A Guide to U.K. Film Schools for International Students: Interview with BIMM University’s Screen and Film School

Interested in studying film in the U.K.? It may not always be clear what the educational experience, career opportunities, or application process is like. To provide you with an insider’s perspective, Babel Film Workshop interviewed Georgia Winstanley, Outreach Manager at Screen and Film School (formerly Brighton Film School), which is a part of BIMM University, the largest creative industries education provider in Europe. 

Read excerpts from our conversation with Georgia below. Students at Babel Film Workshop can also request access to the full video here.

Babel Film Workshop: Who is film school for?

Georgia: Anyone who's got an actual passion for going into the film or TV industry and wants to learn the relevant practical skills. So whether you're a business student and you just really like the idea of working in film, or perhaps you're an art student and you want to learn how to make and build sets, there's something for everyone here who is a creative.

Why study film in the U.K.?

The film and TV industry in the U.K. is the second biggest earner for the U.K. economy, which is massive. We've got over 15,000 production companies in the U.K., places like Elstree and Pinewood. Netflix has put down a 10-year lease at Pinewood studios, so for the next 10 years, blockbusters are shot on our doorstep as opposed to in Hollywood, so we're really up and coming, especially where we've chosen our campuses like Brighton, Birmingham, and now Manchester, cities that are really thriving in the film industry. They’re really fun and creative, and there are lots of opportunities here in the U.K..

What are some career opportunities in the U.K. that students get after graduating from film School?

We help our students get into all sorts of departments in the TV industry. If they’re hands-on and into cinematography, they could go into a role like camera trainee. Runners are really common jobs to go into whether it's a floor runner, or a post-production runner. A runner’s job is to be assisting all the departments on set by making sure everything's running on time. It's a really good role to enter into because you can jump from a runner to a higher role really quickly if you can show yourself to be really competent and hardworking. 

We've also had a few students work as researchers in lots of different companies, ITV, BBC, Netflix, Disney+, going to Pinewood, Paramount, all these amazing places. For example, one of our graduates was a researcher on a cooking show. So it was her job to research around for chefs to be on this reality show, which is like casting.

What makes Screen and Film School stand out?

The kit that we use is amazing. It's industry standard. Whatever the industry is using at the moment in terms of cameras, lighting, even software, we are using as well. We’re constantly evolving, so we're making sure we're keeping in line with the industry. You’ll be training in an environment that's actually like a film set, as opposed to in classrooms and lecture halls. So it's much more of a practical way of learning.

We also are the only film school in the U.K. that offer our students budgets, so we give you actual money to make a film, which is amazing. Otherwise, you'd have to fund it yourself, which can be quite challenging for some people. 

What kinds of projects will students be working on in Screen and Film School?

It depends on what course you apply for. We offer four degrees. So we've got filmmaking, which is the practical filmmaking elements of camera, lighting, sound, editing, directing; we have film business, which is more of the producing and behind-the-scenes roles; we have production design, which is the art department roles; and hair and makeup. 

For example, one of the first projects for a film student will probably be a music video. We're part of BIMM University, which covers Screen and Film school, BIMM institute, which is a music school, and two performing arts schools as well. For the music video, we’ll get a band in from the music school, maybe some actors and some dancers from performing art schools to work on the music video. Then you'll start to work on short films and documentaries. We then allow our students to work out what they enjoy the most. Some might just go down the documentary route, for example. So it's quite varied, which is fun.

How does Screen and Film School offer career support to students?

We have a whole team dedicated to this: our industry engagement team. They bring people in to do masterclasses, workshops, and one-to-one mentoring. We've had some amazing people from the industry come in, like Phoebe Waller-Bridge and the director of Succession. 

The industry engagement team also works to get our students jobs. Our industry partners will send us job opportunities all the time. We can put our students forward for those. Because we don't have loads of students, we get to know them really well. We know exactly what their speciality is, where they want to take their career, so we can help them with their job opportunities. That support will stay with our students for five years after they leave as well. 

How are applications assessed by the admissions team?

We take applications either via UCAS, or directly depending on where you're applying from. We will send you an offer with conditions that you need to meet. So those conditions are 64 UCAS points, which is fairly low compared to other universities. 

The main thing we're looking for is a portfolio review. That will work either virtually or in-person. So the portfolio will consist of practical work that you've produced either during education or outside, so any photography, film, scripts, and mood boards. You’ll send those out to us, one of our tutors will look at that and say, “we can see some creativity and potential.” You’ll get your feedback and then you'll be offered a place, and then we'll go through the international teams.

What do successful applicants have in common?

The main thing is the creativity and the passion for the industry. We don't expect all of our applicants to have a 15-minute amazing, high-quality show reel because not everyone's got the means to make that. We just look for someone that's shown a lot of passion over the last few years and knows what they want.

We look for nice people as well, which is really important because if you’re not nice in the industry, you’re not going to get very far. 

What should international students and their parents keep in mind when applying to Screen and Film School?

When international students are applying to Screen and Film School, they will require a student visa in order to study in the U.K.. We have an immigration and compliance team, and they will issue that to our students and provide any support that you need. The team is really helpful, so you can get in touch with our international team with any questions at all across the application process. 

You will need to ensure that you have an approved English language qualification as part of the entry requirements. And there will be a deposit to confirm your place on the course. In terms of accommodation and things like that, we can provide you with as much help as you need so you can either go into halls of residence or private renting. Our international team and our admissions teams are really helpful with that. In terms of the entry requirements, you can ask us, you can tell us what qualification you have. We can kind of tell you what that is equivalent to in the U.K.

When should students start working on their applications?

If someone's trying to come to us next September, applications are open this September, so they open the September before you enter. I would say between September and Christmas is the time when you should be applying. There is a UCAS deadline of the 25th of January to apply. I always say try to and do it way before that. So get your application in by December especially if you're an international student, as it might take a lot longer to process. And then you've got months to go through the portfolio process and accept your place.

Is there anything else that you would like to say to students who might be interested?

Keep an eye on our website or Instagram because we often put out a lot of fun workshops and videos that you can kind of see what it's actually like being at film school. 

Thanks to Ms. Winstanley for taking the time to speak with us. Students interested in applying for Screen and Film School can contact us today for assistance on their applications.

Students aged 12-18 who would like to create a passion project in film or media prior to their applications can do so through Babel Film Workshop’s Mentorship program.