Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module will explore the concept of practice-based research and enable students to engage in a crew-based documentary film production. The output will be in the form of an audio-visual piece/film (length 10-20 mins) accompanied by a written production critique. The ambition is to equip students to produce short films that are of sufficient technical and aesthetic quality to be submitted for exhibition at local and regional film festivals.

Building on experience from Levels 4 and 5, students have the opportunity to concentrate on the more advanced image-making capabilities of the filmmaking tool kit and will encourage audio-visual risk-taking. Students will be encouraged to engage with the management of more substantial and sophisticated productions.

This module aims to:
- Enable students to obtain a comprehensive understanding of research techniques applicable to their own work in terms of both written, research-based and practice-based outputs.
- Develop practice-based abilities both in technical areas and in terms of production roles for documentary-making, which will be in line with professional production standards.
- Enable students to demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and to act autonomously within a team, in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level.
- Enable students to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively and communicate clearly through their research to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Enable students to work in groups and employ initiative, personal responsibility and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.
- Enable students to work in groups (and as solo-filmmakers if circumstances dictate, eg in line with public health guidance) and employ initiative, personal responsibility and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.

Outline Of Syllabus

This syllabus is divided into three sections, which are developmental. The first section will reflect on the notion of the reflective practitioner, where students approach filmmaking as a practice-based form of research. The process of writing about filmmaking as a critical and creative reflective practice begins with students submitting their film project proposal. Students will also be expected to pitch their project to a tutor who will then decide which of the films will be ‘commissioned’. Students will then form production crews (or if circumstances dictate, proceed as solo-filmmakers) to work on the selected project. The proposals are formally assessed (10%) at the end of semester 1.

The second section is the main period of independent study and production work with students working in their crews (or as solo filmmakers if circumstances dictate) to shoot and edit their footage. The film will be worth 70% of the total marks.

The third section involves the students individually reflecting on their work and writing up their production critique (20%).

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On successful completion of this modules, students will have demonstrated:
- A critical and engaged understanding of film practice and relevant film theory informed by a range of current research issues, which will include ethical and personal responsibility.
- A sophisticated knowledge of film practice supported by a highly developed understanding of practice-based research and documentary production techniques and skills.
- A comprehensive understanding of research techniques in relation to outputs for both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- A critical appreciation of current research and advanced scholarship in the shared disciplines of film practice and film theory.
- A sophisticated understanding of production planning and research enabling the production of a research-based film to a high academic level and high professional standing.

Intended Skill Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students will have:
- The skills to be able to evaluate and develop a critique of their own film practice and where appropriate propose new hypotheses and practices.
- The skills to be able to continue and advance knowledge and understanding and to develop their practice in new ways and to higher levels.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

At the end of the first part of the module with the completion of a film project proposal and pitch, students will confirm their production crews, and if their project is accepted, the project will have a supervisor attached to it. This supervisor will at various times in semester one meet with the students both formally and informally to provide support, advice and specialist research and practice-based knowledge. At the same time in the first semester, practical information about accessing information and its management, making contact with those involved in the research fieldwork and production skills will be delivered through formal lectures, practical sessions and group learning. Each session adopts the most appropriate format to address the particular needs of the groups. As the student groups progress in their production and post-production phases of their practice, more informal supervision support becomes predominant.

Students will work as a 4-member-crew, and the norm is for the crew to have not less than 3 and no more than 5 members. Every student is entitled to 6 hours of supervision and therefore typically a four-member crew will get 24 hours of supervison. The sessions will involve the reading and feedback of work-in-progress, assemblies and cuts, as well as a draft of the production critique.

Note - the student will switch to individual productions if public health guidelines dictate. Lecture presentations will be on campus but can be switched to online if public health guidelines dictate.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessments enable the students to demonstrate their intellectual grasp of non-fiction film production and aesthetics and to illustrate this through a film project - a 10-20-minute film (or equivalent). Given the emphasis on practice, the production of the finished film forms the major part of the assessment, but the film project proposal, the pitching sessions and the reflective production critique provide the students an opportunity to articulate the theoretical and methodical considerations that informed their practice with a confidence to present to a professional body.

General Notes

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