Project BA Film and Media

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 6
• Convenor: Hilary Smith
• Assessment: an 8000-word dissertation (100%), or film script or TV episode script(s) of at least 60 minutes' screen time (75%) and 2000-word evaluation essay (25%), or practical project of agreed medium and scope (75%) and 2000-word critical practice essay (25%)

The final-year project provides an opportunity to explore a subject of your own choosing in depth and to work independently. You can choose:

• an academic project
• a screenwriting project, or
• a practical project.

The aim is for you to become more confident and competent in analysing a problem or question, gathering background information and presenting conclusions in a clear and well-organised manner. You should develop competence in tackling work of greater complexity, become familiar with prior scholarship in the area, evaluate it, gather a large volume of material or information, synthesise it, and present information and arguments in a clear and accessible manner.

You will also develop an understanding of the appropriate methods of conducting an investigation and what theoretical models should be tested out. This is also important for creative projects, in which you should demonstrate an understanding and awareness of appropriate formats and conventions and of how your work relates to these.

Academic project

You are asked to identify a problem or question and address it in an extended dissertation of 8000 words. You will conduct a detailed, focused review of scholarly literature related to theoretical and methodological issues, and carry out some form of limited data collection and/or analysis, which may include interviews, textual/visual/online analysis, ethnographic observations, or questionnaires.

Screenwriting project

The screenwriting project will demonstrate your ability to create, develop and write original script material and to reflect critically on this process. It will take the form of (a) a film script or television episode script(s) of at least 60 minutes’ screen time, and (b) a 2000-word evaluation essay on the development and context of the project. Scripts must be original material - adaptations are not permitted.

You will need to have successfully completed the Level 4 and 5 Screenwriting modules to undertake this project.

Practical project

You are asked to identify a subject to be addressed in an agreed form of practice-based work, and to accompany this with a critical practice essay. The medium to be used, and its appropriate scope, must be negotiated in advance with the programme director. The project might take the form of a short film (approximately 5-6 minutes), website, feature article, or magazine or newspaper mock-up.

You will need to have completed relevant practical modules and/or demonstrate that you already possess the requisite technical skills to undertake this project. You must also have independent access to the necessary equipment.

By the end of your final-year project, you will be able to:

• demonstrate an ability to engage and critically assess an interdisciplinary range of analytical and theoretical perspectives on media
• demonstrate an awareness of the media industries and their related contemporary and/or historical contexts
• understand and articulate theories at an abstract level, while engaging with practical, relevant applications and case examples
• research complex academic work effectively (for an academic project)
• research effectively using practical techniques, tools and technologies (for a practical project)
• write and/or communicate to an appropriate scholarly or professional standard
• develop an identity as a creative practitioner and/or analyst of media.