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MFA Creative Documentary by Practice

  • DeadlineStudy Details:

    MFA 21 months full-time

Course Description

The MFA offers the opportunity for students to develop an understanding of non-fiction film as a research practice. It opens with an extended piece of work during which you will be encouraged to reconceptualise what ‘documentary film’ is. Drawing on broad based anthropological thought about the social and cultural world we aim to produce filmmakers who are imaginative, risk-taking and intellectually engaged: pushing boundaries in the field.

About this degree

The MFA offers the opportunity for students to develop non-fiction filmmaking as a creative research practice. It opens with a series of exercises designed to reframe their approach to documentary as a conceptually-led practice – and then develop film work which interrogates and explores the contemporary world. You will learn and explore diverse forms of creative non-fiction filmmaking, including how to collaborate with researchers from other fields. Drawing on broad based anthropological thought about the social and cultural world we aim to produce filmmakers who are imaginative, risk- taking and intellectually engaged: pushing boundaries in the field.

Who this course is for

We are looking for practitioners who can demonstrate communicative and artistic achievement to the level of BA. We will review your portfolio of work and CV to assess your suitability for the programme. Students without any filmmaking experience are encouraged to apply for the MA in Ethnographic and Documentary Film.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of a lower second-class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, or a pass at a non practice based Masters. We require an example of your film work to support all applications. We will accept applications from practitioners whose portfolio of work and CV demonstrates communicative and artistic achievement to the level of BA.

We would like to see a portfolio of your film work with a total duration of up to 20 minutes. This could be single film or multiple shorter films – and it should include your role in the credits. Please also submit a short text about a film project you would like to make with illustrative images or photos.

Find out more

Fees

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more

Student Destinations

The programme equips students for careers in:

  • academia, ethnographic research, visual media and culture
  • marketing and research
  • communication and other media
  • archives, as well as cultural heritage organisations
  • film and TV industry as camera operators, producers, directors, editors, researchers

Module Details

Compulsory modules

  • Introduction to the Practice of Documentary and Ethnographic Film
  • Research Work and Research Book
  • Graduation Project (Creative Feature Length Documentary Film)
  • Advanced Practice of Documentary and Ethnographic Film
  • Short Commissioned Practical Film Project and Sustained Reflection

Optional modules

  • Time and the Index ‘ The evolving narrative of Photography and Film
  • The Story and I – Finding the Form: A Practical Exploration of Storytelling
  • Experimental cinema and new media: Form and narrative
  • Documentary Radio – A Practice-Based Introduction
  • History and Aesthetics of Documentary
  • An Introduction to Social Theory – a foundation course
  • Feature Writing in a multi-media world: journalistic skills for the digital age
  • Writing about International Affairs
  • Interactive Factual Narratives
  • Sonic Experience Design and Production

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

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