Film Practice

Expand and build upon your filmmaking knowledge with Staffordshire University. Our Masters in Film Practice is designed to fully support you in developing the professional and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the film industry. The course provides a range of modules that support you in finding and honing your specialism whilst building skills that reflect current film practice and technology.

Our course is student centered, industry focused and, above all, flexible. You will be able to tailor your learning and projects to match your personal interests, skill sets, and career aspirations.

You will have access to our new virtual production suite alongside our world class resources including industry standard camera equipment and production facilities. We also focus on helping you become professionally ready, supporting you through our module – Career Development for the Film Professional and offering life-long support in your career goals as a graduate of Staffordshire University.

Our course team are all passionate about storytelling, fiction and factual, and want to support you as you explore new skills, build existing ones, and become certified through our AVID school status.

We are all either actively involved in the film industry or engaging in world class research, as evidenced by our recent REF excellence and our internationally excellent research. You will benefit from being a part of our dynamic research culture which places a focus on researching though your practice and building knowledge through technical application.

Our course is student centered, industry focused and, above all, flexible. You will be able to tailor your learning and projects to match your personal interests, skill sets, and career aspirations.

You will have access to our new virtual production suite alongside our world class resources including industry standard camera equipment and production facilities. We also focus on helping you become professionally ready, supporting you through our module – Career Development for the Film Professional and offering life-long support in your career goals as a graduate of Staffordshire University.

Our course team are all passionate about storytelling, fiction and factual, and want to support you as you explore new skills, build existing ones, and become certified through our AVID school status.

We are all either actively involved in the film industry or engaging in world class research, as evidenced by our recent REF excellence and our internationally excellent research. You will benefit from being a part of our dynamic research culture which places a focus on researching though your practice and building knowledge through technical application.

You will begin by studying a range of interconnected approaches to Filmmaking in your first semester.

Module One: Filmmaking Practice (20 credits) offers you the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in set and location-based filmmaking – extending or developing your knowledge. You will cover topics such as set-design, studio protocols, location working, camera operation, lighting, editing and sound capture.

The focus of Module Two: Virtual Production (20 credits) is on the use of green-screen and Unreal Engine based virtual production. You will undertake training to become qualified in the operation and use of our virtual production suite and then explore the opportunities that virtual production affords. You will be fully commensurate with set-up, use and shut-down of the suite by the end of the module and ready to use it moving forwards in your projects as the course continues.

Module Three: Audiences and Institutions (20 credits) focuses on understanding the industrial context of creative work and establishing how and where your work will find its place in the wider sector.

Module Four: Practice as research (40 credits) introduces the ways you can use your creative work as research. It is also the proof of concept and planning stage for your Module Six Major Project enabling you to plan and develop whilst considering the methods and approaches your work is taking.

Module Five: Career Development for the Film Professional (20 credits) focuses on career development and employability. It is also an opportunity to explore the theme of Entrepreneurship for the Film Professional as well as readying yourself for your next steps academically or professionally.

Finally, drawing on your experiences in the previous modules, you undertake Module Six: Building a Portfolio (Major Project) (60 credits). This is an opportunity to carry out an in-depth study on an area of specific interest to you. This is fully flexible and can range from making a film to running an outreach programme to creating a film festival – we want you to find your passion and realise your potential.

You will begin by studying a range of interconnected approaches to Filmmaking in your first semester.

Module One: Filmmaking Practice (20 credits) offers you the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in set and location-based filmmaking – extending or developing your knowledge. You will cover topics such as set-design, studio protocols, location working, camera operation, lighting, editing and sound capture.

The focus of Module Two: Virtual Production (20 credits) is on the use of green-screen and Unreal Engine based virtual production. You will undertake training to become qualified in the operation and use of our virtual production suite and then explore the opportunities that virtual production affords. You will be fully commensurate with set-up, use and shut-down of the suite by the end of the module and ready to use it moving forwards in your projects as the course continues.

Module Three: Audiences and Institutions (20 credits) focuses on understanding the industrial context of creative work and establishing how and where your work will find its place in the wider sector.

Module Four: Practice as research (40 credits) introduces the ways you can use your creative work as research. It is also the proof of concept and planning stage for your Module Six Major Project enabling you to plan and develop whilst considering the methods and approaches your work is taking.

Module Five: Career Development for the Film Professional (20 credits) focuses on career development and employability. It is also an opportunity to explore the theme of Entrepreneurship for the Film Professional as well as readying yourself for your next steps academically or professionally.

Finally, drawing on your experiences in the previous modules, you undertake Module Six: Building a Portfolio (Major Project) (60 credits). This is an opportunity to carry out an in-depth study on an area of specific interest to you. This is fully flexible and can range from making a film to running an outreach programme to creating a film festival – we want you to find your passion and realise your potential.