Film and TV Production BA (Hons)

The Study Abroad module is a semester based 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which facilitate study abroad within the programme. You will undertake a semester abroad at a partner university equivalent to 60 UK credits. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be constructed to meet the learning outcomes for the programme for the semester in question, dependent on suitable modules from the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University.

Learning outcomes on the year-long modules on which the student is unable to attend the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.

The Study Abroad module is a semester based 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which facilitate study abroad within the programme. You will undertake a semester abroad at a partner university equivalent to 60 UK credits. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be constructed to meet the learning outcomes for the programme for the semester in question, dependent on suitable modules from the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University.

Learning outcomes on the year-long modules on which the student is unable to attend the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.

You will learn about narrative and storytelling in film and TV documentaries. This will include learning about the history, theory and practice of existing influential documentaries, developing your skills in identifying a strong factual storyline, and then learning how to pitch, plan, and produce a short documentary film. You will also learn how to reflect critically on your own film and those of others. The module includes sessions on: the key elements of narrative documentary, observational filming techniques, establishing the documentary idea and creating a successful proposal or pitch, building a relationship with your contributor and planning a successful shoot, shooting script development and scheduling a creative documentary – and the blurred line with fiction, critiquing a documentary and writing a reflective commentary, editing for story and truth, and tracking and recording your own insights and learning.

This is the second module in the Screenwriting pathway and this time allows you to take part in the TV Writer’s Room.

The TV writer’s room is a unique environment where lead by your tutor, you will work on a serialised television series from initial idea through to final draft stage of the script development process. This process uses the creativity of the whole class to break story’, create compelling characters, and structure a multi-episodic scripted drama. You will work on an individual script, from treatment stage through to first, and second draft stage with a final third draft polish. You will respond to notes, learn how to write believable dialogue and credible screen directions, you will also learn how to write to deadlines, construct an episodic treatment, and how to take creative direction from the series Showrunner – your module tutor. Each individual episode will have a twenty four minute runtime. This is an intense and advanced experience, essential for all students interested in a screenwriting or script editing career. It is also very useful for potential writer/directors, or creative producers.

This is the first module in the Screenwriting pathway.

The module aims to enable you to develop the potential of ideas into a realised screenplay work. Tutors will facilitate and encourage critical discussion of the screenplay work within an informed and supportive environment and also support you to develop your ability to use the techniques and processes of screenplay writing to create strong and coherent stories. You will also be enabled to develop screenplays within an appropriate format to a professional standard such as writing for the screen in two specific areas: short films and serialised screenwriting for television. This module builds upon the skills learned in Screenwriting 1 at Level 4 and allows you to follow this specialist pathway in Screenwriting on the programme.

You will be expected to have demonstrated an understanding and practical application of how to structure a story in both short scripts and longer form scripts to maximum dramatic effect. You will have completed a practical demonstration of how to delineate and develop characters and how to write screen dialogue.

This module provides a two-fold approach to your professional practice within a real world context. Firstly, it foregrounds the importance of a work placement or equivalent project in you gaining understanding of the operations of the media industries. Classes will focus on you developing a wide range of skills to equip you for a media career, ranging from the expertise needed to set up and operate as a freelancer, through negotiating and networking skills, to employment rights and idea development. This contextual section of the module also aims to introduce you to the requirements and considerations facing graduates about to enter the media and creative industries, in order to help you bridge the gap between education and post-graduation employment. During this section you will develop greater awareness and first-hand experience of the industries in which you hope to work as well as hone your professional attitude, etiquette and employability skills. You will learn career development and entrepreneurial skills; you will be supported in the research, development and writing of a detailed career development plan, and the achievement of a negotiated ‘smart’ target in the pursuit of the first stages of that plan – such as updating a CV, increasing industry contacts, or researching industry roles. Secondly, you will be supported in the search for and undertaking of a work placement or brief equivalent negotiated project giving you exposure to professional practice within the media industry, which you will carry out and evaluate within the scope of the module, negotiated and agreed within the parameters dictated by the production environment and the opportunities available at the time of the module.

This is the second module on the Level 5 Film & TV Production pathway and this time allows you to learn about Drama, building on your knowledge gained in the Documentary module.

This module focuses on current film and TV industry practices in content production for fiction with a wider creative and critical awareness. It encourages independent and innovative thinking alongside an increased ability to organise for drama production in ways relevant to current practices.

This module explores fictional forms including feature film practices in the contemporary film & television industries. The module develops key entry-level skills for the fiction film industry, delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and independent viewing. It also specifically develops skills in developing and pitching ideas.

Small self-motivated production teams will produce one fictional production of six minutes in length during the module based on a script created by the group.

Directing actors for the screen focuses on the skills and practices used by directors when working with actors in film and television. This module will explore the craft of the director through a series of lessons leading to a short fictional production. Aspects of drama production for the screen such as casting, rehearsal and textural interpretation are covered in this module. Directing Actors will develop your understanding of key skills such as camera placement, the principles of using different shot sizes, and how to work with text. The module will provide insight into the creative and critical contexts that underpin processes such as casting. It will allow you to explore and critically reflect on carious ethical concerns raised by working with actors. The module will also provide opportunities to demonstrate your creativity and imagination via the creation of a short fiction film in which one actor/character is the key focus.

This Creative Development module is where you get the opportunity to develop stories, approaches and creative deportments with a range of creative activities in preparation for your 3rd year work.

The module is designed to enable you to investigate and explore the potential of stories by employing alternative creative techniques &/or oblique strategies. It should stimulate new approaches to storytelling for you, in-part challenging pre-conceived notions of narrative, and stimulating original ideas/practice. You are required to evidence critical engagement within your work, demonstrating a progression of ideas to reach your final submitted piece. You will learn how to challenge conformity in films and stories, research into work that is created through personal history and responses, apply creative approaches and techniques to stimulate the imagination, explore the possibility of a story through a place, use objects to stimulate story ideas and approaches, find stories in the creation and manipulation of images, stimulate ideas through the creation and manipulation of sound and communicate your ideas through a film manifesto.

This Module further develops and embeds concepts introduced in Film Production 1, building on your knowledge of specialist camera equipment and visual language. Cinematography describes the art of photography and camerawork in film making, not just capturing pretty pictures. The camera is a cinematic tool and its use should inform audience perception of plot and character. Cinematic storytelling manipulates our emotions, revealing character and plot - sometimes without our immediate knowledge. The audience may not be consciously aware – but can feel it has meaning. Cinematography exists in context and its only purpose is to serve the material at hand. There are 6 main components related to Cinematography. As well as being technical, these can be used as part of a creative design to make your audience ‘feel’.
• Camera Placement
• Lens Selection
• Movement
• Composition
• Lighting
• Colour palette

IN terms of post-production, you will develop your editing skills in Avid and also progress to grading and sound mixing exercises using industry-standard software; you will also consider the theory and craft of editing in its creative and editorial context, regardless of the platform used.

The module will focus on the televisual representation and articulation of cultural identities in Britain and the US. We will look at how gender, ethnicity, national and regional identities are constructed through an examination of different genres and areas of screen media, such as drama, comedy and current affairs. We will explore issues such as class, gender and racial stereotypes, visibility of minority groups and integration. Throughout the course we will also consider the function of television, considering what its role might be in the construction of cultural identities.

Following a case study approach, you will investigate the idea of media events in historical, conceptual and organisational terms. The module will explore how particular events (e.g. media festivals and award ceremonies) are developed, structured and organised. The aim is to consider how we, as scholars of media and culture, might conceptualise events and in so doing gain a clearer understanding of their dynamics, practices and their impact upon industry and society. In this way, the module will illustrate the key ways in which specific media events have been framed in scholarship and how these ideas might begin to be applied in the real world. As such, the module encourages you to develop a critical response to media events and, in so doing, reflect upon their broader historical, cultural and socio-political significance. The lectures will introduce key concepts that will be explored in the seminars. The main part of each seminar will focus upon group tasks and discussion of the theme, specific event or set texts. Seminar discussions are also intended to develop your communication skills and your ability to develop and respond to ideas in a collaborative environment. You are expected to prepare for the sessions by studying the set text(s) for each week, and also by carrying out additional recommended reading/viewing (which will be indicated in the module guide and on the e–Learning Portal).

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.