Media Production BA(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Modules on the degree are outward facing and industry-led, meaning you will be working on projects that reflect industry practice.
• Graduate ready to take on a wide variety of roles across the media industry – from scriptwriting to directing, producing to editing.
• The subject matter is a fascinating and ever-evolving mix – you’ll examine how the music and media industries intersect and investigate the social, cultural, economic, political and technological changes associated with their development.
• Placement opportunities give you the chance to make industry connections and gain valuable hands-on experience.
• Opportunities to work on live industry projects.

• Option modules enable you to tailor your degree to your specific career ambitions.
• Brighton is a fast-growing creative media hub and home to a thriving cultural scene.
• The course team are experts in their field who are passionate about sharing their knowledge with a new generation of media professionals.
• Develop valuable transferable skills including practical media skills, critical thinking and writing, independent research and analysis and excellent presentation, written and oral communication skills.

Year 1

The Media Production degree course features a core of practice-based modules where you will work with industry professionals shooting, recording and editing material in response to industry briefs and real work expectations.

Modules

• Introduction to Filmmaking

  This module enables you to develop core filmmaking skills that will support your practice. Workshops include technical inductions of equipment, and you will explore areas such as camera operation, basic light principles and offline editing. You will also look at aesthetics, including use of camera movement, composition, the relationship between lighting and mood and using sound for effect.

• Digital and Web Media Design

  This module will introduce you to the technologies used to create digital and web media products. You will become familiar with technical requirements for graphic design as well as digital acquisition and implementation for various digital media distribution channels. You will produce a multi-format web media product in response to a client brief along with a short video walk-through describing how the product was designed.

• Media Industries

  This module will give you an overview of the current state of the global digital media industries and introduce you to how media forms are developing in the digital age. The module will introduce the key contexts and frameworks that underpin the creative media industries, and discuss the pressure and influences that are driving change in those industries. You will learn how to develop, budget and pitch ideas intended for a variety of digital media platforms.

• Production and Practice Management

  You will learn about the collaborative processes and practice of group production work, developing relevant skills through hands-on experience and workshops. You will look at the key roles within a production, and explore the planning process and workflow. Areas covered include effective production management; sourcing and managing locations; casting and working with actors; and creative development and visualisation.

• Video and Sound Editing

  This module will provide you with a solid grounding in editing audio and video. You will critically engage with theories and ideas relating to video and sound, and participate in workshops that will cover the skills required to edit effectively. Throughout the module, you will apply these concepts and skills to create a short sound or video project.

• Understanding Audiences: Theory and Context

  In this module you will examine the role and characteristics of media consumption in the twenty-first century and the relationship that exists between audiences, texts and technologies of production, distribution and reception. You will examine a range of theories and research methods by studying real-world media organisations and their audiences, and as a practical exercise you’ll design and pitch a cross-media marketing campaign for a targeted audience demographic.

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

Modules

• Television Production

  In this module you will learn both the practical and theoretical approaches to multi-camera studio production and develop the critical, technical and interpersonal skills necessary for working collaboratively in the multi-camera environment. The module will culminate in a group production of a multi-camera studio programme based around a chosen genre which is suitable for television broadcast or online delivery.

• Podcasting

  This introduction to podcasting and audio storytelling (both factual and fictional) will explore the major development podcasting represents in the history of audio media and how important story structures are to the form. As well as analysing texts from this emerging media form, you will learn audio production, presentational and journalistic research skills so you can produce a short-form factual piece of your own.

• Media Placement

  This module involves a series of guided practical workshops covering research skills, CV/cover letter writing and portfolio development, followed by a four-week placement at an organisation or a work-related research project. You will reflect on your experience to consider the links between the course material and the professional activities which take place a media-related environment.

• Factual Production

  This module will introduce a range of factual genres and the various narrative styles used in contemporary factual production. You will learn about the production processes involved, including researching your topic, interviewing participants and creating an engaging narrative. You’ll gain practical production experience and develop skills in planning, shooting and editing, as well as learning about compliance with ethical requirements.

• Genre and Narrative

  This module will introduce the theories of media narrative and genre with the aim of informing and developing your own storytelling practices for your academic work and future career. It will provide a historical and theoretical overview of narrative and genre across different forms of screen media and explore the impact of digital technologies and social media on traditional storytelling theories and practices.

• Promotional Video Production

  This module will provide you with firm understanding of promotional media formats. You will critically analyse case studies and take part in a series of workshops focused on producing promotional media content. Throughout the module you will apply relevant concepts and theories to create content and progress your ideas through development meetings.

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 Media Placement module you’ll complete four weeks of work with a media organisation which will give you vital hands-on experience and boost your CV.

Our media students have undertaken placements at organisations including:

• Ricochet

• Creative Assembly

• BBC Good Food and Olive Magazine

• Absolute Radio

• Brighton & Hove Green Party

• Lowkey Films

• Drop4Drop

• Integrity Music Europe

• YDN Radio

• Life Water

• Electric Square

• TV Potato

• Renewable World

• LOVEDUST

• Bauer Media

• Brighton Dome

• Brighton Fringe.

Read a blog post about media students’ experiences on placement.

Final year

Consolidating your study, you will produce a final report and a portfolio, learn about media enterprise and specialise in an area of production.

Modules

• Post-Production Effects

  In this module you will learn to use industry standard post-production effects tools. You will critically analyse theories and ideas around post-production effects and participate in workshops on the development of sophisticated effects for media projects. At the end of the module, you will apply these skills and concepts to produce a portfolio highlighting your ability to create effects for video and film.

• Media Enterprise

  Media Enterprise will prepare you to navigate the world of work in the media and film industries. It will encourage you to examine and discuss the nature and value of creative work and provide you with strategies to thrive in the post-digital media landscape. You will also explore how to independently develop, pitch and fund media and film projects, enabling you to approach your work entrepreneurially.

• Global Challenges

  Drawing on UNESCO’s concept that culture is a fundamental part of sustainable development, this module looks at the way in which creative industries contribute to economic and cultural development, social stability and equity, and environmental protection. You will explore how media works to define the ways that societies, cultures and individuals interact on local, national and global levels, and look at how your own creative practices might address global challenges.

• Online Portfolio

  This project involves you creating an online showreel/profile of your media production-based activities. Work submitted can include any media covered by the learning through the course, work experience or work in a professional capacity. This can include any media discipline or specialism such as photography, editing, sound, podcast and short film/documentary. The final online submission will be accompanied by a blog detailing your role in various productions and including a section of upcoming projects.

• Final Project

  During this module you will produce a range of works and work in a variety of roles across digital and screen media projects. You will lead your own final project, developing an idea, assembling a team from your peer group and running the production through the pre-production, production and post-production phases. And you'll work with other students working on their final project, taking on   creative, production or administrative roles on two or three productions.

Facilities 

You will be able to take advantage of cameras lighting and sound and full service post-production tools.

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 the technical hardware that is available for practice workshops, assessment and your own projects. Currently we use Black Magic and Sony 4K Cameras, Sound Devices audio equipment and hold a large array of professional lighting and grip equipment.

Our production equipment facility has been put together to facilitate location film production of every type and genre. We have the tools to facilitate music video, documentary animation and drama production – from simple vox pops to ambitious narrative short films and web series.

Teaching spaces at our Edward Street building include seminar rooms with 4K interactive screens, iMac 5K Retina 27" workstations and a new high-spec Dolby Atmos 4K screening room.

Meet the team 

You’ll receive encouragement and guidance from our experienced course teaching team who will help you to innovate, develop ideas, create content and analyse a variety of televisual forms and genres.

Jon Holmes, course leader

Jon is an academic, digital artist and film and media production educator with over 20 years of industry experience. Alongside his work at the University of Brighton, he collaborates with other filmmakers, designers and technicians while developing his own portfolio of work.  

He has a keen interest in collaboration between students, staff and practitioners and believes that the dissemination of practice-based knowledge and information is vital to help young people exploit the exciting new opportunities emerging digital technologies afford them today. Find out more about Jon.

Other teaching staff on the course include:

• Mark Soye
• Dr Lance Dann
• Jennifer Linton
• Louise Fitzgerald 

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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