Course Catalogue

As with all Master's level programmes, study will be at, or be informed by, the forefront of academic and professional discipline. Study will provide skills training in documentary production; including core journalism skills for documentary makers; practical craft skills; post production software skills and the opportunity to engage with cutting edge technology appropriate to the professional media industry. Modules have been designed to foster the development and application of research and evaluative skills, together with the adoption of professional planning and project management practices for all aspects of documentary production, in order to enhance employability in circumstances requiring sound judgement, personal responsibility, initiative and practical programme-making skills in complex and unpredictable professional environments. Reflective commentaries requiring developed skills in critical analysis and critical thinking are the mainstay of the written communication to encourage students to reflexively assess and evaluate their own research and practice as well as that of academic resources and published media artefacts. All students will be actively encouraged to show originality in the application of knowledge and understand how the boundaries of knowledge are advanced through research and by approaching complex issues systematically and creatively. The University will provide an educational experience which facilitates the development of all students irrespective of race, gender, physical ability and sexual orientation.

Demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of various documentary genres and their potential social and political impact.

To provide students with an understanding of storytelling and the importance of narrative arc within documentary-making.

To provide skills training in documentary production, including core skills for documentary makers (eg: media law, fair use, copyright, etc.) and craft skills involving the practical use of cameras and associated equipment together with post production software skills for students who have no previous experience in the media industry.

To enable students to synthesize knowledge from several different disciplines to apply it to documentary-making.

To allow students to develop research skills at Masters level, evidenced by their final documentary project.

To allow students to understand and apply research, planning and appropriate project management practice to all aspects and stages of documentary production.

To provide students with a working knowledge of industry-standard practical equipment, including cameras and accessory equipment.

To provide students with a working knowledge of industry-standard practical post production software, such as the Adobe Creative Cloud, related digital software packages; interactive website hosting and design; data visualisation systems, VR/360 cameras and software etc.

To provide students with an understanding of narrative and creative extent provided by post-production techniques.

To provide students with a practical understanding of the technical and creative requirements for different distribution platforms and immersive media.

To provide students with an understanding of the tensions between user engagement, creativity, professional and commercial issues in multiplatform production.

To provide students with an understanding of the independent documentary-making sector in terms of funding; distribution and marketing documentary projects.

To provide students with the opportunities for in-depth understanding and knowledge of the practice of documentary-making both within the professional media industry and as independent documentary makers within the independent documentary-making community.

To develop intellectual skills of effective communication through media technologies, research skills and the ability to situate the study of documentary within the broader media industry as well as providing transferable skills of effective organisation and planning and self-sufficiency.

To provide an education experience which facilitates the development of all students irrespective of race, gender, physical ability and sexual orientation.

Students will show originality in the application of knowledge and will understand the boundaries of knowledge are advanced through research.

Students will be able to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively and will be encouraged to show originality in tackling and solving problems.

They will have the qualities needed for employment in circumstances requiring sound judgement, personal responsibility, creativity, initiative and practical programme making skills in complex and unpredictable professional environments.

Students are taught with a wide mix of teaching methods. Indicative content includes lectures, demonstrations, screenings, workshops, tutorials, group and individual project work, live projects, supervised independent learning, open and resource-based learning, multi-media and new media learning, production practice, small group and individual learning and teaching situations; tutor-led, student-led and independent learning sessions. Specialist IT resources and other studio-based resources play an important part in the delivery.

Essays and reflective commentaries; individual presentations (oral and technology based), critical self-evaluation, individual portfolios of work; individually produced artefacts including productions in sound, audio-visual or other media; individual and group project reports; research exercises; tasks aimed at the assessment of specific skills (e.g. production skills and post-production, pre-production research skills, skills of application) may also form part of programme delivery.

It is intended that much of the study will simulate the professional workplace in terms of tutorials and rough-cut reviews of practical work run in part as production meetings, as experienced in the professional industry and when working in production teams. These also offer the opportunity for formative feedback, thereby mirroring professional practice.

Semester 2 assessments encourage active participation with the documentary sector, including pitching documentary ideas to industry professionals and creating media artefacts for the purpose of raising the profile of the documentary projects in production, (eg: trailers; sizzle reels). This includes encouraging and supporting students to enter their work into relevant documentary competitions and festivals.

It is anticipated that some members of the cohort may already be working in the documentary sector and/or wider media industry, thus adding to the professional contacts of the student cohort.

Regular contact is maintained with the Master's alumni and with alumni from Journalism and Media Production working in the media industry which will help students to forge further industry contacts.

Students are also encouraged to contact production companies and seek work shadowing placements or internships.

The Liverpool Screen School and Media Production department in particular organises regular events where documentary filmmakers and media professionals are invited to give presentations/run masterclasses. These events offer excellent networking opportunities for students to contact people in the media industry, which can lead to placement opportunities.