Location Sound Recording for Film and Television

Entry requirements

You will need a proven interest in sound - particularly recorded sound - a lively interest in film, television and music and a willingness to work as part of a team. We are looking for people who are practically minded and who have a good general education although there are no specific educational requirements for this course. Interpersonal skills are as important as practical ones, because as a sound recordist, you’ll need to be able to work effectively as part of a team. You’ll also need to be fit and have plenty of energy, as sound recording can be physically demanding.

While we don’t select applicants on the basis of their ability to drive, we strongly recommend that you learn to drive, as a clean, current, driving license will be essential in your future career.

While many applicants will have a degree from a British or overseas university, we will consider applicants who do not have a degree if they have an impressive portfolio, a creative track record or an alternative qualification.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Become a professional in a field actively seeking out the next generation of talent.

This 15-month Postgraduate Diploma - the only one of its kind in the UK - has been developed in response to industry demand for suitably trained production sound professionals. Throughout the course you will gain practical experience on fiction and documentary films and in multi-camera television, graduating with a number of credits.

Taught exclusively by Industry professionals, the course will give you high quality training in the theory and practice of recording sound for picture, both on location and in our state-of-the-art 4K multi-camera television studio, as well as Fisher boom training and experience of in-studio music recording and post-production techniques.

You will also get vital production experience, as you collaborate with fellow students in other specialisms to make several films.

Course Facilities

You will have access to Industry standard sound location recording equipment, utilising the most current technology. Equipment available to students includes Sound Devices 664, 688 & 744 Recorders, Audio Ltd 2040 &1010 Diversity radio Microphone, AKG, Sennheiser, Neumann and Schoeps mic, Panamic and Ambient booms, IEM systems for production sound distribution, and many more.

What You Will Study

The course offers you the unrivalled opportunity to learn the practical skills required for a career in this field, and covers:

• location sound recording techniques for drama and documentary
• sound production for multi-camera television
• equipment maintenance and problem solving

Starting in September, the course begins with a term of intensive workshops and exercises that prepare you to record sound on shoots with the MA students in the following Spring and Summer terms. Alongside location and studio shoots for documentary, fiction films and television productions, the programme of workshops and tuition continues throughout the course.

"This course absolutely changed my life. I was able to work on projects more confidently, and I felt my tutors were very supportive, even after graduating." - Chi Limpiroj, 2019 graduate

Information for international students

This course is open to UK/EU/International students.

Fees and funding

Please visit our website for fees information. All production costs are included in the course fees, including the use of School facilities and equipment.

The NFTS awards more scholarships and bursaries to British students, relative to the size of our student body, than almost any other educational institution in the UK. Scholarships available include a new NFTS and ScreenSkills that will provide funding to women looking to train as Sound Recordists to encourage diversity and gender equality within this vital role in the screen industry. If you’re successful at gaining a place on the course, you will be contacted by our funding team with details on how to apply for one of these scholarships.