Year 2 (national level 5):
Core modules:
- Documentary Production (20 credits)
Devise, develop and deliver a short documentary in groups. Analyse the documentary form and further develop production skills such as planning, organisation, production management, camera, lighting, sound, digital workflow, and post-production techniques.
- Employment in Screen and Audio Industries (20 credits)
Develop contextual, practical and critical skills you’ll need to survive in the screen and audio industries. Focus on mapping your employment journey through different industry sectors and make media content about this via a podcast and digital content. Set up work placements and make professional contacts in the creative industries. Learn about essential legal, ethical, compliance and diversity issues. Meet key industry and University services such as BBC Careers Hub; ScreenSkills, mandy (and other directories and agencies), North East Screen; the University’s Enterprise Centre, Sunderland Futures, the Digital Incubator and Faculty initiatives Media Hub, Spark platforms and the Sunderland Creatives Agency.
- Guerrilla Filmmaking (20 credits)
Develop your theoretical understanding and practical knowledge of Guerrilla filmmaking. Form your own production company and originate, develop, script, perform, shoot and edit a Guerrilla short film project.
- Film Theory and Criticism (20 credits)
Engage in an in-depth analysis of the major areas of film theory and criticism and gain a heightened capacity for critical thinking and an ability to analyse film ‘texts'. Focus on recent and contemporary film theories such as feminism, psychoanalysis, postmodernism, and post-structuralism.
- Virtual Studio Production (20 credits)
Build upon the skills you developed at stage 1 and learn about the important concept of pitching. Explore the current critical issues around film distribution and marketing. Gain analytical and practical experience promoting your creative ideas in the global marketplace. Continue to explore virtual production through practical filmmaking techniques and interactive workshops that are modelled on industry codes and practices, preparing you for a real-world virtual production environment.
Optional modules (choose one):
- The Moving Camera (20 credits)
Develop your understanding of moving cameras, their images and the impact of those images on screen. Explore and learn to control moving camera equipment including Steadicams, Track and Dollies, Jib-arm, and sliders in order to create professional moving compositions.
- Post Production (20 credits)
Expand the post-production knowledge and skills that you have acquired at Stage 1 with a primary focus on Avid’s Media Composer, Pro Tools and Adobe’s After Effects. Develop an understanding of visual editing, motion graphics/video effects and audio from a dramatic/artistic perspective and then focus your skill sets on crafting a fully realised video project. Finish, check and deliver a project after critically assessing its strengths and weakness.
- Screenwriting (20 credits)
Understand the concepts and techniques employed in writing drama or comedy suitable for television or steaming service such as Netflix or Amazon. Learn how to develop an idea through the treatment stage, and finally into a script.
