Film Making BA(Hons)

It’s not too late to apply for September.

Start date

18 September 2023

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years inc. placement year

Entry requirements

A Level - BBC-BCC

BTEC - DMM-MMM

See full entry requirements

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About the course

Reasons to study

90% of graduates from this subject area are in work and/or further study fifteen months after graduating.
Develop your skills and tell compelling stories - in the studio, on location and in our brand new purpose-built Firth Street Film Studio.
The screen industries in Yorkshire are going from strength to strength - put yourself right at the heart of it through work experience and industry contacts.

Tell the stories that matter to you in the format the world wants to see – in our age of digital media, nothing is more popular and more powerful than film.

We’ll educate you as a thinker, maker and creator as you rise to the challenge of the creative industries of the future, and develop the creative, analytical and technical skills you’ll need to use the right technologies to shape your chosen narrative.

Our degree in Film Making is aimed at students with the artistic drive to make movies that change how we imagine the world around us – join us, and put yourself at the centre of your own story.

Why study Film Making at Huddersfield?

Get hands-on in our industry-standard film and TV studios, and with our post-production equipment and software.
You’ll get a budget to make a film as part of a team in your final year project.
Work alongside other screen industry stars of the future, from screenwriters to actors.
You’ll be challenged to develop all your talents – creative, analytical and technical skills – to equip you for a wide range of careers in the screen industries and beyond.

Course detail

Year 1

Core Modules:

Cinematography and Camera Work

Here’s where you get behind the camera to really start to build your skills in camerawork and lighting for film and TV production. Through practical sessions, demonstrations and extensive supervised time in our studios, you’ll develop a range of technical abilities. You’ll work towards a portfolio of completed filming exercises, allowing you to show off what you’ve learned.

Storytelling and Editing

Making a film or TV show is not just about using a camera, it means knowing how to tell a story. In this module, you’ll learn about what makes a good narrative, and how to achieve it in the editing suite by using software and visual effects. You’ll also be able to put your completed work into context, as you learn about the structure and history of storytelling.

Analysing Content

Analysing Content introduces you to the analysis of fiction and non-fiction visual media, from Hollywood films and television series to news and advertising. You will learn how to conduct more complex analysis of the meaning conveyed through media texts as well as their connection to cultural ideology.

Film and Television Industries and Law

Screen entertainment is as popular now as it has ever been, but who makes our favourite content and how we access it, is changing dramatically. This module provides you with an insight into the key theories, concepts and methods to help you understand the film and television industries. You’ll also get an introduction to the essentials of entertainment law.

Year 2

Core modules:

Production Management

Being a producer in film and TV is an important job, putting you right at the centre of any production. You’ll learn about production management tasks ranging from casting to location scouting, while getting a handle on the logistics of production both in the studio and outside. You’ll also focus on health and safety, knowledge that is more essential than ever.

Light, Camera, Action…and Cut: Specialist Skills in Film Production

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to careers behind the camera in the screen industries. This module allows you to develop your technical skills in key production areas, such as lighting, cinematography, script editing, directing and sound. You’ll learn through extensive time in our film studio, as well as supervised shoots on location.

Film Pre-Production Project: Ideas, Scripts and Casts

We want you to have the creative vision to use film to help us see the world differently. In this module, you will work as a crew to develop in-depth knowledge and skills so you can start to turn that vision into reality. You’ll learn about development production, screenwriting and casting, while honing your abilities in workshops and supervised time in our film studio.

Global Popular Cinema: Hollywood and Beyond

This module takes you inside cinema, as you examine contemporary film as a global media industry. It’s not just the movies themselves, but how they are produced, distributed, promoted and received. There’s a particular emphasis on how processes of globalisation and circulation allow films to become meaningful, far outside the contexts in which they were originally made.

From Studio to Social Media: Media Careers and Entrepreneurship

You’ll often hear us say that media is changing quickly: and we mean it. This module helps you make sense of what that means for your future career, and why the jobs of tomorrow aren’t always the same as the ones of the past. You’ll work on a career plan, so you can be ready for a placement year and other media work opportunities.

Option modules:

Choose one from a list which may include:

Film and Television Fandom and Participatory Media

From cosplay to fan fiction, few areas of our life inspire the faithful as much as films and TV shows. This module explores the enthusiasm of fans, and helps you analyse the consequences both positive and not. Whether it’s Marvel or Doctor Who, you may find this module teaches you plenty about your own passions, too.

Screenwriting and Genre

This module provides a practical orientation in some of the main genres of film and television, and a training in how to write for them. You will analyse and discuss the narrative structures, character types, and other conventions of a range of genres, and try your hand at writing them yourself. These genres could range from documentary to sitcom, from horror to romantic comedy, or from action movie to period costume drama. Finally, you will become proficient at writing in a particular genre, which you will select from those you have studied. You will produce a script according to a genre-specific brief, and then reflect on the process of writing to the constraints of the familiar generic conventions of the film/television industry.

Scoring the Silver Screen: The Musicology of Film and Television

Scoring the Silver Screen will equip you with the skills for in-depth analysis of film and television soundtracks. You will explore the evolving relationships between technology, economics, and aesthetics in film history from a range of perspectives, with case studies ranging from 'silent' films and classic Hollywood musicals to art-house cinema, contemporary blockbusters, and television serials.

Year 3 - optional placement year

Placement Year

The optional one-year (48 weeks) work placement after the second year can be completed in the UK or abroad. It will give you the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience, insight into your chosen career and open up your graduate employment prospects.

Final Year

Core modules:

Film Production Project: Production and Post-Production

This is a wonderful opportunity to work as part of a crew and make a film. We’ll support you through the production and post-production process, as you turn your idea into movie magic. As well as plenty of supervised studio time, you’ll have access to a production budget provided by us, to help you make a film you can be proud of.

Screens Aesthetics

What is the value of TV and film? That’s the question at the centre of this module. Drawing on a diverse range of cultural, social and literary theory, you’ll explore definitions of value and apply them to different audio-visual forms and genres. You’ll also reflect on the significance of cultural value for your own creative practice.

Film and Television Distribution: Sales, Promotion and Festivals

Getting movies and TV shows in front of audiences is a key task, and it’s one that is changing rapidly in the era of streaming. If you’ve wondered why certain shows drop off Netflix and turn up on a rival service, this module allows you to get inside those processes. You’ll also develop a distribution and promotion plan for a product of your own.

Media Industry Project

Here’s where you put what you’ve learned so far into practice. You’ll spend a minimum of 80 hours doing a placement or working for an external client, producing content you can show off in a portfolio. The types of role available are almost limitless, but we’ll work with you to help you find the right stepping stone to the career you want.

Students who have successfully completed the optional placement year take an additional optional module in place of the Media Industry Project and Employment module.

Option modules:

Choose up to two from a list which may include:

Reality TV and Documentary

Factual entertainment is a huge part of the screen industries, ranging from reality shows to documentary programmes. You’ll create your own TV project, allowing you to further develop your production skills and create a high-quality output. You’ll also put your work in the broader context of how reality is constructed and narrated in factual TV.

Fantasy, Horror and Cult Film

You’ll have heard the term ‘cult movie’, but this module puts the concept itself in the spotlight. Exploring the key genres of fantasy and horror, you’ll consider how cult status is created, sustained and marketed. You’ll explore whether it’s possible to define cult films through certain attributes, and the ways in which fantasy and horror movies have been theorised.

Stars and Celebrity

People all over the world long for their 15 minutes of fame, whether waiting for an audition or trying to become the next big streamer. In this module you’ll think about the power of celebrity in contemporary in society. You’ll examine the cultures of stars and celebrities, particularly in relation to film, music, sport and other popular cultures.

Digital Streaming Platforms: YouTube, Netflix and Beyond

Streaming has changed the way we consume media beyond recognition. In this module, you’ll examine the disruptive impact Netflix, YouTube and other platforms have had on the media industries. You’ll complete a case study investigation of an area of streaming media that you find most interesting.

Teaching and assessment

Our degrees seek to develop your creative, technical and analytical skills, and every aspect of your learning is designed to help you succeed in the media, creative and cultural sectors. We thus work with a wide variety of teaching formats which alongside lectures, seminars and workshops, include newsdays, work-based learning and placements, project work, dissertations, one-on-one and group supervision, and digital learning. We continuously review and innovate teaching formats to reflect changing technologies and industry contexts. An average 28.6%* of the time on your course will be spent with your tutors (either face to face or online) on timetabled activities.

*based on 20/21 programme specifications.

We use a variety of assessments, including video shorts, podcasts, newsroom days, audience research portfolios, essays, production pitches, data analytics, presentations, and dissertation. This allows you the ability to tailor your degree to fit your passions, interests and strengths. You will be taught by world-leading scholars whose research is helping to shape our understanding of how media, journalism and culture operate alongside industry-leading practitioners and producers, supplemented by a variety of guest talks.

Full-time or part-time study

This course is not available to study on a part-time basis on an evening, at the weekend, or via distance learning.

Further Information

The teaching year normally starts in September with breaks at Christmas and Easter, finishing with a main examination/assessment period around May/June. Timetables are normally available one month before registration.

Your course is made up of modules and each module is worth a number of credits. Each year you study modules to the value of 120 credits, adding up to 360 credits in total for a bachelor’s qualification. These credits can come from a combination of core, compulsory and optional modules but please note that optional modules may not run if we do not have enough students interested.

If you achieve 120 credits for the current stage you are at, you may progress to the next stage of your course, subject to any professional, statutory or regulatory body guidelines.

Teaching excellence

Triple proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2022). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.
We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 20 since 2008 (2022 data).
We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Global Professional Award

At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive the Level 5 in Leadership and Management Award from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), meaning you’ll graduate from the University of Huddersfield with an internationally recognised professional qualification, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

*full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees

Entry requirements

BBC-BCCat A Level .

112-104 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications.

Merit at T Level.

DMM-MMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit or above.
112-104 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

Yorkshire Film and Television

At the Yorkshire Film and Television School you do not only gain the skills and knowledge to become an expert in your chosen field, but you will have the opportunity to apply your talents, knowledge and skills in industry leading facilities. Work in our new 300 square metre dedicated film studio, our live broadcast and television studios, virtual reality and motion tracking sensors and state-of-the-art music and sound production studios, where you will have access to a range of industry-standard production equipment and software, both on and off campus.

Click here to find out about the Yorkshire Film and Television School.

Placements

Our Film Making degree includes two exciting placement opportunities. Students are encouraged to undertake a full professional training year in Year 3. We support our students in finding suitable placement opportunities in the film making industries and beyond. During the placement years you are supported by an academic tutor and will build professional experience invaluable for your final year of study and graduate career alike. All students not undertaking a full placement year study our final year compulsory placement module that gives you the chance to put your skills into practice in a short placement. This could be a block of a few weeks or one day a week over several months.

Previous placement providers have included the BBC and independent TV companies, a variety of radio stations and newspapers and magazines, along with leading public relations companies and social media agencies.

A placement is a great opportunity to explore your chosen industry, to understand the sector, network and make valuable contacts, whilst developing your skills, knowledge and experience. A placement is a chance to get involved, to put theory into practice and to work alongside professionals.

Stephanie Bower, Placements Officer

Facilities

Stewart Film Studios: the home of BA Film Making

Shooting a car scene with back projection

TV Studio

Our UK-leading, ARRI-based lighting system

Students prep a shot in Stewart Film Studios

Your Career

Film and television are some of the biggest and fastest growing in the UK. This degree will provide you with a combination of creative, technical and analytical skills for a variety of careers and roles in a rapidly developing technological economy.

*Percentage of our undergraduate students from this subject area go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20, UK domiciled, other activities excluded).

90% Graduates employed*

Career support

We know you’re coming to university to study on your chosen subject, meet new people and broaden your horizons. However, we also help you to focus on life after you have graduated to ensure that your hard work pays off and you achieve your ambition.

So while you’re here (and even after you graduate) the Careers and Employability Service offer professional help, support and guidance, including industry-supported workshops, careers fairs and one-to-one guidance sessions. Find out more about the Service.

Further study

Progression to a postgraduate course is dependent on successful completion of your undergraduate studies, there may also be minimum qualification requirements such as a first class or higher second (2.1) degree. Please check the course details to confirm this.

We recognise the success of our students at Huddersfield by offering a scholarship for the best graduates. This scheme is open to University of Huddersfield students who graduate with first-class honours and postgraduate Master's (taught or research) students who graduate with a distinction. For full guidance, terms and how to apply visit the scholarship page.

Career support

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Our technical services team have many years of higher education and industry support experience and provide practical “hands on and online support ” expertise to students in television and film production such as demonstrating camera techniques, sound, lighting and editing in post-production. We also guide students in the use of film, broadcast, and IT software applications as well as access to support guidance information.

Research excellence

Research plays an important role in informing all our teaching and learning activities. Through research our staff remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, which means you develop knowledge and skills that are current and highly relevant.

The Department of Media, Journalism and Film at the University of Huddersfield is home to one of Europe's leading centres for the study of participatory culture, fans and popular media. The Centre for Participatory Culture brings together preeminent researchers in the study of popular culture with specialism such as screen industries and branding, media sport in the digital age, music festivals and music tourism, science fiction fandom, Regional Reality TV Drama, identity and globalisation, and the rise of fandom and anti-fandom in politics. The centre also explores the rise of digital media technologies and platforms, including social media and their impact on media industries and media representations, including on forms of journalism. We also assess the role of these technologies in changes to political participation and democracy.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

The full-time undergraduate tuition fee for 2023/24 entry will be £9250.

Tuition fees will cover the cost of your study at the University as well as charges for registration, tuition, supervision and examinations. For more information about funding, fees and finance for UK students, including what your tuition fee covers, please see Fees and finance.

If you are an EU or international student coming to study at the University of Huddersfield, please visit the International Fees and Finance pages for full details of tuition fees and support available.

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

The full-time undergraduate tuition fee for 2023/24 entry will be £9250.

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

Changes to a course you have applied for

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

Cancellation of a course you have applied for

Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

Termination of course

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

Equal opportunities

Undergraduate

View more courses

Start date

Duration

Entry requirements

About the course

Reasons to study

Why study Film Making at Huddersfield?

Course detail

Cinematography and Camera Work

Storytelling and Editing

Analysing Content

Film and Television Industries and Law

Production Management

Light, Camera, Action…and Cut: Specialist Skills in Film Production

Film Pre-Production Project: Ideas, Scripts and Casts

Global Popular Cinema: Hollywood and Beyond

From Studio to Social Media: Media Careers and Entrepreneurship

Film and Television Fandom and Participatory Media

Screenwriting and Genre

Scoring the Silver Screen: The Musicology of Film and Television

Placement Year

Film Production Project: Production and Post-Production

Screens Aesthetics

Film and Television Distribution: Sales, Promotion and Festivals

Media Industry Project

Reality TV and Documentary

Fantasy, Horror and Cult Film

Stars and Celebrity

Digital Streaming Platforms: YouTube, Netflix and Beyond

Entry requirements

Yorkshire Film and Television

Placements

Facilities

Your Career

Career support

Student support

Research excellence

Fees and Finance

Fees and Finance

Important information

Changes to a course you have applied for

Cancellation of a course you have applied for

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules

Major changes

Termination of course

Equal opportunities

Data protection

Students’ Union membership

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