Film-making BA (Hons)

Aberystwyth University

Have you ever wondered how films are made? Do you have an interest in discovering more about the roles of the director and producer, the goals of the film studio/ financiers? Do you think that you have what it takes to make an impact in the film industry? If yes, then Aberystwyth University’s degree in Film-making is the course for you. Unlock your potential with this new, exciting and innovative course and gain a practical insight into how the film business works. Upon completion of this degree, you will understand the long and complicated process of how a film is conceived, financed, shot, delivered and exploited.

Why study BA Practical Film Production at Aberystwyth University?

Our exciting and innovative Film Making degree will examine the process of how a film is developed, financed, shot, delivered and exploited. The aim of the degree is to provide our students with the knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the film making experience.

As the name suggests, this is a practical degree with a strong vocational ethos. Through producing their own original films, as well as working with the camera, sound and post-production equipment in the department, the student will gain valuable hands-on experience preparing them for a career in this exciting and innovative industry.

The department has specialist filming equipment as well as editing suites with AVID software and Protocols, a dedicated sound design studio and a preview cinema, which will enable the student to shoot and complete their films to a professional standard.

The Film Making BA has also teamed up with the Production Guild of Great Britain to enable third-year students to become student members, giving them access to Guild members and resources. The degree has been established by industry-experienced teaching staff with over 35 years’ experience of completion and delivery of films within the international film industry.

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the three-year degree scheme.

In the first year, we will cover the following topics: An introduction to Film Production; Making short films; Introduction to post-production and editing. By the end of the first year, the student will have gained a working knowledge of the film production cycle as well as an introduction to the technical processes required for shooting a film.

In the second year the students will build on the knowledge gained in the introductory year one and will be encouraged to commence on their advanced specialised area of interest:

The first semester of year two will concentrate on the fundamentals of the following: Cinematography - directing; Sound recording - editing.

The second semester will concentrate on a film production project. Students will be able to apply their knowledge in their chosen area and form production teams to produce their 10 minutes short

In the third year, you will continue to build on the expertise learned in year 2 with the addition of 4 further modules: Sales and distribution; Sound design and dubbing - VFX and Grading; Fiction film project.

The department is currently building a viewing, dubbing and grading theatre which will allow the students to complete and screen their films in a professional environment.