Film and Screen Media BA (Hons)

Film, Style and Form (Core)

This module introduces you to film and television style. Beginning with a consideration of the variety of forms and approaches to the moving image, you will consider the micro elements of cinema such as mise en scène, cinematography, editing, sound, montage and special effects. You will also consider the macro structures such as narrative and genre, with a focus also on the identities of the producers, performers and audiences for screen industries.

Digital Cultures (Core)

This module considers the role of digital and social media in 21st-century life.

It will examine some ways of viewing digital media in terms of technological developments, the politics and economy of media, social media, participation and online communities, and the remediation of previous media forms through digital platforms. It also engages you with the ethical and political issues involved in contemporary media production and consumption.

Media History (Core)

This module will examine media products and institutions in light of technological and historical developments. By studying the origins of film and broadcasting industries, you will examine how cinema and visual culture has developed historically. This module will examine key areas of media production and practice and how this might be understood commercially as well as culturally and politically. It will also case study significant mediated forms of popular entertainment and their historical and social context, such as sport and the media, television comedy and popular music. The module will develop your understanding of public and private broadcasting, film standardisation, TV scheduling, press regulation, and the commercial imperatives of film and television production, distribution and exhibition.

Writing Short Fiction (Optional)

The aim of this module is to provide you with an introduction to the key issues, concerns and problems associated with thinking about and writing short stories. The module will concentrate on fundamental components of fiction writing including narrative structure, characterisation, point of view, genre, dialogue and rewriting and editing. Workshop sessions will be a key aspect of the unit, serving both as a means for you to develop your own work as well as your editorial skills through measured and constructive critiquing of the work of your peers.

The Media Industries (Optional)

A module designed to familiarise you with the contemporary media ecology (from Hollywood to Facebook, YouTube and Netflix) as well as key functions in the communications industries. The evolution of the media industries will be considered before discussing the convergent and transnational media that make up the current landscape. This will include a basic introduction to media law and regulation.

Digital Production (Optional)

This module will introduce a range of concepts relating to the creation, production and editing of digital short films. Whilst taking this module, you will begin to explore filmmaking both as a technical endeavour, and as a creative discipline.

Every step of the process of taking a script idea to the end result of a completed film will be discussed, performed and reflected upon within the lectures and workshops, and in the practical production and the development portfolio.

British Film and TV (Optional)

This module will explore the key issues in analysing British film and television, as well as social changes that have transformed representations of Britishness in the media concerned. A variety of approaches will be taken, including close attention to particular auteurs in film and television as well as a more general discussion of important film and television genres.

Harry Potter and… (Optional)

The Harry Potter series has become a popular cultural phenomenon that has inspired people across the globe. This module will draw upon the ideas and themes within the stories and use them as entry points into a wide range of debates and case studies. From Harry and Ron’s first hello, to Jason Isaac’s gothic performance as Lucius Malfoy, and beyond into gaming, merchandising and themed environments, this module will contextualise the world of Harry Potter as a modern media text.

North American Cinema (Core)

This module explores the history of Hollywood as a dominant mode of production together with subordinate modes of production. Areas of study include the studio system and the Paramount decree; New Hollywood and independent cinema; key genres such as film noir, melodrama and action-adventure; classification and censorship; distribution, exhibition practices and film festivals; and African-American cinema.

Screen Theory and Criticism (Core)

The module outlines key film and media theories, including classical film theory; spectatorship and apparatus theory; ideology and Marxist criticism; postmodern theory; queer theory; affect theory; and postcolonialism. It also considers non-theoretical methodologies such as media industry studies and film criticism. Guest speakers will give an industry perspective on the interpretation of and writing about film and television.

Entrepreneurship and Professionalism (Optional)

On this module, you will gain the necessary knowledge and practical skills to enter the world of work (e.g. freelancing, self-employment and small business start-ups in the creative industries). This will include: the legal processes of setting up a small production company; preparing business plans and financial forecasts for investors; bidding for creative projects; and resource management and developing entrepreneurial skills. By the end of the module, you will have gained valuable commercial awareness and experience in business management, both of which are vital for employability.

Writing Adaptations (Optional)

The aim of this module is to offer an examination of the relationships between texts in different creative media, and specifically to develop your critical and creative skills in considering the relationship between the printed word and film/television, with particular emphasis upon the techniques and processes of adaptation. Source material for consideration in the module will include short stories, novels, comics and graphic novels, non-fiction and video or computer games. Adaptations from page-to-screen as well as from screen-to-page (novelisations, tie-ins, spin-offs, etc) will be examined.

Cult Media and Identity (Optional)

Film and media's role in representing various identities will be applied to aspects such as costume, the body, and the consumption and reception of media texts, with a particular focus on film and television examples. A particular focus will be on the differing theoretical approaches to identity and the concept of ‘self’. In addition, a focus on participatory cultures, fandom and cult media will be highlighted.

Documentary and World Cinema (Optional)

Beginning with documentary, non-fiction film will be explored in terms of its form and traditions, with case-studies of notable examples in this branch of filmmaking. The module will then consider world and transnational cinema as well as global media forms such as anime. Notions of film movements, authorship and national cinemas will be discussed and problematised.

Multimedia Production (Optional)

This module will build upon ideas discussed at Level 4 to further your understanding of a range of concepts and practical skills relating to the creation, production and editing of a short media product. You will operationalise this enhanced comprehension of the necessary skill set required by key personnel within a production team and you will focus upon areas of pre-production, shooting, editing and finishing to deliver a media product in a timely and budget-conscious manner.

Screenwriting 1 (Optional)

This module will introduce you to the ideas and practices required in the development and writing of scripts for television. Through seminar discussions, practical writing workshops, screenings and critical evaluation of exemplar television programmes, you will first explore an existing piece of television and re-imagine it as a piece of fan fiction. You will then develop an original idea by going through the process of script development (proposal, pitch, outlines and treatment), which will then culminate in the production of the opening pages of a teleplay.

Dissertation (Core option)

The final year dissertation is an opportunity for you to research and write an in-depth assignment about a topic of your own choice. This option is only available if you can demonstrate an aptitude for independent study and self-directed learning. The topics selected will normally arise out of the curriculum in Levels 4 and 5, and will be chosen in consultation with an appropriate member of the programme team. In terms of transferable skills, this module will help develop your communication skills, intellectual skills, logical thinking, ability to synthesise material, solve problems and make decisions independently.

Extended Essay (Core option)

The module allows you to research and write on an agreed topic in creative writing under supervision of a tutor. The essay may include a substantial creative component reflecting the themes of the critical discussion.

Industry Placement (Optional)

During your industry placement, you will have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience with one of our industry partners. We will prepare you for a graduate career by giving you the opportunity to analyse and reflect on their own personal development using in depth psychometric testing. The module aims to develop confidence, self-awareness and resilience.

Screenwriting 2 (Optional)

The module will further develop your skills in scriptwriting and will focus specifically on the filmic medium. You will be introduced to a range of film texts from short experimental cinema through to big-budget features. This module allows you to experience the whole creative film process from conception to completion, through various stages of story idea, outline, drafting and rewriting and selling scripts.

The Paradox of Horror (Optional)

This module investigates the paradox of horror - why audiences of horror cinema find films which are designed to shock, disgust and frighten so entertaining, enjoyable and appealing. The module will also focus on marketing strategies and the ways that horror film-makers and distributors use online social media channels to engage audiences.

Disney and Animation (Optional)

This module will begin with an insight into the Disney theme parks and their relationship with the real America that surrounds them. You will then develop a thorough understanding of the historical evolution of animation, including the centrality of Disney to narrative and technological innovations in this mode of moving image, as well as an understanding of the varying aesthetic and formal qualities at play in other animation products.

The Beatles and the Counterculture (Optional)

This module considers the output and cultural significance of The Beatles in terms of historical context, lyrical analysis, iconography and their presence in other media (film, television and online) as a transmedia phenomenon. Following a chronological order, the development of the group’s musical and visual styles, lyrical concerns and cultural contexts will be tracked in relation to cultural studies methodologies.