Filmmaking MA drafted

Program Overview

The MA in Filmmaking at Nottingham Trent University challenges students to innovate in moving-image practices, blending film production, exhibition, and intellectually stimulating discussions.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MA in Filmmaking at Nottingham Trent University is a postgraduate taught course designed to challenge students to innovate within and beyond the boundaries of moving-image-making practices. The program focuses on both film production and exhibition, incorporating intellectually stimulating discussions and workshops. Students will create new and refreshing projects that communicate their cinematic voice, experimenting with virtual production, emerging and established technologies, and drawing on analogue practices where appropriate.

• Artistically utilize the evolving landscape of sound and image.
• Prepare for a leading role in shaping the cinema of the future.
• Respond creatively with film techniques to intellectual discussions, leading to innovation in the digital manipulation and capturing of sound and moving image.
• Approach filmmaking as a creative process, involving experimentation and critical reflection.
• Influence how audiences engage with work by taking part in the organization of a film festival.

Outline:

The curriculum is flexible, allowing students to direct their own journey. It is highly personalized to support students entering from different backgrounds and experience, particularly including experimentation in the first part of the year and the negotiation of the personal film project.

Modules:

• Culture and Collaboration (20 credits): This module aims to enable students to:
• Develop advanced level skills in research, analysis, idea generation, critical thinking, communication, and presentation.
• Collaborate with others around a negotiated theme relevant to current debates relevant to art & design theory and practice to produce a selected outcome contributing to a collective festival of ideas.
• Film Experiments (40 credits): In this module, students will identify their cinematic voice through making a series of film experiments centered around intellectually stimulating debates.
They will creatively respond to key themes in film, literature, and art; for example, film space and time, perspectives, defamiliarization, concept film, and expanded cinema. Through seminars, tutorial discussions, and practical skill workshops, ideas for short experimental films and moving image art will be presented, realized, and screened, using established and emerging technologies. They will be encouraged to support each other’s projects to share skills and advance their practice as a creative leader and collaborator. Through guest lectures, seminars, and workshops, the module provides a platform for collaboration, research, and experimentation, and the opportunity to specialize in a discipline of filmmaking, such as camera, writing, sound or artist film and video. The end-of-year festival is organized as part of this module to enable students to form connections and engage with the wider community through their research-informed, creative work.
• Professional Futures (20 credits): This module aims to bring together students from all Design & Digital Arts subject areas to act as a catalyst for future gazing and cross-disciplinary debate and discussion in employment, enterprise and innovation.
• Advanced Research Design: Maximising Your Methods (20 credits): This multi-disciplinary module provides an explorative platform for students seeking further research-based study.
Students can extend their knowledge of research methods and methodologies to enhance their future professional practice, or are considering progression to PhD study.

Assessment:

The assessment journey enables students to move through a sequence of Experiment - Propose - Complete - Reflect. Formative feedback opportunities are scheduled throughout the modules to enable students to understand their progress, and where they can further develop their work ahead of final module assessments. The course culminates in a final project, in which the outcome is negotiated between the student and tutor, and is fully personalized in the student's areas of interest. Students will also undertake a final reflection of their learning, experience and future direction at the end of the course.

Teaching:

Students will be taught through a variety of teaching and learning experiences which will include:

• Active collaborative learning
• Learning through research
• Online or Blended learning
• Autonomous learning
• Buddying
• Experiential learning
• Guest speaker
• Interdisciplinary learning
• Negotiation
• Networking
• One-to-one tutoring
• Peer learning
• Practical
• Professional practice
• Public thinking
• Reflection
• Risk-based learning (assessed on process rather than output)
• Scholarship
• Seminar
• Small group tutoring
• Wonder learning
• Workshop
Contact hours: 20% lectures/seminars/workshops/tutorials, 80% independent study.

Careers:

The course is designed with various opportunities for engagement with the creative industries and integrates work-like experiences. Guest lectures will be delivered by experts in their field. The course has contacts with independent filmmakers who draw on research and experimentation, producers who are successful in obtaining funding for moving image art, curators of works that sit outside the mainstream, and specialists (sound, camera, etc.) frequently working in the field of independent or experimental cinema. The 100-credit module Film Project follows a work-like trajectory from development to exhibition. Students present a proposal to an industry panel and will receive advice on how to progress. After the completion of their projects, an end-of-year festival will be organized following a guest lecture on film festival curation.

Other:

• Filmmaking equipment is available ensuring all students are supported.
• The course has contacts with independent filmmakers, producers, curators, and specialists in the field of independent or experimental cinema.
• The program is situated within the Nottingham School of Art & Design.
• Students will collaborate with creative practitioners across the school.
• The program is designed to prepare students for a leading role in shaping the cinema of the future.

• UK: £10,500
• International: £17,700
• Fees are per year and will increase each year in line with inflation, capped at no more than 5%.
• Alumni Loyalty Scheme - 20% fee discount
• Postgraduate loans are available for UK students
• Scholarships are available for both UK and international students.