Undergraduate Course: Film and TV 1A: Introduction to Film-making (DESI08127)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This introductory course explores four distinct filmmaking forms¿silent, fiction, experimental, and documentary¿through weekly practical exercises and critical seminars. Students create short films responding to set briefs, developing foundational technical skills and discovering their creative interests. In the second half of the semester, students specialise in one form to produce a three-minute film. Assessment comprises a film portfolio and production/reflective journal, emphasising both creative experimentation and critical reflection on process. Peer collaboration and formative feedback support learning throughout. |
| Course description |
This course introduces students to filmmaking practice through exploration of four distinct forms: silent, fiction, experimental, and documentary cinema. Exercises develop foundational technical skills including camera operation, sound recording, and editing, while encouraging creative risk-taking.
Students can expect a practice-led learning experience combining weekly lectures, technical workshops, and critique seminars. Sessions typically run 2¿3 hours in duration.
Weeks 1-5:
Week 1: Introduction to the course; students are assigned their first exercise (self-portrait film).
Week 2: Lecture on silent cinema, focusing on visual storytelling; seminar feedback on self-portrait exercise.
Week 3: Lecture on fiction cinema, examining visual storytelling through conventional and contemporary narrative forms; seminar feedback on silent film exercise.
Week 4: Lecture on experimental cinema, exploring unconventional approaches that challenge established conventions; seminar feedback on fiction exercise.
Week 5: Lecture on documentary cinema, supplemented by an additional documentary workshop later in the week; seminar feedback on experimental exercise.
During Weeks 1¿6, students also attend technical workshops covering camera operation, sound recording, and editing, providing hands-on skill development alongside the paradigm introductions.
Weeks 6¿11:
Students transition to sustained independent production, applying skills and approaches developed during Weeks 1¿5 to a self-directed specialisation film.
Week 6: Introduction to the specialisation film brief, with guidance on developing proposals and production planning; seminar feedback on documentary exercise.
Weeks 7¿8: Pre-production and principal photography. Weekly seminars continue, with students presenting early work-in-progress for formative feedback and peer discussion.
Weeks 9¿10: Post-production phase. Additional editing workshops support students with editing techniques, colour and sound finishing, and export specifications for screening and assessment submission.
Week 11: Final work-in-progress screenings and feedback; preparation for assessment submission.
Throughout this phase, seminars provide regular opportunities for students to share evolving work, troubleshoot production challenges, and refine their films through iterative peer and tutor feedback. This emphasis on independent practice and creative agency prepares students for self-directed work in subsequent years of study.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is only available to students on the Film and Television Degree Programme in the School of Design. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 6,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 24,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 18,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 15,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
133 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Components of Assessment (please observe formatting of example above)[Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]This course has 2 assessment components.
Film Portfolio, comprising six short films (five 60-second exercises including self-portrait, and one 3-minute specialisation film), 50%, weeks 10-11, assessed against Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, and 4. Individually assessed. This component must be passed.
Production/Reflective Journal, visual and written documentation of filmmaking process across the semester, 12-20 pages, 50%, weeks 10-11, assessed against Learning Outcomes 2, 3, and 4. Individually assessed.
Further information:
Film Portfolio: Students work individually or in crews to produce their films. All students submit their own portfolio regardless of whether they worked collaboratively on production. The portfolio includes: self-portrait film (Week 1), silent film exercise (Week 2), narrative film exercise (Week 3), experimental film exercise (Week 4), documentary film exercise (Week 5), and specialisation film in chosen form (Weeks 6-11).[Text Wrapping Break]
Production/Reflective Journal: Students maintain ongoing documentation throughout the semester including production notes, behind-the-scenes materials, risk assessments, location agreements, equipment lists, technical problem-solving records, and critical reflection on their creative development. The journal should demonstrate engagement with formative feedback and iterative thinking across the filmmaking process. Both visual and written documentation are expected.
Both components are submitted in Weeks 10¿11 as the journal is designed to document the full arc of production through to completion of the specialisation film. Staggering the deadlines would either require students to submit incomplete reflection or reduce their production time on the final film. As practice and reflection are concurrent throughout the course, simultaneous submission allows students to complete both components without compromising either.
Resubmission Information
The resubmission arrangements for this course are as follows:
The resubmission task for the Film Portfolio is a Film Portfolio, comprising six short films (five 60-second exercises including self-portrait, and one 3-minute specialisation film), 50%. Students will submit to the original assessment brief.
The resubmission task for the Production/Reflective Journal is a Production/Reflective Journal, 12-20 pages, 50%. Students will submit to the original assessment brief.
Students will receive further resubmission information as per University regulations as necessary. |
| Feedback |
Formative Feedback
Formative feedback is provided throughout the semester via multiple channels. During the exploratory phase (Weeks 1¿5), students post weekly film exercises to the Learn VLE discussion forum and receive written feedback from peers and teaching staff within one week of submission, alongside oral feedback during seminars addressing both individual work and broader cohort observations.
During the specialisation phase (Weeks 6¿11), feedback shifts to oral critique in class and tutorials. Additional feedback is available through scheduled office hours and bookable tutorials with the course organiser. This iterative feedback structure supports students in refining technical skills, deepening critical reflection, and integrating responses into their work before final submission.
Summative Feedback
Summative feedback will be provided in writing by the course organiser and teaching staff for both assessment components. Feedback will address students¿ creative development, technical proficiency, and critical reflection demonstrated through their Film Portfolio and Production/Reflective Journal. As both components are submitted simultaneously in Weeks 10-11, summative feedback will support students in understanding their achievements and areas for development as they progress into second-year courses. Students may request a meeting with the course organiser to discuss their feedback in greater depth.
Summative feedback will be provided according to University regulations. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Explore film language through sustained experimentation and risk-taking in practice.
- Identify and apply appropriate techniques and production skills in a range of filmmaking contexts.
- Document and critically reflect on their filmmaking process and creative development through visual and written records.
- Demonstrate professionalism and effective collaboration with peers in filmmaking contexts.
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Reading List
Mackendrick, A. (2006). On Film-Making. Faber & Faber.
Katz, S. (1991). Film Directing: Shot by Shot. Michael Wiese Productions.
Truffaut, F. (1986). Hitchcock: A Definitive Study of Alfred Hitchcock. Simon and Schuster.
Lumet, S. (1996). Making Movies. Vintage Books.
Deren, M. (1946). An Anagram of Ideas on Art, Form and Film. Alicat Book Shop Press.
MacDonald, S. (2001). The Garden in the Machine: A Field Guide to Independent Films about Place. University of California Press. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Reflection: Maintaining a production/reflective journal throughout the semester offers students an opportunity to review their creative choices and technical decisions during and after production activities. This ongoing documentation helps students recognise their developing strengths, consider the outcomes of their experiments with different filmmaking forms, and set goals for their creative growth. The emphasis on exploring four distinct approaches to cinema nurtures curiosity¿encouraging students to continuously learn from new experiences, ask questions, and discover which forms resonate with their emerging artistic voice.
Collaboration: Weekly peer feedback sessions and working in crews on film exercises help students understand and respect different creative and cultural perspectives and approaches. Engaging constructively with peers¿ work-in-progress, offering critique, and incorporating feedback into their own practice supports students in building positive collaborative relationships essential to professional filmmaking environments.
Communication: Creating short films that convey meaning through visual storytelling develops students¿ ability to communicate ideas and emotions using cinematic approaches and media. Scene analysis exercises and peer critique sessions strengthen active listening skills and the ability to articulate technical and aesthetic choices to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Data and Digital Literacy: Learning camera operation, sound recording, and editing software provides hands-on experience with digital tools appropriate to filmmaking contexts. Students develop understanding of how different technologies shape creative outcomes and consider technical choices ethically and practically when capturing and manipulating images and sound. |
| Keywords | Film,Cinema,Film Production |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Scott Barley
Tel:
Email: sbarley@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Hollie Gilligan
Tel:
Email: hgilliga@ed.ac.uk |
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