Film & Video - BA (Hons) 

Studying Film and Video at the University of South Wales provides you with the confidence to be radical and experimental when expressing your ideas in film. You will learn the creative skills of scriptwriting, use of camera, lighting, sound, and editing, and about the social implications of film through making practical work that is sensitive to the world around you. The emphasis on the educational and vocational importance of group work, and creative skills, are seen as vehicles for the development and expression of ideas. The course offers a strong element of film history, theory and research skills.

If you want to tell stories, write scripts, plan productions, work with actors, go on film shoots and work on post-production, then this is the course for you! The University’s Film & Video course is a practice-based film production programme that will give you all the technical, theoretical and production skills you need, while ensuring you gain all the experience and abilities needed to succeed in the workplace.

Studying a Film & Video at the University of South Wales, you’ll learn about art and technique. We will stretch your imagination and offer you a choice of crafts. The discipline of film underlies everything we do preparing you for creative work beyond University, in film and TV drama, directing, writing, producing, cinematography, sound and postproduction.

This course has been accredited by the UK Film Council and Skillset as a centre of excellence for drama production in the UK – one of only two courses to receive such an accolade. Film and Video also benefits from our partnership in Skillset Media Academy Wales, a partnership of film and media schools in Wales, offering an exceptionally high standard of education that is endorsed by industry and approved by Skillset. Our course is designed to prepare you for a job in the creative media industry.

The benefits of studying with the Media Academy include:
 Support from the unique Industry Panel
 Masterclasses with industry professionals
 Access to an exclusive online network
 Placements and careers support
 Access to industry-standard equipment and software
 Networking and collaborative opportunities

Our students also benefit from our full membership of CILECT, an international association of the best film and television schools from around the world, leading to joint projects and exchanges with other film schools. This is the only film school in Wales with this accreditation.

In short - this course equips you with the ideas, experience and technical skills necessary to succeed in one of the most competitive and dynamic creative industries. If you come here, expect three years of hard work – but also three years of fun, learning, storytelling and adventure.

The University's Film School was founded in 1966 by the world famous documentary filmmaker John Grierson (Drifters, Nightmail). Grierson’s philosophy that story and ideas are the keys to filmmaking is a mantra that still underpins everything we do at the University. The Film School is placed within the vibrant School of Film, Photography and Digital Media – this means that the film students have a complete ‘filmmaker’s toolbox’ at their disposal  – designers, photographers, actors, animators, costume makers and multimedia students are all on hand to contribute to the films.

We start by putting the vital building blocks in place. You are introduced, through filmmaking assignments, to the wonderful world of film language, storytelling and working with actors. Practical workshops in digital editing, camera and sound, complement the projects. This is underpinned and supported by a stimulating desire to watch, read and write about film culture and history.

In the second year you have the opportunity to specialise in two disciplines including producing, direction, screenwriting, cinematography, sound or postproduction. Acquiring advanced specialist skills in your chosen area (including the use of 16mm film and HD) means you can tackle the film projects we set, as well as take advantage of the many unassessed extra curricular projects that are run in the film school.

The final year is regarded as a professional and advanced production year, in which you develop with your fellow filmmakers an ‘idea’ that you turn into a final film. By now we should have provided you with the confidence to be radical and experimental when expressing your ideas in film. We will expect you to demonstrate your creative skills in your chosen field; scriptwriting and producing, directing, camera, lighting, sound or editing, while considering the social implications of film both through the making of the practical work and an accompanying piece of well-researched writing that is sensitive to the world around you. As with the entire course we will support you with an advanced seminar and workshop programme, with masterclasses and mentoring.

A programme specification for this course is available.

Assessment

Along with our assessed projects, films, proposals, presentations and research we allow you to further develop by providing unassessed projects for you to be involved with. This means you can continue to learn (and make mistakes) without worrying about ‘grades’ all the time.

Teaching Team Our staff are highly trained, active filmmakers and academics. They regularly publish books and screen films in cinemas, on television and radio and win prizes at leading film festivals world-wide.

Catalin Brylla Catalin has taught fiction and documentary in Higher Education since 2005. Vivian Mainwaring Lecturer in the Film school and was instrumental in establishing the “Working With Actors” initiative on projects combining the departments of Film and Performing Arts, working with first year Undergraduates and MA students. Nigel Orrillard Nigel came to Newport in 2003 after 3 years in the Department of Theatre, Film & Television, University of Wales Aberystwyth. Margaret Constantas Margaret Constantas has been working professionally as a Writer and Director since 1994. She has been teaching at University of Wales Newport since 2000. Philip Cowan Philip Cowan has worked freelance on over 80 film productions, including; Drama, Documentary, Performance, and Animation projects, working for BBC, ITV, C4, S4C, and numerous independent companies. Coral Houtman Coral Houtman is a fiction filmmaker and theorist particularly interested in integrating theory and practice in her teaching and research.

Dr Alexander Graf Shafeeq Vellani

Additional Course Costs Optional Items  Costs  We do not provide budgets for the films that you make with us and inevitably there will be incidental costs (travel/food/phone etc) associated with this course. Below is a rough guide to potential costs. It should be noted that some students spend more than this – others less.  Year 1 - £300 Year 2 - £500 Year 3 - £700

• Excellent links to the vibrant TV and film industry in Bristol and Cardiff.

• Our reputation is such that companies come to us to find students to work on their productions.  In 2010 we provided students for low budget features such as ‘Bad Company’ (Independent Welsh feature), ‘Vinyl’ (Sarah Sugarman) and ‘Resistance’ (Owen Sheers) and our students gained experience working on many BBC and independent TV productions.

Course News Newport Film School drama nominated for top award A 30-minute drama written and made by staff and students from Newport Film School has been shortlisted for Best Short Film at the 2013 Celtic Media Awards. Film based on true story needs your help A group of third year BA (Hons) Film & Video students are appealing for help to create their graduation film based on true events of World War Two. Every donation counts to help make student’s psychological thriller film Third-year Film and Video student John Giordano is asking for help to make his graduation film a success. Comedy film needs your support to be a hit Third year Film & Video students are asking the public for their help to make their graduation film a success. Film students and graduates get top advice from professionals Students and graduates of Film courses at the University of Wales, Newport have benefited from the opportunity to meet established producers from across the UK. Award-winning director returns to Newport One of the University’s most successful alumni, writer and film director Kirk Jones, has returned to Newport to help inspire other young filmmakers.

Facilities The facilities are superb in our brand new £35 million pound City Campus including a fully equipped film studio with automated rig, greenscreen and motion capture facilities, a black box studio, Avid and FCP editing suites, Avid Adrenalin HD Suite, Pro tools sound editing and dubbing suite and excellent screening facilities.   We provide all state of the art sound and camera equipment including PANASONIC P2 (favoured by the BBC) and AF101. (As well as 16mm film cameras for those specialising in cinematography).

Student Successes Fashion Design graduate lands top job in New York Antonella Commatteo, who graduated from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design in September, has already secured her dream job across the pond. Fashion & photography freshers collaborate with business for recycled clothes project New students on the Fashion design and Photography for Fashion & Advertising programmes kicked the year off to a spectacular start once again with another successful up-cycling project with two local clothing companies Newport’s Design students scoop three top awards Graduates and staff from the University of Wales, Newport’s Design courses are celebrating after winning three top awards at this year’s Cardiff Design Festival. Beth has designs on following Julien Fashion Design student Beth Jones is drawing to comparisons to Julien Macdonald after being asked to join fashion house Karen Millen as a "design protege". Newport’s international student work goes on display International Students studying a range of different courses at the University of Wales, Newport have come together to launch an exhibition showcasing their work to a range of industry professionals, fellow students and local people. Newport graduates feature in London Fashion Week Three graduates of Newport’s Fashion Design course showed in London Fashion week last week. Rachel's Work Experience with Donna Middleton Final year Fashion student Rachel Ingram had an amazing work experience over the summer with Donna Middleton, at The Shirt Company London. Newport Foundation student honoured at exhibition 'Former Newport Foundation Student Michelle Leeder has recently been recognised for the quality of the work after it was displayed alongside the work of two other former Newport Foundation students in a prestigious National exhibition'.

Where next?

Our graduates move on to successful careers in film directing, production, camerawork, soundwork, editing, script writing, and include: Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee/Everybody’s Fine with Robert De Niro), Phil Clayton (Lesbian Vampire Killers), Asif Kapadia (Senna/The Warrior/The Return) and Justin Kerrigan (Human Traffic/I Know You Know). The course has close associations with the vibrant TV and Film industry in Wales (Dr Who, Torchwood, Being Human, Casualty, Crimewatch, as well as major TV serials). You may go on to postgraduate study including the MA/MFA Film course at Newport.

This course is part of the Skillset Media Academy Wales, a partnership of the leading film and media schools in Wales, offering an exceptionally high standard of education that is endorsed by industry and approved by Creative Skillset. Our students benefit from close contact with the Academy’s Industry Panel, access to professional masterclasses and workshops, jobs and work placements, and the opportunity to promote work through an exclusive online network.