Welcome to Film Studies

A Brief Overview of Film Studies

Film Studies explores the historical, cultural and artistic significance of arguably the most important art form of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The course examines the way in which we consume film texts, examining their representation of individuals and their effect on society.

The course provides students with the opportunity to analyse a range of film texts from over one hundred years of production, focusing on film industry, audience and the relationship between producers and audiences. Topics include British Film, US film and World Cinema, affording the students an insight into film language, genre, culture, social-political issues and national identity.

The Production Units are the other key components, and these enable students to utilise their understanding of film concepts by creating their own texts. Students will take films from pre-production to post-production and are supported by state-of-the-art technology, including a suite of MacBook Pros and iMacs which use the industry-standard Final Cut Pro editing software package. The department is equipped with seven digital cameras that produce images of a broadcast quality, helping to produce texts comparable with film industry practice.

The AS units are completed by a two and a half hour examination, underpinned by an evaluation of the Production Units, allowing students the opportunity to analyse and reflect upon their own film texts.

This rigorous course helps students to make sense of society through the medium of film and hones their analytical, information-gathering and organisational skills.