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InternationalFilmProduction

International Film Production MA/PG Dip/PG Cert

Want to take your passion for storytelling to the next level? Develop a suite of professional film production skills while building up a rich portfolio on this highly-creative course.

Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive community. That’s why most of our postgraduate taught students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You will benefit from more regular assessments and feedback, a better study-life balance, and a simplified timetable that provides more time for work, professional development, caring responsibilities, and everything else that's important to you. Our block-taught courses are informed by industry practice, often accredited by professional bodies, and are delivered by passionate and talented academics, who will help you develop the skills to achieve your goals.

Read more about block teaching

Overview

Listen to Thom Wilson, Lecturer in VFX discuss the facilities, teaching, and opportunities available to our students.

Please note that we are not accepting applications to this course for September 2024 entry. You may want to consider our Visual Effects and Virtual Production course instead.

On our International Film Production MA/PG Dip/PG Cert, you will enhance your filmmaking skills, such as storytelling, lighting, production design and directing, while developing a range of core skills and expertise in business and production management, such as post-production, pitching, budgeting and management.

Your skills and knowledge will be complemented with industry-led insight and expertise, which is embedded throughout the courses. Students on the course will examine and analyse global cinema movements, whether via territory or style, to gain a broader understanding of the industry and further your knowledge of existing directors and global cinema movements. This includes dedicated taught sessions on international (non-western) film movements. You will also be encouraged to draw upon your own interests and experience of your home countries’ cinema to inspire your filmmaking practice. 

As your studies progress, you’ll have the opportunity to bring all you’ve learnt to life with hands-on modules in pre-production and production. Supported by our expert academics, you’ll collaborate with your peers on both a short and large film projects, showcasing your new skillset through portfolio-worthy content. These invaluable experiences will prepare you for your final block of teaching, where you will choose between a final dissertation or individual film project.

When you graduate, you will have mastered the skills required to enter a career in film, TV or media. Previous graduates have gone on to obtain roles such as Art Director, Camera Operator, Editorial and Clearance Co-ordinator, Director and Producer on short and feature films, for Sky, BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5.  With the courses’ focus on individual research, you will also be well-prepared for progression to a PhD.

Key features

  • Benefit from the expertise of DMU’s research groups, the Cinema and Television History Research Institute (CATHI) and the Institute of Creative Technologies, who deliver inspiring guest lecturers based on their findings. In the latest Research Excellence Framework, 100 per cent of CATHI’s research impact was judged to be ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
  • Access our Creative Technology Studios, equipped with industry-standard video, audio and radio production suites. These studios provide facilities for the acquisition, editing and distribution of video, audio and computer-generated materials, enabling a seamless mixed-media workflow. You will also have access to a range of specialist film production equipment through our audio-visual loans service. This includes course sole access to Blackmagic Ursa film cameras, and Sound Devices 633 Production Audio Mixer.
  • Enhance your learning and network with professionals at our guest lectures and workshops, featuring speakers from across the industry. Previous guest speakers include Assistant Director, Terry Bamber (World War Z, Casino Royale, Fast X), Producer Al Clark (London To Brighton, Calibre) and Prodcuer Iain Smith ( Mad Max: Fury Road, Planet Of The Apes, Children of Men).
  • Meet like-minded people and get hands-on experience by joining our student societies, including our award-winning media society, Demon Media, and Film Debate, who meet weekly to screen movies and debate related topics.
  • Take part in an unforgettable international experience through DMU Global. Previous students on this course have visited Berlinale Film Festival, Il Cinema Ritrovato (Bologna), SDG Film Festival (Jakarta), and Raindance (London).
  • Tailor your degree towards your career aspirations with your final semester project. Choose between writing a traditional dissertation or submitting an individual film project. This work is an opportunity to demonstrate the skills and knowledge developed on the course and will form the basis of your professional portfolio.
  • Benefit from block teaching, where most students study one subject at a time. A simple timetable will allow you to really engage with your learning, receive regular feedback and assessments, get to know your course mates and enjoy a better study-life balance.

Watch our latest International Film Production student film showcase.

 

Scholarships:

DMU offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International Scholarships

Find out about available scholarships and country specific fee discounts for international students. 

 

 

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DMU has been shortlisted for the Postgraduate Award in the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs), as voted for by students.

  • UK
  • EU/International

Duration: One year full time

Start date: September

Course code: P31371

Fees and funding:

2024/25 full-time tuition fees for UK students: £9,500.

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

 

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Duration: One year full-time

Start Date: September

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for EU and international students: £17,600

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

You should have the equivalent of a British Honours degree (2:2 minimum) in a relevant subject.

We are happy to consider equivalent qualifications from anywhere in the world.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

 

As part of your application you will be required to:

  • provide a 250-word summary of the particular aspects of the industry or film production roles that you are interested in and why
  • provide a 400-word proposal outlining your plans for a film production of which you hope to develop on the course (or provide a portfolio or show reel of relevant work)

Further to the written application, there may also be a panel interview conducted with the course team, as part of the admissions process. 

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessments

Academic expertise

 

Blocks 1 and 2:

The first blocks involve developing core skills in storytelling, pitching, screenwriting, directing, producing, camerawork, sound recording and other filmmaking skills.

  • Block 1: Developing and Selling Ideas
  • Block 2: Filmmaking Research and Practice

Blocks 3 and 4:

During these blocks, you will finesse your skills through hands-on collaborative short filmmaking. You will still benefit from the guidance of industry-experienced tutors but will become more self-led, as you manage your own teams and projects.

  • Block 3: Pre-Production
  • Block 4: Production

Blocks 5 and 6:

Choose one of the below.

  • Blocks 5 and 6: Film Dissertation Project OR Major Film Project

 

See detailed module descriptions


Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

 

 

You will normally attend around 10-15 hours of timetabled taught sessions per week during term time. You can also expect to typically undertake a further 20 hours of independent study and assignments per week. 

Rhys Davies: Rhys has over 15 years of experience as a filmmaker, with theatrical release and worldwide distribution of his films. He was an Assistant Director on two Oscar long-listed short films, and writer for BAFTA winning Sleepydog Productions for their slate of productions for the North American television market. His current research is practice based; on filmmaking without borders, with a specific focus on oral histories, the importance of documentaries to Sustainable Development Goals in a post truth world, and an examination of the adaptation of folk tales into indigenous horror films.

James Russell: Dr James Russell is Deputy Dean for Computing, Engineering and Media. He specialises in exploring the economics and history of the film and media industries. His most recent book was ‘Hollywood and the Baby Boom: A Social History,’ published by Bloomsbury. His teaching focuses on the financing, production and distribution of movies, TV shows and streaming video content.

Sam Wheatley: Sam has been involved with the film industry and education since 2009. Now primarily an editor and assistant editor, he has had a varied career, with roles as a camera assistant and operator. Sam has worked with a variety of camera formats (fixed lens, DSLR, and cinema cameras:  Arri Alexa, BlackMagic URSA's, RED, and the Sony F5), and edited with Adobe Premiere, Avid Media Composer, and DaVinci Resolve along with a variety of support software.

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

Facilities

At DMU you will have access to our multi-million pound Creative Technology Studios (CTS), which feature a host of industry-standard video, audio and radio production suites and two fully-equipped recording studios featuring analogue and digital recording systems and surround sound monitoring. The CTS studios provide facilities for the acquisition, editing and distribution of video, audio and computer-generated materials and files can be shared throughout the studios via a fast computer network, enabling a seamless mixed-media workflow. You will also have access to a range of specialist film production equipment through our audio-visual loans service.

Learning zones

Our Learning Zones and The Greenhouse also provide space for group or individual work and study.

There are 1,600 study places across all library locations, more than 700 computer stations, laptops to borrow, free wi-fi and desktop power outlets.

You can also book rooms with plasma screens, laptops and DVD facilities for group work and presentations, secure an individual study room with adjustable lighting or make use of our assistive technology.

Library services

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Learning Zone, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
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DMU Global

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

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Graduate careers

The course is structured around developing skills in production management, development and other skills related to the film production process. Graduates will leave with an enhanced awareness of the specialist skills required in the international film industry, and commensurate skills. These may lead to careers in the media as well as other opportunities.

 

Take your next steps

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