Learning the skills to develop, design and then build your vision. You will learn from experienced, industry connected specialists. Gaining the skills you need to build an exciting career as a set or prop designer in the film, television and theatre industries. This is a hands-on degree. Students will draw, design and learn the processes and rigour of construction. You will have the opportunity to develop a high level of craftsmanship in a range of skills from designing opera theatres to building television sets. Students have access to a wide range of technical and specialist equipment.

This degree programmes technical resources include industry standard machines, hand tools, laser cutters, 3D printers, a full scale set construction workshop and digital software. The Northern School of Art is a collaborative community and our undergraduates work across degree programmes to experience a full production process including Acting for Stage & Screen, Modelmaking & Props, Film, Theatre and TV Production and Costume Design with Interpretation.

The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Film, Television & Theatre Production and BA (Hons) in Production Design for Stage and Screen degree students took home an award for Best Production Design and an Honourable mention at the 2021 Kodak Nahemi Student Commercial Awards.

Our school engages with a wide range of partners working across each creative sub-sector to ensure that teaching and learning are in line with the latest developments in and requirements of industry, including:

Industy Partners & Guest Speakers
• Elysium Theatre
• Doug McCarthy, Special Effects Artist
• Tina Sherifa Hicks, Art Director
• Matt East, EPH Creative
• ABTT Association of British Theatre Technicians
• Rebecca Sutton Stand by Art Director

Our students have the opportunity to work with a number of clients and gain valuable work experiences. Previous work experiences include:
• Royal Opera House
• BBC
• Disney
• Darlington Hippodrome Theatre
• North East Screen
• Screen Yorkshire
• Pinewood Studios
• Starz TV
• Candle & Bell Productions
• Opera North
• Rough Cut TV
• Event Prop Hire
• Hartlepool Museum Services
• Elysium Theatre Company

Our graduates have gone on to carve successful careers within this industry and work for notable companies such as:
• Warner Bro UK/Ireland - Prop Maker and Head of Sculpture Workshop
• Royal Shakespeare Company - Properties Master
• Star Wars (Disney) - Prop Maker
• Aardman Productions - Head Sculptor
• Alton Towers/Merlin Entertainment - Prop Maker
• Pinewood Creatives - Digital Productions Manager
• Show Canada Montreal - Project & Events Manager
• (CBBC) The Dumping Ground - Production Designer
• BBC Tracey Beaker - Production Designer
• LA Productions: Care - Production Designer
• BBC & Red Productions - Waterloo Road Production Designer
• Mammoth Screen Productions (BBC), Remember Me - Properties Buyer
• Disney & Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships - Prop Maker
• Madame Tussauds - Models & Prop Make

Your portfolio review is a chance for us to get to know you, your creative interests and the potential you could bring to the course. We are not looking for a perfect or professional portfolio. Bring a selection of work you feel represents you - finished pieces, work in progress, sketchbooks, experiments, photographs, digital work or written ideas are all useful. Choose work you can talk about, including what you enjoyed, what challenged you and what you would like to develop next. You do not need to include every example below.

Potential things to include:

Models, drawings, technical or perspective sketches, visual research, photographs, storyboards, designs, sketchbooks, experiments, scripts, practical projects and writing. You do not need prior theatre experience. We are interested in your imagination, visual storytelling and how you respond to a space, character or story.

This creative-industry-focused programme typically provides 16 hours of contact time per week across the academic year. Students can typically expect to receive 10 hours of taught sessions and 6 hours of supervised open studio time, supported by specialist technicians, and have open access to studios and workshops (subject to School opening times and availability). In the final year, students typically engage in a higher proportion of supervised, independent study, reflecting the increased focus on self‑directed practice and specialist project work at this level.

In addition, students are expected to undertake independent study appropriate to a full-time undergraduate degree programme.

Foundation and Orientation
In your first year (Level 4), you will be introduced to the Design Process, which a Set Designer will go through to produce research, concepts and final proposals. The modules are designed to introduce you to a wide range of 2D and 3D Traditional and digital techniques pertinent to set design including perspective drawing, digital model making technical drawing and card modelmaking which is leading to the development of design predominantly in Theatre Design. This is supported by Industry awareness which explores the many avenues of employment which our undergraduates progress on to.

• Visual Communication
• Core Workshop Skills
• Design Process
• Creative Thinking
• Industry Awareness
• Production 1

Development and Exploration
Your second year (Level 5) builds on the foundation explored in level 4, allowing you to develop more advanced, industry-standard skills pertinent to a creative art department. This includes collaboration throughout the faculty to create a full scale TV/Film project which will include our Actors, Writers, Visual FX Artists, Modelmakers and Costume Designers. In preparation for Level 6 study, this level focuses on Film and TV design and through Advanced Visual Communication gives you the chance to develop your specialist skills further, which may also include digital techniques utilising 3D modelling, scanning and printing working with Industry standard software. During this stage, you are also encouraged to seek relevant work experience or external collaborations when suitable opportunities arise.

• Production 2
• Creative Discussion
• Advanced Visual Communication
• Production Design Methodology
• Professional Practice

Consolidation and Expertise
In your final year (Level 6), you will consolidate your skills, experience, and creative identity as a key member of a creative team. Working on self-initiated projects, you will refine your skills and explore your future professional direction. This year provides the opportunity to realise your creative ambitions, demonstrate independence and originality, and prepares you for a successful transition into professional practice or further study.

• Specialist Practice 1
• Specialist Practice 2
• Professional Futures and Final Show
• Dissertation and Report

Optional Master of Arts.

Develop your creativity even further with a postgraduate study year – https://northernart.ac.uk/masters-degrees/