Film Making

Overview

The BFA One Year Diploma in Film-Making is constructed to provide students with a thorough appreciation of all aspects of the film production process. Through intensive and clearly focused hands-on training students acquire the necessary knowledge and know-how needed to produce a wide variety of audio visual content including commercials, documentaries, television programmers, music videos, and narrative films.

Students are provided with the opportunity to develop a wide range of technical, creative and analytical skills in all the key areas of film-making.

While this is certainly a skills intensive curriculum, it is also a plan of study that emphasizes the social awareness elements that lie at the heart of the documentary tradition.

We, as a faculty, believe it is imperative to impart to students the power and responsibility documentary filmmakers have in a world increasingly dependent on the moving image as a way to educate, inform, and affect change.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the programme, the students will:

• be technically proficient in all aspects of production and post-production for film and related media, including writing, directing, producing, camera, sound, lighting, and editing
• be trained in the creative development and pitching of ideas and the creative application of production and post-production skills
• have been involved in the creation of three films, both individually and collaboratively as well as numerous exercises
• understand contemporary industry practice and be able to apply your skills in a professional manner and context

Progression

Successful graduates leave the course equipped with the essential skills needed in both the film and post production industries. Possible employment opportunities include Offline Editor, Digitizer, Edit Assistant, Online Editor, Single camera operator, Lighting assistant, Title editor & Runner. You will be able to shoot, edit and produce content to broadcast standard.

ModulesScreenwriting

The focus is on students putting creative ideas to page then moving to storyboard and to teach students the correct format of script writing and to bring the visual to their written work as well as to begin the process of developing characters and dialogue.

Upon completion of this course, the student should understand how to write strong dialogue and create characters in their work. They will understand the structure of a story, how to build suspense and tension, and create a suitable screenplay for filming.

Producing, Directing and Writing Documentary

Fundamentals of Directing, looking at the script through pre-production, production and editing. The role of a storyteller and team leader. The setting and production of an individual project that is analysed. Work with actors that includes staging, text analysis and casting. Screening and debrief of two-minute films with discussion and analysis of film, recap and advanced training dictated by student needs. Pre-production support.

Producing

Basic principles of production and producing including acquiring a working knowledge of budgeting and scheduling software. Contracts, copyright, distribution and financing for independent filmmakers, covering both short and feature films.

Cinematography

Principles of both the camera and lighting. Covering the roles of Cinematographer, Gaffer, Camera Operator, Focus Puller and Clapper Loader. Working with cameras to understand the nature of light, framing and mechanics of film. The classes include laboratory visits and combined practical exercises with sound.

Production Sound

Definition of sound, the physics behind it, the physical recording of analogue and digital sound. Working to a frame, multiple tracks and the craft of sound. Some practical sessions are combined with cinematography.

Editing

Students work with existing drama material and their own individual project rushes to learn the AVID Xpress Pro editing package. These practical sessions are woven together with theory lectures that include: cutting techniques, filmic time and space, editing styles, folleys and rubberbanding. Exercises on the use of music in film covering a brief history of music in cinema, the aesthetics of film music and a practical guide to working with a composer.