University of the West of England
MODULE SPECIFICATION
(Revised October 2005)
Code: UAMA33-40-3 Title: Advanced TV & Film Skills Version: 2
Level: 3 UWE credit rating: 40 ECTS credit rating: 20
Module type: Project
Owning Faculty: Creative Arts / Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Field: Stage Management
Faculty Committee Approval: Q & S Committee Date: 7th October 2009 - Approved Chairs action Nov 2009
Valid from: September 2009 Discontinued from:
Contributes towards: BA Hons Costume for Theatre, Television and Film
Pre-requisites: All Level 2 modules relevant to the above award.
Co-requisites: None
Excluded combinations: None
Learning outcomes:
On satisfactory completion of this module the student will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
i) Demonstrate the core subject specific skills relevant to costume work on a short film;
ii) Understand the overall process of mounting a television production, and the role of each department therein;
iii) Critically evaluate the result of the costume department’s input to the short film;
Intellectual Skills
iv) Problem solve – interpreting the creative requirements of the production and translating these to a practical realization;
v) Research different approaches to realising aspects of a recorded media production for which they take responsibility;
vi) Relate the learning on their BA Hons course to a professional context;
Subject / Practical Skills
vii) Demonstrate a high professional standard of competence in the costume department of a short film;
viii) Take responsibility for budgetary control, costing, ordering and purchase for the department;
ix) Demonstrate professional competence in the use of current technologies, materials and processes as they relate to costume on a short film;
Transferable Skills
x) A high standard of communication and interpersonal skills;
xi) Application of acquired costume skills to a professional working environment;
xii) Creative problem solving;
xiii) Demonstrate a high standard of self-organisation ;
xiv) Work to strict deadlines.
Syllabus outline:
Students who have successfully completed level 2 will have a thorough grounding in theatre costume skills, and will be learning through this module to transfer their skills in costume construction and organisation to recorded media productions.
This module develops those competencies to a high level in TV and Video production, enabling students to be confident in looking for employment in areas such as television drama, drama documentaries, corporate, educational and training videos.
Students will learn primarily through being assigned roles and responsibilities on the School’s television drama recordings that take place in the autumn and spring terms at Christchurch Studios or on location. Working to broadcast standard in high definition format, students will be responsible for costume
organisation of these productions. Through this, skills acquired include script reading, script breakdown, and continuity, as well as the practical application of the costume skills acquired at level 2.
The School’s television department has good contacts with local tv and film companies, frequently sending students on short, location or studio placements, to reinforce their learning on the School’s in-house training productions.
Teaching and learning methods:
Students learn through participating and contributing to productions reproducing professional practice.
In taking responsibility for a role, eg. of costume supervisor, the student will work on a shoot with a professional director (a visiting tutor to the TV department), interacting with the other production departments needed to produce a broadcast standard short film. The key departments will have a specialist tutor supervising and guiding the students’ input throughout. Preparatory workshops and classes will prepare the production team during the planning stage; the resources available to the production will allow for a high standard of finish in all areas (costume hires, purchases etc). The completed work is reviewed and discussed with the production team and tutors involved: a DVD being produced for screening and use as part of a costume student’s portfolio.
Further experience can be gained through short placements on professional shoots or with specialist companies in the area.
Assessment will be based on the student’s performance on the short film, judged against professional standards of work. Emphasis in making judgements will be placed on the team working and professional disciplines demonstrated by the student, as well as the standard of practical costume skills displayed during the production process. Feedback from professional staff involved, and in-house tutors will be included by the module leader. Student’s self-evaluation report will include critical reflection of the success of the project and their role within it.
Reading Strategy
Students are encouraged to become familiar with the subject area, and texts specific to the module, through reading lists and reference material provided. Lists are updated annually to maintain currency and relevance. Each department holds texts and reference material, as well as the general access provided to the Schools library and access to the Internet. The specifically vocational nature of training and study, combined with the project based nature of learning on the course, may require that students are guided to reading and research material in the first instance by the module leader.
NB: BOVTS students do not have access to UWE Libraries and UWE OnLine
Indicative sources:
The primary source for this module will be the dramatic text or script for the production concerned.
Students will already be familiar with the main subject specific texts from their level 1 training.
Higson A
English Heritage, English Cinema: Costume Drama since 1980
ISBN: 0198182937
Pidduck J
Contemporary Costume Film: Space, Place and the Past
ISBN: 1844570541; Paperback; 2007-09-27
Bruzzi S
Undressing Cinema: Clothes, Identities, Films
ISBN: 0415139570
Assessment
This is a project module there is no Component B and Component A is weighted at 100%.
ATTEMPT 1
First Assessment Opportunity
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Costume work on a short film. 100%
Evidence: Final production and preparatory work. Student’s self-evaluation report of 1000 to 1500 words.
Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is required)
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Costume work on a short film. 100%
Evidence: Final production and preparatory work. Student’s self-evaluation report of 1000 to 1500 words.
SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT Attendance at taught classes is required.
Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………
(Associate Dean/Programme Director) October 2005