Film BA(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Practical and theoretical – hands-on filmmaking makes up 70% of your studies and the remaining 30% is an opportunity to explore key themes and debates underpinning contemporary and historical cinema.

• Industry knowledge – you will learn how the industry works, from inception to distribution to cinema to streaming.

• Critical theory – you will leave with a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of critical film theory.

• Work with leading talent – you’ll learn with practitioners, filmmakers, distributors and programmers as well as researchers at the cutting edge of conceptual film analysis.

• Placement opportunities – a great opportunity to gain real-world experience and make industry connections for when you graduate.

• International exchange opportunities with Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore and SRH University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, Germany.

• Inspiring guests run workshops – recent industry visitors include Eastenders and Call the Midwife director Tom Hescott, Marie Antoinette and Dredd director Pete Travis and Elliot Grove from Raindance.

• Local film events – our students get involved with events such as Hastings Rocks, Cinecity and screenings at the Komedia Studio.
• Real-world client briefs – businesses work with us and provide students with live project briefs, where you present your work back to the client.

• Successful graduates – our alumni have worked on major TV shows, including The Crown, for global post-production houses and started their own production firms.

• Join a vibrant school of art and media based in central Brighton – an artistic and progressive city – and in your final year you will exhibit at the annual Graduate Show.

Follow our Film degree on Instagram @filmbrightonuni.

Year 1 

In year 1, the course will deal with classic and contemporary debates around film theory and examine a range of genres. 

Modules

• Introduction to Filmmaking

  This module is about developing key competencies in filmmaking that will support the practice strand of your degree. You will explore areas such as camera operation, basic light principles, an introduction to offline editing and technical inductions to equipment. There will be assessments based on correct handling and use of camera, sound and lighting equipment.

• Introduction to Screenwriting

  You will be introduced to approaches for generating ideas to develop into stories suitable as short films. You’ll explore screenplay formatting and the role of visuals and scene creation to assist in the writing of two short screenplays. By the end of the module, you’ll have an increased understanding of the type of stories that make engaging short films and will have produced two scripts.

• Introduction to Film Analysis

  This module introduces you to the fundamental approaches and theories that ground the analysis of film. You will explore aspects of film form such as mise en scene, editing, cinematography and sound, and learn how to break down the analysis of film and evaluate how each part contributes to the development of meaning within film texts. You’ll examine case studies, past and present, and develop your understanding of the framework for film analysis

• Film Production Management

  You will explore the collaborative nature of film production and the importance of teamwork during this module. You’ll learn key roles within a production, develop a planning process and examine the workflow of a production. Areas covered include effective management of production; sourcing and managing locations; creative development and visualisation; introduction to drama direction; casting and working with actors; and the role of sound design and music in storytelling.

• Film Editing

  During this module you will gain experience of industry-standard non-linear editing tools and learn how to apply film grammar conventions to your own work. You will look at postproduction workflow, including file management, colour correction and sound design, and explore the technical and artistic aspects of the role of editor.

• Hollywood Cinema

  Explore the commercial and cultural dimensions of contemporary Hollywood cinema. Through an examination of relevant approaches, theories and concepts from film and media studies, you will examine how Hollywood movies are the products of both globalised, capitalist media industries and American culture. You will look at how and why Hollywood films are produced, distributed and marketed and analyse how these motivations influence the form and content of specific movies and their commercial paratexts.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 2 

In year 2, you will expand your use and knowledge of digital production and post-production techniques and consider the essential features of the film festival experience. You will be able to choose from option modules to tailor the course to your interests, including the professional practice work placement module.

Modules

Core modules

• Screenwriting

  You will develop your creative writing skills during this module by creating two short fictional screenplays. You will learn and apply key dramatic principles and concepts to develop and revise your work, and by the end of the module you will have acquired a deeper understanding of the dramatic principles useful for all film production roles. Scripts for the two screenplays can be produced in the second semester or in the final year for your Graduate Film Project.

• Film Sound

  This module will draw upon sound theory in film and sound studies to underpin the practical and creative use of sound for an audiovisual project. It will include practical sessions on the technical aspects of planning, recording dialogue and effects, foley, using Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) such as ProTools and sound mixing.

• Making the Short Film

  Working in groups, you will produce an engaging five-minute fictional short film using scripts picked from the Screenwriting module. In a self-directed production team, you will work collaboratively to organise all aspects of the shoot. Production roles will be allocated throughout the pre-production, production and post-production period. Module content includes script development and supervision, pitching and feedback, camera operation and shooting techniques, production management and directing.

• Contemporary Film

  This module will develop your knowledge of theoretical and analytical approaches to studying contemporary film and provide a stepping-stone towards your final year Film Research Project. You will explore a range of 21st century English-language and international film texts and study current theoretical approaches to examining film as well as classical analysis and criticism.

Options*

• Creative Writing for Performance

  During this module, you will be introduced to various perspectives, techniques and materials to help you develop a portfolio of creative writing and explore your creative voice. You will originate, plan and develop a piece of creative writing for performance work within the framework of contemporary genres. The module emphasises writing as process, with forms including TV, cinema, stage scriptwriting, short story and poetry.

• Creative Use of Camera

  During this module you will learn to use the manual settings on your camera, creatively work with light and produce a portfolio of visually expressive images that convey your ideas using practical skills. You will be introduced to a variety of photographic approaches and through experimentation and guided independent study will identify the skills and methods that apply to the production of your portfolio.

• Identities and The Screen

  This module provides an overview of theoretical approaches to the representations and constructions of identity formations such as gender and sexuality, ‘race’ and ethnicity, social class, age, nationality, religion and (dis)ability. It explores the relationship between screen media and identities by looking at: the representations and constructions of identities in screen media; the uses of interactive screen media by individuals and communities to represent themselves; and the way in which screen media address different audiences in terms of their identities.

• Film Festivals

  This option will introduce you to the world of film festivals. Using CINECITY as a live case study, you will explore a range of critical and practical skills involved in presenting film and moving image to an audience, including the research, programming, delivery and marketing of film festival events, exhibitions and programme strands. The module will also consider issues including diversity and inclusivity around audience development.

• Writing for Feature Films and Television

  The craft of developing ideas for a feature film and a television series is introduced by this module. With peer and tutor feedback, you will develop your own project through writing exercises and research. By the end of the module, you will produce a ‘selling package’ typically consisting of a treatment and a series bible or a pitching document relevant to your chosen format. This work can then be expanded and/or produced in your final year.

• Practical Cinematography

  This module is designed to expand your aesthetic awareness of the craft of cinematography and give you a more advanced appreciation of moving image camerawork. You will evaluate the work of noted cinematographers and explore how camerawork and lighting contribute to cinematic storytelling in film. You will also look at the use of software to introduce VR and AR techniques into modern cinematography.

• Screen Genres

  In this module you will explore a range of screen genres, including soap opera, situation comedy, children’s television, reality TV, news and documentary. You will examine key debates surrounding genre as a means of categorising screen texts, challenging some common ideas about where screen genres come from, how texts are grouped together in genres, and how genres function for producers and consumers.

• Industry Placement

  This module will introduce you to core professional practices in the film and TV-related industries and includes a two-week work placement. During the placement you will develop transferable skills relevant to media and the creative industries, including creating a CV, cover email and showreel. You will also research how your chosen area of interest applies in a professional context and create a portfolio.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Placements

Spend a year on placement

Gain valuable experience and earn money during an optional placement year following year 2. You’ll return to the final year of your degree with added confidence, additional real-world experience and valuable contacts. 

A placement year gives you the chance to work with established professionals in design studios, galleries, film sets, music labels, creative agencies, newsrooms and many other environments. You’ll be able to get an insight into creative workflows and come away with a portfolio filled with real-world projects that will stand out in a competitive job market.  

It can also help you discover your creative direction and passion for a particular area of work, helping you grow artistically as well as professionally.   

Our dedicated Placements and Employability team will support you in getting a placement that suits your interests and career goals by helping you with your CV and cover letter writing, applications, online testing and more. Plus, they’ll provide support and guidance when you’re on placement and make sure that everything is going well. 

Other placement opportunities

In your second year you can choose the Industry Placement module which gives you access to industry work experience with local and national partners from film and media. We work with you to make sure that your placement reflects your interests and career ambitions. On this module we also help you create a digital showreel and CV.

In recent years our film students have been on placement with organisations including:

• Bulldog Film Distribution
• Power House Films
• Eastcote Studios Limited
• Minnow Films
• Rocks Film Festival
• This Here
• Nicola Peel

• ENVY Post Production
• MPH Films
• Socially Engaged Art Salon
• Big Egg Films
• Momma Cherri
• Lowkey Films
• Flicker Productions
• Walk of Life Films
• Ricochet
• Walk of Life Films
• ARRI Rental
• Drop Dead Films
• Red Planet Productions
• Carousel
• Absolute Post
• Verri Media
• JDPL
• Foundlight Productions
• Chelsea Archive
• Curve Media
• Crawley Film Initiative
• Coolbox.

Final year 

In your Film degree final year, you will work on a major project and your final year dissertation.

Modules

• Graduate Film Development

  Working within a production team, you will research, prepare and develop a major piece of practical work (normally a film) in this module. Workshop topics include identifying and developing a practical project, story development, screenwriting, production management, scheduling and pre-production documentation, and you will experience technical demonstrations with camera and sound equipment. There will also be talks with professionals and graduates where available.

• Research Development

  This module is designed to prepare you for your Film Research Project. You will explore key methods, approaches and theories in contemporary film research through a combination of lectures and workshops and plan a research project focusing on a topic relating to film. You will also select and critically review a range of relevant scholarly material in preparation for your essay or video essay.

• Directing the Screen

  Directing the Screen is designed to give you the directing skills and practice necessary for working on film sets and with trained actors. It covers the casting and auditioning process and how to form professional working relationships with actors and crew. You will learn to communicate a vision and assess the effectiveness of interpersonal and practical instruction in achieving your desired outcome.

• Graduate Film Project

  The Graduate Film Project is the culmination of your practical learning on the course. In production roles within the groups formed in the Graduate Film Development module, you will produce a short industry-focused film capable of festival consideration, attracting interest from employers, future funders and collaborators. The film should be a professional and entertaining product created by the efforts of the whole production team, each committed to their individual roles.

• Film Research Project

  This module provides you with the opportunity to undertake an independent research project which will expand your knowledge and understanding of a chosen specialised topic relating to film. You will build on your prior learning on the course to produce a critical essay or video essay which is informed by relevant theories, concepts and research practices.

Meet the team 

Johnny Lochland, course leader

Johnny is a writer and director of short films, music videos and feature film projects, creating work that often represents the LGBTQ+ community. He has screened around the world, including at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (now the BFI Flare), Cannes and New York. Read Johnny’s full profile.

Other staff teaching on the course include: Robert Greens, Phil Connolly, Jenny Linton, Aris Mousoutzanis, Douglas Mcnaughton and Emma Withers.

Facilities

Our comprehensive film facilities include cameras, lighting, sound and full service post-production tools – everything you need to realise your ideas.

Our Apple MAC labs have industry-standard software for visual/sound editing and screenwriting, including Adobe Creative Suite, Pro Tools, Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve and Final Draft. We are an Avid-authorised training centre for Media Composer and Pro Tools (the industry’s preferred editing platform).

We continually add to our impressive list of technical hardware. Currently we use Black Magic, Red Komodos and Sony 4K Cameras, Sound Devices audio equipment as well as a wide array of professional lighting and grip equipment. Our production equipment can facilitate location film production of every type and genre, including music video, documentary animation and drama.

The teaching spaces at our Edward Street building are equipped with 4K interactive screens, iMac 5K Retina 27" workstations and house a high-spec Dolby Atmos 4K screening room.

Student work 

Our film degree students have produced a showreel of clips demonstrating some of their brilliant work. The content contains some sexual imagery, alcohol use and threat.

Summer shows 2024

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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