CINEMATOGRAPHY - 2025/6
Module code: FVP2004
Module Overview
The module inspires the student to take a cinematic approach to develop the narrative and mood of filmed productions. The students will develop their editing skills and expand their post production techniques to produce high quality drama. This is a very hands on module where the student will attend supervised workshops with professional camera equipment, lights and sound. All the roles required on a location drama will be introduced and then each student will try every role. This experience establishes a professional location drama shoot which will equip the students to work professionally on set. Students will also be guided through preparing the pre-production documentation, permission documents, call sheets, risk assessments, etc. Some students have gone on to work as production managers after completing this course and other students have won awards for their camera skills learnt on this module.
Module provider
Music & Media
Module Leader
PRATT Susan (Music & Med)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 5
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Workshop Hours: 18
Independent Learning Hours: 98
Lecture Hours: 22
Seminar Hours: 10
Guided Learning: 1
Captured Content: 1
Module Availability
Year long
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
FVP1014 Video fundamentals or equivalent (pre-requisite) FVP1008 Film Production or equivalent (pre-requisite)
Module content
Indicative content includes:
- Cinematography
- Digital film cameras
- Practical camera operations and terminology
- Demonstration of a variety of grip equipment
- Lighting basics
- film genres
- Production management
- Safety in location and film shoots
- Pace of the edit and conveying your message in the edit
- Colour grading in an edit
- Working on a film drama
- Sound recording for film
- Recording formats
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | The Story of The CU | 10 |
| Coursework | The Edit | 15 |
| Coursework | Mini Prod | 25 |
| Coursework | Drama | 50 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills and theoretical understanding of cinematography practice through the planning and execution of a variety of projects. The assessments give the student the opportunity to put these skills into practice and begin to feel confident working on a drama set with expensive professional cinematic cameras, lens, filters, lights, sound equipment etc.
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
- Coursework 1 – The story in the Close up- Students are to take a Close up photograph that will clearly tell a story
- Coursework 2 – the Edit- Editing assignment from drama production, where students film have carried out the roles on a location drama under supervision.
- ¿¿¿Coursework 3 – Mini Project-Assignment to be given during the semester including cinematography, lighting, directing and sound for a very short drama
- Coursework 4 – Cinematography project brings together all the skills developed in the module to produce a final filmed production including all production documentation and a short report. Students will also assist on other students’ films and their contribution to the other project can be included in the final grade.
Formative assessment
Formal formative assessment and formative feedback will be given to individual students in tutorials and throughout the practical workshops.
Feedback
Students receive written feedback on their coursework and verbal feedback on their practical work throughout the module. Students are encouraged to make an early submission so the feedback can be applied before the final submission. This have normally improved students grades quite dramatically.
Module aims
- Develop the Students' technical and cinematography skills in professional digital film capture
- Expand the students' lighting techniques for film and television
- Introduce professional use and operation of camera grip equipment to the student
- Apply editing principals and expand post production skills for the student
- Give the student experience of production planning and management
- Introduce the student to location filming roles on set and their responsibilities
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 001 | Demonstrate skills and knowledge in camera operation | KCP |
| 002 | Exhibit cinematic skills and techniques in final productions | KCP |
| 003 | Demonstrate lighting technique | KCP |
| 004 | Display editing techniques that echo the narrative and genre | KCP |
| 005 | Complete location production and pre-production paperwork | KC |
| 006 | Apply set etiquette in own productions and adopt professional skills to the production and crew roles | KCP |
| 007 | Group work | T |
| 008 | Leadership skills | PT |
| 009 | Time management | T |
| 010 | Person management | T |
| 011 | Problem solving | T |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to further develop the students knowledge and theory in the lectures and put it into practice in the workshops. The professionally led workshops instil set etiquette and knowledge of all the roles in a supervised environment. The workshops give the student the opportunity to put these skills into practice and begin to feel confident working on a drama set with expensive professional cinematic cameras, lens, filters, lights, sound equipment etc. The workshops have many demonstrations to improve the students skills professional practice.
The learning and teaching methods include:
- Lectures
- Workshops given by teaching staff, visiting professionals or visits to industry
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: FVP2004
Other information
Not available for exchange Students.
The Department of Music and Media is committed to developing graduates with attributes encompassing employability, digital skills, global and culture awareness, sustainability as it relates to media production and broadcast engineering and, finally, resourcefulness and resilience.
Employability: this module allows students to both understand, and actively participate in working on a film set and preparing all the documentation required for a filmed production. Few courses adhere to industry practice on set and this prepares our students for working in the real world. They also have relevant skills for any of the roles on set from DOP to 1st AC, script supervisor to 1st AD. The lighting skills and application of sound recording applied in this module mean that any student can be a useful member of a film crew. This module has prepared some students who worked for film production companies during their placement. Student also learn about the importance of media formats and data storage for location filming which is vital for professional projects. This pratical experience gain employable skills and and ability to work in a professional way. Final productions are sometimes submitted to festivals and competitions and have
Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students are guided to develop the ability to reflect, evaluate, adapt, and respond flexibly to unforeseen circumstances throughout the module and particularly in planning their project ideas, and then working around problems either in pre-production, on set and in the editing of the final production. Resourcefulness reduces the impact of previous mistakes or errors. Students also reflect on their experiences through a short self-reflective report on their projects, which is also an opportunity to review their own resilience and resourcefulness.
Digital capabilities: Students continue to develop on a range of online and stand-alone digitally-enabled and industry-standard tools. These include software such as Adobe Premiere Pro, DavVnci Resolve, Adobe After effects, Pro Tools and other industry software that can be used in post production. Students have learnt to set up the recording formats and settings for using professional video cameras and will have to media manage their projects to deliver the final productions in the correct format. Students will access learning materials through Surreylearn the virtual learning platform where material is available for them to develop their knowledge and professional skills. Additional tutorials may be delivered over teams ensuring the students are accustomed to online environments.
Sustainability: Student are encourages to use low power lighting to conserve on greenhouse gasses and work efficiently on set so that lights are not unnecessarily left on.
Global and cultural capabilities: Students will develop an awareness of the demographic of their proposed audience, demonstrate cultural awareness of how their production could address different demographics for the purpose of the production aims. The module will nurture awareness of the narrative to clearly reflect cultural viewpoints. Also to be aware on location of any sensitivities that may need to be included in production planning
Programmes this module appears in
| Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film Production and Broadcast Engineering BEng (Hons)(YEAR LONG) | Year-long | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.