New Producer training for 2008
NPA producer training is legendary. I can credit it with getting the know-how to set-up both Netribution and another (now successful) production outift as limited companies while I was still a student.
I also later turned the information on incorporation - from the first class of their intensive producer training - into one of Netribution's most popular articles, How to register a Ltd Company for £31, which has appeared in all the funding books, and triggered the Writer Currently Known as James MacGregor to first contact us commending the site back in January 2000. Would I have set up Netribution and helped friends to incorporate Spirit Level if I hadn't been to the NPA class? Very possibly not.
NPA SPRING TRAINING 2008
1. NPA Co-Production Training | Weekend Course | 10:00 - 18:00
Pre-Berlin - 2nd & 3rd Feb / Pre-Cannes - 26th & Sunday 27th April
2. NPA Pitching Skills for Film-makers | Evening Session | 18:30 - 21:30
Pre-Berlin - 5th February /Pre-Cannes - 30 April
3. NPA Budget & Schedule for Feature Film | Weekend Course | 10:00 - 16:00
16th & 17th February
4. NPA Five Week Intensive Producer Training | 1 day p/w over 5 weeks | 10:00 - 17:00
Feb 21st, 28th, March 6th, 13th, 20th
5. NPA How to Set Up and Run a Production Company | Weekend Course | 10:00 - 16:00
23rd & 24th February
6. NPA Producing A Short Film | Weekend Course | 10:00 - 16:00
8th & 9th March
7. NPA 1st Draft: Feature Film | 1 weekend per month over 6 months | 10:00 - 17:00
March 8th & 9th 2008
8. NPA 1st Draft: TV Drama | 1 Saturday per month over 6 months | 10:00 - 17:00
Running from March - Dates TBC
9. NPA Genre Days | A Series | 10:00 - 18:00
4th April - Horror / 2nd May - Sci Fi (in partnership with the Sci-Fi Film Festival www.sci-fi-london.com) /13th June - Comedy
For full details please see below or go to www.npa.org.uk
COMING SOON
NPA 5 Day Production/Line Producer Training
Producing a Feature Length Documentary | Weekend Course
YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A SKILLSET BURSARY FOR THESE COURSES - PLEASE GO TO WWW.SKILLSET.ORG/FILM/FUNDING
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1. NPA Co-Production Training | Weekend Course
Pre-Berlin - 2nd & 3rd Feb
Pre-Cannes - 26th & Sunday 27th April
In today's ever more competitive film financing market, and with the UK government level review of co-production underway, it is a good time for UK producers to look beyond their national borders for co-producing partners and the financial, logistical and cultural assets they bring.
This course is designed to guide you through the process. Topics covered will include;
Identifying suitable co-producing countries
Current co-production treaties with the UK
International Film Finance
Tax incentives
Course Tutor: Rebecca Knapp | Members: £120 | Non Members Price: £195
2. NPA Pitching Skills for Film-makers | Evening Session | 18:30 - 21:30
Pre-Berlin - 5th February
Pre-Cannes - 30 April
This three hour interactive seminar will take you though all the information that you need to effectively pitch your projects to financiers, talent and collaborators alike. Covering the following:
- What is pitching?
- Your pitching story check list, and types of story pitches
- Why practice, practice, practice is important, and how to do it effectively
- Doing relevant research to help target your Pitch to the right people
- Making use of your research and securing the opportunity to Pitch
- Preparing yourself and your project for the Pitch
- What to do in the Pitch
- What if the Pitch goes wrong and how to learn from it
- Following up the Pitch
Course Tutor: Rebecca Knapp | Members: £25 | Non Members Price: £40
3. NPA Budget & Schedule for Feature Film | Weekend Course | 10:00 - 16:00
16th & 17th February
This weekend course is designed forfilm-makersn managers/producers/film-makers wanting to know how to effectively schedule then budget a project.
Day One is dedicated to Scheduling where the following areas will be covered:
- scheduling terminology (day out of day etc.), breaking down a script in preparation for scheduling, key points to consider when scheduling a shoot, scheduling techniques, professional software used to schedule and how to do without them, and examples of schedule.
Day Two is budgeting a project where the following areas will be covered - budgeting terminology (topsheet, globals etc), breaking down a script and schedule in preparation for budgeting, key points to consider when budgeting a shoot, budgeting techniques, professional software used to schedule and how to do without them, and examples of budgets.
By the end of the course the participant will be able to schedule and budget a project for both submitting for funding and shooting.
Course Tutor: Rebecca Knapp | Members: £100 | Non Members Price: £175
4. NPA Five Week Intensive Producer Training | 1 day p/wover 5 weeks | 10:00 - 17:00
Feb 21st, 28th, March 6th, 13th, 20th
A course designed specifically for film-makers with a scripted feature at packaging stage, or with a completed funded short, or similarly who are seriously looking to move into feature financing and production. Ideal for those looking to make the leap from shorts to feature film-making. Numbers are limited to ensure one-on-one time with industry executives and key seminar participants.
Comments from past students on the 5 Week Intensive Producer:
' I have done loads of courses but this has huge amounts of current information and completely de-mystifies legal terms and deals, financing and
sales / distribution jargon - invaluable '
'vital for anyone seriously wanting to produce films; topical, astounding value considering guests and tutor'
'I learned more in 5 weeks than my whole MA...'
'With the NPA's help, my second short film won prizes, but without this course I would never have had the skills to put together a decent package
and I have just been offered financing for my first feature.'
'a really good up to date overview of what it takes to produce a feature film in today's climate'
Thanks to Sheridan's Media Lawyers, sponsor of NPA 5 Week Intensive Producer Training. For more info go to www.sheridans.co.uk
Course Tutor: Anita Lewton | Members: £300 | Non Members Price: £400
5. NPA How to Set Up and Run a Production Company | Weekend Course | 10:00 - 16:00
23rd & 24th February
This two day course aims to take you through the dull, but necessary, paperwork you will need to have in order when setting up and running a production company.
Paperwork getting the best of you?
Find out what you need to know to run your LTD company efficiently, and importantly, legally.
Legal Structures
Company formation
Companies House
VAT
Basic Accounting
Health and Safety
Insurance
Employment law
Corporation Tax
PAYE
Introduction to Business Plans
Contracts and more
Course Tutor | Rebecca Knapp | Members: £100 | Non Members Price: £175
6. NPA Producing A Short Film | Weekend Course | 10:00 - 16:00
8th & 9th March
Tutor - Rebecca Knapp whose six short films have garnered over twenty-four International awards and three BAFTA nominations.
The Script - From Idea to Shooting Script
What does a producer do during the development process? How to get a good script? Script formats etc.
Packaging - How to get the right team together that will make the best film and attract finance.
What do funders look for?
Budgeting and Scheduling - How to budget and schedule your film - what to consider. How much it will cost? How long will it take? How to make it work on the budget you have
got. What format to use.
Fund Raising - Where and How? Show me the money!!!
Pre-production - What happens? What crew does what? Casting? Locations? How to plan your time? Which format to use?
Production - How to survive the shoot
Post-production and Delivery - Which route to go - digital, film, a mixture of both Marketing and Distribution
How to get you films seen - Film Festivals, broadcast, sales agents, airlines, internet and theatrical distribution.
Course Tutor: Rebecca Knapp | Members: £100 | Non Members Price: £175
7. NPA 1st Draft: Feature Film | 1 weekend per month over 6 months | 10:00 - 17:00
Start date: March 8th & 9th 2008
Writers arrive with an idea and leave with an industry ready first draft.
One weekend a month over six months of supervision by an industry professional, and peer critique.
Suitable participants should have a premise for a feature film. As participants will be developing a long-form script some screenwriting experience is desirable.
Places are limited. Mentorship is available on successful completion of the program.
1st Draft: Feature Film will be taught by Sam Snape. Sam's current feature film work includes a coming of age story: THE TUNNEL; a romantic comedy: HEART; a historical epic: BEARERS OF THE TORCH; plus script doctoring a Hollywood satire and a commitment/faith drama. His screenplay PERFECT WOMAN is now in production, and MAGIC FLUTE (a love story), is in option negotiations. He is actively hustling two spec screenplays, DYING FOR IT (Dickens' last fling), and FIVE MILLION DOLLAR BONE (a romantic thriller). Projects in development include: STEP ON IT CUPID, working with novelist Lorelei Matthias, and the stage musical JESSE JAMES, with composer Barry Upton.
Television writing credits include; ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, SOLDIER SOLDIER, HARRY, NO BANANAS, MEDICS, CASUALTY, and STAYING ALIVE. He was inaugural European Drama Award winner with his stage play THAT SHRINKING FEELING (Deutsches National Theater, Weimar). He has just run master classes for the Gauteng Film Commission in Johannesburg, SA, is a Permanent Trustee of TAPS, was BBC Fellow in screenwriting at the International Film School of Wales, and is visiting screenwriting lecturer at the European Film College, Denmark. Sam is also on the Film Committee of the Writers Guild of Great Britain.
Thanks to VET sponsor of NPA 1st Draft: Feature Film. For more info go to www.vet.co.uk
Course Tutor: Sam Snape | Members: £750 | Non Members Price: £950
8. NPA 1st Draft: TV Drama | 1 Saturday per month over 6 months | 10:00 - 17:00
Running from May - Dates TBC
Writers arrive with an idea and leave with an industry ready first draft of a pilot.
One day a month over six months of supervision by an industry professional, and peer critique.
Suitable participants should have a premise for a TV drama series. As participants will be developing a long-form script some screenwriting experience is desirable. Places are limited.
KATHARINE WAY has been a commissioned writer of TV drama since 1994 and has written for many of the top-rating UK programmes: The Bill, Casualty, Doctors and five different soaps including Eastenders and Emmerdale. One of her Bill episodes was turned into a children's novel for Puffin books and one of her Casualty episodes attracted a bomb threat (luckily, not carried out). She is now developing a number of original projects for TV and radio including a mini-series about religious fundamentalism and a children's drama. Katharine is also Chair of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain (as of May 2006), and involved in negotiating on writers' pay and conditions and future uses of their work.
Katharine also ran Feedback, the first script reading service in the country for eight years, and teaches screenwriting at de Montfort, Sheffield Hallam, Bournemouth and the City Universities, the London Film School and for the NPA.
Course Tutor: Katherine Way | Members: £400 | Non Members Price: £600
9. NPA Genre Days | A Series | 10:00 - 18:00
4th April - Horror (application deadline Monday 17th March)
2nd May - Sci Fi (application deadline Monday 14th April)
13th June - Comedy (application deadline Monday the 26th May)
Genre Days are geared towards film makers who have a feature film project in development, and are seeking finance. Each session will be centred around a specific film genre.
Morning Session 10:00 - 13:00
A Case Study with a Producer who has completed a project in that genre.
Afternoon Session 14:00 - 18:00
Industry guests include will typically include a Sales agent, Distributor, Financier & Development Exec.
A series of round table discussions in small groups. During the afternoon session each of the participants will have an opportunity to meet and pitch their project to our industry guests. Each of our experts will have a particular interest in a particular genre (Horror, Sci-Fi, Comedy etc..) and will have read all of the participants treatments in advance.
This is an outstanding opportunity for a maximum of twelve film makers to meet, pitch, network and gain invaluable feedback on their project from those who are already working successfully in the industry.
FIRST TIME FILMMAKERS SHOULD NOT APPLY.
To request a place please send:
Current CV
One page synopsis, budget range & project status report.
Front page with full contact details.
Cheque must be made payable to NPA.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND FULL SCRIPTS
Places are very limited - please return your application to us as soon as possible.
Send your application to:
Genre Days, NPA Film Centre, 7.03 The Tea Building,
56 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JJ
Thanks to Rich Mix, sponsor of NPA Genre Days. For more info go to www.richmix.org.uk
Course Facilitator: Becky Bazzard | Members: £100 | Non Members Price: £150
NPA 9 Point Training | Ongoing
The NPA run monthly industry panels for screenwriters, directors & producers. Please check the npa website for more details.
NPA Members: FREE | Non Members: £20
For further info go to www.npa.org.uk or contact the office E
T 020 7613 0440