Filmmaking Diploma

Duration: 12 months, 52 weeks (incl. holidays)
Intakes: September each year
Hours: 30 per week (plus additional hours, incl. evenings and weekends)

London Film Academy’s intensive one-year Filmmaking Diploma is designed to provide students with a thorough grounding across all filmmaking disciplines, enabling them to become adaptable filmmakers with a strong repertoire of industry-relevant skills. Our comprehensive approach provides hands-on training across six key filmmaking disciplines - directing, producing, editing, screenwriting, cinematography and sound - enabling you to discover where your strengths lie, ensuring that you leave London Film Academy with a wealth of skills and practical knowledge.

LFA filmmaking students receive 30+ hours of study time per week - more than twice the amount you'd get on other typical Level 7/postgraduate courses. Tutors are current film and TV professionals who are encouraged to adopt a teaching practice that reflects industry trends and demands. In this way you are given the skills and knowledge that will help you stand out when looking for work in the film industry. Through tutor support, workshops and the LFA Filmmaker’s Club gain access to a range of networking opportunities, and more.

Unlike other film schools, all course materials and film budgets are included in your course fees. Using both Super 16mm and high-end digital cameras such as Arri Alexa, Alexa Mini or Amira, you get to create a broad range of projects and work on a high number of film shoots including commercials, narratives, two-minute, four-minute and eight-minute films. This all ensures that you leave LFA with an impressive showreel of work.

All course tutors are current practicing industry professionals. Our high calibre of tutors, across previous intakes, have a fantastic array of credits on the likes of 'In the Loop’; ‘Succession’; ‘Peep Show’; ‘Four Lions’; ‘Fresh Meat’; ‘Full Metal Jacket’; ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’; ‘A Clockwork Orange’; and many more.

Graduation has taken place at locations such as the National Film Theatre at BFI Southbank, where students will get to see their final films showcased on the big screen in front of invited family, friends and special guests.

LFA Filmmaking Diploma is a multi-disciplinary hands-on course, designed to enable students to make creative decisions and receive constructive feedback in a safe, nurturing environment. Over three terms, the Filmmaking Diploma progresses naturally from a basic introduction to aesthetic and technical aspects of filmmaking to wider, more complex problems posed by film production.

Screenwriting

Students explore, in depth, the narrative short film format, from concept and character to dialogue. A proportion of student scripts are selected to go through intensive workshops (script editing and written feedback) until they are ready to go into production. Students learn early on in the course that, in the film business, “writing is rewriting” and so modelling industry practice takes priority during the development period. 

Directing

Students learn the fundamentals of directing, from looking at the script to pre-production, production and editing. Students are encouraged to take on the role of a storyteller and team leader. A number of individual projects (visual narratives) are set, and the finished film analysed in the class. Students work with actors to understand staging, text analysis and casting. During the pre-production of graduation films students have one-to-one feedback and advice from a film or TV industry director.

Producing Students are trained in both line producing, production management and creative producing to maximise their opportunities for work in the film & TV industry. Students acquire a working knowledge of industry standard EP Budgeting & Scheduling software, contracts, copyright, distribution and the basics of financing for independent filmmakers (for both short and feature films). Students also receive pre-production and on-set support. 

Cinematography

Students cover a number of roles: director of photography, gaffer, camera operator, 1st and 2nd camera assistants and grip (track and dolly). Predominantly, students work with a range of camera from Super 16mm film as well as broadcast-quality high-end digital cameras, to thoroughly understand the nature of light, framing and the mechanics of film. Students are exposed to the highest standards of practice by some of the world’s leading directors of photography. 

Production Sound Recording

Students learn: the definition of sound and the physics behind it, the physical recording of production sound on digital recorders with a range of microphones including radio mics, working to a frame, multiple tracks, and the craft of sound design and track mixing. Some practical sessions are combined with cinematography and all graduation films are recorded with live sound. 

Editing & Post-Production

Sound Students work with existing drama materials and rushes from their own individual projects to learn to use Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premier. These practical sessions are woven together with theory lectures that include cutting techniques; filmic time and space; editing styles; setting audio levels and foley; a brief history of music in cinema and the aesthetics of film music; and a practical guide to working with a composer.  Individual Film Projects Throughout the course students are given an opportunity to direct and work on a number of projects. Tutors guide and assess students through a formal shooting experience on Super 16mm film and/or digital formats with professional actors. This supportive environment is where students discover their strengths as they perform selected crew roles. Constructive feedback is an on-going process throughout the course. Written assessments cover technical, creative and collaborative capabilities. 

Production of Graduation Films

Students pitch to secure a head of department role, such as Director of Photography, Producer or Director, and work as a team across a number of films while rotating through a variety of crew roles. Role allocations are decided based upon student pitches, previous assessments and careers guidance. Students are given autonomy in their decision-making and manage a several-thousand-pound budget.

Students decide what proportion is spent on film stock, locations, actors and other production costs. Each crew role has its own clearly defined function and responsibilities, giving students an experience of the industry roles in conditions emulating those of a professional film set. A director works with a writer to develop the script and with an editor to edit the film.

We provide pre-production and on-set professional technical support. Students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a supportive environment and to find their own creative voice. 

Film Festival Attendance

Students are encouraged to attend events and screenings at places such as film festivals throughout the duration of the course. LFA is involved with a variety of film festivals both within the UK and Europe. In addition, students may be invited to attend workshops held at these festivals and facilitated by the LFA. Where possible, students will be issued with a delegate pass for relevant festivals, where we actively encourage attendance at screenings or networking events. Such festivals may include the Encounters Film Festival or Aesthetica Film Festival (BAFTA and OSCAR qualifying festivals).

Enhancing

Students Film-School Experience Together, students form lasting professional and personal relationships. LFA is a filmmaking community that operates like a production company. Students from all courses regularly support one another, thus enhancing their film-school experience: for example, the MA Screenwriting students have collaborated on projects and join the sets of the Filmmaking Diploma students’ films.

Graduation

All the excitement of seeing your work projected on the big screen is shared by your friends, family, cast and crew, at the LFA annual Graduation Ceremony & Awards which usually takes place at the BFI. You are presented with your Filmmaking Diploma from the hands of industry personalities, previous guests have included: Baroness Kidron, Nicolas Roeg and Roger Greaf.

To learn what some of our graduates are doing now you can read our Graduate Stories.

The full Filmmaking Diploma fee is £23,000 - This is inclusive of film production budgets and there are no hidden additional costs.

There is a number of Team Assistants and scholarships places available per Filmmaking Diploma intake. These places are awarded on merit and at LFA's discretion. Please visit the fees and funding section of our website to find out about these financially assisted places. For further information please contact our Admissions Team on +44 (0) 207 3867711 or email admissions@londonfilmacademy.com

Age: minimum 18 years old.

To book your place on this course please apply via the APPLY + COURSE DATES & FEES section. As soon as we've received your application, we’ll send you a confirmation email containing information on the next steps. Please check your ‘Junk Mail’ folder if you appear to have not received this email.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, however, we may also consider students with a non-traditional background on the strength of their previous work experience and/or portfolio.
• Visual and written work submitted prior to attending an interview - we are looking for potential creative filmmaking ability as evidenced through visual and written material.
• All applicants must be fluent in English (English Language Level: Upper Intermediate).
• Some practical experience in film production is desirable, except in cases where students can demonstrate transferable skills in other relevant areas.

What kind of students are we looking for?

• Committed and dedicated people with a proven passion for filmmaking and want a professional career in film or television.
• Collaborative, articulate and creative people who can demonstrate a strong instinct for the grammar of visual storytelling.
• Those who want a practical education across several key disciplines behind the camera, either because you know you want thorough grounding in all areas of the filmmaking process, or you are undecided about exactly which area of the film and television industry appeals to your strengths.

For general admission

• Online application form.
• CV.
• 2 references.
• One example of a written piece of work:  A critique of a film you have seen or a film script you have written.
• One example of a visual piece of work: A presentation of storytelling series of photos or a web link to a film you have made or a project you have done that reflects your interest in filmmaking.
• A copy of your passport, or another form of photo ID
• Previoius education records

For financial assistance

• All items listed above in 'For General Admission' section, plus
• A personal statement about why you should be awarded a Team Assistant position or scholarship.

English-language requirements

To benefit from a course at LFA, it is essential that you can communicate effectively in English. You will need to provide evidence of your proficiency, if English is not your first language. For international students, we accept IELTS ACADEMIC and a range of English language qualifications where applicants are able to evidence having achieved a level equivalent to B2 CEFR.

VISA REQUIREMENTS 

For in depth Visa information please visit our Visa page. 

Currently, applicants are only eligible to apply if they are progressing from our Advanced Filmmaking Certificate.