Film and Television Production BA (Hons)

On this module you will develop your research and academic skills. Working with visiting professionals, you will begin in depth research into an area that interests you. This research will be framed around learning about the differences between regional, national and international industries. While investigating your chosen topic, you will also interrogate the issues surrounding media theory and practice.

Working in television requires being able to work in multiple roles across multiple projects. On this module, you will learn the basic relevent technical, production and collaborative skills needed to produce a TV show. As an individual, you will produce different genres of studio shows. As a collaborator, you will work in a group to create a studio show. As well as learning new skills, you will understand the importance of health and safety laws, as well as production etiquette and research methods. 

On this module, you will develop your knowledge of the processes and technical skills required for media production, such as: 

• Production management as it relates to location production
• Basic location camera and sound operation
• Collaboration and conflict resolution
• Awareness of roles and responsibilities of location production
• Basic production research
• Basic interview techniques

You will produce a package for news and features, a short documentary and a reflective document. 

On this module you will explore some of the contemporary debates and issues which impact media production today. We will consider the cultural, economic and political power of media, and what this means for both producers and audiences. Through this module you will further develop your study skills, including:

• Research methods
• Essay writing
• Theoretical and historical modes of study
• Referencing skills
• Sourcing and using evidence

This enquiry-based, interactive style of learning will help to build your knowledge and confidence in your writing, preparing you for the more independent study you will need to carry out later in the course.

This module brings together all of the practical film and television making skills and knowledge you have gained in your first year. Through this introductory module for creating fictional projects, you will examine and investigate various production techniques, conventions and styles. You will have the opportunity to engage in the practical activity of developing fictional content for the screen, as we nurture your creativity and professionalism in film and TV production. As part of the module we will also address production ethics, issues of representation and the legal frameworks to which screen artefacts should comply.

On this module you will explore the art of storytelling and learn to write fictional narratives for the screen. This will involve investigating storytelling devices and techniques, as well as scriptwriting conventions and styles. You will begin to generate and develop your own stories for the screen, as well as learning professional formatting standards and engaging with the ethics of representation. You will learn to identify opportunities for exploiting story concepts, and turn your ideas into creative outputs.

Through lectures, visiting speakers, seminars, selected screening and group tasks, you will explore theories in documentary forms and contexts, as well as their implications for the audiences. You will look at how to define a documentary, as well as the impact of different types of factual films. Your practice will develop through seminars, workshops, visits from documentary makers and a practical exploration of pitching, funding and research. 

This module is your introduction to the exciting and controversial world of experimental film making. You will learn about underground, alternative, non-Hollywood and avant garde filmmakers and their impact on mainstream media. You will develop an understanding of the differences between distributing and exhibiting experimental films and more conventional media. For your assessment, you will produce an avant garde work and reflective portfolio.

On this module, you will delve into the world of transmedia, defined as a narrative told across multiple media platforms. This is an opportunity for you to to find creative solutions to critical problems and develop your digital literacy. Your role will be as an independent producer of a piece of transmedia. You will be responsible for all aspects of production, from the initial concept to creating the work.

On this module, you will produce a short film or TV drama to be shown at a film festival. Your research will include alternative and historical film making practices. While creating your film, you will also be required to develop a marketing strategy, including:

• Research into potential audiences
• Targeting specific film festivals or outlets appropriate for their film's exhibition
• Social media marketing strategies
• Crowdfunding
• Press packs, posters, trailers and merchandise 

Throughout the history of cinema, there has been conflict as to whether "indie" is a genre, with clear tropes and styles, or work that is made outside of the studio system. On this module, you will investigate the idea of "independent cinema" and analyse the difficulties of agreeing on an absolute definition of the term. Your analysis will cover ideas of exploitation cinema, how we define quality and the ways in which independent films are marketed. Specific topics you will cover include:

• United Artists and early independent practice
• The role of independent production companies at major studios 
• Queer cinemas
• Films produced by people of colour
• The growth of 'indiewood', 'minor-majors' and 'mini-majors'
• British independent cinema in the absence of studios 

On this module you will explore how institutions and industry can impact television production. The media landscape is changing and you will look at the challenges and advantages of digital distribution. In an age of mass consumption and Video On Demand (VOD), more content needs to be available than ever before. You will consider how a digitised industry can and has affected labour markets, especially with the rise of high production shows, such as Game of Thrones.

On this module you will develop your own research project on a sports journalism or media topic you are passionate about. This could relate to your career aspirations, your practical work, or a theoretical concept. We will teach you about research methods and ethics so that you can apply ethical research methods to your work. You can choose to write a traditional dissertation or a piece of practice-led work. Alternatively, you could produce a piece of critical media and write a short thesis to support it.

The world of media is best explored practically. You will complete 200 hours of learning as part of a professional production team. Within this timeframe, you will work on all aspects of a production, from pitching ideas, to time management and delivering the product. Supported by tutors, industry experts and technical staff, you will work to a brief set as set by major broadcasters. You will be assessed based upon the requirements of your clients and how you follow professional compliance practices.

Quality cinematography and production design are essential pieces of a successful media project. On this module, you will develop a key historical, theoretical, and intellectual understanding of production design and cinematography. You will be encouraged to explore and experiment regarding your approach to the techniques of cinematography:  

• Movement  
• Lighting  
• Colour Theory  
• Screen aesthetics  
• Texture 

On this module, you will explore a creative specialism related to your chosen professional practice in media production. Specifically, you will focus on how you will develop your vision with performances in mind. This includes analysis of how the body and voice are brought together on screen, as well as understanding the key components of connecting with a non-live audience.

On this module, you will study and practise skills related to collaboration, reflexive working and keeping costs within budget. You will consider different styles of production co-ordination, organisational management, planning, communication and people management. This is a great opportunity for you to identify and develop your own management style.

Topics may include:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Dealing with change and challenging existing forms of practice
• Production hierarchies
• Production management software
• Health and safety regulation and risk assessing

This module is your opportunity to develop your artistic craft while exploring a specific media form. You will work on a piece of media and use your knowledge and experience to investigate the possible legacy of your work. When investigating the future implications of media, you will look at various areas of cultural interest, including:

• How films and television programmes function as visual artefacts
• How film and television visual post-production processes have developed in relation to technological, socio-economic and political factors
• How various kinds of historical norms, conventions and styles of post-production emerged and how they have been contested and challenged

On this module you will bring together the knowledge and skills you have developed to produce a substantial media artefact. This could be in the form of a film, a series of written features, or a magazine. You will present a project proposal to your supervisor which will include an explanation of the idea, target audience and budgets, plans for distribution, and marketing materials. You will then plan and produce the media artefact, working either individually or as part of a team.

Using multiple cameras when filming a scene or event is a unique art form that requires distinct skills and rules. On this module, you will explore creative uses of multi-camera filming set ups and develop your own creative practice. You will create a portfolio of audio-visual material, developed during the module, to a specific brief negotiated between you and your supervisor, this may include:

• A group-produced TV show
• Promo video
• Scripts
• Research file
• Production paperwork

On this module, you will specialise in a discipline related to sound by creating an original piece of audio media. Your practice will involve gathering of audio, through to the final stages of post production. You will develop practical skills for creating professional audio and editing sound for film and television. Throughout the module, you will consider they way in which media appeals to our senses, emotions and reason, and how audio production strategies can effect these.