GENERAL
This is a four-year programme offering a practical specialist education within a group context. Supporting theoretical studies are also incorporated to allow students to better understand the context within which they are working.
The degree programme delivers film and television education programmes in training students to international standards in preparation for entering professional careers in film and television and related industries.
Different types of film/TV production are dealt with from the angle of the specialist whilst striving for an understanding of all specialisms. The importance of cooperation is kept central through joint projects growing in scale from 1st and 2nd year exercises via 3rd year productions to 4th year graduation projects.
The programme also provides both school and academy-wide elective courses and students can choose from a very broad range of courses and from a variety of disciplines from other schools, Liberal Arts, Languages and Performing Arts Education.
THE MAJOR STUDIES
Students study a broader range of major study courses, especially in the first two years of the four-year programme. Students study every fundamental major study course in the first year, finally choosing one major in the final year.
The MAJOR STUDIES on offer are:
CREATIVE PRODUCING:
Students learn to develop as creative producers from the commencement of the programme. The students who choose to focus upon the Creative Producing courses in years three and four will be expected to be responsible for each screen project from initial concept through to the delivery of final files, screening and distribution.
SCREENWRITING :
Students learn about all aspects of screenwriting in different formats and genres. They will offer scripts for third year student production. In the fourth year, they are also required to do screenwriting for graduation projects.
DIRECTING :
Students learn about different kinds of directing skills, from fiction to documentary, film to television. They also learn to work in creative partnership with screenwriters, producers, crew and actors to make creative works within realistic budget and time limits.
CINEMATOGRAPHY :
Students learn about different aesthetic and technical aspects of Cinematography to motivate the visual story telling approach of a unique idea. Appreciation of different art forms is emphasized while students will learn using a range of digital cameras and lighting systems. A variety of production techniques will be encountered including dynamic reality, shooting multiple camera set ups and professional-level Digital Cinema camera production is practiced and taught, as well as "writing with lights”. Students are encouraged to develop their personal styles throughout their creative development and studies in the School.
EDITING:
Students learn about the art and craft of editing as well as technical aspects of visual post production using a variety of technologies. The School teaches and uses advanced digital equipment for post-production. Besides working closely with sound editors and mixers, Editors are also partners and advisors to directors and production managers.
SOUND RECORDING AND DESIGN :
Students learn about all aspects of sound recording and sound design (track laying and mixing). Sound is not treated as a last minute addition but seen as an essential creative tool. Cooperation between all major disciplines especially the director, sound editor and picture editor is highly important as computer techniques bring the disciplines closer together.
DIGITAL SCREEN DESIGN:
This new major embraces visual design concepts and theories and practical components using current software for digital design. All students will be exposed to Digital Screen Design within Screen Production I and II during the first year, whilst students can select to focus upon Digital Screen Design as major as they progress through years two to four.
CONTEXTUAL STUDIES
Contextual studies include courses that expand on, and place students’ major studies into a broader context in order to extend and deepen their understanding not only of the discipline, but also of the discipline within broader socio‐cultural, artistic, disciplinary and historical contexts. Contextual studies may be practice‐based where they integrate theory and practice, or purely theoretical, taught in the classroom or screening room. Contextual study courses can also include elf‐reflection upon performance or practice where theory and practice are thus closely integrated. In line with the specific intention to rebalance major and contextual studies more equitably within the 4YD, the School has added a full-time position especially to develop and deliver screen theory and history courses.
CONCLUSION:
The School will admit sufficient students in the various departments to ensure high quality technical/creative crewing throughout the four years of the BFA programme. We want students who are enthusiastic for their chosen specialism and not secretly wishing they were doing something else.
“Learning to cooperate" is no empty phrase and the aim of the curriculum in the BFA first year (as well as in the execution of productions in subsequent years) is to emphasize the importance of creative and technical cooperation across all students in all specialisations.
We will encourage flexible and effective working practices and help students learn how to contribute according to the requirements of the individual production rather than feeling they have to show off technical tricks or impose their personal stamp at the expense of the whole: cooperation not the clashing of specialist egos.