The London Film School (LFS), a prestigious institution with a long history of nurturing filmmaking talent, has announced the launch of two new master’s programmes – MA Film Marketing and MA Film Producing. Starting in September 2025, these one-year courses aim to provide a unique blend of academic rigour and real-world engagement, positioning graduates to thrive in the evolving global screen industry.
The MA Film Marketing course covers B2B and B2C marketing strategies, with a focus on art design, trailers, media, publicity, PR, and social media plans. Meanwhile, the MA Film Producing programme tackles creative development, project management, business affairs, and the essential business skills necessary for delivering high-calibre film projects. Students will collaborate with writers, directors, and other creatives enrolled in the School’s MA Filmmaking programme, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to the filmmaking process.
Chris Auty, the Director of LFS, expressed enthusiasm about these new additions to the school’s curriculum. “The screen industries are more dynamic than ever, and LFS is committed to equipping future filmmakers with the skills they need to succeed,” he said. Auty also highlighted the importance of these programmes in connecting LFS with the UK film industry. “For the first time, we are specifically encouraging UK applications with a keenly priced domestic offer,” he added.
These new courses form part of LFS’s broader efforts to engage more closely with the UK industry, a vision that has been strengthened by the school’s recent relocation. In January 2025, LFS moved into an upgraded campus on Parker Street in Covent Garden after 60 years at its Shelton Street location. The new site offers modern facilities, including four shooting stages, two cinema screening rooms, and post-production spaces, alongside an exhibition area at the adjoining Garden Cinema.
The move has been made possible by the generosity of Michael Chambers, a former lawyer and publisher who is the founder of the Garden Cinema and the son of filmmaker and former LFS lecturer Jack Chambers. The new campus offers a state-of-the-art environment for students, while Shelton Street continues to serve as a hub for short courses and workshops, including programmes on emerging technologies and storytelling formats, which will also cover AI.
The addition of the new master’s programmes also coincides with a strategic shift in the school’s approach to its student base. Around 80% of LFS’s current intake is from outside the UK, but Auty is keen to make the school’s offering more accessible to British applicants. “I’m focused on taking us now out into the UK industry so people understand the quality and award-winning nature of the work we do,” he said. To help achieve this, the new MA courses are priced lower per term than the School’s traditional filmmaking programme.
This move is also in line with the School’s aim to better engage with the global screen industry. London, as a European hub for film and TV marketing, offers LFS students a wealth of opportunities, with proximity to major players like Warner Bros and Netflix, both of which have offices in the city. The introduction of the MA Film Marketing programme is expected to create more pathways for students to work in the marketing side of the film industry, an area Auty sees as essential for the success of any film or TV project.
In addition to these developments, LFS has made some significant changes to its leadership. Film finance specialist Anne Sheehan, former Bafta chair Jane Lush, and Neil Blair, literary agent and co-founder of The Blair Partnership, have all been confirmed as new board members. Their expertise and influence will help further strengthen the School’s position within the competitive film education landscape.
Auty, who joined LFS in late 2023, previously headed the producing department at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) for a decade. He notes that while LFS’s approach to teaching filmmaking is different from NFTS’s, both institutions are equally distinguished. “At NFTS, you apply to a specific technical specialisation, whereas at LFS, the programme is more akin to a music conservatoire,” he explained. “In the first year, every student must train across directing, editing, camera, and sound before specialising in their chosen discipline.”
LFS has built a reputation for producing talented filmmakers, with notable alumni including directors Mike Leigh, Franc Roddam, and Chris Andrews, as well as producers Fiona Lamptey and Corin Taylor. The School is the UK’s oldest film institution, founded in 1956, and remains a beacon of excellence for aspiring filmmakers.
With these new programmes, an upgraded campus, and a renewed focus on the UK industry, the London Film School is poised to take its next step into a new era, continuing its mission to educate and inspire the filmmakers of tomorrow.
