International Film Production MA

First semester (September to January)

The first semester involves developing core skills in storytelling, screenwriting, directing, producing, image processing, sound recording and other filmmaking skills. You will take four, 15 credit modules during semester one:

• Key Roles in the Film Industry – introduces you to the current structures and practices of film productions in terms of personnel. You will develop your awareness of the key creative, operational, and craft department roles in the UK film industry.
• The Production Process – teaches you how to plan and pitch a production, and gives you a professional understanding of the whole production cycle in relation to the current structure of the UK and other film industries, and the UK’s place as a production base. In particular, the module focuses on the development and pre-production process. You will produce a development portfolio which documents the planning and development of the project you are developing for the screenwriting module, and which will form the basis of your pitch in Semester Two. 
• Screenwriting – covers all aspects of the screenwriting process, from generating ideas, developing story structure, and creating characters to pitching and submitting your story.  You will have the opportunity to work with experienced practitioners to produce a short script, which you’ll then have the opportunity to pitch, for the group film projects in Semester Two. 
• Realisation – develops your practical production and camera skills. You will gain professional-level skills in digital film and audio capture, and get experience in managing the practical activities required for a live shoot.

Second semester (February to May)

During the second semester, you will finesse your skills in a more diverse range of areas, and continue to develop your own projects under the guidance of our expert staff. You will take two, 30 credit modules, which cover these various areas:

• Pre-Production – gives you the opportunity to pitch and develop a proposed production. A panel of tutors and industry experts will select two or three of these proposals to go into production towards the end of Semester Two. 
• Production – gives you the opportunity to produce the film you developed in Pre-Production. You will gain a broad range of experience in potential areas of expertise, such as art direction, continuity management, script supervision, risk assessment, budgeting, and more.

Third semester (June to September)

Your Individual Film Project or Dissertation can be either a traditional, written dissertation or a film project with an accompanying reflective commentary. There are a few different options for the film project beyond just delivering a fully produced film, the plan for which should be mapped out with your project supervisor. You will work more independently to manage and deliver this work, which will demonstrate the skills and knowledge developed on the course, and will form the basis of your professional portfolio.

You will normally attend around 10-15 hours of timetabled taught sessions per week during term time. You can also expect to typically undertake a further 20 hours of independent study and assignments per week. 

DMU staff include: producer Rachel Carter, director/writer Rhys Davies, scriptwriting experts Chris Walker and Prof. Jason Lee, as well as industry historian Dr James Russell. DMU is also home to the Cinema and Television History centre (CATH) which houses production archives from a range of leading UK production companies. Visiting lecturers and workshops will feature speakers from across the industry.