English Language Foundation

This unit focuses on your ability to understand and use the English language accurately when you read, speak, listen and write. We will concentrate on the English you need for undergraduate level study in your chosen subject area, covering grammar, subject area vocabulary and the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

A key element of the unit is the grammar of the language, and particularly the verb tense system in English, because your ability to use the verb tense system accurately will be extremely important when you come to write essays and reports. This unit will focus in particular on the grammar of the language.

We will also focus on reading, listening and speaking skills in the context of your chosen subject area. Beginning with short texts, we will practise each skill and practise it again, so that gradually you will see, hear and feel that your command of the language is improving. 

A recurring focus of the unit will be your acquisition of 'learner autonomy'. This means your ability to acquire the language yourself, without needing a teacher's help. This is important because from next year you will not have an English teacher to help you. So we will consider and practise strategies to help you gain confidence in your own ability to increase your knowledge of and ability to use the language, including for instance guessing meaning of difficult words, deciding which words are important in a text, recognising differences between formal and informal language, and other strategies, so that as the first semester continues, you begin to feel more confident in your use and experience with the English Language.

Academic Skills Foundation

When you begin your undergraduate level studies, you will be expected to have knowledge of and ability to use a large range of 'study skills'. You will also be expected to have some knowledge of the subject area you will  be studying. This unit deals with both of these aspects of your preparation for undergraduate level study. 

All of the academic skills are practised in English, so you will use your developing acquisition of the language from the partner unit 'English Language Foundation' to practise and gain mastery of these skills. You will also use your language and study skills as you learn the foundation of your subject area, putting the skills into practice as you learn.

Developing English Language Skills

This unit builds on the progress you made during its partner semester 1 unit 'English Language Foundation' and increasing your level from that which you had achieved by the end of semester 1. 

We will recycle the tense system in English and other elements of the grammar system, but you will  now learn how to use other aspects of the grammar, including the passive voice, as well as linking words and phrases and devices which enable you to write longer sentences but retain grammatical accuracy. 

You will notice that we gradually introduce more specialist language that you need in preparation for your degree and we will expect you to use and develop the skills that you gained in the previous units so that you are able to work more independently.

Academic Skills Development

This unit builds on the skills learnt and practised in its partner semester 1 unit 'Foundation Academic Skills'. We will add more skills to the list, including summarizing and synthesising, argumentation, critical thinking and referencing and citation skills, as well as several others and practise and test them in the same way as with the semester 1 unit.

We will also investigate the research skill and you will learn how to prepare a research proposal and conduct a literature review, and how to plan a research project, learning about the research tools available and how they can be used to conduct research in your chosen field. 

You will continue to broaden your knowledge of key current issues and theory in your chosen subject area, and apply the critical thinking and argumentation skills you acquire in this unit to argue for and against propositions you have studied in the form of in both essays and presentations and in seminar situations, ensuring that you are ready to step up to your chosen undergraduate course with a base level of subject area knowledge from which to continue your academic development as you progress to level 4 study.

Content And Creation

This unit provides an introduction to the film and television industry and the creation and development of film and television programme content.  There will be a specific focus on the roles and responsibilities of the producer and production manager.  The unit will also introduce the world of film and TV programme pitching and development and the commissioning process in these industries.  The unit will help you understand how the film and TV industries operate and develop your research, producing and production management skills.

Reading The Screen

This unit introduces students to the basic principles of textual analysis of audiovisual material alongside developing an understanding of processes of transmediality and intertextuality across different media.

It focuses on “the silver screen”, specifically contemporary global cinema, as well as dealing with other technologies and screen media of the 21st century.

Different theories and approaches to audiovisual material are introduced including overview of topics such as genre, authorship, stardom/celebrity, feminist film theory and ideology. The central question that this unit addresses is, “What is the difference between reading the screen and watching a film/tv drama/online video?”

This unit aims to:

• Understand the main aspects of film style (narrative, mise-en-scène, cinematography, editing and sound design);
• Grasp the role played by celebrities, genres and auteurs in creating meaning in audiovisual material;
• Become familiar with theoretical approaches, drawing upon film and media theories and more contemporary developments.
• Equip students with key academic skills for their courses.

Film Production

This unit is designed to develop your skills in film production by asking what is required for you to conceive an idea and to be able to successfully realise it on screen.

In film production there are a set a rules for joining shots together

and these rules need to be clearly understood in order for you to become an accomplished film practitioner. However, these rules cannot simply be mastered in theory as they have to be developed as practical skills. These rules can be understood by studying the requirements of the continuity system.

In film production it is practice, practice and more practice which will build your necessary ability to make successful films.

In this unit you will be given the opportunity to build your production skills and master the basic skills of film production through a series of structured workshops and practical exercises.

You will study and understand the continuity system, blocking and choreographing shots, how to work as part of a production team and how to work with performers.

In turn, this combination of skills will put the ability to make successful and creative decisions in your hands as you build your film production skills to become a more fluent and expressive filmmaker.

Making Images

This unit provides an opportunity to focus in depth on the principles, techniques and practice of image making through still and moving images on location and in the studio. The unit will help you develop the range of skills you need to approach image making in a creative and professional manner and record sound on location and in the studio. It will help you develop a strong, personal visual style by making you aware of traditional craft-based techniques as well as cutting edge digital skills. The unit will also explore the work of individual photographers and film and video makers  and look at a wide range of subjects and genres drawn from the history of image making practice.
 
During the course of the unit you will learn
-        a critical understanding of the basic principles, techniques and practice of image making and sound recording.
-        a systematic and creative understanding of the relationships between image and sound making and technology.
-        a critical understanding of how the cultural and socio-political background affects what image makers past and present choose to capture with their camera.

Fiction Filmmaking

This unit will ensure you understand the technique and craft of writing narrative drama for film and offers the opportunity to apply these principles to the production of a short fiction film. In doing so you will be challenged to consider a wide variety of contexts that inform your production work from initial idea to finished film.

The unit will equip you with a comprehensive understanding of a range of technologies and techniques that underpin production work in fiction film-making and gives you the opportunity to explore in a systematic way the various roles of key production personnel such as director, producer, cinematographer, production designer, sound recordist, editor, dubbing mixer, colourist.

It will also familiarise you with the techniques and craft of shooting for single and multi-camera drama productions and develop your capacity to evaluate current production technologies and their impact on the history of fiction filmmaking in the cinema.

Cinema And Narrative

 This unit explores narrative, allowing students to develop their understanding of storytelling conventions for the screen . The core question at the centre of this unit is: How are stories told through moving images?
 
 
This unit focuses on non-classical film and video , drawing on case studies from post-war European cinema, contemporary world cinema, American smart cinema and more recent productions for the small screen. After examining the persistence of the classical mode of narration, it will explore a range of issues, including adaptation, remake and puzzle narrative among others. Building on theories of myth and fairytales, the unit emphasises different strategies of narration and story- telling in relation to different historical, cultural  and social contexts.
 
 
This unit raises awareness of storytelling practices beyond classical Hollywood; developing critical and analytical skills and
extending the knowledge of narrative conventions and their context in screen history.

Non-Fiction Filmmaking

This unit is a practical and critical examination of non-fiction film which sets out to explore the history, theory and practice of different modes of representing reality in cinema.

This unit will enable you to achieve high production values in your practical work as well as facilitating your ability to work in small production teams to produce a short non-fiction film.

You will learn to use digital recording and editing equipment with confidence and develop a critical understanding of production values in practical work

You will also examine the codes and conventions of the genre by looking critically at the history, theory and techniques of documentary practice.

Becoming A Freelancer

Developing a professional persona and working on assignments with a professional brief is an important part of developing skills and building links with relevant industry contacts. This unit enables you to prepare for the real world environment. 

In the unit, you will examine the nature of freelancing in the media industry and it will build the confidence needed to find and establish contacts, essential for securing work in the creative industries.  You will be supported by a tutor as you audit your skills, update your CV, develop contacts through explicit networking and create a personal development plan which charts your employability development.

Writing For The Screen

This unit will ensure you understand the technique and craft of writing narrative drama for film. The unit critically examines the principal characteristics of writing narrative drama and follows the development path most common in the media industries, starting with an idea and outline and progressing through to the rough draft, full script and rewrite. The unit is structured around an exploration of the key elements of classical narrative: story, character, 3-act structure, plot, theme, genre and style. Through a series of workshop sessions and exercises you are offered the opportunity to improve your writing and storytelling skills for narrative film by writing a complete short fiction screenplay to 2nd draft.

Contemporary Practices

This unit reflects on cultural, theoretical and technological developments in the film industry. The unit enables students at an advanced level to interpret and interrogate films in their historical and cultural contexts, with a particular emphasis on funding, distribution and exhibition. In addition, the unit provides an overview of different issues and theoretical paradigms relevant to contemporary cinema.

The aims of this unit are to:

• Gain an understanding of cultural, political and economic factors involved in the production, exhibition and distribution of contemporary films;
• Provide different theoretical approaches and an opportunity for sustained film interpretation.

Post Production For Sound And Image

Editing and post-production have undergone radical changes over the past few years. New equipment and practices have meant that editing has evolved into a highly sophisticated computerised craft. This unit emphasises a practical, working knowledge of non-linear editing and post-production processes for digital sound and image as  used in  film, music and media  industries. You will learn about the techniques, technologies and practices that make digital media possible, from working with digital files to understanding and following effective workflows that will enhance the finished quality of your work.

Major Project: Film

This unit allows you to demonstrate the skills, ideas and learning acquired during your degree in an extended piece of film production practical work OR a script OR in a film-studies related dissertation, that is self-initiated, self-managed, and supported by your assigned supervisor. 

The dissertation option is an individual study. The project focus should be taken from your main area of interest within your course and will require the prior approval of the unit coordinator.

The scriptwriting option is an individual study. The script project should be taken from your main area of interest within your course and will require the prior approval of the unit coordinator.

The practical option can only be undertaken as group activity, there will be no individual projects permitted. Your group will work on a project that requires you to complete a film production (this may be drama, documentary, experimental etc.).

Research, Development And Industry

To provide an opportunity to focus in depth on the development of a media project. You will work with a supervisor to produce a portfolio of applicable production development documents. These will not only help you work towards your final project/dissertation but also enable you to investigate relevant industry contexts and practices relevant to your chosen field of exploration.

To enhance your critical understanding of the value of effective production research and development in both professional and academic contexts.

To enhance your understanding of the relationships between the proposal, development and production documentation to potential production outcomes. 

To enable you to understand and apply the expected high professional standards of industry to your own work.

To enable you to develop effective research methods for academic enquiry. 

To emphasise the need to have effective research and preparation in production/employment contexts.