Prep & Shoot: Directing from Page to Set – A Practical Summer School with Tim Fywell

Great directing doesn’t start on set. It starts in prep. 

This intensive, week-long summer school is designed for directors who want to deepen their craft, sharpen their leadership skills and learn how to turn preparation into powerful, confident filmmaking. Created and led by BAFTA-winning film and television director Tim Fywell, Prep & Shoot is a hands-on, practical workshop that mirrors the real working process of professional directors. 

Across six days, participants will move step-by-step through the director’s process from script analysis and creative preparation to rehearsals, shooting strategy and working with actors on set. 

• A practical, director-focused summer school 

• Taught by an experienced, award-winning working film and TV director 

• Small group learning with intensive hands-on exercises 

• Real actors, real scenes, real directing challenges 

• Direct insight into professional casting processes 

• Emphasis on collaboration, clarity of vision and leadership 

This course is about how directors actually work and how preparation enables you to make strong creative decisions under pressure. 

PREP: The Director’s Most Powerful Tool 

Time spent in prep is what protects you on set creatively, practically and psychologically. 

Working in small groups, you will explore and practise every key element of a director’s preparation process, including: 

• Script work and scene analysis 

• Casting and how to choose the right actors 

• Understanding the casting director’s perspective

• Finding and assessing locations 

• Working effectively with a Production Designer 

• Costume design meetings – focussed on character and actor  

• Prepping with the Director of Photography 

• Technical recces and planning the shoot 

• Choosing visual and story references 

• Communicating your vision clearly to every department 

Casting Masterclass (New for 2026) 

As part of the course, participants will have the opportunity to work with an experienced Casting Director, who will join Tim for a dedicated session exploring how casting decisions are made in professional film and television contexts. 

Together, they will cover: 

• How casting directors read scripts and assess roles 

• What directors should and should not expect from casting 

• How directors can communicate clearly and creatively with casting directors 

• The realities of availability, budgets and schedules 

• How strong director-casting director relationships support better performances 

This session gives participants rare insight into casting as a collaborative creative process, not just a logistical one. 

SHOOT: Bringing Preparation to Life 

The second half of the course focuses on applying your prep directly to the shoot. 

Participants will spend a day working with four professional actors, giving you the opportunity to: 

• Direct actors in rehearsals and on set 

• Explore different rehearsal techniques 

• Apply casting insights directly to performance work 

• Learn when and how to use storyboards effectively 

• Make confident decisions about camera placement and shooting style 

• Manage time pressure and creative priorities on a shooting day 

• Understand how preparation allows flexibility rather than limiting it 

This is an immersive, practical environment where you can test ideas, make mistakes and learn fast — with expert guidance throughout. 

This summer school is ideal for: 

• Emerging and early-career directors 

• Film school graduates wanting to sharpen their directing craft 

• Writers and filmmakers looking to step into directing 

• Directors preparing for their next short or feature project 

You don’t need to arrive with a finished script — but you should come ready to work. 

• Enthusiasm, curiosity and commitment 

• Two key scenes from a project you are developing and plan to film in the future 

• A willingness to collaborate, rehearse and experiment 

By the end of the course, you will: 

• Understand how professional directors prepare for a shoot 

• Gain practical insight into how casting decisions are made 

• Be more confident collaborating with casting directors and actors 

• Lead creative teams with clarity and authority 

• Apply professional preparation methods to your own projects 

• Leave with tools you can use immediately on set 

Participants receive a London Film School certificate of completion.