Film & Digital Art BA (Hons)

You’ll be introduced to key concepts of historical and contemporary visual culture, developing skills in film language, sound recording, postproduction and research.

Moving Image Culture: Understanding & Interpretation
We’ll introduce you to the key concepts of historical and contemporary moving image culture. You’ll become familiar with technical innovations and conceptual transformations, and will consider the ideological institutions and cultural practices that shape the production and experience of cinema, computer games and networked media – including the politics of representation.

Imagining Reality
You’ll explore documentary practices as well as the representation of reality through formal approaches such as the poetic, observational, reflexive, expository and performative. You’ll cover a range of diverse methodologies which challenge the notion of the real, from historical and contemporary perspectives, while developing skills in film language, cinematography, sound recording, post-production techniques and research methods.

Experimental Media
You’ll be introduced to experimental film, video and sound art, and will examine the inter-relationship between experimental moving image, cinema and fine art practice. You’ll produce a portfolio of experimental video and sound work, enabling you to explore theoretical concepts through practice. You’ll experiment with avant-garde forms and create work that challenges conventions.

Portraits
You’ll further develop your visual language and familiarity with lens-based practices by considering the core skills of photography and image manipulation. You’ll explore aspects of identity and develop an awareness of the constructed nature of the ‘self’ in relation to gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, ethnicity and community groupings. You’ll produce a series of images that create meaning through montage and sequencing, and you’ll make a multi-screen moving image work.

You’ll advance your practical skills and will develop your own individual style. You’ll investigate the relationship between fine art practice and theory and the rapid expansion of digital technology.

Your imaginative productions might be projected installations, multiscreen work, documentary, photography, animation, dance, film or any other medium.

Cultures of Convergence
You’ll investigate the relationship between contemporary art practice and theory, and the proliferation of new technologies over the past three decades. You’ll expand your understanding of digital convergence, and consider the formation of new social and cultural identities under the influence of new technologies and hybridisation. You’ll cover issues such as the critical approaches to new media technologies, interactive multimedia, hybrid artistic practices, post-internet art, and the construction of identity and difference in the digital age.

Innovation & Interference
We’ll encourage you to be inventive and imaginative in your interpretation of conceptual themes, and to develop your critical thinking within the context of moving image and hybrid digital practices. You’ll create two productions – which could take the form of expanded cinema, an experimental art piece, an installation, an expanded documentary or narrative, or a video dance composition. You’ll reflect upon and refine your work, considering audience and dissemination as key factors.

Professional Toolkit
This technical skills development unit will support the ongoing development of projects during the year. You’ll build on your existing skills to develop specialist knowledge of areas of moving image and digital image production. The specialist areas you choose to focus on may include digital video editing, visual effects, sound design, 3D or 2D modelling and animation, coding for interactivity, digital photography and studio production workflow.

Study Abroad (optional)
This optional unit will allow you to spend time in an overseas educational institution.

You’ll showcase your skills and interests and establish your future goals by proposing your own major project to lead onto a career in the creative industries, possibly as an entrepreneur, start-up or fine artist.

Dissertation
This unit consists of a substantial period of sustained, individually negotiated research on a subject that is likely to be related to the contextual and/or theoretical concerns of your discipline or chosen area of practice, towards the provision of a structured written argument.

Resolution 1
This unit focuses on research development and pre-production. You’ll demonstrate your capacity for sustained and high quality work in group and/or independent study. You’ll develop a robust major project proposal and pilot outcomes – determining the subject, range and scope through supportive negotiation with your tutor. You’ll pitch your idea and begin the pre-production process.

Resolution 2
You’ll build upon the development of your work in Resolution 1 to produce a fully resolved body of high quality work, which you can confidently disseminate into the public domain – whether through exhibition, portfolio or other presentational form. You’ll further develop an understanding of the professional context and career potential of your talents and creativity, while reflecting upon your ideas and objectives. You’ll come away with a vibrant portfolio of work and a clear idea of your future goals.

This course offers the opportunity to study abroad for part of your second year. To find out more about studying abroad as part of your course please see the Study Abroad section:

• Study abroad information

As a student on this course, you'll benefit from our strong industry links, which cover a broad range of sectors. We regularly host visiting lecturers who share their experiences and expertise, giving you a great opportunity to make contacts and gain invaluable insights into areas that interest you, as well as contextualise your studies. Recent guest lecturers have included: 

• Commercial film and video directors
• Music video companies
• Visual effects artists
• Experimental filmmakers
• Video artists.

We also have close connections with post-production facilities, games companies, production companies and art venues.

We've produced a host of distinguished alumni, including national award winners. A number of recent graduates have gone on to work on Hollywood movies, BBC television programmes, and on projects with companies such as:

• Cartoon Network
• Boomerang
• Conran Design Group
• pd3
• Incentivated
• M&C Saatchi Mobile
• Tiger Aspect Productions
• Double Negative
• The Mill
• Framestore
• Jim Henson's Creature Shop. 

Roles include film and video directors, lighting camera ops, sound ops, producers and production managers, digital film editors, digital visual effects artists, CGI animators, sound designers, games designers, phone app creators, flash animators, experimental film and video artists, installation artists and digital photographers.

DFSA graduates have also started their own companies, with recent successes including Kode Media, Bright Stem and This Place.