57687 Studio:Screen Arts Project

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Description

This subject integrates the skills and knowledge students gain throughout their Master in Screen Arts and Production through the completion of a short screen arts project, prototype, or proof-of-concept for the screen. Students refine their abilities to pitch ideas, collaborate in teams, and navigate the full production cycle from development to post-production. Projects can take the form of a scripted, unscripted, experimental screen work or immersive media project, with selected proposals approved for production. Students work in creative studios to exchange ideas, develop and discuss strategies for effective collaboration, and review and reflect on work-in-progress. In the creative studio environment, an emphasis is placed on agility for logistical and creative problem solving in line with industry expectations for working in screen arts production.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

• Analyse, develop or produce creative media projects within a framework of specialised practice-oriented knowledge and skills. (1.1)
• Engage critically with your creative practice research through the application of established theory. (2.1)
• Apply collaborative practice, research, and entrepreneurial skills to business, curation and understanding audiences (3.1)
• Engage screen audiences and communities for impact and change. (5.1)
• Demonstrate high-level abilities and self-awareness as an oral, written and audio-visual communicator. (6.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is delivered through attendance at on-campus studios, seminars, and interaction with online materials as students work towards the screen production of scripted, non-scripted, experimental or immersive media capstone projects. Seminars facilitate the selection and formation of project groups, refine pitching and project proposal skills in creative screen development, foster peer-learning through idea exchange, and allow for reflection on production insights and outcomes. Formative feedback is provided during work-in-progress studios and screenings. Creative studios are devoted to work-in-progress reviews across the screen arts production cycle, including screen/script development, pre-production, production and post-production. The focus of the studio program is to facilitate student engagement with screenplay analysis (or creative treatment), creative producing, screen directing, cinematography, film sound, production design and post-production. Tasks will be set and guided by the academic advisor, as relevant to the project needs. In the final weeks detailed feedback is provided on the project’s post-production, as well as distribution strategies, press-kits, next steps for prototype or proof-of-concept projects. Throughout this subject, students refine their screen arts practices towards a final work, with academic advisors offering creative practice support and guidance with ethical and sustainable screen practices.

Content (topics)

In this subject, students work in small, collaborative teams to deliver a capstone work for a scripted, unscripted, experimental or immersive screen arts project. Students engage with a series of creative studios across screen development, production and post-production. The focus of the creative studios is towards the refinement of industry-based screen practices in screenwriting, creative producing, directing, cinematography, production design, sound and post-production. The subject foregrounds the logistical and creative problem solving required for screen arts practice and proficiency in solving complex problems in production and post-production environments. The creative studios provide a space for iteration in screen arts production or prototyping. They are underpinned by a framework of ethical and sustainable screen practices.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Project Proposal and Pitch

Assessment task 2: Pre-Production Portfolio (Creative Materials)

Assessment task 3: Collaborative Media Production or Prototype

Minimum requirements

Attendance at all teaching activities is essential in this subject. Teaching activities are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor to build capacities towards meeting the subject learning objectives. A roll will be taken at each activity (whether on campus or online). Students who have more than two absences from class will be refused marking of their final assessment (see Rule 3.8).

Students are required to submit documentation to an online approvals system for Media Arts & Production student projects in which they confirm they have acquired the appropriate approvals (locations, crew and cast) necessary to undertake the work that they propose. In addition, students must identify any and all safety risks that the production of their student project reasonably presents and provide evidence of how they will mitigate those risks while adhering to industry-standard safe work practices. These tasks address the various legal, safety and ethical requirements of screen production. Failure to provide tutors with the required documentation before published deadlines will result in the student crew not being authorised to collect the equipment required to complete their projects from FASS Media Lab.

Generative AI may be permitted in specific assessment tasks. If so, it will be noted in your assessment brief and its use will need to be referenced. In this case refer to the UTS Library Guide on the use of Generative AI for instruction about how to reference correctly.

References

Required and recommended readings will be available via UTS Library and through the subject site.

Bordwell, D., Thompson, K., & Smith, J. (2018). Film Art: An Introduction (12th Edition) McGraw Hill.

Brown, B. (2022). Cinematography: Theory and Practice for Cinematographers and Directors (4th ed.). Routledge.

Dancyger, K. (2010). The Technique of Film and Video Editing (5th Edition). Focal Press.

Dancyger, K. (2006) The Director's Idea: The Path to Great Directing. Focal Press.

Hurbis-Cherrier, M. (2017). Voice & Vision: A Creative Approach to Narrative Filmmaking (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Klenner, R. (2019). Directing Screen Performances. Bloomsbury Academic.

LoBrutto, V. (2002) Visualisation of a Screenplay. Allworth Press

Mercado, G. (2019). The Filmmaker's Eye: The Language of the Lens: The Power of Lenses and the Expressive Cinematic Image. Routledge.

Proferes, N. (2004) Film Directing Fundamentals. Focal Press.

Rabiger, M. (1997). Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics (2nd Edition). Focal Press.

Rosman, M. (2024). Shooting the Scene: The Art and Craft of Coverage for Directors and Filmmakers. Routledge.

Weston, J. (1996) Directing Actors. Michael Weise Productions.