Undergraduate Course: FTV 3C Documentary: Reel engagement (DESI10128)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course enables you to work with an external partner on a live project to research and produce a short film. Through this collaboration, you will gain a deeper understanding of documentary and innovative moving image practices. |
| Course description |
This course provides you with an opportunity to make short documentary films for an external partner, as part of your filmmaking journey at ECA. The aim is to encourage you to engage with communities outside of college and develop an awareness of industry practice. In this process, you will begin to position your creative approach and storytelling skills within the context of making work in a 'client-based environment', catering to external needs while expanding your own creative repertoire and professionalism.
Through working in real world situations as part of the development and production process, you will also gain a deeper understanding of the potential of moving image for community engagement and impact.
Collaboration and communication are at the heart of this course. You can expect to analyse a brief from an external partner and carefully consider a feasible and original approach for a short film. You will have to develop skills in clear communication, both with peers and external partners, work together using available resources and overcome any challenges. You will need to be adaptable, give and receive constructive feedback, whilst keeping good time management.
You can expect to complete a series of tasks relevant to this learning. This might include honing written and verbal presentation skills, developing research strategies, engaging with communities and evidencing an understanding of appropriate moving image practice.
You will be working in small teams to research, develop and communicate ideas through an industry-appropriate treatment, a presentation with supporting visual material and a final piece of moving image (1-2mins in duration).
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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 a Degree Programme in the School of Design |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Available to visiting students in the Design School provided they have substantial previous film making experience including camera/sound/editing skills |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
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 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 6,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 2,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
173 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course has 3 assessment components.
Individual research document (500 words) 10%, weeks 4-5, assessed against Learning Outcome 1.
Group treatment (3-5 pages) and presentation material. 40%, weeks 4-5, assessed against Learning Outcomes 1 and 2. Group assessed. This component must be passed.
A group non-fiction film responding to the external brief (1-2 minutes duration), 50%,
week 8, assessed against Learning Outcome 3. Group assessed. This component must be passed. |
| Feedback |
Formative Feedback
Group draft treatment and presentation for a short non-fiction film, Week 3
Students will be given verbal feedback in class by their tutor and external partner where appropriate.
Students will be expected to record this feedback. This will feed forward to their summative submission which is a final written treatment and will inform the decision making in the final film.
Further formative feedback is regularly provided throughout the duration of the course by way of informal cohort-wide discussion. Active peer-to-peer feedback is also encouraged.
Summative Feedback
Summative feedback will be provided in writing by the course organiser and tutors following each submission.
The summative feedback for components 1 and 2 will feed directly into component 3. Students will receive individual written feedback and grades according to university regulations.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Research film ideas and concepts in response to the requirements of the external partner.
- Communicate ideas and intentions in an industry-appropriate treatment and presentation.
- Resolve ideas into an appropriate short non-fiction film through collaborative practice.
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Reading List
Cousins, Mark & Macdonald, Kevin. (2005). Imagining reality : The Faber book of documentary. (Revised ed.). London: Faber.
Rabiger, Michael. (2004). Directing the documentary (Fourth ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Focal Press.
Van Sijll, Jennifer. (2005). Cinematic storytelling : The 100 most powerful film conventions every filmmaker must know. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions.
De Jong, Wilma, Knudsen, Erik, Rothwell, Jerry. (2012). Creative Documentary Theory and Practice. Longman.
Howell, C., S. Cox, S. Drew, M. Guillemin, D. Warr, and J. Waycott. 2015. "Exploring ethical frontiers of visual methods." Research Ethics 10(4): 208-213.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Communication:
Through their presentation and their supporting documentation, students develop the skills to communicate with peers and external partners at a professional level, to demonstrate that they have responded intelligently and critically to the brief.
Collaboration:
Working as part of a team with a shared purpose to deliver a finished film, students will learn how to collaborate on an equitable learning journey but also see the value of connection with external partners and communities. |
| Keywords | Film,External,Professional,communication |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Tracey Fearnehough
Tel:
Email: tfearnho@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Rhiordan Langan-Fortune
Tel: (0131 6)51 5926
Email: rhiordan.langanfortune@ed.ac.uk |
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