Film Production via Study Centres BA (Hons)

Study your favourite genres. Explore filmmaking, documentary production, directing, cinematography, and scriptwriting or editing. Work with industry-standard equipment to turn your creative vision into reality.

Overview

Passionate about film? Excited about movies? Want to work in film or produce high-end TV? Do you want the opportunity to direct short films and documentaries? Or are you interested in becoming a cinematographer or editor? If you’ve said yes to any of the above, this film production course is for you.

Explore filmmaking, documentary production, directing, cinematography, and scriptwriting or editing. Develop practical skills and theoretical knowledge that'll set you up for your own exciting and rewarding career, turning your creativity into reality.

Through practical projects, you'll develop skills in screenwriting, camera, sound, editing, lighting, colour grading, producing, and directing. Learn from our highly experienced and skilled lecturing team, using first-class equipment.

From day one, you’ll have access to specialised digital cameras, sound recording equipment, lighting kit, Steadicam rigs, and professional editing software packages such as Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premier Pro, and Da Vinci Resolve.

Why us?

We're part of Avid’s worldwide network of learning partners and an accredited training provider for Avid software, giving you the option to undertake an Avid certification that boosts your employability

Teaching is underpinned by the Centre for Research in Media and Culture Studies (CRMCS)

Course structure

Through lectures, workshops, and project work, you'll learn practical skills and develop your knowledge in a variety of filmmaking roles to set you up for a career in the film and TV industry.

Our teaching methods develop subject-specific knowledge and transferable skills that enhance employability. These include skills in communication, analysis, research, teamwork, writing, and presentations.

You'll be taught via lectures, demonstrations, workshops, seminars, screenings, group and individual projects, and independent learning.

Assessment methods include portfolios of practical work (short films, documentaries, advertisements, music videos, showreels, scripts), production files, essays, examinations, reports, and presentations.

Course modules

Year 1 (national level 4):

Core modules:

Production Skills (20 credits)

Understand the key concepts and practical skills required to produce and edit a video advertising campaign. Learn how to use the cameras, lights, sound recording equipment and editing software.

Short Film Production (20 credits)

In production groups, plan, shoot and edit a short film. Explore dramatic form and the aesthetics of filmmaking.

Factual Film (20 credits)

Devise, develop and deliver a factual film for a business, event or person. Learn the technical skills and creative practices required to produce a factual piece of work.

Sound Design and Production 1 (20 credits)

Get an introduction to sound design and recording techniques. Learn professional practices in audio production and mixing using digital audio mixers, microphones and sound editing software.

Scriptwriting (20 credits)

Develop and write a short film script. Learn about genre, narrative, structure, character, and how to create and correctly format a film script.

Introduction to Film Studies (20 credits)

Study the key theoretical debates and approaches in the subject area of Film Studies (both historical and contemporary). Develop practical skills in film reading and film analysis.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Core modules:

Filmmaking for Film Festivals (20 credits)

Create a short film, in groups, geared towards the short film festival marketplace. Develop your critical understanding of dramatic techniques and technical ability in a variety of production roles such as director, cinematographer and editor.

Video 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.

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 queer theory.

Optional modules (choose two):

Experimental Digital Film Practice (20 credits)

Explore the key approaches to experimental film and digital film practice,video art and its practitioners. Conceive, plan, develop and edit a short video project and be encouraged to consider experimental approaches.

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.

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

Digital Video Effects 1 (20 credits)

Gain a complete understanding of motion graphics, animation and some compositing concepts, techniques and vocabulary. Produce an infographic and a series of TV adverts.

Post Production (20 credits)

Develop your technical understanding of Avid Media Composer and Pro Tools, and how this software is used to craft a video project. Develop your critical understanding of editing and audio mixing from a dramatic/artistic perspective.

Year 3 (national level 6):

Core modules:

Practical Final Project (60 credits)

Create a high-end video project for a client of your choosing such as an individual, a business, or a band. Demonstrate your technical ability/skills in creating highly composed compositions, effective audio, and professional editing/grade.

High End Video Project (20 credits)

Create a high-end video project for a client of your choosing such as an individual, a business, or a band. Demonstrate your technical ability/skills in creating highly composed compositions, effective audio, and professional editing/grade.

Advanced Digital Fictional Film (20 credits)

Produce a substantial piece of work based on a 'live brief’ set by the client. Work closely with Drama students and create, develop, shoot and edit this film under the guidance of lectures and the client.

Optional modules (choose one of the following):

Video Production 2 (20 credits)

Further explore the documentary form and work in small groups to produce a short documentary. Take on one of the key production roles such as Director, Producer, Sound, Editor or Cinematographer.

Film and Feeling: Music Performance and Genre (20 credits)

Explore the role played by music, performance and genre in the evocation of emotion in cinema. Examine a rich variety of films drawn from international cinema, TV drama and the music video.

Film Studies Special Topic (20 credits)

Study a film topic and further develop key theories and debates relating to this topic. This topic changes every year and in the past has ranged from the War Film, Superheroes, to Horror.

Film, Horror and The Body (20 credits)

Examine a range of horror films’ construction of ‘the body’, asking what kinds of cultural fascinations, anxieties, pleasures and power dynamics might be being played out over the bodies of horror.

Science Fiction and Fantasy TV (20 credits)

Examine the historical roots of the science fiction and fantasy genres, from its literary origins, through to its subsequent appearance on radio, film and more specifically television. Explore several key theoretical approaches to the study of the genre, including fan cultures, representation and dystopian/utopian futures.

Facilities

Please contact the International Advertising, Communication and Technology (IACT) College for information on facilities.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

Please contact the study centre for more information on their specific requirements and equivalent qualifications from outside the UK.

Fees and finance

Please contact IACT College for information on fees.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Student in the Sunderland Futures department

Career ready

This degree prepares you for careers in the film and TV industries. Your training in communication, teamwork, and creativity will be highly relevant to roles in many different businesses and in the public sector.

Examples of possible careers for our Film Production graduates include:

Camera trainee
Foley artist
Cinematographer
Digital content manager
Production manager
Editor
Director
Producer
Script supervisor
Sound recordist
Production coordinator
Digital imaging technician.

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for Arts and Creative Industries.

Page last updated: 07 March 2024

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Course modules

Year 1 (national level 4):

Core modules:

Production Skills (20 credits)

Short Film Production (20 credits)

Factual Film (20 credits)

Sound Design and Production 1 (20 credits)

Scriptwriting (20 credits)

Introduction to Film Studies (20 credits)

Year 2 (national level 5):

Core modules:

Filmmaking for Film Festivals (20 credits)

Video Documentary Production (20 credits)

Guerrilla Filmmaking (20 credits)

Film Theory and Criticism (20 credits)

Optional modules (choose two):

Experimental Digital Film Practice (20 credits)

Screenwriting (20 credits)

The Moving Camera (20 credits)

Digital Video Effects 1 (20 credits)

Post Production (20 credits)

Year 3 (national level 6):

Core modules:

Practical Final Project (60 credits)

High End Video Project (20 credits)

Advanced Digital Fictional Film (20 credits)

Optional modules (choose one of the following):

Video Production 2 (20 credits)

Film and Feeling: Music Performance and Genre (20 credits)

Film Studies Special Topic (20 credits)

Film, Horror and The Body (20 credits)

Science Fiction and Fantasy TV (20 credits)

Facilities

Entry requirements

Fees and finance

Career ready

Meet the team — BA (Hons) Film Production via Study Centres

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