Programme Specifications

N/A

Communication, Media, Film and Cultural Studies

September 2023

The scheme combines a rigorous critical understanding of documentary film aesthetics with advanced technical skills that, taken together, will encourage students to question the form, take creative risks and develop a distinctive personal style. Firmly grounded in questions of space, place, landscape and ecology, it has an overriding focus on the pressing questions of our contemporary era. The scheme involves a unique collaboration with the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences.

The programme aims to:

• Develop an advanced understanding of documentary history, theory and production through an integrated programme of study that combines practical training with sustained critical reflection.

• Encourage students to critically assess the concepts of realism, truth, representation and ethics within the context of factual filmmaking and negotiate these through their own practice.

• Develop effective communication skills and interpersonal skills through collaborative practice-as-research projects.

• Encourage and support students to make original creative decisions in the research, design and conception of documentary filmmaking.

• Encourage student to think about institutions, audiences and social impact when developing documentary film projects.

• Encourage students to work in an interdisciplinary context, reflecting on how the documentary field intersects with areas such as ecology, landscape and the environment.

Upon successful completion of the scheme students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an advanced critical understanding of the key theoretical debates and historical developments in documentary filmmaking and apply these to rigorous creative projects.

• Carry out practice-based research projects that lead to thought-provoking documentary outputs.

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the social impacts of documentary filmmaking, as well as the ethical issues involved in representing the world.

• Critically assess the concepts of realism, authenticity, truth and objectivity from both a theoretical and a practical perspective.

• Demonstrate technical mastery and conceptual sophistication in making documentary films that engage with space, place, landscape and ecology.

A1 critical debates, concepts and discourses in documentary film theory and practice

A2 cultural and social significance of documentary filmmaking in shaping beliefs and influencing behaviour

A3 applied understanding of documentary techniques and traditions

A4 theoretical and applied understanding of the role of ethics and representation, particularly in the field of ecology and environment

A5 effective project design and its practical implementation

Learning and Teaching

Seminars, screenings, workshops, field trips.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Essays, presentations, film projects, reflective journals, critical evaluations.

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to:

B1 demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of documentary film practice from an aesthetic, institutional, and ethical perspective

B2 understand documentary film from a range of art historical perspectives

B3 mobilise a range of theoretical concepts from different disciplines to articulate intellectual ideas and develop innovative creative approaches

B4 demonstrate critical understanding of how different documentary film approaches have the potential to impact audiences and benefit communities, both human and non-human

B5 nderstand the key ethical issues in contemporary documentary practice, particularly within the field of ecology

Learning and Teaching

Seminars, practical workshops, masterclasses with visiting filmmakers and documentary film specialists, tutorials to guide the students through their practical projects

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Essays, presentations, film projects, reflective journals, critical evaluations.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills / Discipline Specific Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

C1 an advanced ability to create innovative and thought-provoking documentary film projects shaped by a clear set of research questions

C2 an understanding of institutions, audiences and stakeholders in the creation of practical projects

C3 advanced technical skills in a range of film production practices

C4 an ability to reflect critically on their own filmmaking approach, enabling future professional development through improvement and flexibility

C5 an ability to work collaboratively, taking into consideration the needs and requirements of co-workers and stakeholders

Learning and Teaching

Supported production projects throughout the year, leading to a final research-led documentary film project.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Practical film projects and critical reflections.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

D1 an ability to organise and manage workload according to deadlines, both individually and as part of a team

D2 advanced problem-solving skills related to both conceptual and practical scenarios

D3 an ability to structure and communicate ideas effectively using a variety of means

D4 an ability to confront and negotiate sensitive topics with care and consideration

D5 an openness in their approach to others, balancing views and considering opinions different to their own

Learning and Teaching

Seminars, workshops, practical projects, field trips.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Essays, presentations, practical projects. Students will be required to develop these skills primarily through the final practical research project and accompanying critical reflection.