Masters Degrees (Cinematography)

The NFTS is the only UK film school where you can specialise in cinematography for 2 years at MA level.

-The only specialist 2-year Cinematography course in the UK.
-Three stages, bluescreen and greenscreen facilities.
-Shoot live action and animated films.
-Students use 16mm, Super 16mm and 35mm film, digital video and HD cameras.
-Unlike other Schools, all production costs are met by the school.

We welcome EU/EEA Students. Those accepted onto courses starting in 2018 will have their fees guaranteed at the UK rate for both years of the course. Postgraduate students can apply for a loan to help with their studies via the Student Loans Company Loans. A £ 10,000 loan is available to contribute to course and living costs. The Post Graduate Loan is only open to EU/EEA and UK Students who normally live in England. It is not currently available to Scottish, Welsh or Northern Ireland Students. Find out more here: https://nfts.co.uk/fees-funding/funding-guide

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course commences in January each year. This course explores the many ways in which the cinematographer participates in the collaborative process of translating screenplays into meaningful and stimulating films. Exercises, workshops, masterclasses and productions, supported by critical and analytical study of the history and development of cinematography, give students a solid foundation in the art and craft of their future career.

The aim is to improve and expand the students' technical knowledge and skills using all of the above mentioned methods of image capture.

Cinematography graduates are in demand in the UK, Europe and the US and go on to work in both film and television. Recent new graduates have found work as 2nd Unit DoPs on feature films, and have shot commercials, episodic television series and documentaries for Channel 4, Granada and BSkyB, as well as short films and TV programmes for a variety of independent production companies.

CURRICULUM

Creative expression is developed alongside technical expertise. As well as film, training in High Definition, Digital Cinema and Digital Post Production is an integral part of the course. Visual storytelling is emphasised alongside the art of creating mood and evoking emotion through the right combination of composition and lighting. Working closely with students of other specialisations, student cinematographers have a creative involvement in fiction, animation and documentary films, commercials and multicamera television, lighting and shooting several productions during their time at the School.

During the course students will be provided with tutorials, seminars, screen studies, workshops and master classes with specialist tutors and visiting professionals. All workshops and master classes are mandatory. Through Tutorials students will be guided towards finding their own criteria for self assessment and finding their own individual challenges. The aim of the tutorials is to encourage the student to get the best out of themselves through discussions and critiques with their peers and through an awareness of self. While supportive overall, tutorials will have an element of critique and challenge. They should allow the student to step back and reflect on their own work.

Seminars will deal with stylistic approaches, principles of optics and photographic and video theory. Special attention will be given to the importance of relationships and interaction with other specialisations, like directors, editors, designers, sound and post production. Also, regular seminars and lectures will be conducted on Screen Art. Screen Art is crucial to broaden students' critical understanding of the art of cinema. This need is satisfied by providing systematic screenings, special events, seminars, discussions and analysis. These happen throughout the two year course.

Workshops and Practical Exercises are designed to teach most aspects of traditional and digital cinematography - cameras, lenses, grip equipment, originating materials (film stock/tape), light meters, location lighting, studio lighting, day for night, night for night, filming in moving vehicles and also film grammar, crew roles, studio protocol, laboratory procedures and special visual effects. The aim is also to develop responsibility and professionalism. This is supported and overseen by the teaching staff, who aim to challenge and nurture the student’s talent without undermining their independence.

Production Exercises provide a valuable experience in that they enable the student to work as part of a creative team. The cinematographer is able to utilise the skills and knowledge acquired whilst taking part in Workshops and Exercises.

Unlike other Schools, all production costs are met by the school. In addition you will be given a cash Production Budget. NFTS students are engaged in more productions as part of the curriculum than any of our competitors.

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Cinematography is at the heart of film and television production, orchestrating camera, lens, light and motion to create the visual aesthetic of the film. This course provides high-level industry staff-expertise and image capture technologies, which will enable you to flourish in the continually evolving arena of imaging for film and television.

The course will help you develop key intellectual and practical skills that meet, or challenge and exceed, current industry practice and expectations. It seeks to develop in parallel; your artistic eye, your technical skills, your team-working skills as part of camera crews, and your collaborative skills working with directors.

The course is best suited to those who have some previous experience in filmmaking or photography, have a good aesthetic sense and critical eye and wish to develop these further. We would also welcome those who come with professional experience and wish to further develop their creative skills and showreel, while undertaking an immersive learning experience in the theory and practice of cinematography.

The specialist production units provide an environment in which to develop creative skills, technical proficiency in digital camera and lighting, narrative storytelling and collaborative working. The crossframework units develop critical analysis, research methods and perspectives on the changing media industry and your role within it.

This course is accredited by the British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society. You will use industry-standard technology, and learn from academic experts whose research and industry expertise will equip you to make the most of the evolving digital marketplace

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The MA Cinematography course builds essential and practical skills to prepare you for a role as Cinematographer/Director of Photography (DOP).

Cinematography is about understanding how to use camera and lighting techniques to tell a story, whether it is screened at the cinema, on TV, or through an iPhone. As technology continues to evolve at an ever increasing rate, the aim of this programme is about more than how to operate a particular piece of equipment – it’s about a deeper understanding of storytelling and the moving image to communicate something meaningful and entertaining to an audience.

- Through hands-on practical exercises, workshops, seminars, masterclasses and screenings you will gain the practical skills and knowledge required to work with cameras and lighting to industry standards and practices enabling you to demonstrate a range of industry-relevant skills upon graduation.

- Opportunities to gain wide range of skills across projects such as a short filmed project that you write and direct, Art Gallery field visits including the National Gallery, 35mm workshop and shooting exercise, location and night shooting with large sensor camera, greenscreen and VFX exercises, working collaboratively and learning the functions of each camera departmental role.

- Gain skills vital for look design and rushes management through creative and technical training in grading and processing software to enhance the visual aesthetics of your productions. Prepare for the world of VFX shooting with theory and practice in a range of techniques and experiences such as green screen shooting and VFX integration.

- You will get the chance to work as a director of photography alongside other MA students on short video content for external clients during the industry project, giving you the opportunity to further showcase your talents and build a competitive showreel.

- Learn from award-winning tutors with extensive professional experience as cinematographers, camera operators, focus pullers and gaffers in film, TV, documentary/factual programming and commercials. We’ve been recently visited by a legendary cinematographer Chung Chung-Hoon (Old Boy, Stoker, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl)

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This MA will consolidate your skills in narrative moving-image making to the level of Director of Photography. You will develop your visual storytelling ability during workshops and subsequent application in the context of live filmmaking projects- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-filmmaking-cinematography/

What we offer

This Masters, a pathway of the MA Filmmaking, is housed in a new purpose-built media facility equipped with state-of-the art teaching spaces including film and photography studios equipped with Arri lighting and Greenscreen, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Film Editing, Animation, Digital Special Effects, Pro Tools Audio Postproduction and Foley suites.

We work with a range of digital formats from high-end cinema cameras like the Red Epic to smaller, flexible units like the Black Magic. You will additionally benefit from the discipline of working on Super-16mm film.

You work on at least one film per term in your specialist role, culminating in a major production towards the end of the degree. In addition to your specialist area, you attend classes in related disciplines such as Film Directing and Editing and collaborate with students across specialisations on film projects. This framework is designed to stimulate collaborative practice by providing you with a breadth of filmmaking knowledge combined with a high level of expertise in your chosen filmmaking discipline.

Our students say...

"The MA helped me understand how to translate a story into cinema and how to transfer a collective vision from script to screen."
"I have made true friendships beyond the level of collaboration with class-mates to the point that we can now consider ourselves to be colleagues in the same field."

Expert guidance

Experienced tutors such as the highly-regarded Witold Stock (Close My Eyes, Murphy’s Law, Best) and industry guests provide expert guidance designed to enhance the flow of your individual research, experimentation and artistic achievement.

At the same time, you advance your collaborative skills by working in teams on a variety of scheduled films across the year. You leave the course with a diverse portfolio of moving-image work that spans fiction, and documentary as well as hybrid and experimental genres.

You will learn sophisticated lighting and gripping techniques, and you perform all camera department roles from Director of Photography to Camera Operator, Focus-puller, Gaffer, Camera Assistant, Spark and Grip.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact the Department of Media & Communications

Modules & Structures

For two terms you will spend a full day a week in specialised contact with your specific programme convenor, plus a further day in Screen Lab working with colleagues across the programme in a Talent Campus-style project-led learning structure with:

-Masterclassess
-Pitches
-Role-plays
-Exercises aimed at using your skills specialism in a variety of live shoot situations

You will also have a variety of research projects to undertake, as well as other module options.

The third term will be taken up with your final substantive project, and in writing up a process paper on your work and research over the year.

Screen Lab

You will also advance your collaborative skills by working in teams with fiction and documentary producers and directors and sound and edit students, on a variety of projects and at least three scheduled films across the year.

You will leave the programme with a diverse portfolio of moving-image work that may span a variety of formats – music video, web series drama, documentary, campaign/commercial, experimental art pieces and feature-scale short fiction films.

Screen School options

As well as your Cinematography specialism, you will undertake three short courses to enhance your other skills and critical approaches.

Skills & Careers

If you are passionate about fashioning an exciting career for yourself as a cinematographer in an environment that promotes innovative filmmaking, this course is for you.

On completing the programme you will be equipped to enter the global job market, armed with an enhanced understanding of your practical, intellectual and creative capacities as a cinematographer.

Possibly the most important skill we furnish you with is the rigorous discipline of working collaboratively under pressure as part of a creative team on challenging projects.

In addition to your practical filmmaking skills, we enable you to develop a variety of transferable intellectual, organisational and communication skills to equip you for a broad range of employment opportunities across the arts and media landscape (film, television, online, the creative arts, advertising and related hybrid forms).

Our graduates

Recent alumni are active in the film, media and cultural industries around the world as:

directors of photography
cinematographers
camera operators
lighting designers

Other entry requirements

Please note that unless you are exempted (Please check your status with our Admissions Team: [email protected]) overseas students require an English language qualification of IELTS 7.0 in order to be considered for a place on the MA Filmmaking programme.

If you have not yet achieved IELTS 7.0, we advise you to sit your IELTS exam at the earliest opportunity and to submit your application immediately after receiving your result. The annual IELTS deadline for the programme is April 30th.

Because funding deadlines and requirements vary around the world, applications are considered on a rolling basis and places on the programme fill up across the recruitment cycle. For this reason, we strongly advise you to submit your completed application as early as you can.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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MA Cinematography is aimed at creative graduates and existing filmmakers wishing to develop their cinematography skills to a professional level. A highly practical course, it is underpinned by relevant contextual studies.

You can expect to build solid technical skills across a range of camera equipment and formats, as well as an understanding of advanced lighting and aesthetic principles. Importantly, you will learn how to connect with and communicate stories through cinematic language.

Key benefits

Offered as a full-time, the course will enable you to develop as a creative, knowledgeable, disciplined practitioner equipped to step into a wide range of camera and lighting roles within a constantly evolving film and television industry.

Course detail

By providing crucial insights into the film business, the course will help you develop a range of transferable skills, enabling you to confidently and professionally collaborate with a creative team in a film, TV studio or on location. Practical live briefs and other exciting industry-integrated learning opportunities will foster resourcefulness and enterprise to help you stand out in today's market.

Exploring the ethical considerations of media production, from broadcast compliance codes to sustainable filmmaking, will ensure you are equipped to make considered decisions on how your work engages with and incorporates diverse communities.

Alongside practical skills, you will develop a deep understanding of film history and theory from leading academics and industry practitioners in the field. You will benefit from the strong base of practice-led research within the Faculty, which has an international reputation through its Research Centres.

Format

The course offers a varied and engaging schedule of study including academic lectures, practical instruction, seminars, and masterclasses with working cinematographers. Guest speakers will introduce and contextualise work. You will also have the chance to attend field trips to camera rental houses, production facilities and laboratories.

You will be encouraged to attend film festivals to gain unique perspectives on industry practice. Screenings and discussions will enable students to analyse and critique a range of film and moving image work and the practice of classic and contemporary cinematographers.

Throughout the course, you will undertake both group and individual project work supported by tutorials, mentoring, workshops and independent study. Part of your final assessment will be based on the production of a body of cinematic work.

Assessment

We will make use of a variety of assessment tools throughout the course, including essays, reflective diaries, presentations, portfolios, coursework and a professional practice report.

Careers / Further study

Successful graduates will be equipped to work in a wide range of film industry contexts, in roles such as Director of Photography, Lighting Cameraperson, Lighting Director Camera Operator, Camera Assistant, Digital Loader, DIT and Camera Trainee.

Other career options include events and theatre lighting, grip work and post-production, as well as independent filmmaking and working with film organisations such as the BFI, Creative England and other regional film agencies. This Masters is also an excellent path of study for those pursuing academic work or who wish to go on to Doctoral level study.

How to apply

Information on applications can be found at the following link: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/study/applyingtouwebristol/postgraduateapplications.aspx

Funding

- New Postgraduate Master's loans for 2016/17 academic year –

The government are introducing a master’s loan scheme, whereby master’s students under 60 can access a loan of up to £10,000 as a contribution towards the cost of their study. This is part of the government’s long-term commitment to enhance support for postgraduate study.

Scholarships and other sources of funding are also available.

More information can be found here: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/feesandfunding/fundingandscholarships/postgraduatefunding.aspx

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On this programme, students develop a practical and critical approach to the relationship between film production workflows, digital film technology, and creative practice. The programme seeks to develop students' creative abilities to a high professional standard, preparing them for employment in increasingly dynamic film and media sectors, and to facilitate film projects that foreground the importance of practice-based research, expertise and experimentation.

The MA route allows students to refine a critical approach to creativity in areas such as writing, directing, and producing; the MSc focuses on creative technological agendas in areas such as cinematography, editing, and VFX. To find out more about the MA/MSc in Film Production visit our blog at http://blogs.gre.ac.uk/filmproduction.

From October to April, you will attend three core courses (Cinematography 1, Production Practice, Film Research Workshop) and choose four courses from the following options: Cinematography 2, Film Screenwriting, VFX, Directing Screen Performance, Sound Design and Editing. From May to September you will undertake a final project.

You will use digital camera equipment current in the industry, including RED, Canon C300 and Arri Alexa systems. Teaching takes place in brand new film production facilities in the Stockwell Street building, which includes studios, post-production suites, and a sound studio.

Visit the website http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/courses/pg/ft/filmprod

Film and Television

This subject offers students the chance to develop creatively and technically. It affords the opportunity to acquire both the latest techniques and traditional skills in working with digital media, in television and film production and post-production. This course allow for original and creative minds who want to explore specialist areas of these professions and develop their portfolio.

What you'll study

Core courses:

Film Research Workshop (30 credits)
Cinematography 1 (15 credits)
Production Practice (15 credits)
Major Project (60 credits)

Four options from:

Film Screenwriting - compulsory for MA (15 credits)
Directing Screen Performance - compulsory for MA (15 credits)
Cinematography 2 - compulsory for MSc (15 credits)
VFX - compulsory for MSc (15 credits)
Sound Design (15 credits)
Editing (15 credits)

Fees and finance

Your time at university should be enjoyable and rewarding, and it is important that it is not spoilt by unnecessary financial worries. We recommend that you spend time planning your finances, both before coming to university and while you are here. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.Find out more about our fees and the support available to you at our:
- Postgraduate finance pages (http://www.gre.ac.uk/finance/pg)
- International students' finance pages (http://www.gre.ac.uk/finance/international)

Assessment

Students are assessed on their film project work and creative portfolios.

Career options

This programme is aimed at students preparing to make the transition from education to employment in the film industry. The film sector needs graduates with specialist expertise, but also creative thinkers who are deadline-driven and project-minded; capable of managing digital workflows in an enterprising manner, and taking initiative. This is the kind of approach we encourage and help our students to develop.

Find out how to apply here - http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/apply

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This MA will develop your skills and creative vision in documentary production. It enhances your understanding of the historical context and contemporary modes of documentary production against a backdrop of the wider issues in media production- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-filmmaking-screen-documentary/

This Masters, a pathway of the MA Filmmaking, will encourage your understanding of the politics, aesthetics and ethics of documentary production, and the nature and diversity of documentary practice in contemporary society.

What we offer

The programme is housed in a new purpose-built media facility equipped with state-of-the art teaching spaces including a range of digital cameras, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Film Editing suites, Animation, Digital Special Effects, Pro Tools Audio Postproduction suites.

You will be able to make your own documentaries, learning and refining research, interviewing, self-shooting and editing techniques – but also have the unique opportunity to be part of a programme that includes specialised producers, cinematographers, editors, sound recordists and sound designers, so that you can develop the scope and range of your filmmaking by collaborating with them.

You work on at least two films during the year, culminating in a major production towards the end of the degree. In addition you can attend classes in related disciplines such as Cinematography and Editing and may collaborate with students across other specialisations on film projects. This framework is designed to provide you with a breadth of filmmaking knowledge combined with a high level of expertise in your chosen filmmaking discipline.

The MA encourages you to develop:

an awareness of documentary production techniques, ethics and aesthetics
specific filmmaking and production management skills
technical skills (including camera, lighting and sound editing)
an understanding of the workings of the media and their broad cultural and social impacts

Our former students have gone on to win awards including:

Best Documentary at the Exposures Film Festival
Postgraduate Factual Prize at the Royal Television Society Student Awards
Student Award at the One World Media Awards
They've also launched their own film festivals, worked on critically acclaimed films and documentaries, and have had their work screened at the London International Documentary Festival, National Geographic's All Roads Film Festival and Open City, the London Documentary Festival.

Our students say...

"From first-hand coaching from industry experts, access to the newest facilities and cameras, to fantastic mentoring – it was the perfect course to develop my skills and prepare me for a career in documentary filmmaking."
"The different theory courses provided both the history and ethics when filming documentary as well as providing artistic inspiration to approach reality in an innovative way."

Quality

The MA is one of only two MAs in the UK to receive the Creative Skillset tick. The tick is a kitemark of quality that identifies a course that will effectively prepare you for a career in the creative industries, and which benefits from strong links with industry.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Daisy Asquith.

Modules & Structure

How you will learn

You will be taught the skills to be able to self-shoot and edit, but will also have the chance to work with specialised camera-people, editors and producers. You complete several short films and exercises, then make your own 15-25 minute documentary, during which you will fully explore research methods, visual and thematic storytelling, experimental and multi-platform formats and much more.

For two terms you will spend a full day a week in specialised contact with your specific programme convenor, plus a further day in Screen Lab working with colleagues across the programme in a Talent Campus-style project-led learning structure with:

Masterclasses
Pitches
Role-plays
Exercises aimed at using your skills specialism in a variety of live shoot situations
You will also have a variety of research projects to undertake, as well as other module options.

Screen Lab

You will also advance your collaborative skills by working in teams with both fiction and documentary producers and cinematography, sound and edit students, on a variety of projects and at least three scheduled films across the year.

You will leave the programme with a diverse portfolio of work that may span a variety of formats – essay or diary film, web and multi-platform content, activist or campaign film, longer form feature-documentary

Screen School options

As well as your Screen Documentary specialism, you will undertake three short courses to enhance your other skills and critical approaches.

Skills & Careers

If you are passionate about fashioning an exciting career for yourself as a filmmaker in an environment that promotes innovative filmmaking, this course is for you.

Our alumni are active in the film, media and cultural industries around the world, working and winning awards as documentary producers and directors.

Other entry requirements

Please note that unless you are exempted (Please check your status with our Admissions Team: [email protected]) overseas students require an English language qualification of IELTS 7.0 in order to be considered for a place on the MA Filmmaking programme.

If you have not yet achieved IELTS 7.0, we advise you to sit your IELTS exam at the earliest opportunity and to submit your application immediately after receiving your result. The annual IELTS deadline for the programme is April 30th.

Because funding deadlines and requirements vary around the world, applications are considered on a rolling basis and places on the programme fill up across the recruitment cycle. For this reason, we strongly advise you to submit your completed application as early as you can.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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Immerse yourself in hands-on filmmaking and real production budgets on this unique course.

Creativity and collaboration are at the heart of our teaching, which takes place in our very own Northern Film School (http://www.northernfilmschool.co.uk/), giving you access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Designed to mirror real international, independent film production, this course gives you the opportunity to gain specialist knowledge of seven main areas - producing, screenwriting, directing, cinematography, production design, sound and editing.

The course is driven by filmmaking itself, but you will also focus on theory - we want you to think, research, discuss and watch films. We encourage ideas based around independent filmmaking and look for inspired stories and concepts on which to base our productions. We will also supply funding for your masters' project.

Whether your passion lies in making fiction, documentaries or experimental films, you will have the support of a teaching team with ongoing and extensive industry experience.

- Research Excellence Framework 2014: 38% of our research was judged to be world leading or internationally excellent in the Communication, Culture and Media Studies, Library and Information Management unit.

Visit the website http://courses.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/filmmaking_ma

Mature Applicants

Our University welcomes applications from mature applicants who demonstrate academic potential. We usually require some evidence of recent academic study, for example completion of an access course, however recent relevant work experience may also be considered. Please note that for some of our professional courses all applicants will need to meet the specified entry criteria and in these cases work experience cannot be considered in lieu.

If you wish to apply through this route you should refer to our University Recognition of Prior Learning policy that is available on our website (http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/studenthub/recognition-of-prior-learning.htm).

Please note that all applicants to our University are required to meet our standard English language requirement of GCSE grade C or equivalent, variations to this will be listed on the individual course entry requirements.

Careers

Our course aims to give you a competitive edge in a challenging industry. We offer a route into film and television through working with tutors, mentors and visiting professionals and by developing your own creative abilities and work. We promote our graduation films on the international festival circuit, as well as giving you the opportunity to attend film festivals during the course.

- Creative Producer
- Cinematographer
- Screenwriter
- Director

Careers advice:
The dedicated Jobs and Careers team offers expert advice and a host of resources to help you choose and gain employment. Whether you're in your first or final year, you can speak to members of staff from our Careers Office who can offer you advice from writing a CV to searching for jobs.

Visit the careers site - https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/employability/jobs-careers-support.htm

Course Benefits

As film financing, production and distribution move away from old models our course prepares you for an industry that expects you to be self reliant and self-employed.

You will be taught by practising filmmakers with experience across documentary and fiction, from cinematography to editing, some of whom can boast BAFTA and Oscar nominations. As a consequence of relationships between staff and the industry, you will have the opportunity to learn from visiting filmmakers during guest lectures and workshops. The Northern Film School (http://www.northernfilmschool.co.uk/) is also a member of The International Association of Film and Television Schools (CILECT), an organisation of only the best film schools worldwide.

The School is the first and only film school in the UK to receive JAMES accreditation, in recognition of the professional expertise of our staff, the professional level of our facilities and the opportunities for our students to crew on professional shoots. JAMES represents creative and technical organisations across the media industries sector such as the Association of Professional Recording Services (APRS), the Music Producers Guild (MPG), UK Screen and UK Drama. On our JAMES approved course, you will be studying the latest in industry practice and gain access to professional contacts and work experience opportunities. JAMES described us as 'a benchmark against which all other film courses need to be measured'.

At the Electric Press in Leeds city centre where the School is based, you will have access to an impressive range of facilities. These include both 16mm and digital production equipment, two production studios, professional level edit suites, production offices, screening facilities, a props store and film and script archive.

Keith Dando

Senior Lecturer

"Our course aims to empower you to not just get into the industry but to 'be' the industry on a creative as well as business level, and to leave the course having made long lasting collaborative relationships."

Keith’s career has included work on short and feature films, television series and computer games in projects for the BBC, Channel Four, Channel Five and many independent film and TV companies. Keith has also co-written screenplays that have reached the finals in the prestigious Zoetrope and Final Draft screenwriting contests, and worked with upcoming and respected filmmakers such as Clio Barnard and Penny Woolcock.

Facilities

- Film Studios
Based in the Electric Press, our two expansive production studios, East and West Side enable the building of substantial film sets. This affords film students the opportunity to fully explore set design and prop building.

- Library
Our libraries are two of the only university libraries in the UK open 24/7 every day of the year. However you like to study, the libraries have got you covered with group study, silent study, extensive e-learning resources and PC suites.

- Broadcasting Place
Broadcasting Place provides students with creative and contemporary learning environments, is packed with the latest technology and is a focal point for new and innovative thinking in the city.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/postgraduate/how-to-apply/

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This is an intensive and specialised course that will equip you for the challenges of entering a film and television industry that is undergoing unprecedented and rapid change. You'll have the opportunity to develop specialised skills in screen and television work, such as directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing and other creative skills.

You'll gain practical experience and detailed knowledge of the equipment and facilities typically used in film and television. By the end of your course you will have produced innovative work that you'll complete to the highest professional standards.

Graduates of this course have gone on to roles in British and European film industries, in British television, and in Chinese commercials, film and TV production.

Course content

This is an intensive course that will equip you for the challenges of entering the film and television industry. You'll learn theory and get practical experience in many different areas: from script writing to camera operation and from lighting to directing and much more.

As you progress through the course you'll get the chance to specialise in areas that you find appealing.

Most of our students study full-time for one year, but you can also study this course part-time over two years.

You'll study a total of 180 credits. 90 of these will be through taught modules in the first two terms. You'll then go on to study a further 90 credits as part of an extended research project in the third term.

Term 1
1. Digital Cinematography (10 credits)
2. Digital Production and Postproduction Workflows (20 credits)
3. Languages of Film and Television (10 credits)

Term 2
1. Script Development (20 credits)
2. Directing for Film and Television (10 credits)
3. Group Projects (20 credits)

The final term is dedicated to the design and development of individual piece of work and accompanying report. This module accounts for half of all credits in the course, reflecting that it's the most important and also the most challenging part of the course.

Careers

A large number of graduates from this course have made striking progress in their careers since completing their course. There’s a wide variety of possible career paths open to you after completing this MA, both across industry and academia.

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“Science fiction, fantasy, musicals, and period films offer the most obvious platform of eye-catching design, but it should be remembered that even if the subject is contemporary, or the style emulates documentary, we are still witnessing an illusion which has been designed.”
Peter Ettedgui — Production Designer

The MA Film Production course is for gifted and emerging filmmakers seeking to learn on the job, to go beyond the short film, to define themselves as artists within a working film production crew, and to gain that vital production experience demanded by the industry.

Work Placements | In line with the courses’s emphasis on industry experience, you will be encouraged to undertake, seek out short-term work opportunities in your field. These can occur when your pathway is normally not involved in a particular production stage, for example with production designers during post-production. This opportunity is available for all students, Home/EU and for International, details can be found on our Working during and after page. The experience you and other students gain through this work out in the industry enhances and -compounds the learning and collaboration on the course.

NAMED AWARDS AVAILABLE IN

MA Film Production (Producing)
MA Film Production (Directing)
MA Film Production (Production Design)
MA Film Production (Cinematography)
MA Film Production (Editing)
MA Film Production (Sound Design)
MA Film Production (Documentary)
MA Film Production (Screenwriting)

Mirroring the working patterns of film production these named awards also reflect the degree of physical production engagement for these disciplines. With Producers, Directors and Documentary makers taking their films through all the stages from first idea, through to development, pre-production, production, post, and on right through to delivery to the audience. Whilst the disciplines of Production Design, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Design, and Screenwriting, over that same time period, will be engaged in the physical production, post of two or more films.

For the Portfolio Short Films made on the course, the budgets are seed funded. For other units, all the basic costs of materials and equipment are covered.

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Overview

Got a passion for filmmaking? Want to improve your professional showreel and boost your employability? Southampton Solent’s MA Film Production programme is ideally suited to students who want to learn advanced filmmaking techniques, working in professional studios and collaborating with expert tutors on a range of projects.

- Students study both fiction and non-fiction filmmaking techniques, developing their own unique style of cinematography.
- Southampton Solent’s media academy offers a comprehensive media loans scheme, giving students free access to a range of modern film-making equipment including high-definition (HD) video cameras and DSLR full-frame cameras. Students are also able to access a wide range of top-quality lenses and lighting kits.
- Students will work with Solent TV and Solent Productions, our on-campus production houses, to create work for their professional showreels.
- Investment into 4K technology has already begun, giving students access to the latest professional standards.
- Solent's media academy is home to three green screen studios, a large visual recording studio with capacity for 200 seated audience members and a range of industry standard post-production facilities.
- Southampton Solent University was voted for by students as one of the UK's top creative universities (Which? University student survey, 2014).
- Solent Creatives, our on-campus creative marketing agency, provides students with the opportunity to pitch for work on professional projects.
- Students will end the course by completing a master’s project, demonstrating the range of skills that they have learnt throughout the year.

The industry -

The UK film industry as a whole continues to go from strength to strength, with the number of companies involved in the film industry growing by 32% since 2009. As online video content becomes more and more popular, video production skills have become increasingly sought after by employers.

Many past students are running their own production businesses, working as in-house practitioners or securing budgets for creative projects through crowd-funding. This course will help students prepare for careers in video production, post-production, directing, producing and cinematography.

The programme -

This exciting course focuses on independent film-making and current practices in the film industry. Students will experiment with creative ideas from the outset, taking advantage of our industry-standard facilities, training and equipment.

Along the way students will be challenged to develop their own personal style of filmmaking, exploring new ideas and collaborating with other postgraduate students. Up-to-the-minute teaching and instruction help students to build on these skills and work towards their chosen career.

Students studying in the School of Media Arts and Technology benefit from a schedule of high calibre guest speakers and visiting fellows. Recent talks have been given by Anne V. Coates (Oscar winning editor), Paul Franklin (Oscar winner for visual effects on Inception), Brian Tufano (cinematographer on Trainspotting, Quadrophenia and Billy Elliot) and Sir Alan Parker (director of Fame, Evita, Bugsy Malone, The Commitments and Mississippi Burning).

Course Content

Programme specification document - http://mycourse.solent.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6152

Teaching, learning and assessment -

The course is taught through workshops, individual tutorials, seminars and research sessions.

Work experience -

You’ll have the opportunity to gain work experience through our two production houses: Solent Productions and Solent Creatives, which work with a wide variety of clients and media organisations.

You could be involved in writing, researching and producing work, as well as in practical film production in the studio and on location.

Assessment -

Assessment is through practical production projects, group and individual research, pitches and portfolio work.

Our facilities -

Our facilities and equipment are cutting-edge. They include:

- Three fully equipped digital studios, including a full HD studio (with 200 seats)
- Extensive Final Cut Pro HD editing stations
- Fully equipped multi-track sound studios
- HD cameras.

Study abroad -

Field trips may involve visits to film festivals in Rotterdam, New York, Berlin, London and Sheffield, and to the British Film Institute.

Web-based learning -

Solent’s virtual learning environment provides quick online access to assignments, lecture notes, suggested reading and other course information.

Why Solent?

What do we offer?

From a vibrant city centre campus to our first class facilities, this is where you can find out why you should choose Solent.

Facilities - http://www.solent.ac.uk/about/facilities/facilities.aspx

City living - http://www.solent.ac.uk/studying/southampton/living-in-southampton.aspx

Accommodation - http://www.solent.ac.uk/studying/accommodation/accommodation.aspx

Career Potential

Our graduates pursue a wide range of careers. Suitable roles for graduates include:

- Production
- Publishing
- Journalism
- Marketing
- Teaching.

Links with industry -

We have well-established industry links with ITV, the BBC, Talent TV, Glastonbury and Creamfields, giving our students access to industry professionals and up-to-the-minute experience.
Past students have worked on projects for B&Q, Fat Face, Ikea, Glastonbury, Cowes Week and Camp Bestival.

We also welcome regular guest lecturers from industry. Previous speakers have included directors Michael Apted and Alan Parker, producers Claire Lewis (7 Up) and Nik Powell (The Crying Game), cinematographer Brian Tufano (Trainspotting), editors Alex Mackie (CSI and Downton Abbey) and David Gamble (Shakespeare in Love) and television and radio presenter Zoë Ball.
We host key events for Southampton Film Week, which gives students the chance to meet and network with other industry professionals.

Transferable skills -

During the course you’ll develop a range of skills, encompassing research, creative thinking and problem-solving, along with experience in teamwork and working individually.

Tuition fees

The tuition fees for the 2016/2017 academic year are:

UK and EU full-time fees: £6,695

International full-time fees: £11,260

UK and EU part-time fees: £3,350 per year

International part-time fees: £5,630 per year

Other Costs -

Film Production- £300

Graduation costs -

Graduation is the ceremony to celebrate the achievements of your studies. For graduates in 2015, there is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £42 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost.
For more details, please visit: http://www.solent.ac.uk/studying/graduation/home.aspx

Next steps

Think you’ve got what it takes to craft a career in film? With professional facilities, expert teachings teams and a strong focus on employability, Southampton Solent University’s MA Film Production programme could be the perfect next step towards your dream career.

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MA Film & Television at Falmouth University reflects and interrogates the highly fluid nature of the contemporary screen media environment.

Our MA is distinguished from traditional courses in that it specifically addresses the diversity and crossover of today's film and television culture with the aim of producing adaptive thinkers and highly creative practitioners. Our academic focus engages and interrogates film and television's status in the 21st century, which is often defined in terms of the digital age and digital culture.

On the course you will be required to examine, interpret and contest the notion of digital culture historically, socially, politically and artistically through both your research and creative practice. You will interrogate the increasingly blurred boundaries between film and television, art and technology, production and consumption, with the outcome being a fracturing of traditional categorisations. We reflect an era in which screenwriters Aaron Sorkin (Newsroom, The West Wing) and Lena Dunham (Girls, Tiny Furniture) experiment with dialogue and narrative, while conceptual artists Sam Taylor-Wood (Nowhere Boy, Love You More) and Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave, Shame) have shifted from the art gallery to the cinema. Directors such as Ben Wheatley (A Field in England, Sightseers) and companies such as Curzon and Film4 are making use of multi-platform release schedules, and brands including HBO, Amazon and Netflix are shaping the very nature of not only what, but how, we watch. MA Film & Television understands this fundamentally shifting zeitgeist.

In examining industrial structure and visual form you will theorise the shifting dynamics of an age where anyone with a phone and a laptop has the ability to record, edit and disseminate visual projects. Such 'democratisation' has arguably made both creative uniqueness and clear industry pathways less discernable, but has provided a new and fruitful framework for those who have the ideas, talent, dedication and adaptability to embrace such immense transitional potential. However, despite these multitudinous transformations attributed to digital culture, the ethos of our MA contends that fundamental skills remain the basis of both sound academic work and creative practice. Rather than being fearful of what is to come, or nostalgic for the past, this course gives you the confidence to look at film and television critically, and acquire cutting edge creative skills in order to produce intelligent, innovative and inspirational visual work.

Our philosophy is one of flexibility, so you'll shape the curriculum around your own interests, whether in theory, creative practice, or a combination of the two. Drawn from the fundamentals of history, theory and criticism, our theoretical strand develops tomorrow's cineastes, cultural commentators, journalists and academics. This also underpins our approach to practice. The most successful film and television makers are students of their chosen medium, highly knowledgeable of historical legacy and social-political context. You'll not only learn how to develop, write, produce, shoot, record, direct and edit well, but why, philosophically and creatively, your ideas are worth being made.

Visit the website https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/film-television-ma

How the course is taught

Our passion is reflected both in the teaching and research track record of our academics, our industry connections and visiting speakers, and the quality of our film and television professionals. Crossing disciplinary areas such as cultural studies, sociology, journalism, English, philosophy and, of course, film and television studies, our MA offers academically-minded students comprehensive supervision and guidance for moving onto PhD research.

Industry and academic links

We have a strong visiting lecturer programme with recent guests including critics Dr Mark Kermode, Professor Linda Ruth Williams and Dr Will Brooker. Our practice tutors are active writers, producers, directors, editors, sound designers and cinematographers who create substantive work across all screen media. We have a wide range of contacts and industry specialists who contribute to the course, including Tony Grisoni (writer of Southcliffe, Red Riding, and How I Live Now), Mary Burke (producer of For Those in Peril, Berberian Sound Studio and The Midnight Beast), and James Henry (writer for Campus and Green Wing).

Falmouth University also recently hosted the Channel 4 Talent Day and we are active in developing work placements and internships for our students. We have sent many of students to Warp Films and TwoFour since 2009, and regularly update our webpages with work experience opportunities and jobs. Our graduates have proceeded to further study and jobs across the film and television industry, for HBO, Sky, ITV, Disney and have worked on major feature films, most recently including About Time (Richard Curtis, 2013) The World's End (Edgar Wright, 2013), The Double (Richard Ayoade, 2014) and Disney's forthcoming Cinderella (Kenneth Branagh, 2015). Falmouth University's MA in Film & Television is for students who to place themselves at the cutting edge of screen culture.

Course outline

The course is divided into three semesters of 15 weeks. Each semester offers the fundamentals vital to every academic and practitioner, and elective choices so you can shape your own learning.

What you'll do

- Study block 1
Foundation
The first semester consists of three core units, offering a diverse entry point to all aspects of the study of film and television, and the interrelationship of theory and practice:

Theorising Contemporary Film & Television Culture (Theory)

In this module you will explore the theoretical conceptualisations of film and television in the context of contemporary academic thought and popular discourse around the concept of digital culture. We will start from a point of questioning the multi-layered and contested effects of digital culture on film and television as discrete forms. You will consider the interrelationship and fusion between media in terms of production, distribution and exhibition examining the advent of new forms of representation and interaction. But we will also look at how traditional notion of film and television are being preserved and even being popular as a reaction to the effects of the digital. The module will also assess and interrogate the economic and technological developments of a more integrated and interactive media environment in terms of the cross-pollination of form and content, and socio-cultural effects on contemporary audiences.

Film & Television Industry Case Study (Theory/Practice)

In this module you will explore the industrial parameters of contemporary film and television based around the experience and expertise of current professionals. The module will utilise the School of Film & Television's many industry links to bring in guest speakers from the BBC, Channel 4, Sky, TwoFour Broadcast, Warp Films, Sheffield Doc Fest, Cornwall Film Festival, Doc Heads, BFI, Pinewood Studios, Dogbite and EngineHouse VFX. You will then have an opportunity to question these professionals about their respective sectors as a basis for a case study. Alternatively, you can investigate the sector/practitioner of your own choosing, with tutor support. The module will also contain workshops on the fundamentals of creative industry research and methodology. The module is designed so that you learn both the challenges and values of networking, and researching specific job roles and industry backgrounds in order to effectively plot your own career trajectory.

Creative Practices (Practice)

This module will engage you in the production workflow, focusing on how creative, professional and technical roles shape a final film or television project. Your weekly seminars and workshops will guide you through pre-production, production and post-production processes, enabling you to devise, develop and produce a short filmed project as part of a small crew of four to six students. You will, therefore, develop your technical skills and production practices in order to devise and deploy modes of creative practice which may include, but are not limited to, research and development, screenwriting, production management, producing, directing, cinematography, lighting, editing and the recording and design of sound.

- Study block 2
Specialisms
The second semester gives you the opportunity to specialise, choosing from a ranging of theory, practice or combination modules. Assessment of combination modules is either through an academic essay or a practice project. Potential optional modules include:

- Cultural Studies to Digital Sociology (Theory/Practice)
- Screen Futures (Theory/Practice)
- Globalisation in Film & Television (Theory/Practice)
- Factual Film & Television (Theory/Practice)
- Screenwriting for Film & Television (Theory/Practice)
- Work Placement (Theory/Practice)

- Study block 3
Expertise
Depending on your chosen specialism, in the third semester you'll produce either:

- Dissertation (Theory)
- Film & Production Portfolio (Theory/Practice)
- Conceptual Project (Theory/Practice)

Facilities

The purpose-built film school facilities include:

- 116-seat cinema, with Christie M Series HD projection (as used in Vue cinemas) and 7.2 surround sound

- Equipment store with a range of Blackmagic, Red, Panasonic, JVC, GoPro, Canon DSLR and C100 cameras and lenses, jibs, tracks and dollies

- Digital production suites equipped with Final Draft (screenwriting), Movie Magic (production management) and a range of edit software, including Adobe Creative Cloud/Suite, Final Cut and AVID

- Avid Unity MediaNetwork Edit server

- Recording and sound edit studios equipped with Pro Tools audio editing and Foley traps

- 14x8m TV studio with three studio cameras, full gallery facility, Chromatte grey screen, blue/green screen and full lighting rig

- Centroid 3D (Pinewood-networked) Motion Capture studio/research lab

- Virtual Studio using the latest technology

- 23,500-title TV and film library

Experience you'll get

- Highly flexible, student-focused curriculum

- Mentoring with industry professionals

- Opportunities for placement and work experience

- Creative environment for collaboration

- Using industry-standard software

- A vibrant visiting speaker programme

- Student experience-centred ethos

Assessment

- Continuous assessment with no formal examinations
- Core theory based on written assignments
- Core practice assessed on visual project and accompanying portfolios
- Elective modules all with theory/practice options
- Dissertation and/or major project in final semester

Careers

- Research, teaching or postgraduate study in art/humanities subject areas

- All technical/creative roles linked with direction, production, cinematography, editing, sound, lighting; writing for the screen; film and television criticism; research for film and TV

- Film and TV marketing, distribution and sales – digital and social media content/distribution

- Film festival and arts curatorship – media-based project management

Find out how to apply here - https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/apply

Visiting Us

We hold open days throughout the year so you can meet current students and staff, view our campuses and facilities, and find out more about studying at Falmouth.

Find out more - https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/open-days

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About the course
The International Film Production MA is an exciting new programme which allows you to develop your production management skills to a professional level, by working closely with the Creative Media Skills training centre at Pinewood. This course is ideally suited for graduates progressing from undergraduate study, or professionals seeking to develop their career.

The next available start date for this course is September 2017. (Subject to Validation)

The content of the course has been developed in partnership with Creative Media Skills at Pinewood Studios, meaning you can be assured that what you are learning is directly relevant to current industry practice. Throughout the course your time will be divided between Pinewood Studios in West London where you will focus on production management and fine skills, and on campus at DMU in Leicester, where you will focus on camera based skills and shoot your major project.
During the course, you will be given the opportunity to pursue specialisation in a range of areas, including production design, art direction, directing, assistant directing, cinematography, hair and makeup, prosthetics and production management. You will be expected to work collaboratively in developing and realising a production by taking on a head of department role, which will be allocated by tutors.

Reasons to study International Film Production at De Montfort University:
Developed in partnership with Creative Media Skills (CMS)
CMS is DMU’s partner at Pinewood Studios. It works hand in hand with government organisations, as well as the industry, to identify skills gaps and provide high-level targeted training in many areas of the film industry. CMS bring professionals and department heads into the classroom, and provides students with access to the UK film industry’s most valuable knowledge base – its staff.
Develop a range of production management skills
At DMU, these skills include scriptwriting, lighting and cinematography, image processing, directing and post production. At Pinewood you will focus on pitching, budgeting, production development, and fine skills. You will also gain core business expertise, such as an understanding of research and development, and wider careers planning.
Benefit from DMU’s expertise
At DMU, you will develop your filmmaking and camera based skills, learn about the UK film industry and shoot your major production. You will benefit from our outstanding studio spaces, and the skills and expertise of established research groups such as Cinema and Television History (CATH) Research Centre and Institute Of Creative Technologies (IOCT)
Learning at Pinewood Studios
The second semester of your learning will take place at the home of British Film, Pinewood Studios. While there, you will manage the development of a production and receive masterclasses on a range of fine skills from respected professionals actively working in the film industry.

To find out more

To learn more about this course and DMU, visit our website:
Postgraduate open days: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/open-evenings/postgraduate-open-days.aspx

Applying for a postgraduate course:
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/entry-criteria-and-how-to-apply/entry-criteria-and-how-to-apply.aspx

Funding for postgraduate students
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/postgraduate-funding-2017-18/postgraduate-funding-2017-18.aspx

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Develop your creativity and prepare for a career in film while gaining hands-on experience at Screen Academy Scotland on this Creative Skillset accredited course.

This course has been designed to help you embark on a career as a professional fiction film-maker in one of the following disciplines:

• directing
• cinematography
• editing
• sound
• producing

Teaching is through a combination of collaborative shared modules and modules that are geared to each individual discipline. You’ll spend about half your time focusing on your chosen discipline and the other half acquiring general film making skills.

The year culminates in a major project module in which you’ll work in your chosen discipline on one or more short fiction films.

See the website http://www.napier.ac.uk/en/Courses/MA-Film-Postgraduate-FullTime

What you'll learn

Coursework consists of a large number of practical exercises and projects that will deepen your technical, creative and professional film making skills.

As an Edinburgh Napier student, you’ll have access to Screen Academy Scotland, an active film-making hub in Edinburgh. It offers great scope for collaboration with some 200 or so students engaged in diverse film activities.

At the Screen Academy, you’ll have access to a complete range of professional production and post-production equipment, including Arri Alexa, HDCam, Super 16 mm, Avid, Final Cut Pro, Pro-Tools and a dubbing facility. You'll be supported by tutors who themselves have significant experience in the industry.

The Screen Academy is a professionally equipped facility and we expect student work to aspire to a level that is close to industry standard. It's one of only three Film Academies in the UK accredited by Creative Skillset, the film industry’s skills body, giving our graduates significant credibility in the industry.

In addition, Screen Academy students can buy an industry pass at a heavily-discounted rate to attend screenings, master classes and networking events at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June.

This course will advance your knowledge of your chosen specialist area as well as giving you a rounded understanding of other film making disciplines. The emphasis on professional skills will help maximise your chance of success.

Previous graduates have had their films screened at festivals around the world, including Venice, Beijing, Kolkata and Edinburgh. Many have gone on to win awards and commissions for TV and feature film projects.

This is a one year full-time course starting in September and is split up into three trimesters.

Modules

• Motion Graphics
• VFX
• Sound for Film 1
• Sound for Film 2
• Collaborative Techniques for Film 1
• Creative Practice for Film and TV
• Script Workshop 1
• Writing and Screen Project Development
• The Business of Screen Project Development
• Collaborative Techniques for Film 2
• Creative Practice for; Cinema
• Critical Film Study
• Masters Film Project

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Careers

On completion of this course, we would expect graduates to be ready to take up an entry level job in the industry, or in the case of outstanding students, set themselves up as an independent practitioner as either a director, producer, cinematographer, editor or sound designer.

High achieving students on the programme who would like to continue their studies will have the opportunity to apply for the MFA Advanced Film Practice. This provides a further year of intense, project-based film-making.

How to apply

http://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/postgraduate/how-to-apply

SAAS Funding

Nothing should get in the way of furthering your education. Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) awards funding for postgraduate courses, and could provide the help you need to continue your studies. Find out more: http://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/postgraduate/fees-and-funding/saas-funded-courses

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This is an exciting and dynamic time for documentary practice; in recent years there has been a renaissance in documentary, seeing huge developments in both technology and form. Documentary stories are now being told via telecommunications, in cinemas, on TV, and online.

In this contemporary course you will be provided tuition in the technological, ethical and intellectual developments in this recent boom in theatrical, broadcast and cross platform documentary. You will be taught by award winning documentary filmmakers and high profile TV, film and cross platform commissioners. Tutors Marc Isaacs , Helen Littleboy and Victoria Mapplebeck, are all active filmmakers with excellent industry contacts and through collaborating with them on work in progress you will gain a unique learning opportunity that will provide genuine vocational experience. We also welcome regular guest lecturers, giving students a direct link to industry professionals and the opportunity to learn from their substantial experience and expertise.

On graduating, our students are skilled in creative and professional documentary practice. We have one of the highest employability rates amongst UK Universities and our graduates have gone on to become award-winning filmmakers and journalists.

This is a split campus course, taught in both Egham and Bedford Square in central London.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/mediaarts/coursefinder/madocumentarybypractice.aspx

Why choose this course?

- We have had regular lectures from award winning filmmaker Marc Isaacs, Channel 4 commissioner Kate Vogel and Emily Renshaw Smith, commissioner of Current TV. Forthcoming guest lectures include BBC Director Adam Curtis, feature director Chris Waitts and Matt Locke, Commissioning Editor for New Media and Education at Channel 4.

- Guest commissioners provide students with knowledge of and links to current commissioning strategies. Several of our invited commissioners have subsequently worked with our students on developing their projects.

- You will have exclusive 24-7 access to six purpose-built editing rooms equipped with Final Cut Studio 2 on Mac Pro editing systems. Our Location Store provides an equipment loan and advisory support service with a lending stock that includes twenty Sony HVR-V1E cameras, twenty Sennheiser radio microphone kits and a selection of professional quality sound recording and lighting equipment.

- With access to the latest digital recording and editing equipment, and covering areas from authorship to authenticity, this course offers you an in-depth study of creative production, taking you from conception through commissioning to research, composition and exhibition.

- You will be provided with excellent tuition in self-shooting documentary filmmaking techniques. You will be able to meet the growing demand for self-shooting directors and producers in both the independent and commercial documentary industries.

Department research and industry highlights

- TRENT is an exciting and innovative collaborative project between the British Universities Film and Video Council (BUFVC) and Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Led by John Ellis the project brings together the nine existing online databases hosted and curated by the BUFVC which provide important film, radio and television material along with accompanying metadata and contextual information for academics, students, teachers and researchers. This project brings together all the material contained in these databases, yet Trent is not simply a master database. Instead it foregrounds creative searching through a common interactive interface using real-time ‘intelligent’ filtering to bringing disparate databases into a single search and discovery environment whilst maintaining the integrity and individual provenance of each.

- The EUscreen project is major funded EU project which aims to digitise and provide access to European’s audio-visual heritage. This innovative and ambitious three year project began in October 2009 and the project consortium is made up of 28 partners from 19 European countries and is a best practice network within the eContentplus programme of the European Commission. The Department of Media Arts at Royal Holloway’s is responsible for the content selection policy for EUscreen and those involved include John Ellis, Rob Turnock and Sian Barber.

- Video Active is a major EU-funded project aiming to create access to digitised television programme content from archives around Europe. It involves collaboration between the Department of Media Arts at Royal Holloway and Utrecht University, and eleven European archives including the BBC, to provide access to content and supporting contextual materials via a specially designed web portal. The team from the Department of Media Arts, who are John Ellis, Cathy Johnson and Rob Turnock, are responsible for developing content selection strategy and policy for the project.

- Migrant and Diasporic Cinema in Contemporary Europe is an AHRC-funded international Research Network, led by Daniela Berghahn, which brings together researchers from ten UK and European universities, filmmakers, policy makers and representatives from the cultural sector. The Research Network explores how the films of migrant and diasporic filmmakers have redefined our understanding of European identity as constructed and narrated in European cinema. The project seeks to identify the numerous ways in which multi-cultural and multi-ethnic presences and themes have revitalised contemporary European cinema by introducing an eclectic mix of non-Western traditions and new genres.

- Lina Khatib was awarded an AHRC Research Leave Grant to complete a book on the representation of Lebanese politics and society in Lebanese cinema over the last thirty years. The study focuses on cinema’s relationship with national identity in the context of the Civil War and the post-war period in Lebanon.

- Gideon Koppel was awarded an AHRC Research Leave Grant to complete his feature-length documentary portrait of a rural community in Wales, The Library Van, which has been partly funded by the Arts Council of Wales.

Course content and structure

You will study three core units during the year.

Core course units:
- From Idea to Screen
From Idea to Screen introduces the practice of documentary film making - exploring eclectic notions of the genre, from the conventional to those more associated with fine art. The course tutors also use their own work which is deconstructed across all its constituent parts idea, conception, pre-production planning, and research, shooting and post-production. Ideas to Screen will explore ways of translating observations and ideas into imagery – both visual and aural. There will be an emphasis on experimental forms of narrative – at time crossing the boundaries between fine art and documentary. For the final and assessed project in this unit, each student will be asked make a video ‘portrait’ of a character.

- Foundations of Production
Contemporary documentary production requires managerial and business skills as well as creative ones. This unit will instruct you in the industrial skills required for the production of video, television and multimedia documentary. These include researching the market, writing proposals, acquiring funding for development and production, drafting contracts, drawing up budgets, copyright clearance, and marketing.

- Major Documentary Production – Dissertation
Developing out of study, research and practice from previous units, you will direct and produce a substantial documentary production. This is the largest assignment in the course and is appropriately weighted. The unit is tutorial based.

On completion of the course graduates will have:

- gained invaluable experience of both authored and commercial documentary production

- the ability to develop their own ideas, preparing them for the documentary industry but also finding ways to reinvent it

- an understanding of documentary film genre and its changing boundaries as well as the changing technologies and their impact on the genre

- an advanced understanding of the processes of making a documentary film from initial concept to final form and the various stages of production.

- an awareness of the institutions and mechanisms of the UK film and television industry

- a critical knowledge of the current and changing platforms for documentary film, from cinema to television and the internet.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including project work, photo essays and written production papers.

Employability & career opportunities

On graduating, our students will be skilled in creative and professional documentary practice. We have one of the highest employability rates amongst UK Universities and our graduates have become award-winning filmmakers and BBC journalists; recently one of our alumni Charlotte Cook was appointed Strand Co -Coordinator of BBC’s prestigious Documentary Strand Storyville.

Our graduate students have won and been nominated for many awards including, The One World Broadcasting Trust Award and The Jerwood First Cuts Documentary. In 2009 two of our students, Aashish Gadhvi and Michael Watts won the One World Student Documentary Fund which funds challenging international documentary projects.

Syed Atef Amjad Ali has recently had his film The Red Mosque previewed at The Amsterdam International Documentary Festival. The Red Mosque was made with production funds Syed received from The Jan Virijman Fund and also from the One World-Broadcasting Award.

Chung Yee Yu has won the Cinematography Award at Next Frame (A Touring Festival of International Student Film and Video) Chung Yee Yu has also won the Silver Award of Open Category of IFVA (The Hong Kong Independent Short Film & Video Awards)

Recent graduate Suzanne Cohen has just has her work selected for the BBC’s Film Network website; an interactive showcase for ‘new British filmmakers, screening three new short films in broadband quality every week, adding to a growing catalogue of great shorts’.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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