Bachelor of Film and Television

Overview

A three year undergraduate degree in Film and Television. The course encompasses practical and theory components of film and television production.

Description

Students undertake subjects such as screenwriting, actor direction and screen studies, as well as focusing on producing, directing, and editing. The final year centers around a major production of 5-15 minutes duration. This course contains three years of full time study and cannot be undertaken part time.

Objectives

On completion of this course the student should have acquired the following qualities and skills:

• the ability to write direct and edit an innovative short motion picture program which encourages personal challenge in the realm of ideas;
• be able to demonstrate skills in various technical aspects of motion picture program production to a high standard of professional excellence;
• qualify for employment in the film, television and/or allied industries;
• be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of the cultural context of International Cinema and the development of the Australian motion pictures industry within it, and
• an international awareness and openness to the world, based on understanding and appreciation of social and cultural diversity and respect of individual human rights and dignity.

Generic Skills

On completion of the Bachelor of Film and Television, graduates should be able to:

• exhibit extensive theoretical and practical knowledge of the film, television and/or allied industries, including relevant professional knowledge, skills, discipline and ethics as they relate to these industries;
• demonstrate capacities for artistic imagination, creativity, transformation and interpretation;
• demonstrate practical skills in respect of critical analysis, problem solving, report writing, team work and oral and written communication;
• demonstrate a flexible and innovative approach to the national and international challenges for the professional filmmaker in the 21st century;
• work at various levels, both as an individual and as a team member, in a wide variety of environments;
• contribute effectively as collaborators and leaders;
• demonstrate an open, independent and inquiring attitude towards contemporary cultural developments and new ideas;
• critically and creatively engage with topics of cultural significance across communities;
• understand and appreciate how filmmaking connects with the broader society and contributes to its social and economic development, and
• understand their relationship with and responsibility to their cultural environment and society.

Student Commitment

Students are expected to commit to the following:

• Year 1 - 19 hours per week in formal contact plus 21 hours per week of private study (a combination of on and off campus study);
• Year 2 - 24 hours per week in formal contact plus 16 hours per week of private study (a combination of on and off campus study);
• Year 3 - 23 hours per week in formal contact plus 17 hours per week of private study (a combination of on and off campus study).

Course Progression Guidelines

The maximum time permitted for completion of the course is six years.
(a) All Assigned Projects subjects must be passed at the first attempt.
(b) Subjects other than Assigned Projects may not be attempted more than twice.

Qualification for Award

The award of the Bachelor of Film and Television requires the successful completion of all the prescribed subjects.

Subjects by Year

Year 1

• 754-101 - The Artist in the World - Part 1
• 754-130 - The Artist in the World - Part 2
• 759-170 - Screenwriting 1
• 759-171 - Assigned Projects 1
• 759-176 - Actor Direction 1

Year 2

• 754-202 & 203 - The World in the Artist 2A & 2B
• 759-270 - Screenwriting 2
• 759-271 - Assigned Projects 2
• 759-272 - Screen Studies 2
• 759-276 - Actor Direction 2

Year 3

• 754-301 - Collaborative Contract
• 754-302 - Professional Development
• 759-371 - Assigned Projects 3
• 759-372 - Screen Studies 3
• 759-376 - Screenwriting 3
• 759-377 - Assigned Projects 3 C
• 759-378 - Actor Direction 3

Subjects

Year 1

Credit Points:	6.25
Contact hours:	2 hours per week
Supervised Studio hours:	5 hours per week including class preparation
Semester:	Semester 1

Subject description:

Subject Handout

Part 1: Ideas and Interpretations

This subject is to be taken in conjunction with 754-130—The Artist in the World (Part 2) in Semester 2.

The subject will introduce students to the key themes and ideas central to all performing and visual arts as interpreted by artists, philosophers and theorists.

This subject is offered as a weekly lecture and tutorial program.

We will proceed by looking at how these various themes inform processes and practices within and across art forms. Starting with Ideas and Interpretations which form points of intersection between the visual and performing arts we will explore pedagogical practices currently employed at the Faculty, as well as analyse some of the technical, aesthetic and conceptual frameworks applied in the development of creative works. We will investigate the influences of various historical and contemporary contexts on the application and interpretation of these themes. In addition we will examine the possibilities for research in and through the arts leading to new modes of representation and the creation of new knowledge.

A range of international and local visual artists, musicians, writers, directors, designers, composers, choreographers, performers, and filmmakers will present lectures about their own work that may coincide with the week’s tutorial topic.

The weekly tutorial readings provide a theoretical context for analysing selected themes found in contemporary practice. During tutorial discussions, students will be encouraged to speculate and reflect upon the relationship between ideas encountered in the lectures, tutorials and readings, and their own studio practice.

Semester 1, 2009
Lecture program

Wednesdays, 9.30 -10.30 am Federation Hall

18 February Welcome and Introduction to the Artist in the World

25 February Rodney Hall (novelist and playwright)

4 March Kristy Edmunds (Head of the School of Performing Arts)

11 March Mike Daisy (collaborative commons and on-line networks)

18 March Master Liu ( martial arts, movement and meditation)

25 March Joanne and Stuart Favilla (musical instrument makers)

1 April Paul Cox (filmmaker)

8 April Daniel Cramer (Berlin based visual artist)

15 April Easter Break (no lecture)

22 April Leisa Shelton (performance and theatre making)

29 April Barbara Campbell (visual artist)

6 May Clem Martini (Head of Drama, Calgary University) tbc

13 May Film festival

Objectives:

On completion of the Artist in The World subject students should be able to:

• identify key issues in contemporary cultural practice;
• acquire a critical vocabulary and refine written and verbal communication skills;
• develop an appreciation of the social and historical context of creative work;
• develop the ability to critically analyse and evaluate discourses and performances in contemporary arts practice; and
• develop a more reflective approach towards their practice and across disciplines.

Assessment:

Students must satisfactorily complete written work of 2,000 words or its equivalent and undertake active participation in tutorials to successfully complete the subject. Intellectual journal - 15 pages (45%); theoretical investigation - 800 words (30%); tutorial participation (25%). Hurdle requirement - 80% attendance.

Time Commitment:

5 hours per week including class preparation

Prescribed Texts:

Artist in the World Reader - Ideas and Interpretations (purchase from Student and Academic Services Unit)

Credit Points:	6.25
Mode of Delivery:	weekly 1 hour lecture and weekly 1 hour tutorial
Contact hours:	2 hours per week
Supervised Studio hours:	5 hours per week incl preparation assessment tasks
Semester:	Semester 2

Subject description:

The Artist in the World, part 2: Keywords in the Arts and Society, introduces students to a number of keywords which appear in contemporary debates on art and society. These debates make use of concepts drawn from within the arts but also from other disciplines including psychoanalysis, philosophy, anthropology, visual design, law, cultural theory and the sciences. Students are encouraged to gain awareness of the variety of ways in which words are used, and ideas and values constructed in these disciplines.

Lecture Program
Semester 2, 2009

July 15 – Martin Ng – Cardiologist, genetic researcher and turntable improviser

July 22 – Phillip Adams – Choreographer and director Ballet Lab

July 29 – Danius Kesminas – Visual artist and musician and all around crazed genius

August 5 – J.Hillis Miller – Theorist and critic

August 12 – Robin Fox – Electronic Musician and laser artist – Robin will perform a piece for computer and lasers

August 19 – Marco Fusinato – Visual artist and sound installation artist

August 26 – Maureen Gardner – Head of the School of Production at VCAM

September 2 – Kevin Murray – Curator and writer, ex director of Craft Victoria and current director of the South Project

September 9 – Deborah Cheetham – Indigenous opera singer, actor, author and program manger of the Willin Centre VCAM

Break: September 14

September 23 – Greg Burgess – Architect

September 30 – The Film Festival – curated by the CFI tutors

October 7 – Student presentations

 

 

 

Objectives:

On completion of the Artist in The World subject students should be able to:

• identify key issues in contemporary cultural practice;
• acquire a critical vocabulary and refine written and verbal communication skills;
• develop an appreciation of the social and historical context of creative work;
• develop the ability to critically analyse and evaluate discourses and performances in contemporary arts practice;and,
• develop a more reflective approach towards their practice and across disciplines.
  

Assessment:

Students must satisfactorily complete assessment to pass part 2 of the subject. Students are required to complete written work of 2,000 words or its equivalent and undertake active participation in tutorials for each component to successfully complete the subject. Intellectual journal – 15 pages (45%); critical investigation - 800 words (30%); tutorial participation (25%). Hurdle requirement - 80% attendance.

Time Commitment:

5 hours per week incl preparation assessment tasks

Prescribed Texts:

Artist in the World Reader from the Student and Academic Service Unit
Also you can download the subject handout here

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	Annabelle Murphy
Contact hours:	53 hours over full year
Semester:	Year Long

Subject description:

An examination of the inherent advantages and limitations of writing for the screen. Classes incorporate lectures, group discussions and film screenings. Students undertake short screenwriting exercise for presentation at the group discussion sessions. Students also undertake the writing of scripts for exercises. Scriptwriting progress is monitored at tutorials.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• exhibit an ability for intellectual curiosity and creativity through the development of scriptwriting skills;
• exercise an open attitude to new ideas;
• confidently communicate in oral and written form;
• exhibit the skills to interpret, analyse and problem solve.

Assessment:

4 x screenwriting exercises (ranging from 50 to 400 words)(50%); final draft script for a video production 3 to 8 minutes (50%)

Time Commitment:

53 hours over the academic year

Credit Points:	68.75
Coordinator:	Andrew O'Keefe
Contact hours:	minimum of 14.5 hours per week full year
Semester:	Year Long

Subject description:

Semester 1 - Lectures, demonstrations and tutorials in video production techniques lead to short practical exercises. Working in crews and rotating roles each student has an opportunity to undertake directing, production managing, sound recording, camera operating, lighting, art directing, continuity, editing and sound post production. Students also undertake short specialist studies in such as Animation, Visual Effects or Documentary.

Semester 2 - Classes, tutorials and workshops in screen writing, production management, screen aesthetics and the development of a short script. Also introduction to 16mm film production, including camera operation, sound recording, audio post production, editing and laboratory services. Students also write and direct a 16mm film exercise and crew on other student exercises.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• demonstrate development in their creativity and technical skills through production;
• plan and organise their work and solve problems;
• lead a team and work collaboratively;
• apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems.

Assessment:

• continuous and based on submission of exercises and crewing undertaken;
• video and 16mm production: 4 x production exercises (1-4mins each) (50%);
• crewing on a minimum of 5 student productions (30%);
• class participation* and class exercises (equivalent 2,500 words) (20%)

(*Participation assessed on criteria of attendance, punctuality, ability to discuss, give/receive feedback and teamwork skills.)

Time Commitment:

1,067 hours averaged over the academic year

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	Andrew O'Keefe
Semester:	Semester 1

Subject description:

Lectures and workshops providing an introduction to the principles and practices of the direction of actors, plus an overview of the ‘schools’ of acting thought in the 20th and 21st centuries. Students are given the opportunity to work with actors in a supervised workshop environment.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• demonstrate an awareness of acting styles;
• communicate in oral form; and,
• develop skills to direct actors.

Assessment:

• practical direction exercise (edited video of 2 to 5 minutes) (70%); and,
• Crewing and collaboration on actor direction exercises (30%).

   

Time Commitment:

20 hours averaged over the semester

Year 2

Credit Points:	6.25
Prerequisites:	These seminars are offered at second year level. Second year students attend one x 2 hour seminar per week each semester from an available pool of approximately 12 seminar subjects. Seminars are held once a week and most seminars from semester one are repeated in second semester.
Mode of Delivery:	weekly seminar
Contact hours:	2 hour seminar per week in each semester
Semester:	Both Semesters

Subject description:

WORLD IN THE ARTIST 2B
SEMESTER TWO, 2009 

Please check your University email for information on how to enrol in one of the seminars listed below for semester two.

CLASSES BEGIN EITHER THURSDAY 16 JULY OR FRIDAY 17 JULY - PLEASE CHECK THE DAY AND TIME OF THE SEMINAR THAT YOU HAVE ENROLLED IN.

EAST/ WEST: PART 1
David Shea
Fridays: 2.00pm-4.00pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

This seminar is an in-depth look at the traditional divide between the cultures, philosophies, perceptions and approaches to the body in Eastern and Western models. Themes explored include scientific and spiritual cosmologies, eastern and western medicine, evolutionary ideas and creation stories, eastern and western architecture, rationality and meditation, martial arts and body enhancement, anatomical and holistic bodies, and mysticism.

There will be a strong concentration on current research in fields relating to the communication between traditional opposites such as quantum physics and its relation to spiritual views of time and space, art, music and literature, as well as medical research into meditation
and martial arts.

Assessment:

Contribution and participation in seminar discussion       25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words  75%
                        
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

SUBVERSIVE FILM IN ART
Oren Ambarchi
Thursdays 4pm-6pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

This seminar will introduce how aesthetic, sexual, and ideological subversives have used one of the most powerful art forms of our day to exchange or manipulate our conscious and unconscious, demystify visual taboos, destroy dated cinematic forms, and undermine existing value systems and institutions.

This subversion of form is illuminated by a detailed examination of films from Oren's collection including many rarely seen, or never released works. Avant-garde, underground, independent and exceptional commercial films will be viewed in their entire duration on a weekly basis followed by a group discussion and analysis.

*Please not that it not necessary to have attended this subject in the first semester. Additionally, none of the films screened in the first will be repeated in 2nd semester.

Assignment/Assessment:
Students will be required to submit a 1500 word written research assignment investigating one of the films viewed in the course or a film of their choice that relates to the ideas and topics discussed in the seminar.

Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

THE HIDDEN LINKS OF THE AVANT-GARDE & POPULAR CULTURE
Oren Ambarchi
Fridays 11am-1pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

Pop and the avant-garde represent the cultural contradiction of late capitalism, the contradiction that has no dialectic. Pop music for example, has a mass audience, but its domination by the commodity form usually fosters "stupidity in listening". The avant-garde has the imagination to challenge passivity and stupidity, but usually addresses itself only to the art world. Is it possible to overcome the contradiction between the mass-market pop world and the avant-garde?

This course endeavours to explore the parallel worlds of pop and the avant garde and reveal how these contradictory cultural worlds have borrowed from each other and transgressed the rigid boundaries separating "high" and "low" culture to form secret and friendly alliances.

Assignment/Assessment:
Students are required to do a project researching a historical work, artist or movement that has ties to both the avant-garde and pop culture. This project has 2 requirements:
1. Each student will give a presentation of their project to the class
2. Each student will submit a written assignment of 1500 words reflecting their investigation

Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

BODIES OF WAR IN ART AND PERFORMANCE
Adam Broinowski
Fridays 11am-1pm
 
Subject/Seminar Description:
 
This seminar provides views from the body in war through key samples of 20th century political performance and art. Artists have long recorded, reflected and reacted to the terror, cruelty, and pathos of war. But since the First World War, shocked out of their preconception that civilization had advanced beyond barbarity, influential artists opposed war by rupturing the way it was represented.
 
In providing a surface to touch to become critically aware of the burning lava of fear, joy and pride in war, artists over this century (Dix/Grosz/Hoch/Heartfield, Artaud/Brecht, Lanzmann/Ibuse, Hijikata/ Schneeman/The Living Theatre/Oshima, La Fura dels Baus/Dead Kennedys/Godard, Morris/Fairey/Banksy to name a few!) have often been uncomfortably out of place, exiles in their own societies while addressing the theme of war. What does the study of this violence and conflict through philosophy, art, performance and war documentary reveal? Is war ‘natural’?
 
Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

DIALOGUE WRITING
Raimondo Cortese
Fridays 2pm-4pm
Subject/Seminar Description:

The seminar focuses on writing dialogue and scenes for theatre, film or TV. The work involves a direct and intensive exploration of the written material. The focus is on action, on what words do (to the performer speaking and being spoken to).
Dramatic dialogue is dynamic – it inspires change. Students are encouraged to treat their dialogues as verbal creations, to be spoken out then written, without censoring or judging what happens. A series of simple exercises are used to allow the students to focus on action.

The aim is to not ‘interpret’ or ‘shut down’ the dialogue, but to instead focus on the complex reality of what is actually happening between people rather than what is literally happening. From there we discover where rewriting is required. We will also be exploring dialogues from theatre and film classics.

Assignment/Assessment:
By the end of the seminar participants will be required to hand in their written material. This can be a short play, film or TV script or a series of dialogues that defy strict categorisation.

Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

PROTEST AND SURVIVE: OR DO PROTEST SONGS DREAM OF iTUNE SALES?
Elliot Howard
Fridays 2pm - 4pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

In this seminar we will investigate both historical and contemporary forms of protest and pose the question – what place does protesting have in contemporary artistic and political practices?  We will explore a range of material and disciplines including current Melbourne based protest movements and actions, popular music, film, art, current affairs, economics, climate change and theoretical perspectives. 

We will look at recent G8, Mayday and anti war protests, the films of Jean-Luc Godard, the Situationist movement, the events of May 68, the Hornsey School of Art and Byam Shaw School of Art sit-ins (1968 and 2009), the Baader-Meinhoff group, the Gorilla Girls and graffiti on Melbourne’s streets and laneways. We will place protest in the context of Generation Y’s first recession, the Global Financial Crisis and impending climate catastrophe.

Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

MASHIT: SOUND AND VIDEO ART
Bruce Mowson
Fridays 11am-1pm

Noise, mash-ups, soundscapes, video art, music-videos, electronic music, minimalisms, sound art: these and many more are sub-genre’s that can be produced using analogue and digital sound and video. In this seminar, we will be working in the computer lab to create any and or all of the above. In class, a range of topics and techniques will be introduced, including audio-visual theory, soundtrack creation, video installation, collage and appropriation, critical listening and looking.

Ultimately, we will be working toward a screening, performance or presentation at the end of the semester. Submission requirements will include a short written assignment and sound and/or video works.

Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

SENSORAMA: MULTI-DISCIPLINARY INSTALLATION AND PERFORMANCE
Bruce Mowson
Fridays 2pm-4pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

In the first semester, we explored the way we use our senses in our art, and thought about distinctions between perception, thought and memory. In this semester we extend these explorations, and look at new material from Film, psychoanalysis, Media art, Installation Art and Happenings. We will continue exploring the senses through exercises such as the blind walk, and will actively explore possibilities for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

We will be working toward an installation/performance event and catalogue, coordinated by students, at the end of semester. Submission requirements will include a short written assignment and an artwork.

Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

ZEN PAINTING AND POETRY
Professor Richard Perry
Fridays 11am-1pm
Subject/Seminar Description:

This course will introduce students to major painters and poets within the Chinese and Japanese traditions of Zen Buddhist art. Topics to be discussed include Buddhism vs. Zen Buddhism, form and emptiness, spontaneity and control, tradition and iconoclasm, heroes and swagmen, silence and sound, the brush as sword, and Zen in modern art.

The influence of Zen Buddhist aesthetics on ceramics and garden design will also be discussed. Students will be expected to participate freely in seminar discussions, and assessed assignments will include one haiku poem, one brief essay, and one short quiz.

Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

‘DO IT’
Elizabeth Presa
Fridays 2pm-4pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

‘Do it’ famously began as a discussion between artists Christian Boltanski and Bertrand Lavier, and writer and curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, in 1993 at the Café
Select in Paris.  Their discussion focused on the use of written instructions to make works of art in an effort to observe the effects of translation.  They were interested in how written instructions from artists could function like musical scores, which go though countless variations and interpretations each time they are performed.  ‘Do it’ has been staged in over 45 museums around the world.

The Centre for Ideas ‘do it’ project is presented in collaboration with Hans Ulrich Obrist. This year ‘do it’ focuses on art and philosophy. Eminent philosophers have been invited to write ‘do it’ instructions.  Participating philosophers include Jean-Luc Nancy, Julia Kristeva, Alexander Garcia Duttmann, Daniel Birnbaum
(Director of the 2009 Venice Biennale), Andrew Benjamin, Peter Singer as well as Beijing based philosophers.  Students from the Central Academy of Fine Art Beijing (CAFA), China’s leading art college, will participate in the exhibition.
 
The outcomes of your ‘translations’ will form the 2009 ‘do it’ exhibition at the George Paton Gallery 5 – 16 October

Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

EAST/WEST: Part 2
David Shea
Thursday 4pm-6pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

This seminar is an in-depth look at the traditional divide between the
cultures, philosophies, perceptions and approaches to the arts in
Eastern and Western models. Themes explored include scientific and
spiritual cosmologies, eastern and western medicine, evolutionary ideas
and creation stories, eastern and western architecture, rationality and
meditation, martial arts and body enhancement, anatomical and holistic
bodies, and mysticism.

In this second semester we will explore, in depth, aspects of subjects we covered in the first semester. We will also investigate many new areas, with a shift in focus towards presentations, both by my self and the students. My presentations, which will be the first hour of every week, will concentrate on the arts and in particular the visual arts, performance and music in traditional cultures all round the world and the religious, scientific and mythological philosophies, which form the roots of these cultures. It is not necessary to have done the first semester of East West to be a part of this seminar as we will be covering almost all new ground and re-visiting some of the first semester concepts in new contexts.

Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

DIALOGUES WITHIN INVISIBLE CITIES
Leisa Shelton
Fridays 2pm-4pm

Subject/Seminar Description:

Investigations into the evolving cross fertilisations within and between the languages of architecture, theatre, philosophy, the culinary arts, science and curatorial practice – to name but a few!

If Gay Bilson, William Forsyth, John Zorn, Peter Greenaway, Sophie Calle, Helene Cixous and Gordon Matta-Clarke were guests at our dinner table, what kind of conversations might emerge? 

This series of seminars will introduce students to a variety of processes developed by leading practitioners, working beyond the parameters of their specific disciplines to redefine both their practice and the way we experience the world through the encounters with their work.

Assignment/Assessment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

THE ART OF DESIRE: PSYCHOANALYTIC AESTHETICS
Dr Ashley Woodward
Fridays 11am-1pm
Subject/Seminar Description:
For roughly a century now, psychoanalysis has been a major force of influence in the arts, both in practice and criticism. This subject introduces and explores a variety of different psychoanalytic perspectives on art, as well as the relations between psychoanalysis, art, and politics. It will focus on the ideas of four major theorists: the psychoanalysts Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, and the philosophers Jean-François Lyotard and Slavoj Zizek.

The seminar will also consider the ways psychoanalysis has been taken up by artists (for example, in surrealism), and how it has impacted on politics and culture. It will introduce key ideas in psychoanalytic theory, such as libido; the unconscious; phantasy; the uncanny; the symbolic, the imaginary, and the real; the figural; and so on.

It will also look at the application of psychoanalytic theory to a variety of art forms, including painting, cinema, and music, and consider the politics of public space in relation to how desire circulates through advertising, stencil art, and graffiti.

Assessment/Assignment:
Contribution and participation in seminar discussion               25%
Total written work or equivalent project comprising 1500 words 75%
Hurdle requirement: 80% attendance

 

Objectives:

On completion of World in the Artist seminar subjects students should be able to:

• demonstrate and analyse the philosophical and methodological basis of creative research activity;
• exhibit insight into the relationship between key theoretical concepts and original creative practice;
• exercise knowledge of highly specialised disciplinary practice and methodology;
• recognise the significance of research in creative work;
• develop a framework for addressing future inter-disciplinary research projects;
• demonstrate analytic skills and the ability to communicate complex concepts;
• exhibit lucid verbal and written communication skills and fluency within the student’s own practice and across other disciplines;
• develop a sense of individual perspective; and
• demonstrate familiarity with recent cultural debates and new cultural practices.

Time Commitment:

6 hours per week

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	Annabelle Murphy
Contact hours:	4 hours per week plus tutorials
Semester:	Semester 2

Subject description:

This subject continues, through tutorials, to build on the concepts learned during first year. The basic principles of dramatic structure are covered by dealing with the theme, the story, plot, conflict, character design, etc. The aim is for each student to have written an innovative script by week ten, which will be the blueprint for the major film component of Assigned Projects 2.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• exhibit a developed ability for intellectual curiosity, creativity through scriptwriting;
• communicate in oral and written form;
• interpret, analyse and problem solve.

Assessment:

• weekly class exercises (40%)
• major production script (60%)

Time Commitment:

57 hours averaged over the semester

Credit Points:	68.75
Coordinator:	Siobhan Jackson
Contact hours:	24 hours per week min. (Sem1); 14 hours per week min. (Sem 2)
Semester:	Both Semesters

Subject description:

Semester 1:

Each student directs and edits a short video production and crews on other VCA student productions. Students also undertake a short specialist study in such areas as Animation, Visual Effects or Documentary.

Semester 2:

Lectures, tutorials, industry attachment and workshops further skills in screen writing, actor direction, screen aesthetics and 16mm film technology, including directing a 16mm film exercise and crewing on other VCA student productions. Semester 2 also facilitates the development and initiates pre-production of a short script.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to

• demonstrate development of their creativity and technical skills through film production;
• confidently plan and organise their work and solve problems;
• work effectively in leadership and collaborative modes;
• apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems.

Assessment:

Continuous and based on submission of exercises and crewing undertaken:

• video production 3 to 8 minutes (40%);
• 16mm film production exercise (2 minutes) (10%);
• crewing on a minimum of 3 productions (30%);
• Class participation* (20%).

(*Participation assessed on criteria of attendance, punctuality, ability to discuss, give/receive feedback and teamwork skills.)

Time Commitment:

863 hours averaged over the academic year

Generic Skills:

 

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	John Slavin
Contact hours:	3 hours per week for 7 weeks (Sem 1); 4 hours per week for 6 weeks (Sem 2).
Semester:	Both Semesters

Subject description:

A continuation of work begun in Screen Studies 1. The subject gives students some familiarity with film-makers who have challenged the assumptions of conventional narrative, producing interesting new approaches: introduces students to the underlying determining influences of a range of subtexts including those based on myth, gender, psychoanalysis and ideologies.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• exercise an open attitude to new ideas and unconventional critiques of received wisdom on conventional narrative screen production;
•  confidently communicate in oral and written form;
•  utilise skills to interpret and analyse films.

Assessment:

• essay up to 1,500 words and/or seminar presentation of not more than 30 minutes (80%);
• class attendance (20%).

   

Time Commitment:

60 hours averaged over the academic year

Generic Skills:

 

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	Siobhan Jackson
Semester:	Semester 2

Subject description:

Lectures and workshops which develop skills and principles learned in Actor Direction 1. Students are given the opportunity to work with actors in a supervised workshop environment.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to

• demonstrate a developing ability to direct actors;
• confidently plan and organize their work and solve problems;
• confidently apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems.

Assessment:

Practical direction exercise (edited product of 2 to 5mins) (70%); crewing and collaboration on other actor director exercises (30%)

 

Time Commitment:

20 hours averaged over the semester

Generic Skills:

 

Year 3

Credit Points:	6.25
Mode of Delivery:	weekly seminar/workshop
Contact hours:	2 hours per week
Supervised Studio hours:	6 hours per week including class preparation
Semester:	Semester 1

Subject description:

Through the process of group building activities in tutorial settings, students will form collaborative groups and project ideas reflective of the diversity of disciplines. Additionally, throughout the course students will develop their project ideas through various forms of online collaboration including blogging, forum discussions, bulletin board postings as well as responding to collaborative work as it is developed and posted online.

Subject Coordinator - Alex Gibson

Seminar/ lecture Program

Friday 9.30-11.30am Art Auditorium

FEBRUARY 20, 27, MARCH 6, 13, 20, 27, APRIL 3, 24, MAY 1, 8.

Objectives:

On completion of the Collaborative Contract subject students should be able to:

• demonstrate confidence in their ability to initiate cross-disciplinary collaborative practice;
• develop cooperative approaches and exercise leadership skills;
• display critical, reflective skills;
• demonstrate the ability to work in an inclusive manner;
• gain confidence that insight is found in the creative process;
• recognise the cumulative and complex ways in which knowledge is formed;
• develop strong documentary processes;
• understand the role of accounting and project management; and,
• be able to disseminate information and publicly promote their project.

Assessment:

The group project must be presented before the end of the semester, to be reviewed by two academic members of staff (100%). Hurdle requirement – 80% attendance. Groups will be issued with a group mark.

Time Commitment:

6 hours per week including class preparation

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	Dr Elizabeth Presa
Prerequisites:	World in the Artist 2nd year seminars
Contact hours:	2 hours per week
Supervised Studio hours:	6 hours per week
Semester:	Semester 2

Subject description:

This subject will provide an integrated and generic introduction to the key issues and skills necessary to enhance a student’s artistic career. The aim is to develop a base upon which all students can build their own specialist skills. This subject will complement the existing specialist subjects on professional development on offer in each School. The presentation of the subject will be in the form of lectures by invited experts in the fields of intellectual property, copyright, ethics, small business development, financial management, taxation, marketing and publicity, and occupational health and safety. Extracurricular workshops will be offered in negotiation, time management, grant writing and presentation skills.

Seminar /Lecture Program
Fridays 9:30am – 11.30 am Federation Hall

Objectives:

On completion of the Professional Development subject students should be able to:

• exhibit sophisticated professional communication skills;
• undertake preparation of a curriculum vitae;
• demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues;
• identify career management strategies;
• identify problem solving and conflict resolution skills;
• exhibit experience of team processes; and,
• demonstrate knowledge of issues relating to personal safety, teaching aids, access to information,and financial and legal advice.

Assessment:

Students select from a menu of discipline related written assessment projects (100%). Hurdle requirement – 80% attendance.

Time Commitment:

6 hours per week

Credit Points:	68.75
Coordinator:	Nicolette Freeman
Contact hours:	24 hours per week min. (Sem 1); 14-24 hours per week (Sem 2).
Semester:	Both Semesters

Subject description:

Semester 1:

Focuses on producing, directing and editing a major production (16mm film or video) and crewing on other VCA student productions. Through lectures, tutorials and workshops it also builds on existing knowledge in screen studies and actor direction.

Semester 2:

Continues a focus on film and video production as described in Semester 1. Students will also take part in an industry orientation program.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• demonstrate strong creative and technical screen production skills including computing skills;
• confidently plan and organise work and solve problems;
• effectively communicate in oral and written form;
• exhibit a strong ability to lead a team as well as participate effectively as a crew member of a collaborative team, while respecting individual differences;
• apply specific knowledge to a complex practical project;
• exhibit extensive knowledge of the film, television and allied industries.

Assessment:

Continuous and based on submission of major production, class exercises and crewing undertaken:

• major production (5 to 15 minutes) (50%);
• crewing on a minimum of 2 productions (30%);
• participation* and class exercises (20%).

(*Participation assessed by Year Lecturer on criteria of attendance, punctuality, ability to discuss, give/receive feedback and teamwork skills.)

Time Commitment:

1057 hours averaged over academic year

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	John Slavin
Contact hours:	4 hours per wek x 13 wks
Semester:	Semester 1

Subject description:

Introduces students to the history of aspects of production such as performance. It covers the silent period to contemporary Hollywood, Asian and independent cinema. Topics on performance, as an example, include: the performing body - expression, gesture, movement, voice; performance styles - vaudeville, the development of Hollywood naturalism, method acting, etc.; discussion of the 'star' system.  Specific attention is given to the problems of performance for short film-makers.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• display a developed capacity for independent critical thought and be able to apply this to a specific aspect of screen studies;
• exercise an open attitude to new ideas and unconventional critiques of received wisdom;
• demonstrate highly developed cognitive and analytic skills in the area on screen studies;
• effectively communicate in oral and written form.

Assessment:

• one seminar paper (10%);
• visual test (30%);
• written exam (60%).

   

Time Commitment:

91 hours averaged over the semester

Generic Skills:

 

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	Annabelle Murphy
Contact hours:	Minimum 24 hours
Semester:	Semester 2

Subject description:

This subject leads the student from content development for short form screen product to a professional focus on screenwriting for longer form, genre and television. Through a series of lectures and assignments, students will be given the opportunity to engage with screenwriting for a variety of genre and form.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• exhibit a developed ability for intellectual curiosity, creativity through scriptwriting;
• demonstrate the knowledge to develop professional longer form scripts;
• communicate effectively in oral and written form;
• interpret, analyse and problem solve.

Assessment:

2 to 4 Screenwriting exercises (400-1,000 words each) (100%).

 

Time Commitment:

32 hours averaged over the semester

Credit Points:	81.25
Coordinator:	Nicolette Freeman
Contact hours:	Minimum of 14-24 hours per week
Semester:	Year Long

Subject description:

Designed for students who have elected to specialise in third year in roles such as cinematography, sound, production management or editing. A contract of training activities is developed between the year coordinator, student and Head of School for each student enrolling in this subject and includes assessment related to the activities to be undertaken. Students also crew for other students in areas outside their area of specialisation.

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• demonstrate strong creative and technical skills in a specific area of production;
• confidently plan and organise work and solve problems;
• effectively communicate in oral and written form;
• participate with assurance as a specialist member of a collaborative team while respecting individual differences;
• apply specific knowledge to a complex practical project;
• exhibit extensive knowledge of the film, television and allied industries.

Assessment:

Continuous and is set by a contract of training activities which would normally include crewing two roles in area of specialization as well as other crewing roles and an industry attachment report (100%).

 

Time Commitment:

1057 hours averaged over academic year

Credit Points:	6.25
Coordinator:	Nicolette Freeman
Contact hours:	18 hours
Semester:	Semester 1

Subject description:

On completing this subject students should have an advanced knowledge of working with actors for screen. Classes consist primarily of workshops and master classes, where students have the opportunity to work with actors on an individual level.

 

Objectives:

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

• display an advanced capacity to direct actors;
• exercise an open attitude to new ideas and unconventional critiques of received wisdom;
• effectively communicate in oral and written form.

Assessment:

• casting, rehearsal plan and a practical exercise (2 to 5 minutes) (70%);
• crewing and collaboration on other Actor Direction exercises (30%)

   

Time Commitment:

20 hours averaged over the semester

Generic Skills: