Module UXS-2075:
Short Film Production

Module Facts

Run by School of Music, Drama and Performance

20 Credits or 10 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Dr Dyfrig Jones

Overall aims and purpose

The aim of this module is to allow students to produce a short dramatic film, and to locate this process of production within an industrial and academic context.

Students work in small groups under the supervision of a member of staff, to complete a short film. Students will be given the freedom to choose a particular role - such as director, camera person, sound person or editor - and will be expected to develop an understanding of that role while working on the film. In this way, the module equips students with an understanding of how films are made, as well as developing new creative skills.

Course content

The first part of the course will teach students about the four main elements of short film production

- Video recording   - Sound recording   - Video editing   - Audio editing and dubbing

Following this each group will work under the supervision of a tutor to develop and complete the film. The tutor will give students regular feedback on their work, and work with them to identify areas for development, give guidance on how each group, and each individual student, can improve their work.

Assessment Criteria

C- to C+

C)

  • Knowledge of key areas/principles
  • Understands main areas
  • Limited evidence of background study
  • Answer focussed on question but also with some irrelevant material and weaknesses in structure
  • Arguments presented but lack coherence
  • Has several factual/computational errors
  • No original interpretation
  • Only major links between topics are described
  • Limited problem solving
  • Some weaknesses in presentation and accuracy

good

B)

  • Strong knowledge
  • Understands most but not all
  • Evidence of background study
  • Focussed answer with good structure
  • Arguments presented coherently
  • Mostly free of factual/computational errors
  • Some limited original interpretation
  • Well known links between topics are described
  • Problems addressed by existing methods/approaches
  • Good presentation with accurate communication

excellent

(A)

  • Comprehensive knowledge
  • Detailed understanding
  • Extensive background study
  • Highly focussed answer and well structured
  • Logically presented and defended arguments
  • No factual/computational errors
  • Original interpretation
  • New links between topics are developed
  • New approach to a problem
  • Excellent presentation with very accurate communication

threshold

(D)

  • Knowledge of key areas/principles only
  • Weaknesses in understanding of main areas
  • Limited evidence of background study
  • Answer only poorly focussed on question and with some irrelevant material and poor structure
  • Arguments presented but lack coherence
  • Several factual/computational errors
  • No original interpretation
  • Only major links between topics are described
  • Limited problem solving
  • Many weaknesses in presentation and accuracy

Learning outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively as part of a film production team

  2. Produce a short film in a group, showing an awareness of professional production standards

  3. Understand the main processes involved in producing short films in a professional context

  4. Demonstrate technical skill in one aspect of film production

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
REPORT Groupwork Report

A report on group work, recording the student's individual contribution to the production of the film, and giving feedback on the contribution of other group members.

 20
ESSAY Essay

An essay analyzing one production role within a film crew

 30
LOGBOOK OR PORTFOLIO Film portfolio

Short film of 5-10 minutes duration, with relevant documentation. The film and documents will be presented by the whole group, with one set of feedback and one mark given to the group. This assignment is assessed as a group, rather than individually, to reflect the collaborative nature of film production, and in line with accepted norms across Higher Education film production teaching.

 50

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Workshop

6 x 3 hour workshop

 18
Tutorial

11 x Weekly half hour tutorial, held in groups of four. If the panel is not satisfied with this, the number of workshops (above) could be increased from 6 to 11, but this will undermine the student experience. My professional opinion, as a subject matter expert, is that a small weekly half hour tutorial is perfectly acceptable in this area.

 6
Private study

Conduct research that will contribute to the development of the essay, as well as completing work on the short film.

 177

Transferable skills

  • Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
  • Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
  • Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
  • Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
  • Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
  • Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Subject specific skills

  • An understanding of creative and critical processes, and of the wide range of skills inherent in creative writing. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.1).
  • Artistic engagement and ability to articulate complex ideas in oral and written forms. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2).
  • Ability to connect creative and critical ideas between and among forms, techniques and types of creative and critical praxis. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.2).
  • Reflective practitioner skills, including awareness of the practice of others in collaborative learning (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.2).
  • The ability to synthesize information from various sources, choosing and applying appropriate concepts and methods (English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
  • Re-creative skills – interpretation, innovation, versatility, and other skills relating to performance
  • Creative skills – conception, elaboration, adaptation, presentation, collaboration, preservation
  • Technological skills – digital capture, digital expression, digital innovation
  • Intellectual skills shared with other disciplines – research and exploration, reasoning and logic, understanding, critical judgement, assimilation and application
  • Skills of communication and interaction – oral and written communication, public presentation, team-working and collaboration, awareness of professional protocols, sensitivity, ICT skills, etc.
  • Skills of personal management – self-motivation, self-critical awareness, independence, entrepreneurship and employment skills, time management and reliability, organisation, etc.

Resources

Resource implications for students

None

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/uxs-2075.html

Reading list

Bresson, Robert (1975) Notes on the Cinematographer Beaman, J. (2000) Interviewing for Radio. London: Routledge. Chapman, J. (2006) Documentary in Practice. London: Polity. Crisell, A.(1986) Understanding Radio. London: Methuen Dimbleby, N., (1994) Practical Media: a guide to production techniques. London: Hodder & Stoughton. Elsey, Eileen (2002) In short: a guide to short film-making in the digital age. London: BFI Publishing. Hausman, C et al (2003) Modern radio production: production, programming, and performance. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Lyver, D. & Swainson, G. (1995) Basics of Video Production, Oxford: Focal Press. Millerson, G. (1993) Effective TV Production. Oxford: Focal Press. Millerson, G. (1994) Video Camera Techniques. Oxford: Focal Press. Musburger, R. (1993) Single Camera Video Production. Oxford: Focal Press. Monaco, J (2000) How to Read a Film. Oxford: OUP, Nichols, Bill (1991) Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press Siegel, B.(1992) Creative Radio Production, Oxford: Focal Press. Starkey, G. (2006) Balance & Bias in Journalism. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Courses including this module

Optional in courses: