module specification

This module gives honours-level students the opportunity to devise, plan and produce major films or screen-based works that bring together learning and serve as graduation films, a cornerstone of their graduate portfolios. The projects will be of a high standard yet also leave room for experimentation, enhancing skills, offering the chance for a student to define and make their mark.

At this level, the students originate their own project proposals, production schedules and brief, developing films from pitch all the way through to final exhibition, culminating in a graduation show at a major London cinema.

The projects will be a labour of love, yet the student will also be aware of the market for their work and other cultural contexts.

Film and screen-based projects can engage with a variety of formats and genres including (but not limited to): Fiction film, Documentary, TV Studio, Interactive and VR, Experimental Film, Live Client-Led (these projects might be competitions, live briefs from external organisations or self-generated projects around themes).

Students are encouraged to engage with new and emerging practice, to work at the cutting edge, preparing for entry into the industry as it is today.

At the end of this module the student will submit a portfolio that incorporates major film or screen-based work, supporting material and a reflective narrative of the working practices they have engaged with. 

The module aims are to:
1. Allow students the opportunity to originate, plan and produce significant films or screen-based works to an (industry entry-level) professional standard, as a summation of honours-level study.
2. Provide students the opportunity and capacity to bring together their intellectual ideas and practical skills, learning from experimentation and through practise-based understanding.
3. Demonstrate the ability to work independently and collaboratively, working to specialist roles in line with industry practice.
4. Make critically informed work that shows knowledge of audience and industry expectations.

5. To encourage and enable students to critically appraise their own film or screen-based work, and their own specialist role within the production and / or post-production context.

N/A

The syllabus will depend on the student’s specific project (s) and specialism, in consultation with the module leader. LO1-7

• Students will identify, develop and produce major film or screen-based projects under supervisory guidance, enabling them to develop greater expertise and practical experience in a particular area of practice.

• Students will work in specialist roles (screenwriting, directing, producing, cinematography, sound design and recording, editing and post production). Specific workshops will be provided for each skills block during the first and second semester.

• Projects will present a clear theoretical framework and critical context for the practical production work.

• Projects will be supervised by means of regular meetings with an assigned project tutor.

• Tutees are expected to respond to guidance given on work-in-progress. This guidance can also help form ideas and material for later evaluation and reflection.

This module is delivered though a series of seminars, specialist workshops, lectures, subject supervision and individual tutorials. There is a strong emphasis on students working with a degree of independence at this level.
The initial phase focusses on establishing requirements for the portfolio and developing an initial pitch for a major film or screen-based project. Following this, students begin to work more independently, forming groups around approved ideas and beginning development work.
Students choose a specialism to work to on each project and are streamed in to skills blocks based around their chosen specialism. A series of workshops are delivered for each skills block. These could include:

• Writing, Directing and Producing
• Cinematography
• Sound Design, Recording and Mixing
• Editing and Post Production

At each stage of the project students are expected to establish agreed aims and objectives, to manage their own time, be aware of the resource and other costs necessary to complete the project and be aware of ethical issues that may arise. These reviews will also be used to monitor the scope and ambition of the project.
Students have regular progress meetings with their tutors where they are offered guidance and feedback on the development of their work. Students can also book individual tutorials with skills specialists based on their allocated skills block.
There will be opportunities for formative feedback throughout the module. Feedback will be offered at all stages of project development (initial idea and pitch, script, pre-production, production, post-production). Students can use this feedback to improve their work.
Feedback comes in three forms, verbal feedback during pitching sessions and in class, feedback from other students and written feedback provided on Weblearn following formative submissions. This feedback will also help inform the reflective and evaluative assessment component.
Summative feedback will be provided in writing after the final assessment of the submitted coursework. The graduation show will be an opportunity for the student to evaluate their work in the context of a wider audience at a major cinema venue.

Towards the end of a module, we will gather student feedback and use this to appraise the delivery of the module and the course.

On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate:

LO1. Developed analytical, reflective and critical skills and awareness.
For example, by being able to identify how their future practice may adapt and change based on experience gained working on portfolio projects.

LO2. A developed understanding of how to plan a film or screen-based work.
For example, by effectively planning (and closely analysing approaches to planning) film and TV projects from pre-production phase through to final exhibition.

LO3. The ability and insight to be able to describe their work to a high standard for a variety of audiences and for different purposes
For example, so they can apply for funding or continue to postgraduate research.

LO4. Extended professional-standard skills in working independently.
For example, efficiently planning for and carrying out a specific production role on a film or screen-based project in line with contemporary industry practice.

LO5. Graduate-level skills and an understanding of practice in Film and TV Production.
For example, by producing films that demonstrate graduate-level technical skills. By synthesising learning to make films or screen-based works that are both original and thought provoking.

LO6. The ability to work efficiently and collaboratively in groups.
Managing conflicting views and a well-developed ability to listen, reflect, contribute and take the lead at appropriate times throughout the production process.

LO7. The ability to make work of a professional standard for a target audience.
For example, by creating films that match relevant formats, technical standards and audience expectations for film festival and online distribution.

Assessment will be based on 100% coursework, made up of:

• A portfolio of major film work(s) and supporting material
• a critical reflection and evaluation of film works (from the portfolio) and of the student’s own practice throughout the year

The strategy is to increase the power and effectiveness of assessment by simplifying and reducing the number of assessment items. Then, each assessment item is broken into stages so that regular formative and developmental feedback can be given.

Another advantage of a portfolio approach to assessment is that tracking is clear and simple and so we can ensure that all learning outcomes are assessed.

The assessment in honours-level modules will be coordinated and integrated, so that learning outcomes for each module are assessed separately and, also, learning from one module is transferred to other modules.
The assessment load complies with the Faculty’s assessment tariff.

Each student group will have access to online resources, including a dedicated WebLearn site. These are seen as forums for sharing information, discussion and learning.

In addition, a regularly updated online reading list resource will direct students to reading material that supports and broadens learning for specific subjects and project briefs. A link to the reading and resources list for this course at time of revalidation can be found here: https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/573FC4EE-5C42-177F-5F46-F6CC45E1F71B.html?lang=en-US