How to prepare for a career in film,
HE PAGEANT which opened the London Olympics was a showcase of Britain’s creative enterprise.WhetherWest End theatre or TV drama like Downton Abbey, our entertainment industries enjoy a global reputation. But they also make a valuable contribution to the economy.
And alongside traditional art forms such as theatre, come new digital platforms — interactive games, apps or viral videos. While there may be no set route into a creative career, students can take specialist educational pathways to prepare for it.
The Elstree UTC (University Technical College) opened last year with a focus on the visual and creative arts. Its partners include the BBC, the independent TV production company, Endemol and the world-renowned Elstree film studios.
For GCSE, pupils at Elstree UTC follow an academic curriculum comprising English, maths, science and computing science, supplemented by creative subjects which include photography, music, drama or film studies. Extracurricular options offer experience in a range of fields such as animation, podcasting, app development or radio production. The A-level programme has a similar orientation.
As a university option, Middlesex University, whose £80 million art, design and media building includes a newsroom, recording studios and editing suites, offers BAs in 3D animation and games, graphic design, illustration, photography, film, television production, theatre arts and dance: you can even do BAs in jazz or pop music. There is also a master’s degree in creative technologies which cover a range of applications such as sound engineering or visual effects.
H e n d o n - b a s e d Middlesex also caters for budding impresarios with BAMBAM — BA in music business and arts management. If you prefer doing a more traditional degree first, you can still take an MA in arts management.
An A-level in drama or media studies, for example, may not be necessary to get on to a related degree course but applicants in some cases may have to
‘Students will have to invent new ways of working’