be able to access this training can learn new skills so they are work-ready and can progress their careers. This will help people of all backgrounds benefit from these outstanding opportunities.”

Student Meray Diner said: “It’s a huge privilege to be one of the first participants to enrol at NFTS Scotland. I couldn’t have done without the support of the bursary fund provided by the Scottish Government and the BBC. Their support has helped start my journey towards fulfilling my dream to be a successful documentary director and producer in Scotland.”

Alison Goring, Head of NFTS Scotland, said: “It’s fantastic to open the doors of NFTS Scotland and welcome our first cohort onto the inaugural course.

“We have a packed schedule coming up over the next few months and a whole host of participants enrolled from a wide range of backgrounds. We look forward to playing an important role in supplying a consistent pipeline of local talent to our thriving and growing industry here in Scotland.”

BBC Scotland Director Donalda MacKinnon, said: “It’s an exciting time for the creative sector here in Scotland, and we’re delighted to be able to play our part in helping NFTS students acquire and maintain the skills that we’ll all need as the industry expands.

“BBC Scotland’s plans to create more relevant content for our audiences, including a new channel, are about to step up a notch. So it’s great news for our industry that we can welcome these students to our bases at Glasgow and Dumbarton.”

NFTS Scotland will offer a range of bespoke courses to develop the creative talent and expertise of graduates and people already working in Scotland’s screen sector. This will help to address skills gaps in specific areas which have been identified as priorities by employers.

The Scottish Government is providing an additional £10 million for screen sector growth, production and development this year, bringing its investment in screen to £20 million.