- This module aims to provide you with an opportunity to explore your artistic identity as a filmmaker and enable you to apply the relevant skills involved in making creative films. Your production work will utilise creative, alternative or innovative filmmaking techniques to intrigue, inform and entertain audiences.
- This module aims to provide you with an understanding of how to apply creative filmmaking practices within the context of creating an individual short film no longer than 5-minutes.
- You will research, discuss and deconstruct historical and contemporary films and filmmakers to inform your own creative filmmaking decision making. The module enables you to research, develop and apply creative filmmaking practices within a chosen field, such as fiction, non-fiction, commercial and experimental film production.
- You will apply creative audio and video production techniques through the creation of your 5-minute creative short film. You will create a Production File that documents your creative process from the development and ideas generation phase all through to your distribution strategy.

Assessment 1: Short Creative Film Production

You will plan, shoot and edit a short creative film. The film will experiment and explore creative film storytelling approaches to screenwriting, cinematography, sound design, editing and colour grading. You will demonstrate a range of professional skills such as teamwork, organisation, communication, adaptability and resilience.

Assessment 2: Production File
You will compile a portfolio of materials that document each stage of the production process and highlight your creative experimentation. The Production file will contain research, ideas generation, planning and other supportive documents created during the production of your short creative film. This portfolio will document your creative practice and reflect on your learning journey including elements such as teamwork, organisation, communication, adaptability and resilience. Further guidance on equivalent formats will be provided in the module brief.

Formative Assessment:

Midway formative feedback will be embedded within practical sessions, providing structured opportunities for feedback on work-in-progress to support student development and progression.

The learning strategies used within the Creative Filmmaking module include experiential learning, where you will learn through the process of experimenting and reflecting on your audio-visual work. There is opportunity for your learning to be individualised, as we encourage all students to draw from their personal lived experiences, cultural capital, creative influences and individuality as a catalyst for the concept of your creative film.

Workshops will introduce key theories, principles and practices from historical and contemporary filmmakers. Ensuring you are well informed of the historical developments within filmmaking and how these techniques are utilised and developed in contemporary work. You will be expected to participate in discussions and deconstruction of historical and contemporary filmmakers, art and films.

Test Shooting will allow you to explore creative filmmaking techniques, linking practices and theories developed in lectures to your film production process.

Staff and Peer reviews will give you an opportunity to showcase your influences, present your experiments and work in progress films, whilst giving an opportunity to discuss your projects and to give and receive feedback from your peers.

Technical Instruction introduces advanced editing techniques and hands-on experience with a higher-level camera and sound equipment.

Production Supervisor (Lecturer) will oversee your creative filmmaking project. This means you will be required to meet negotiated project milestones, which may be hyper personal depending on your project goals. You will receive regular formative feedback on your audio-visual production and artist notebook.

Gallery showcase/screening event will give you opportunity to experience the organisational, planning and curating that form the public presentation of creative work.

1. Apply knowledge and skills to produce a creative project that responds to contemporary issues within production.

Knowledge & Understanding

2. Solve discipline-specific problems using evidence-based approaches.

Application & Problem Solving

3. Apply digital tools to support professional-standard creative workflows in film production.

Digital Literacy

4. Reflect critically on your development as an emerging professional in film production.

Reflection

Level 5 camera, lighting, sound, studio and post-production facilities.
Virtual Production Suite
Library facilities web, computer access, printing facilities.
Blackboard virtual learning environment.

Bordwell, D. et al. (2023) Film art: An introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hurbis-Cherrier, M. and Mercado, G. (2024) Voice & vision. London: Routledge.

Ramey, K. (2016) Experimental filmmaking. London: Routledge.

Rizzo, M. (2014) The art direction handbook for film & television. London: Routledge.

Schlemowitz, J. (2019) Experimental filmmaking and the motion picture camera. London: Routledge.

Where older texts are included, they are retained as foundational texts within the discipline, remaining relevant where no more recent equivalent texts are available.

Develop your filmmaker’s artistic identity within the Creative Filmmaking module. You will explore the boundaries of what filmmaking can be by exploring alternative filmmaking techniques and expanding your creativity. The module aims to broaden your filmmaking knowledge and understanding by blurring the lines between art and cinema. You will create a personal audio-visual project for your filmmaking portfolio that helps you stand out from the crowd and showcase your creativity.