BA Content, Media & Film Production – Future Proof Filmmaking
By Danny Kelly
09 August 2019
Let’s start with exactly what ScreenSpace is and how it’s BA Content, Media & Film Production course is designed to prepare you for your future career in the creative industry.
ScreenSpace is a unique partnership between MetFilm School and the University of West London (UWL), set up to bridge the gap between industry and education and where industry practices are embedded in the learning process from day one.
BA (Hons) Content, Media & Film Production is ScreenSpace’s first undergraduate course. Over the course of three years, the course is split into six dedicated semesters, each of which looks at a different aspect of modern filmmaking or content creation.
The collaboration continues with our partnerships, where we’ve teamed up with media industry leaders such as Twitter, Karmarama and Contented Group who help form what you study. Partners set briefs, deliver supporting masterclasses and will introduce you to the business dynamics of their respective part of the screen industry. They will judge the productions of the students, and award prizes to the winning entries.
Semester One is ‘Tell A Story’ where you’ll learn the fundamentals of storytelling. To kick off you’ll begin with Smartphone Filmmaking with Cassius Rayner, an award-winning filmmaker, where you’ll make a piece of content for Twitter.
Cassius has more than 20 years’ experience in film and video production, and to him smartphone filmmaking equals freedom; everyone’s got one in their pocket, you can create what you want, when you want, but knowing how to make it look slick is a skill.
During this module, you’ll get to grips with the Zhiyun Smooth Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer and the ULANZI U-Rig Pro, the vloggers smartphone video rig of choice. You’ll also use FilmicPro, a state of the art app which transforms your device into a cinematic camera. When you start, you’ll be given your own rig to keep so you can get creating as soon as possible.
Today’s audiences can watch documentaries and factual programming at cinemas and art galleries, on television and smartphones, online and on-demand. Technological innovation and the digital revolution have changed the way we think and talk about factual content. ScreenSpace is committed to staying ahead of the curve when it comes to content creation.
Our next Semester, ‘Change Hearts’, is where you’ll focus on social impact filmmaking and how to use the power of storytelling to evoke an emotive response. You’ll be assigned a brief from a charity to create a piece of factual content, which aims to change the attitudes, behaviours, and hearts of the audience. Take a look at this excellent example from current student Corey Smith who worked with Shelter from the Storm.
In March, we welcomed Charlie Phillips, Head of Documentaries for The Guardian, to host a Masterclass. During his session, Charlie talked about the current state of the online documentary industry, what it’s like working for The Guardian and gave advice to our students.
Earlier this year Sahar Zand, an award-winning British-Iranian journalist and documentary maker, joined us as a Factual Content Coach. Sahar is known for her often unconventional approach in hunting down original stories all over the world, uncovering what often goes unnoticed by the world media, through a unique, creative and compelling approach.
Progressing through the course you’ll look at developing factional and branded content, how to become influential and an innovator, and finally for your graduation project you’ll complete ‘Be an Entrepreneur’ where you’ll create a business plan and career vision. Later this year we’ll be taking all our second-year students off-site for two weeks to collaborate and shoot their own TV drama at Paragon Studios with director and producer David Mansell.
Going back to that unique partnership between MetFilm School and UWL, as a student of ScreenSpace, you get the best of both worlds. As a student of MetFilm School, you’ll study in our Ealing Studios campus and be able to submit your work to the Smart Screen Creative Awards. You’ll also be able to access MetFilm Futures – a dedicated careers service.
When you enrol on to the course, you automatically become a member of the UWL Students’ Union, meaning you can access these perks and on Wednesday’s, a study free day, you can access their sports facilities and activities uninterrupted.
If ScreenSpace sounds like the place for you, you can still apply for this September through Clearing.