Filmmaking
| Module title | Filmmaking |
|---|---|
| Module code | EAF2513 |
| Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Mr David Salas (Lecturer) Professor Linda Williams (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
This module will introduce you to the basics of film production, including story construction, camerawork, digital editing, sound recording, and directing, and you will work on an orginal short film. You will be taught by expert tutor(s) with experience in the world of filmmaking. In addition to creative and practical skills, the module will introduce you to the organisational & managerial aspects of film production, including scheduling, permissions, and promotion strategy. Small groups will work on films within focused teams, each taking on technical and creative roles. Teamwork and time management will be essential. The practical component is a collaborative project and it is the film which is assessed. An individual critical reflection will be written to support your learning and will be submitted with your final film.
Module aims - intentions of the module
• You will have acquired key filmmaking skills, and built your own creative pathway, including developing a stronger sense of your preferred specialism.
• You will have experienced working in a tightly focused group and will experience practising a variety of filmmaking skills.
• Teamwork is essential to this module, so those applying for a place on it will need to be comfortable working as part of a group.
• Feedback will be given on the pitch (in the first few weeks of the module), and on the draft films showcased in a work-in-progress session later in the module, so that as developing filmmakers you will experience the process of showcasing a rough-cut and workshopping creative materials for improvement.
• You will also work on an individual critical evaluation of 1000 words, which will reflect on the skills you have developed, highlighting how the lessons learned will inform and improve your future filmmaking. This may involve an evaluation of the kinds of film forms and/or genres and styles with which you have chosen to work, how the group dynamic functioned to enhance or develop the creative process, and what your individual contribution to the project was, for example. The critical evaluation will also incorporate supporting material generated as part of the process of creating your film, e.g., script, shot list, release forms, risk assessments, pre-vis, behing the scenes (bts) photography.
• The finished film may be used as a calling card for future work, for entry into film school after graduation, or as a ‘proof of concept’ for a longer project.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Learn and practice key filmmaking skills, such as, directing, producing, cinematography, digital editing, sound recording and editing.
- 2. Increase confidence in the use of filmmaking equipment for example for image and sound recording, and for digital editing.
- 3. Plan a film from pitch through production and post-production, through to exhibiting the complete final edit.
- 4. Critically reflect on the creative process of making a short film.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate a greater understanding of film form and film history through practical work.
- 6. Reflect on the work of key filmmakers both filmmaking influences from film history and contemporary film culture, and the work/experience of the module tutor(s).
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Demonstrate creative and organisational skills of marshalling a film project and seeing it through to completion, including skills in directing, producing, editing, sound design and cinematography.
- 8. Demonstrate the ability to pitch a convincing and compelling film idea, deploying compelling communication skills
- 9. Demonstrate the ability to work with other students in a team in service of the finished film and in order to complete the task.
- 10. Demonstrate the ability to liaise with lecturers, technicians and industry professionals, working in co-operation with their timetables and resources, and benefitting from their feedback and instruction.
Syllabus plan
This is an indicative list of potential areas for focus, and subject to change. Teaching workshops might split between focus on learning practical skills, focus on what makes a compelling and convincing story, and critical reflection on one’s own practice.
• Critical reflection skills: creative diaries or vlogs; the critical evaluation; Learning from feedback;
• Development Skills: Developing visual storytelling in fiction and documentary: Introduction to screenwriting; The film treatment; Project teamwork and critiquing your work;
• Pre-Production Skills: Management, Value Creation & Delivery of a film project. Budgets, schedules and practicalities; legal and the ‘property’; copyright; Pre-vis, and production design.
• Production Skills: Directing Actors. Shooting for the edit. Recording principles. The value of assisting.
• Post-Production Skills: Data-wrangling; Assembly Edit; Sound Design; Finishing.
• Delivery, Exhibition & Promotion: Delivery; Electronic Press Kit; Festivals; Promotion
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | 257 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 33 | Filmmaking workshops, including the Pitch workshop and the Work-in-progress workshop. 3 hours per week the format of these hours is by negotiation with the film practitioner tutor. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 10 | Individual contact with module convenor: The module convenor will be available for a dedicated office hour each week of the course for consultations with any student who needs further support and guidance. |
| Guided Independent Study | 257 | Film construction in teams and independent work Alongside workshop teaching sessions by film practitioner(s) (see above). You will work on your films in the practice-based spaces at Exeter, including the media facilities (camera loan; digital editing suite), in collaboration with the technical team who will also show you how to book into these. Time spent on these tasks is an integral part of the process, but quantifying it will be dependent on the individuality of each film itself, the production stage it is at, and the balance between group work and individual focus. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitch of film idea | 5 minutes, presented to tutors and other students | 1- 4, 7-10 | Oral, on the day, and written feedback a week later |
| Work-inprogress showcase of rough cut | Rough cut of film, presented to tutors and other students | 1-4, 7-10 | Oral, on the day |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 0 | 70 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short film | 70 | +/-5 minutes | 1-9 | Written feedback |
| Critical evaluation | 20 | 1000 words | 4-6, 8, 10 | Written feedback |
| Module participation | 10 | Ongoing | 1-10 | Oral feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short film | Repeat Study/Mitigation | 1-9 | N/a |
| Critical evaluation | Critical evaluation | 4-6, 8, 10 | Referral/deferral period |
| Module Participation | Repeat Study/Mitigation | 1-10 | N/a |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
This is an indicative list, and likely to change:
• Brown, Blain (2002) Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image making for Cinematographers, Directors and Videographers. Focal Press.
• Honthaner, Eve (2001) The Complete Film Production Handbook (3rd Edition). Focal Press
• Nash, Patrick (2012) Short Films: Writing the Screenplay. Oldcastle Books
• Pincus, Edward, and Steve Ascher (1999) The Filmmaker’s Handbook – A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (Revised and Updated Edition). New American Library
• Proferes, Nicholas T. (2001) Film Directing Fundamentals: From Script to Screen. Focal Press
• Rabiger, Michael (2003) Developing Story Ideas. Focal Press
• Rabiger, Michael (2003) Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics. Focal Press
• Reisz, Karel and Millar, Gavin (1977) The Technique of Film Editing. Focal Press
• Roderiguez, Robert (1996) Rebel without a crew. Faber & Faber
• Sonnenschein, David (2004) Sound Design. Michael Wiese Productions
• Thompson, Roy (1998) Grammar of the Shot. Focal Press
• Thompson, Roy (1993) Grammar of the Edit. Focal Press
• Watkinson, John (2002) An Introduction to Digital Audio (2nd Edition). Focal Press
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
• ELE:
• http://actioncutprint.com/
• https://www.nytimes.com/video/anatomy-of-a-scene
• https://theasc.com/
• https://soundcloud.com/bafta
• https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/
• http://donedealpro.com/default.aspx
• http://dvcreators.net/
• http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/
• https://earthprotect.com/
• https://freesound.org/
• https://incompetech.com/
• https://www.imdb.com/
• https://nofilmschool.com/
• http://thepostlab.com/
• http://www.postmagazine.com/
• https://www.provideocoalition.com/
• https://www.redgiant.com/tutorials/
• https://www.studentfilmmakers.com/
• https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/the-treatment
• https://www.videomaker.com/category/how-to/
• https://www.zapsplat.com/
NB: If this module has to amend its delivery method due to Covid-19 restrictions, or similar national emergencies, students may need to use their own cameras (including phone cameras) and editing systems.
· ELE:
· https://www.nytimes.com/video/anatomy-of-a-scene
· https://soundcloud.com/bafta
· https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/
· http://donedealpro.com/default.aspx
· http://www.postmagazine.com/
· https://www.provideocoalition.com/
· https://www.redgiant.com/tutorials/
· https://www.studentfilmmakers.com/
· https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/the-treatment
· https://www.videomaker.com/category/how-to/
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 10/02/2020 |
| Last revision date | 10/03/2021 |
