Screen Production BA (Hons)

The BA (Hons) in Screen Production is delivered in a brand new studio complex in heart of Belfast's city centre. It is part of the Ulster Screen Academy, bringing together courses in film, television, interactive design and media, animation and gaming design. It is located in an exciting and dynamic part of the city known as the 'Cathedral Quarter'. Nearby, are many of the biggest production companies in Northern Ireland and the campus is only a short distance from the famous 'Paint Hall' studios where Games of Thrones was filmed.

The BA (Hons) in Screen Production will introduce you to the widest possible experience of film and television production, combined with critical thinking to help you originate new content and unlock your creativity. We can help you develop the craft skills you will need to enter the industry and 70% of your class time will be spent in production modules.

The degree can be taken over 3-4 years. 4 years, if you decide to take year three out to work in the industry on placement. During the placement year, you can also earn a Diploma in Professional Practice.

You will receive significant software training in non-linear editing using the Adobe Creative Suite for both sound and video. We have a dedicated screening room, large Apple Mac labs offering a range of industry-standard software on campus. Our studio space is fully equipped with green screens, lighting desk and live broadcast facilities. We have a full range of 4k Blackmagic cinema cameras and can edit and colour grade video footage in our dedicated editing suites.

Screens surround us in our everyday life, whether they are mobile or sitting in the corner of a room. We want you to be prepared to join a fast-growing, exciting and ever-changing industry that creates great stories and new content for all of the screens in our lives, big or small. Through practice-based learning, you will acquire advanced knowledge of the kind of skills needed for digital film and television production combined with a knowledge of how the industry works, and the writing skills to tell the stories you want to make your way.

The screen-based sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Northern Ireland economy. This programme has been developed with industry partners to ensure that it addresses current and future skills gaps in the sector helping to create entrepreneurial and creative graduates who can not only address current skills gaps but also develop new businesses to grow the local creative economy.

Year One – Much of your time in the first year will be spent learning the craft skills you need in order to create high-quality film and television outputs. You will study Camera Craft and Composition, The Art and Craft of Editing to develop technical and production skills for the screen, Sound on Screen and Screenwriting to develop your storytelling and audio skills for TV and film production. These are combined with two core modules in the critical and theoretical aspects of screen production. Screen Stories and Screen Cultures.You will be introduced to the core of TV production; compelling stories. You will also gain an understanding of how media affects the world around us and how culture and politics are reflected in the media we produce and consume.

Year Two – Building on your technical and storytelling skills from year one you will focus on a number of core genres; Drama, Documentary and Live Television. Working in teams to develop a wide range of outputs and experience a range of industry roles, you will get the opportunity to better understand and focus your career pathways. Alongside the production modules, you will study Screen Audiencesto help deepen your knowledge and understanding of audiences and media publics. Additionally Screen Industries and a short industry placement will help you to focus on your career planning and gain a better understanding of the film and television industries.

On completion of year two, you can opt to take a sandwich year, either undertaking a year placement in industry or studying in one of our partner institutions in America, Europe, or Asia. The placement year or study abroad (see Careers and Opportunities for more information) means that students gain an additional qualification, a Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP) and the International Year means that students gain a Diploma in International Academic Studies (DIAS).

Year Three/(Four after a year out) – In the final year of study, you will work with internationally recognised researchers and fellow students in other courses under the Ulster Screen Academy to develop an innovative Major Project. Leading a team to develop a major portfolio piece, you and your fellow students will take on technical roles in a range of productions from Short Film, Live Television and Documentary. This will allow you to graduate with a large portfolio of work, in a range of industry roles helping to demonstrate your skills and knowledge in media production – making you as employable as possible.