NFTS & Disney Join Forces In Drive To Attract New Wave of Accountants To Film and TV Industry Amid Skills Shortage

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) has announced Disney is to sponsor its Production Accounting diploma, a blended learning part-time course that aims to equip participants with the skills, knowledge and connections required for an exciting career in the screen sector. The course is targeted at those with a business or finance background who would like to apply their skills and knowledge in the film and television industry.

Disney’s sponsorship comes as the UK establishes itself as a global hub for content creation, with industry demand for accountants reaching record levels. 

“We are incredibly excited to sponsor NFTS’s new program and welcome the next generation of accountants to the world of entertainment,” said Paul Steinke, Senior Vice President of Production Finance at Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Productions.

“Finance plays a vital role in the production of beloved film and episodic content and fostering talent in this space will only improve our industry.”

In a drive to address the huge accountancy skills gap within the creative sector and to ensure that the course is accessible to as many people as possible, Disney will underwrite 75% of all student course fees and will fully fund three students.

Furthermore, the program strives to offer participants work placements on UK productions, helping them gain an invaluable end-to-end overview of the vital role of a production accountant on independent size projects and some of the highest profile productions being made in the UK.

The course is designed to flex around those who are already working and are keen to make a move into the world of film and television to become an integral part of production accounting teams. 

Applications to join the Production Accounting diploma are open until 25 April 2022, with the course starting on 4June 2022.

Ahead of the application deadline, the NFTS will host a Virtual Open Day for prospective applicants on Friday 1 April from 11am.

Jon Wardle, NFTS Director commented:

“We are thrilled to welcome Disney on board to help train a new wave of production accountants and meet the surge in demand. We hope to attract participants with backgrounds in business or finance who may not have considered a career in film or television before. There’s never been a more exciting time to transfer your skills to the entertainment industry – no two days are the same, you’ll work on world class content and most importantly, the jobs are there just waiting to be filled. Join us!”