Course overview

BA (Hons) Television and Film Production is a rigorous television and digital film production course. We strive for independent thinking, creative competency and professionalism in the production of digital short films and television programme making.

If you are looking for a career in television, film or video production then this course will appeal to you. It is a practical hands-on, industry-focused degree that specialises in documentary and fiction genres. There is a full programme covering the production of factual, drama and entertainment formats alongside researching, producing, directing, scripting, cinematography, sound recording and editing. With our strong industry links, the course is relevant and in line with current industry practices and protocols.

Our members of staff have first-hand knowledge of their field – all come from digital film/TV production backgrounds. As a result, we are well connected to national broadcasters and independent production companies. Our focus on programme making also gives us a unique profile in the region.

Work placements

The course operates a system of optional work placements in the summer holidays and during other breaks. Our staff team will help you organise your applications, but you will be expected to approach companies yourself, as this is what the industry expects. Placements vary from regional and national TV companies to independent production companies in London and the southeast. Recent students have completed placements with BBC, Shine , Firecracker Films, ITV Productions, Pinewood Studios, Tiger Aspect, Endemol and on feature films such as Gilliver's Travels and Jack the Giant Killer.

Course content

The course is 70 per cent practical and 30 per cent contextual studies (topics such as film studies and media theory support your film making).

In the first year, you will work in teams on a broad range of non-fiction storytelling formats. Year two focuses more specifically on drama, documentary, scriptwriting and cinematography, and by your third year your work is more self-directed and involves autonomous projects, with supplementary tutorials, classroom sessions and masterclasses.

Year one

In your first year you will study:

• TV and Film Production Practices*
• Digital Film Making
• Editing for TV and Film: Final Cut Pro and Avid Media Composer
• Film Studies: Film Form and Narrative
• Meaning and Representation in the Digital Age
• E-Portfolio 

*TV and Film production Practices is a unit which provides a broad introduction to single-camera shooting techniques, the production process, genres, technologies, operating skills, and roles and practices related to fiction and non-fiction production. You will experience and learn the disciplines involved from conception of an idea to delivery of filmed artefacts. With professional practice as a reference point, you will engage in a number of small group workshops and exercises, including camera work, lighting and sound.

Year two

In your second year you will study:

• Single Camera Production
• Cinematography
• Scripting for TV and Film
• Short Film Producing and Production Management**
• Production Contexts
• Documentary Production
• TV Studio Production

**Short Film Producing and Production Management introduces the techniques and processes involved in the business management of television and film producing, project management and research. The unit covers the commissioning process from pitching techniques to proposal writing, the creation of a short film and the submission of an application to at least one film festival/exhibition, film competition or television broadcast.

Year three

In your third year you will have the opportunity to make two digital short films, each of up to 15 minutes long. You can choose between non-fiction and fiction storytelling. Whatever you choose, you are supported by advanced camera, lighting, sound and script workshops, and masterclasses.

In your final year, you will also produce an independent written project, which is supported by a unit coordinator. This project gives you the opportunity to develop your own 6,000-word response to a critical question around film/television.

You will study the units:

• Fiction Short Film – Scripting
• Fiction Short Film – Production
• Written Project
• Work Placement
• Major Project***
• Masterclasses – Cinematography/Sound/Editing

***The Major Project unit gives you the opportunity to produce a documentary or a drama. This project is designed to bring together the strands of drama, script and documentary or non-fiction. You will usually work in groups of three per production as writer, producer and director, and are allocated a supervising tutor for the duration of the project.

Teaching and assessment

You will be taught through a mixture of project work, lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and masterclasses. Class size is generally small (40 students), except in the contextual studies programmes, where you may study with students from elsewhere in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries.

There are six main academic members of staff involved in delivering this course, as well as part-time staff and a technical support team. Each academic year also has an assigned staff year coordinator and personal tutors, if you need help or advice of a personal nature.

The academic timetable is fairly full in years one and two. With your practical project work and timetabled studies, you will be busy most of the week and need to plan in advance for assignment deadlines.

Throughout your degree you are assessed by coursework. Where this involves teamwork, you are judged both on your own performance and that of the group. Your final degree mark is calculated on your performance in years two and three.

Career prospects

By the time you leave, you will have gained knowledge of digital software and hardware, alongside a keen sense of professional practice and aesthetic judgment – all the skills and knowledge necessary to get you your first TV or film production job either in the UK or elsewhere.

This degree operates an active alumni association because its former students often hire our graduates. Common graduate jobs are assistants in camera, editing or production management. You will need to be well organised, highly motivated and a team player.

Some of our recent graduates have gone on to work as:

• researchers and production coordinators for the BBC, SKY and ITV Productions
• camera assistants at Prime Television
• personal assistants to the famous film director’s Michael Apted (7UP seminal documentary series, James Bond: The World Is Not Enough and Chronicles of Narnia) and Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men and Jack The Giant Killer) 

Facilities and features

You will have access to a wide range of technical resources including industry-standard professional filming equipment that includes:

• Canon C300 – Super 35mm Digital Cinematography Camera
• High Definition Camcorders (JVC HM100 and Sony EX1 & EX3)
• DSLR Shooting (Canon 5D Mark II)
• SQN4 and Sound Devices Audio Location Mixers
• Sennheiser Microphones
• Final Cut Pro editing facilities
• Avid Media Composer editing facilities
• Foley and ADR Sound Studio
• Multi-Camera TV Studio
• Track and Dolly systems
• Crane/ jib arm
• Cinematography accessorie

Take a look at our Virtual Tour to see more of the facilities.

The couse also has its own dedicated website which provides current students with additional information and resources relevant to TV and film industry professional practice. You can see staff profiles and view a collection of student, staff and graduate films, as well as 'behind the scenes' images of students and our equipment on film sets or location.

Professional practice

The Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries has solid industry links with national, regional and independent production companies. Our student-run TV channel, CCI Student TV, will also enable you to regularly contribute content that is screened live over the internet and around the University.

Entry requirements