Q&A with MA Screen & Film Production course leader, Andrea Slater

Our MA Screen & Film Production provides a fantastic opportunity to accelerate your career in the industry, and there are many reasons you might choose to study on the course. We caught up with Course Leader, Andrea Slater, at our Brighton campus, to answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

What are the contact hours for the MA course?

If you’re a full-time student, you’ll have two 3-hour seminars per week in the first two trimesters, plus various tutorials and additional workshops. The summer trimester is more varied as the main shoots and creative work is carried out in June, with seminars and tutorials in July and August.

For part-time students, the modules are spread over two years so it’s less intense. You’ll have a free summer at the end of the first year, but can choose to get involved in the Major Projects, which is a great experience to feed into your own Major Project planning in your second year.

Contact hours are allocated per module, and it’s advisable to check the module information on the website for more details. Bear in mind that there are additional events, networking sessions, and masterclasses outside of your set hours that you can get involved in, whether you’re full- or part-time.

What facilities are available for MA students?

At every campus, we have state-of-the-art studios and filming equipment to support your studies. Even if you’re a screenwriter, you are encouraged to use visual testing and work with actors as part of your process. We also have edit suites with access to industry software, such as Adobe Premier and Avid.

What is the balance between practical and theoretical work?

Four out of the five modules have a set practical element. ‘Practical’ can be anything from filmed rehearsals, screenwriting, storyboarding, or working with a composer, to the full Major Project, which can be a feature screenplay, short film, entrepreneurial project, or dissertation.

For each of these modules, you will research and write about your creative and technical process. The fifth module is where you will learn about research methodologies in relation to practice, and develop the academic skills that will support the rest of your modules.

Will I be able to experience campus life?

We operate very much as a film school with a production house feel, with students making films in class or on independent projects out on location. Last year, at our Brighton campus alone, nearly 200 assessed films were made by students on both our BA and MA programmes. Many MA students get involved with undergraduate projects and vice versa, which includes Filmmaking, Film Business & Production, Production Design, and Hair and Makeup BA courses. That’s not to mention cross-disciplinary opportunities with music and performing arts students.

It’s a very active, collaborative and professional environment that prepares students for the workplace and for their own creative and technical ambitions. It’s very different to a typical university campus; it’s hard to convey what it’s like, but when industry guests come to visit us for the first time, they tell us how much it feels like ‘home’!

What industry networking opportunities are available?

MA students are invited to various networking events throughout the year, where they can meet some of our industry partners who may be looking for new talent, such as our graduate industry social on the beach at sunset.

However, there are many more ways you can connect with industry: by applying for opportunities that our partners bring to us, by attending masterclasses, by connecting with your industry mentor, or just by talking to the tutors, technicians, and your fellow students. Industry is everywhere at MetFilm School!

Can you provide examples of the types of roles or companies that recent graduates have done on to?

Recent graduates have done on to work in various great positions in the industry; for example, edit assistants, production assistants, junior researchers, etcetera at prestigious companies like back2back Productions, Virtual Post, and Raw Cut Television – to name but a few.

As well as graduate successes, we have also seen an array of student industry placements, with opportunities to work on set with cinematographers like Ben Cole and Seamus McGarvey, as well as local production companies.

What is the final output or project for the MA course?

Your final project is negotiated with your tutor, so it’s a flexible brief that can be tailored to your individual career aims. Most people work towards a short film (or films), but you can also write a screenplay or develop an entrepreneurial project (such as a business plan for a production company or to develop a local film community hub, for example). You can even write a dissertation if you wish to go on to do a PhD. Essentially, whatever will help you to get noticed and into your chosen field.

Can you share a memorable moment or a particularly proud achievement from your time as Course Leader?

There are so many! It’s very rewarding to see students grow in their practice and find their filmmaking identity. The Major Project assessment presentations are a wonderful end point. Saying that, the Graduation Screening is the icing on the cake – you can’t match the experience of seeing your film with an audience, which the students obviously enjoy. As their Course Leader, I go on that journey with them, share their excitement, and I am always so proud of their achievements.