2024 NFTS Graduation – celebrating the achievements of up and coming filmmakers

The annual National Film and Television School (NFTS) Graduation ceremony, sponsored by BBC Studios, took place on Friday 23rd February at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square. The celebration not only recognises and celebrates the successes of the graduating students, but also offers them the chance to forge connections for their future careers with screen industry members.  

Emma Wilford, Sales and Marketing Manager at Sargent-Disc, attended the ceremony as a proud sponsor of three NFTS students (two Production Management Diploma students and one Production Accounting student [John Sargent Scholarship]). These serve as a key element of Sargent-Disc’s work to recognise the efforts of the NFTS and its students in achieving excellence.

Sargent-Disc Award winners

Each year at the ceremony, a number of students are chosen by key NFTS industry partners Sargent-Disc, Avid, Christie, IOSH and Panalux to recognise outstanding levels of achievement.  

The 2024 Sargent-Disc Awards went to two Production Management Diploma graduates. Helena Hunt and Carl Mason received a Final Draft software licence as well as £500 each.

Helena production managed a large and very diverse set of projects ranging from a Documentary shot in America, to Animation projects and a Children’s TV musical extravaganza. She also took on a demanding Fiction project called Resort, filmed in Spain and which required weeks of budget preparation with the Producer and meetings with crew members.

Carl showed a high level of commitment to production management throughout the course, working on over eight graduation films across a wide range of genres from animation to international documentaries filmed in Australia, California and across the USA, as well as a challenging period fiction film shot on location. Carl stepped up to every challenge with conviction and courage to ensure his teams had the resources and support needed to make the best possible films safely, on budget and on schedule.

Dr. Laurence Sargent commented, “The students graduating from the NFTS today are the future of our industry. Their hard work, skill and creativity are critical to its ongoing success. Sargent-Disc is proud to support this year’s Production Managers with awards in addition to providing an annual scholarship for two Production Management students. We wish them every success as they embark on their careers.” 

Left to Right: Carl Mason, Emma Wilford and Helena Hunt
Photo Credit: National Film and Television School

NFTS Honorary Fellowship

In recognition of the exceptional contribution they have made to the film industry, Production Design legends Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer were awarded the impressive Honorary Fellowship. Not only have the pair been nominated for a total of seven Oscars, most recently for their work on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, they were also celebrated for their efforts to nurture emerging filmmakers.

Honorary Fellowship recipients Katie Spencer and Sarah Greenwood
Photo Credit: National Film and Television School

For more information about the NFTS, click here.

Supporting production accountants since 1986

At Sargent-Disc we understand the production process and the pressure on production accountants to deliver accurate results, on time, every time. For over 35 years, Sargent-Disc has been proud to support their efforts as they work hard to bring us the best in global film and television. 

Today, as part of Cast & Crew, we deliver a full range of integrated production payroll and accounting solutions including CrewStart™, Digital Purchase Order and PSL+ to productions at the forefront of the entertainment industry. These solutions save time when breaking out timecards, sending and approving contracts, onboarding cast and crew, approving expenditure, and cost reporting efficiently and securely.

Alongside this we are committed to investing in and supporting the film and television community at home and abroad. We are a member of the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT), a major patron of the Royal Television Society (RTS), a business partner of the Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB), and work with them to inform and educate their members.

This year also marks the 10th year of Sargent-Disc being a proud sponsor of two Production Management Diploma at the National Film and Television School (NFTS).  The John Sargent Scholarship was also setup to support production accounting new entrants. Working with the film school is just one of the ways we strive to support emerging filmmakers.

Looking to the future, together with Cast & Crew, we value the importance of continuing to develop our offering and believe that technologies will increasingly allow us to make intelligent solutions that can take even more of the stress out of production accounting.

Contact the team to discuss how our solutions can streamline your production workflows.

Supporting TV to shine at the 2022 Edinburgh TV Awards

It was our absolute pleasure for Sargent-Disc (a Cast & Crew company) to be Headline Sponsor of the 2022 Edinburgh TV Awards, which took place on Thursday 25 August at a glittering ceremony hosted by writer and comedian Sophie Ducker.

A total of 20 awards were presented on the night including the prestigious Channel of the Year title, which went to Channel 4 whose Director of Content Ian Katz was on hand to receive the Award from Jury president Sue Vertue. Other winners in the most sought-after categories included Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s company Merman (Motherland, This Way Up) which was named Production Company of the Year, whilst Firecrest Films (Michael Palin’s Travel of a Lifetime, Life: Behind Bars) received the Small Indie of the Year Award.

Sargent-Disc’s Sarah McKenzie, Business Development had the honour of presenting the Best Drama award to the team behind hit drama The Responder starring Michael Freeman, made by Dancing Ledge Productions for BBC One. Best International drama went to Pachinko, representing the first win at the awards for Apple TV+. Netflix’s Sex Education took home the Best Comedy Series award whilst the TV Moment of the Year Award went to See Saw Films / Netflix’s Heartstopper for Charlie and Nick’s First Kiss.

We were particularly delighted to celebrate the first ever recipient of Edinburgh’s new Climate Impact Award. The prize went to Channel 4 documentary Joe Lycett Vs the Oil Giant, by Rumpus Media, and it was a fantastic moment to see this important new category introduced at the first Edinburgh TV Awards following the critical signing of the Climate Content Pledge at Cop26 last year.

The awards topped off an exceptionally well-attended Festival, where the return to an in-person, live event for the first time since 2019 was resoundingly welcomed by industry. The atmosphere buzzed throughout three days of packed-out events.

Ahead of the festival, Sargent-Disc Director Laurence Sargent reflected in this Broadcast article on Edinburgh’s significance in the UK TV industry calendar, celebrating its reputation for “providing a platform for challenging issues to be explored and important conversations to be had.”

This year was no exception, with broadcaster Emily Maitlis’ McTaggart Memorial Lecture, ‘Boiling Frog: Why We Have to Stop Normalising the Absurd’, provoking powerful discussion around news and impartiality. In it, Maitlis warned against the rise of populism and highlighted the role that reporters and broadcasters should play “to hold power to account without fear or favour.”

Elsewhere, Rose Ayling-Ellis’ powerful Alternative MacTaggart Lecture saw the deaf actress, BSL campaigner and Strictly Come Dancing winner urge the TV world to “be braver and have the courage to make changes”, such as bringing deaf consultants in to work with writing teams. Stressing the important difference between representation and access, she urged the industry to think about both in her impactful speech, which provided valuable insight into the stark realities of life as a Deaf person working in television.

For more information about the 2022 Edinburgh TV Awards sponsored by Sargent Disc (a Cast & Crew Company), click here.

 
 
Full list of winners

Best Comedy Series – Sex Education, Eleven Film for Netflix
Best Documentary – The Return: Life After ISIS, Alba Sotorra Productions and MetFilm for Sky Documentaries
Best Drama – The Responder, Dancing Ledge Productions for BBC1
Best Entertainment Series – The Lateish Show With Mo Gilligan, Expectation and MoMo G for Channel 4
Best International Drama – Pachinko, Media Res / Blue Marble Pictures in association with Apple for Apple TV+
Best On Demand Service – BBC iPlayer
Best Popular Factual Series – Uprising, Rogan Productions, Lammas Park and Turbine Studios for BBC1
Best TV Actor – Comedy – Daisy Haggard in Back To Life
Best TV Actor – Drama – Jodie Comer in Help
Best TV Presenter – AJ Odudu & Mo Gilligan for The Big Breakfast
Breakthrough Talent – Actor – Danielle Macdonald
Breakthrough Talent – Presenter – Munya Chawawa
Channel of the Year – Channel 4
Climate Impact Award – Joe Lycett Vs the Oil Giant, Rumpus Media for Channel 4
Production Company of the Year – Merman Television
Small Indie of the Year – Firecrest Films
Global Success Award – ITV Studios
Variety Outstanding Achievement Award – Diane Morgan
TV Moment of the Year – Heartstopper: Charlie and Nick’s First Kiss, See Saw Films for Netflix
Ones to Watch / Random Acts Live Pitch – Alex Rodrigues, Thanks Boss.

Sargent-Disc Announces Cast & Crew Headline Sponsorship of the Edinburgh TV Festival Awards
Thursday 25 August 2022

Cast & Crew is very proud to be the headline sponsor of the prestigious Edinburgh TV Festival Awards 2022 – returning in person after two years.

“These awards showcase outstanding talent, creativity and the breadth of programming from broadcasters, streamers and production companies alike. We are delighted to support this celebration of their fantastic work,” – Dr Laurence Sargent, Co-Head of International, Cast & Crew

The sixteen 2022 Awards category nominations showcase an extraordinarily diverse slate of productions including Squid Game, Top Boy, Succession, the Mare of Easttown, Gogglebox, Uprising, Horrible Histories’ Precious Planet and Motherland. Their success is in no small part due to the performances of actors and presenters such as Letitia Wright, Stephen Graham, Rose Mataf, and Professor Benhamin Zephaniah to name just a few.

Sue Vertue, CEO, Hartswood Films (Sherlock) – this year’s jury President says, “I know how hard it has been to film during these last few Covid years, but even with that, our amazing TV industry has gone full throttle delivering some of the most creative, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining shows I have seen in a long time.”

Taking place on Thursday 25th August, the Awards will be hosted by stand-up comedian and award winning writer, Sophie Ducker.

Established in 1976, the Edinburgh International TV Festival is famous for its relevant, provocative and entertaining programme which attracts 2000 industry professionals from across the globe. The 2022 festival will run from Wednesday 24 – Friday 26 August, and will include keynotes, debates and masterclass events alongside a wide range of networking opportunities.

Members of the Sargent-Disc team will be in attendance at the Festival – please contact us at marketing@sargent-disc.com to arrange a meeting.