MA in Filmmaking
Loughton Campus
About MA in Filmmaking
This course is designed for the new generation of filmmakers who write, shoot, edit and distribute their films themselves. The relatively low cost of high-quality equipment means that it is now possible to shoot video to broadcast standard without the resources of a large production company, and there is a market for such independent material distributed through international festivals and the internet.
MA in Filmmaking offers a comprehensive introduction to the language and
understanding of film, and the international context of filmmaking with hands-on
skills development in all the areas of practice essential to the role of the
independent filmmaker. Students also acquire skills in production management,
the business of the producer, and operating within the collaborative context
which characterises this industry.
Applicant information
MAin Filmmaking is addressed primarily to a market of international and UK/EU-based students with limited experience of filmmaking but a background (through education, personal/work experience or a combination of the two) in work relevant to the area.
First term
The first term includes the modules Introduction to Film (this covers the essential skills in research for filmmaking, as well as knowledge and understanding of film techniques and vocabulary through analysis of specific case-studies by the likes of Kurosawa, Eisenstein, Kieslowski and Ang Lee) and Skills for Filmmaking (which introduces hands-on skills in camera use, lighting, sound, and editing, as students learn in workshops, studio settings and through small-group collaborative filmmaking).
Second term
The second term includes the module Producing and Production Management which examines the role of the producer in initiating and/or managing projects, including legal, contractual, and tax issues, as well as finding and managing finance, pitching processes and negotiating collaborative agreements. Students will learn about the range of methods of distribution open to independent filmmakers and be offered a comprehensive introduction (through seminars, case-studies and exercises) to the essentials of production management including personnel and crew issues, scheduling, budgeting, planning, site safety and risk assessment.
Third term
The third term includes the module Filmmaking Practice and Advanced Film Analysis which extends the work introduced in Skills for Filmmaking in the first term. Students work in small groups on a collaborative short film (five minutes), using student actors from outside the course and a single camera location, lighting techniques and sound elements. Students edit the final product to screening standard.
Fourth term
The fourth term is devoted to work on a written dissertation on some aspect of the field of independent filmmaking or a practical project. This practical project entails planning, shooting (in HD) and postproduction of a 15-20 minute film, using actors or other participants from outside the course and a range of locations. Students are involved in both live and post-production sound (including music), plus a 5,000 word portfolio on the film that includes a discussion of strategies for its distribution.
After East 15
Graduates will have a comprehensive professional training that will enable them to pursue a career in the film industry.
