Film and Theatre Making

Course Content (including module information)

In each year, students will integrate practical learning (60%) with historical and theoretical modules (40%) that encourage them to take lessons from the history of theatre and film to create new exciting and innovative work. A typical student pathway might include:

Level 1:

• Practical Theatre 1
• Introduction to Film Practice
• Performance Analysis
• Introduction to Film Studies 1
• Film Editing

Level 2:

• Practical Theatre 2
• American Drama
• Cinematography
• Experimental Practice
• Hollywood Cinema 1

Level 3:

• Advanced Film Practice 1
• Advanced Film Practice 2
• Dance Theatre
• Theory and Practice of Adaptation
• Contemporary Cinema

For more advice regarding course content, please contact:

Name: Dr Kurt Taroff

School/Institute: School of Arts, English and Languages

T: +44 (0) 2890975106

E: k.taroff@qub.ac.uk

W: http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael

Assessment (general): The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Module Outline Document which is provided to all students at the beginning of each teaching semester.

Feedback: As student progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module convenors, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

• Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that students, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
• Face to face comment. This may include occasions when students make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help address a specific query.
• Placement employer comments or references.
• Online or emailed comment.
• General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
• Pre-submission advice regarding the standards students should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which students can review in their own time.
• Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
• Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.

Once students have reviewed their feedback, they will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of their work.

Film and Theatre Making at Queen's marries practical work in film and theatre with strong engagement in the history and theory of the forms in an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach. Performance workshops, film projects, and productions enable students to draw upon their reading of literary, cultural, historical and sociological studies to inform their practical understanding of film and performance. Students are also required to attend screenings and performances, and benefit from our exceptional links with the arts sector in Northern Ireland and beyond. Visiting professionals lead workshops and technical training in specialist areas.

On the BA in Film and Theatre Making we provide a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

• Practicals: where students will have opportunities to develop technical skills and performance practices and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts. Students will attend several practical sessions each week.
• Lectures: introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers).
• E-Learning technologies: Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Queen’s Online. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programs associated with design in practicals and project- based work etc.
• Seminars/tutorials: Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide the opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. Students should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups.
• Self-directed study: This is a vital part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.
• Level 2 projects: students in Level 2 will engage in group work on films or theatre productions.
• Work placements: Students have the opportunity to undertake a work placement in Level 3. This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity.
• Supervised projects: In Level 3, students will have the opportunity to carry out a significant piece of research or a practical production on a topic or practical methodology that they have chosen. Students will receive support from a supervisor (either from Queen’s staff or the professional film or theatre world) who will guide them in terms of how to carry out their research or production and will provide feedback on at least two occasions.
• Personal Tutor: Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor during Level 1 and 2 who meets with them on several occasions during the year to support their academic development.
• Study Abroad: The School has Erasmus links with the University of Tours in France and the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, as well as an exchange programme with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill.