MA Directing

Program Overview

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MA Directing

Overview

MA Directing is designed for you to develop the skills and understanding needed to work as a director in today’s multi-faceted screen industries. Today’s director must be knowledgeable about industry, entrepreneurial, multi-skilled, and able to bring a deep understanding of story and performance in different contexts.

Why Take the Course?

• Practical: Through hands-on exercises, workshops, seminars, masterclasses, and screenings, students will gain the practical skills and knowledge required to work as a director.
• Industry-facing: Work collaboratively with students on other MA pathways as a part of a creative crew to mirror industry practice on shooting exercises. Experience what it takes to deliver a project, and develop communication, negotiation, and project management skills.
• Real-life Experience: Learn the importance of working on a creative brief as a director while completing a project for an external company. Our students have previously worked with companies including Nespresso, Stonewall, Time out, DHL, HM Treasury, and Fender Guitars.
• Portfolio: Students have the opportunity to undertake a number of directing exercises, including a short-form project for an external industry client, and a final project.
• Professional Tutors: Many of our teaching staff are currently working in the industry as: TV and film directors, first assistant directors, writers, and more.

Programme Aims

• Deep understanding of the roles and responsibilities relating to being a director for a range of screen platforms.
• The ability to produce work of increasing ambition and quality including experimentation with content and form.
• The ability to develop and realise creative projects suitable for industry and audiences.
• The language and understanding to articulate the role screen storytelling plays in an increasingly globalised and inclusive world.
• Advanced techniques in working with actors in the realisation of compelling and meaningful content.
• A detailed, structured, and ethical approach to content production including sensitivity to a range of abilities and qualities of collaborators to enable them to deliver their best work.
• The ability to understand the work of colleagues and to articulate why screen practice requires true collaboration.
• Gained insight that will enable you to enter the screen industries as an enlightened and contemporary screen industry professional.

What You Will Study

Over three trimesters you will gain advanced insight into the craft of a director and the implications of creating and delivering screen content to a wide variety of audiences and contexts.

Trimester One

• Focuses on the essence of screen storytelling and the role the director plays in realisation of stories through the creation of a short film and developing of pitching skills.
• Explore your own qualities as you build a career profile that will develop as the course – and your understanding – increases.

Trimester Two

• Enrich your understanding through a client-facing directing assignment and explore the role of the television director.
• Develop the research and analytical skills expected in both your academic and professional practice.

Trimester Three

• Draw together your practical, theoretical, and industry understanding into the creation and delivery of a filmed artefact and complete your career plan as part of your progression into real world employment.

Module Overview

Directing Craft and Industry

• The key roles and responsibilities of the contemporary director are explored through the perspective of story development and creative collaboration in the production of screen content.
• Develop an understanding of content, industry, and audiences, to pitch a feature film or television project to a panel.

Directing for Film

• Focus on the practical challenges of creating a self-contained, narrative film.
• Cover a range of skills appropriate to the role of the director, including project planning, rehearsing and shooting with actors, visualising the story and on-set protocols.

Professional Profile

• Develop authentic and detailed career paperwork and supporting materials including a CV and personal profile.
• Offer Elective Upskilling sessions – opportunities to develop screen industry skills outside of your chosen discipline or as part of your multi-skilling profile.

Directing to a Client Brief

• Work with production teams drawn from the other pathways, you will work as a director and in other roles on a number of videos for external clients.
• Develop ideas, engage in appropriate preparatory work and direction, alongside gaining insight into a range of production roles and responsibilities.

Directing Television

• Understand the hierarchical relationships between director, writer, and producer in the creation and delivery of serialised narrative content.
• Learn to work to a house style alongside initiating a series ‘look’ or vision.

Practice-based Research

• Building on the work of previous and concurrent modules, you will gain a deeper insight into current theories, principles, and discussions relating to issues of diversity, sustainability, and ethics within the screen industries.
• Continue to engage with content about/from diverse cultural/social/gender groups of contributors in the UK and across the world.

Final Project and Career Plan

• Your third collaborative project gives you the opportunity to work independently to create work that demonstrates your development as a director.
• Your project is an opportunity to deliver work that is distinctive, industry-facing, based in research, and reflects awareness of a diverse and inclusive world.
• Refine your career plan in preparation for entering or re-entering the screen industries on graduation.

Teaching, Learning & Assessment

We include a diverse range of teaching methods which include:

• Productions
• Seminar-style Group Teaching
• Tutorials
• Practical Group Work
• Formative Feedback through Critiques, Pitches, Screenings, and Reflective Sessions
• Work-integrated Learning
• Authentic Assessment

We use a wide range of assessment which include portfolios, performances, research, presentations, and reflective work.

Entry Requirements

Standard Entry Requirements

• Age: All applicants must be 18 years or older at the time the programme begins.
• Education: A 2:1 honours degree from a UK university or overseas equivalent.

Students Not Meeting Academic Requirements

• Students without a degree, but who can demonstrate relevant industry experience or a degree below a 2:1 equivalent are still able to apply.
• They will need to submit the following:
  • A professional industry reference.
  • A professional CV.
  • A 750 word statement of why you wish to enter the screen industries, indicating the ways in which you think they are changing.

Equipment Requirements

Students receive the Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud License for the duration of their course. For more information, please check Equipment in the Study with Us section for your chosen course, and the Location sections for the range of equipment and learning resources available on each of our campuses.

Application Information

For more information on MA Directing entry requirements, language requirements, funding, and the application process please visit:

• Study with Us

Dates & Prices

London

• 7 April 2025 - 10 April 2026
  • £24,500 – UK Students
  • £24,500** – EU/EEA Students
  • £26,500** – International Students

Berlin

• 22 September 2025 - 25 September 2026
  • €21,500 – EU/EEA Students
  • €23,500** – International Students

Leeds

• 22 September 2025 - 25 September 2026
  • £19,000 – UK Students
  • £19,000** – EU/EEA Students
  • £21,000** – International Students

*The Alumni Bursary cannot be used with any other discount, offer or scholarship and is only available to applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at MetFilm School or Screen & Film School.

**EU/EEA students with settled status.

**International students or EU/EEA students without settled status.

Please note: April 2025 start date for this course is subject to approval.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

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MA Directing

is a program designed to equip students with the necessary skills and understanding to become successful directors in today's multifaceted screen industries. The program focuses on developing the following key aspects:

• Advanced insight into story interpretation and performance in various contexts
• Interpretation of scripts and visual storytelling techniques
• Working across diverse screen platforms and industry contexts
• Directing actors, leadership and collaboration skills
• Recognizing the significance of diversity and progressive practices in content creation
The program aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of the role of the director in:
• Storytelling
• Industry knowledge
• Entrepreneurship
• Multi-skilled approach
• Understanding of story and performance
By combining theory and practice, students gain a deep understanding of the industry and the challenges and opportunities it presents.

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Outline:

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MA Directing

is a one-year program offered in London, Berlin, and Leeds. It consists of three trimesters, each focused on specific aspects of directing and the production process.

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Trimester 1:

• Directing Craft and Industry: This module explores the key responsibilities of the director, focusing on story development and creative collaboration.
Students also develop an understanding of content, industry, and audiences, and learn to pitch a feature film or television project.
• Directing for Film: Students focus on the practical challenges of creating a short film, covering key skills like project planning, rehearsing and shooting with actors, visualizing the story, and on-set protocols.
• Professional Profile: Students develop career materials like a CV and personal profile.
Elective Upskilling sessions offer opportunities to develop additional screen industry skills.

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Trimester 2:

• Directing to a Client Brief: Working with production teams from other pathways, students take on directing and other roles for external clients.
This involves developing ideas, engaging in preparatory work and direction, and gaining insight into various production roles.
• Directing Television: Students deepen their understanding of the relationship between director, writer, and producer in creating serialized narrative content.
They also learn to work within a house style and initiate a distinct series vision.
• Practice-based Research: Students delve deeper into current theories and discussions related to diversity, sustainability, and ethics in the screen industries.
They engage with diverse cultural perspectives and explore relevant issues in the global context.

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Trimester 3:

• Final Project and Career Plan: Students undertake a final project to showcase their development as directors.
This project demonstrates their distinctive voice, industry-facing approach, and awareness of a diverse and inclusive world. They also refine their career plan in preparation for entering the screen industries.

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Assessment: The program uses a diverse range of assessment methods to evaluate students' understanding and abilities:

• Portfolios
• Performances
• Research papers and presentations
• Reflective work

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Teaching: The program utilizes various teaching methods to deliver a rich and engaging learning experience:

• Productions
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Practical group work
• Formative feedback through critiques, pitches, screenings, and reflective sessions
• Work-integrated learning
• Authentic assessment
The program boasts a diverse faculty of experienced professionals, including:
• TV and film directors
• First assistant directors
• Writers
• And other industry experts

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Careers: Graduates of the MA Directing program are prepared for a diverse range of careers in the screen industries, including:

• Film director
• Television director
• Commercial director
• Documentary director
• Second unit director
• Assistant director
• Other related roles

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Other:

• The program is recognized by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK's screen-based industries.
• Students have the opportunity to work on projects for real-world clients, gaining valuable industry experience.
• The program encourages a collaborative learning environment, fostering teamwork and communication skills among students.
• Graduates benefit from a strong alumni network and career support services.