School of Art, Design and Architecture

BA (Hons) Filmmaking

Welcome to Filmmaking at University of Plymouth. Through dedicated teaching and production modules that focus on creative exploration, collaboration and industry practice, we provide an environment that allows you to develop your skills and your own unique career destination. Benefit from being taught by lecturers who are active in the film industry, while using our full range of professional cameras, studios, editing suites, production labs, and screening your work in our own digital cinema.

Careers with this subject

  • Self-Shooting Producers / Directors
  • Film Crew
  • Film Directing
  • Careers in Pre-Production
  • Careers in all aspects of Production
  • Artist/Filmmaker
  • Commercial Filmmaker
  • Online Filmmaker
  • Content Creatives
  • Advertising Creatives
  • Careers in Post-Production

Key features

  • A course driven by creativity where you learn filmmaking by making films.
  • Practical filmmaking informed by industry awareness.
  • Small teaching groups throughout the three years allow for bespoke and individually tailored feedback and support.
  • Develop a high level of technical and creative skills which are fostered at an individual level throughout the course.
  • Explore the scope of career opportunities through practise.
  • A course where individuality is nurtured and celebrated through crew-based films and individual projects.
  • Work on dedicated modules that encourage creative risk-taking.
  • Embrace public audiences and develop projects beyond the University.

Course details

  • Year 1

  • Explore production and creative research in the practice of filmmaking, studio shooting, sound for film, factual and fiction filmmaking. In your modules this year you will create a minimum of seven film outputs - either long tasks or standalone films.

    Core modules

    • FILM401 Screen Dialogues

      This module will introduce key concepts and contexts in contemporary Filmmaking. Students will explore and question issues of representation and ethical practices through a series of short practical tasks. The module will explore how theory and practice interlink as well as giving the students a grounding in relevant methodology.

    • FILM402 Film School

      The aim of this module is to enable students to build a solid foundation in technical operations, production processes and craft skills across sound, editing and cinematography. Students also develop a working understanding of the roles, responsibilities and protocols involved in professional film production. Alongside this, they explore different forms of content, critically analyzing how stories across factual and fiction genres are enhanced by using appropriate theories and techniques. An underlying aim of the module is to enable students to make the transition into higher education and start to take responsibility for their own learning.

    • FILM403 Drama

      This module is an opportunity to examine, analyse and practice storytelling for the screen. Through close analysis of key concepts, contexts and methods from a practitioner’s perspective, students will acquire a deepened understanding of narrative, directing and film language, through a variety of audio-visual processes and techniques, grounded in relevant methodology.

    • FILM404 Documentary

      The module introduces forms through which we (as subjects) construct (and are constructed by) representations of truth and reality. Students produce a substantial piece of practical documentary work. The choice of subject matter is open but the realisation should exist as an original document through gathering and analysis of primary (and sometimes source) material.

  • Year 2

  • Explore the social and cultural histories and contemporary debates around film production. Pitch work in a commercial and professional framework and explore new individual film ideas. In your modules this year you will work on a minimum of seven creative projects and films.

    Core modules

    • FILM501 Filmmaker 1

      The aim of this module is to enable students to build strong understandings of production through practice. Students will consider different theories about the production process and examine a variety of forms of production from around the globe whilst developing their own short project with a clear aesthetic approach. The area of work chosen to explore will be defined by the student and will be negotiated after a pitch. Students may undertake any form of moving image including (but not exclusively) drama, documentary, experimental, or TV studio based major project. Each project will be developed using industry standard protocols such as scripts, pitch documentation, pre-visualisation and pre-post-production processes. Students will also develop scripts and ideas that will be put forward for production in the second production module “Production 2” in the second semester. Students position their own project in terms of genre and audience, and consider the industry context of film festivals, financing, sales, marketing and distribution. Alongside, they are introduced to advanced production methods as well as a range of advanced technical equipment, undertaking technical workshops as necessary to build a range of specialist skills and techniques in order to achieve the project brief.

    • FILM502 Filmmaker 2

      The aim of this module is to develop further the students understandings of production through practice. Following on from Production 1, students will have developed ideas and projects that they may now wish to develop into complete projects. The area of work chosen to explore will be defined by the student and will be negotiated after a pitch. Students may undertake any form of moving image including (but not exclusively) drama, documentary, experimental, or TV studio based major project. Each project will be developed using industry standard protocols such as scripts, pitch documentation, pre-visualisation and pre/post-production processes.

    • FILM503 Explorer

      This module encourages and supports students to explore a new craft skill without any limitations to areas of study or field of ideas. Focusing heavily on process rather than product, students define their own set of rules for exploration and document the journey through three stages: Critical Explorer, Creative Explorer, and Modern Explorer. This will result in a presentation of their research, findings and new craft-based skill.

  • Final year

  • You will create a portfolio of final film projects, working individually and crewing work of others. This will be supported through professional expertise that prepare you for your own defined future career.

    Core modules

    • FILM601 Film Production

      Working both independently and collaboratively students will conceive, develop and produce a short film. The format, style and intended audience will be determined by the students’ understanding of their particular interest in and understanding of the evolving form and function of the role of film in a divergent culture and convergent platforms.

    • FILM602 Dissertation

      Students will research a subject area within filmmaking in considerable depth, developing their own methodologies in researching, collating and synthesising data and concepts in order to present arguments clearly and persuasively. The outcome will be an essay with illustrations, links, bibliography, notes and appendices as appropriate, or practice-based research with critical commentary.

    • FILM603 Beyond Film and TV

      Digital technologies have transformed the production, distribution and exhibition of film and television in the 21st century. In light of this development, this module examines the changed contemporary media landscape, opening up interdisciplinary dialogues between histories, practices and theories. It considers professional, social and cultural contexts, emerging cinemas, platforms, technologies and environments.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BA (Hons) Filmmaking programme specification 6889

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff

112 - 128

A level
A minimum of 2 A levels, General Studies accepted.

International Baccalaureate
28 points.

18 Unit BTEC National Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma
DMM.

BTEC National Diploma modules
If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.

All access courses
Pass a named Access to Higher Education Diploma (preferably art and design or combined), with at least 33 credits at merit and/or distinction.

GCSE
Mathematics and English Language grade C.

Portfolio
Applicants are not required to share a portfolio with us, however, doing so may allow us to guarantee you a place or consider applications that do not meet the normal academic requirements.

Other
Equivalent qualifications may be considered.


We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer refer to our tariff glossary. 

Fees, costs and funding

The UK is no longer part of the European Union. EU applicants should refer to our Brexit information to understand the implications.

New Student 2020 2021
Home £9,250 £9,250
International £13,800 £14,200
Part time (Home) £770 £770
Full time fees shown are per annum. Part time fees shown are per 10 credits. Please note that fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them shown in the prospectus are correct at the time of going to print. Fees shown on the web are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances. For more information about fees and funding please visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/money.

Additional costs

This course is delivered by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business and more details of any additional costs associated with the faculty's courses are listed on the following page: Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business additional costs.

How to apply

All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). 

UCAS will ask for the information contained in the box at the top of this course page including the UCAS course code and the institution code. 

To apply for this course and for more information about submitting an application including application deadline dates, please visit the UCAS website.

Support is also available to overseas students applying to the University from our International Office via our how to apply webpage or email international-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Industry standard facilities and equipment

We believe that to become knowledgable and comfortable with professional equipment you need to start using it as soon as you begin your degree. All students will use 4k cameras from the moment you join us.

Discover our studios and equipment

Our teaching

We teach in small groups while supporting your personal projects throughout the degree. We run a range of exciting sessions from leading filmmakers while offering you the chance to present your own work in a professional cinema.

Find out more about our teaching

Meet the course leaders

Mark Simon Hewis

Mark Simon Hewis is a multi-award winning British filmmaker. He has worked on over 60 commercials, directed and edited award winning films, art installations and TV series. He has written and directed films for Channel 4, The Arts Council UK, The BFI, BBC and the UK Film Council. Mark’s first feature film was released in 2014 for BFI, BBC Films, Matador and Arthur Cox, whilst continuing to work as a live-action director, executive producer, mentor, writer and editor. He is currently in pre-production for his first TV series and new feature film. Mark is also the Academic Advisor for the Aardman Academy.

Find out more about Mark


Dr Allister Gall

Allister Gall is an Internationally screened filmmaker and academic. His work explores the idea of Imperfect Cinema as an ongoing social and contemporary interrogation and re-employment (and re-imagining) of filmmaking as a social-participatory-community praxis. As a DIY micro-cinema, Imperfect Cinema make films and facilitate collaborative projects, asking questions about surrounding histories, cinematic memories and ecologies of the moving image. His work has been published, screened and exhibited Internationally including: Besides The Screen (Brazil), The Atlantic Project (UK), Interstate Gallery, (New York), Sightlines: Filmmaking in the Academy (Australia), Situated Cinemas (Austria), Bad Video Art Festival (Russia), One Plus One Film Journal (UK), Peckham24, South Kiosk Gallery (UK), The River Tamar Project (UK), Walk On Film (UK), and the Supersonic Festival (UK). 

Explore Imperfect Cinema

Meet the team