| Unit name | Dissertation: Film and Television Production |
|---|---|
| Unit code | DRAMM1301 |
| Credit points | 60 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Mr. Metelerkamp |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Mandatory units approriate to the student's chosen programme of study |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Drama: Theatre, Film, Television |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The dissertation is designed to offer a culmination to the course. It comprises two parts, collaborative production on two films of ten to fifteen minutes, produced for public exhibition and/or competition entry and/or broadcast, and an individual essay. Each student performs both a major and minor role on the films. The roles arise from optional units completed and offer learning opportunities in the skills appropriate to the crafts concerned, as well as further development of practices and professional understandings in group-based production and in the issues and aesthetics of screen based narrative, whether fiction or documentary. The practical element comprises 2/3 of the overall weighting of the dissertation or analysis 1/3. The individual analysis consists of an essay of 5000 words, exploring issues arising from or related to the practical project(s), or other suitable topics concerning the practice, culture, economics, politics etc. of screen-based production.
Aims:
The dissertation seeks to provide a bridge between the structured foundation work offered in the taught elements of the programme, and professional or research practice. The unit aims to ensure students attain appropriate levels of independent screen media production ability and research-led inquiry into appropriate forms and practices. It seeks to enable students to exercise and develop both practical and analytical skills as the basis for either professional work in the media industries or research (practice- or other) at doctoral level. Depending on the options chosen, the skills developed may include a core of technical and craft competencies in selected areas, a broad base of production awareness that will be useful in professional production environments, understandings of academic practice as research settings, and skills in scholarship. All of the above will be supported by the development of capacities for analysis and reflection; the written component is mandatory for all pathways, and requires and measures analytical engagement and, in the case of practice, its critical conceptualisation at a level appropriate to postgraduate work.
Students will develop appropriate understanding and competence in the:
The practical component is supported by both technical and production support as necessary, and by conceptual supervision as required at each stage of the production process. The essay and/or critical analysis is individually supervised. Experiential learning is central to the practical elements of the dissertation and practical pathways (including professional attachment) but these are closely supervised.
The unit offers four assessment options:
1) a written dissertation of 15,000 words;
2) a professionallyoriented practical project produced either individually or in small groups, framed by contexts for public exhibition, plus individual critical analysis (3000-5000 words);
3) a professional attachment, within the Departmental framework for industrial placements. The placement will be assessed by workplace mentor report, in consultation with the dissertation supervisor, plus a reflective analysis/essay (3000-5000 words)
4) a project using practice as research, supported by an appropriate reflective essay (5000 words).
If a practice pathway is chosen, the project work may take a variety of forms within the broad spectrum of audiovisual practice. The title, scale and form of each piece of work will be approved in advance and negotiated through supervision. In every case the work will be expected to meet the requirements of summative masters level work.
By negotiation with the supervisor depending on the project undertaken.
