NFTS launches first AI-focused training program for film and television professionals
Delivered with Deep Fusion Films, the six-month online course will explore ethical, creative, and legal implications of AI in the screen industries
The National Film and Television School (NFTS) has opened applications for a new part-time training program focused on the use of artificial intelligence in film and television production.
The online course, which begins in September 2025, is being delivered in partnership with Deep Fusion Films and will run weekly over six months.
NFTS, which offers technical and creative training across screen industries, developed the program in response to increased interest in AI tools for storytelling, post-production, and distribution. Certificate in AI Protocols and Practices for Film and Television will examine both the potential and the limitations of AI integration across all stages of the production pipeline.
Focus on ethical AI in creative industries
Designed for freelancers, creatives, and professionals already working in the industry, the course includes workshops, tutorials, and masterclasses. Participants will work directly with current-generation AI tools while also addressing practical and ethical concerns around copyright, consent, authorship, and bias.
NFTS is delivering the program in collaboration with Deep Fusion Films, which has produced AI-supported projects such as Virtually Parkinson and Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters. The course will be led by Benjamin Field, co-founder and CEO at Deep Fusion.
Jon Wardle, Director of the NFTS, says: “At the NFTS, we’re committed to preparing storytellers not just for today’s industry, but for where it is headed. While much of the current conversation around AI focuses on disruption, we see its true potential as a creative enabler if used responsibly. This new course is about more than mastering tools, it’s about developing the critical thinking and ethical awareness needed to harness AI in ways that will open doors, spark collaboration and unlock entirely new forms of storytelling.”
Hands-on training and industry access
The curriculum will include analysis of how AI is currently being deployed on real productions and how those applications affect creative roles. Field will join NFTS’s Director of Curriculum, Mark Readman, for a live discussion on AI and creative skills during the Creative Cities Convention’s inaugural Skills Summit in Bradford on May 7.
Scholarship opportunities have also been announced in collaboration with PACT, the UK’s screen sector trade body. Two 50 percent scholarships are available to applicants from PACT member companies with fewer than five full-time employees or to freelancers. A third bursary will be awarded by Deep Fusion Films.
Benjamin Field, co-founder and CEO of Deep Fusion Films, says: “AI is already reshaping the screen industries, not in some distant future, but right now, on real productions, affecting real jobs. This course isn’t about fear or hype. It’s about giving creatives the tools, context and critical confidence to work with AI responsibly and artistically. We’re not teaching machines to be creative, we’re helping people use machines to unlock new creative possibilities, while protecting the values and rights that underpin the industry.”
