Media 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 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 relevant technical, production and collaborative skills needed to produce a TV studio 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 related to local 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 packages 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 develop the core skills needed for success as a solo digital content creator. It is an opportunity to expand your creative digital skillset across different media, and to engage with audiences on diverse platforms. It is also an important module for your future career planning, as we encourage you to consider the challenges and demands of working individually on set briefs and projects. Through this module you will be able to demonstrate your ability to draw on a wide range of skills to meet a brief.

This module will involve exploring theories in documentary forms and contexts, as well as considering their implications for the audiences. Through lectures, visiting speakers, seminars, selected screenings and group tasks, you will discuss 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 provides an introduction to the world of magazine creation, curation and publication. You will explore core concepts of production and design, learning to produce magazine content that attracts and engages audiences. When putting together materials, you will consider the specific target audiences for your project and carry out market research to help you content tailored for them. For your assessment you will produce an original magazine, as well as undertaking market research to support your brand.

Understanding the industry and practices of PR and Communications is essential for journalistic success. On this module you will work on a real PR campaign to promote your own media project. You work will be influenced by investigations into the following key concepts:

• Media relationships
• Digital and social media management
• Issues and crisis management
• Events management
• Internal communications

At the end of the module you will submit a portfolio of work for assessment.

On this module, you will produce a short fiction 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
• Creating 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 if it is a 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 debates surrounding 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 industries can impact television production. The media landscape is changing, and you will investigate the challenges and advantages of digital distribution. In an age of mass consumption and video on demand (VOD), more content needs to be made 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 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. On this module you will complete 200 hours of work place 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 on the requirements of your clients and how you follow professional compliance practices.

On this module, you will work as an independent producer and create narrative content for podcast or radio broadcast. The piece can be either documentary or drama based. Your work will be created for the specific broadcast format that you choose, which will be negotiated between you and your supervisor. Skills and knowledge covered on the module will include:

• Audio storytelling techniques
• Voice training
• Multitracking
• Podcast theory and practice
• Audience research
• Ofcom, law and ethics

On this module you will bring together the knowledge and skills you have developed throughout your degree to produce a substantial piece of sports journalism. This could be in the form of a documentary, 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.

This module is an 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 consider 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

Using multiple cameras when filming a scene or event is a unique art form that requires distinct skills and understanding. On this module, you will explore the creative use of multi-camera filming set ups, and develop your own creative practice in this area. 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 everything from the 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 how which media appeals to our senses, emotions and reason, and how audio production strategies can effect these.