Working in Creative Industries introduces you to the various sub-sectors of the constantly changing and evolving media and creative industries. The module will develop your knowledge and understanding of economic and policy concepts as well as issues within the context of the media and creative industries. The aim is to develop your understanding of contemporary media settings, from industrial to political, scholarly and practical. You will examine the television, film, animation, music, print, performing arts and online digital industries while also developing research skills.

Moving Image Production: Single Camera develops your ability in relation to collaborative working and the professional practices and processes involved in managing a single camera production, from pre-production to post-production stage. The module provides you with the opportunity to combine the technical skills of camera operation, lighting, sound, editing and aesthetic considerations in the production of a piece of creative work. Operating within the conventions of fiction or factual production, you will work as part of a production team for some of this module, while also being required to work independently to develop and produce a range of documents that inform the production of the final moving image product.

Media and Society explores the complexity of factors that shape the relationship between media, culture and society. You will be introduced to the media representations of reality and identity constructions, as well as the relationship between media producers and users. The module will also look into how reality is produced, reproduced, maintained and transformed by the media. A key focus is the interplay between the various roles of the media: the civic role in a democratic system, media as business, and media as a public service provider. You will consider the linkages between media forms and production, including issues such as access, inclusiveness, marginalisation, knowledge, power and information. You will analyse media organisations, study the way in which media content is produced, distributed and received by audiences, as well as assessing its contribution to culture and social progress.

Social Media charts the growth of social media since the development of Web 2.0. Arguably the single greatest advance in personal and group communication on a global basis since the development of the printing press, social media enables individuals to express themselves to large groups of people. From YouTube and Instagram influencers, to controversial Twitter figures and the fake news of Facebook memes, this module enables you to develop a deeper online literacy and gain a keen understanding of the power of social media to influence political, social and economic debates. You will assess the role that social media has had in the development of fan and DIY media, and how these have come into conflict with the traditional gatekeeping elites of the corporate mainstream media. You will be asked to evaluate how far social media has become a controversial space for the discussion of politics and political and social debates. You will also analyse the shift from the media of the masses to the media of the self, while also exploring the potential of social media platforms as a means of developing global profiles for individuals, and groups, previously given limited access to the mainstream media.

Writing for the Media provides you with practical experience and understanding of how to identify and promote the newsworthy elements of a potential story, or feature, and present it in the format and structure used by journalists. Expertise in the writing techniques deployed by journalists can be a major advantage in securing a role generating content for use across a range of online and offline media platforms. The module, which is based around frequent exercises and feedback on style and content, will develop these core communications skills. You will learn the structures of writing news articles, features, reviews, press releases and other forms of written communication to help you express yourself with enhanced precision and clarity.

Global Popular Culture introduces you to a range of popular culture products and processes and encourages you to reflect on the relationship between national and global consumption and reception. As such, the module will examine elements of pop-culture from a variety of nations and facilitate discussions of culture, popular culture and global and national markets and trends. You will be encouraged to explore areas around convergence, the diversity of experience and the reception of popular culture.

Photography covers the basics in digital camera use and post-production, semiotic and photography theory. As practical knowledge of camera equipment and composition are required to fully exploit the creative possibilities of visual media, this module is designed to develop your camera skills, technical competence, and understanding of composition and photography. It concentrates on the principles of stills photography and develops your understanding of the photographic image that will be fundamental in developing knowledge and understanding for all visual communication. You will learn how to use digital photographic cameras and consider composition, framing, colour and post-production. The module also outlines how to ‘read’ photographs and use theoretical models (semiotics) to underpin your understanding. All work will be undertaken using digital technology and basic training in the use of cameras and Adobe Photoshop will be provided. No previous experience is required, and all equipment will be provided by the University.

Cultural Representations and the Media recognises that all media messages are representational constructions. The module enables you to gain a better understanding of the cultural and ideological constructions associated with representation. It also explores the politics of representation and systems of power. You will be asked to consider how to define representation, how representation functions within contemporary media and culture, and what role stereotypes play in the construction of reality and identity. You will analyse a series of key representational issues linked to themes such as gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality and national identity, to gain a better understanding of the cultural and ideological construction of, and politics associated with, representation. Studying cultural representations across a range of different media forms, you will gain the knowledge and understanding of various representational systems and theories in a variety of different contexts.

Fan Cultures and Subcultures requires you to critically evaluate the development of a variety of media audiences into actively engaged consumers and, potentially, producers of content of their own. The module will focus on the rapid growth in the development of fan culture in recent years and situate fan cultures within the context of wider audience behaviour. You will analyse the history of subcultural modes of active fandom, dating back to the cultural revolution of the rock and roll age, Hollywood cinema and the development of television in the aftermath of World War II. You will also be encouraged to engage with research methods appropriate to the study of media audiences and subcultural communities, including quantitative and qualitative methods such as surveys, ethnography or focus groups as means of developing primary data.

Pods and Vlogs recognises that the internet has fundamentally challenged the gatekeepers of old mainstream media in the creation, production and distribution of media texts. The internet has destabilised the publishing industry, for example, with the rise of social media, while YouTube and Netflix have challenged the primacy of broadcasting networks. The access to new audiences by grassroots media producers has developed ‘many to many’ modes of distribution, which subverts the traditional broadcasting model of ‘one to many’. Immersing you in a critical evaluation of the production processes of citizen media in the age of the internet, this module will challenge you to think critically about the role of platforms like YouTube, podcasting, blogs and social media. It will concentrate on an analysis of key theoretical frameworks including participation, disintermediation, fandoms and non-mainstream media.

Transmedia Storytelling examines the development of transmedia storytelling within digital environments, recognising that marketing and audience engagement with films and television programmes has changed dramatically over the last decade. Audiences, who are constantly connected through smartphones and second screens, expect to connect with content outside of the core film/television programme, when they want, where they want and on their own devices. The convergence of media, technologies and culture has heralded in a new age of audience engagement within media franchises, enabling producers of media content to connect with their audience at multiple entry points, enabling a new form of audience participation and immersion. The module will reflect on this enhanced two-way communication that encompasses the current trends in digital platforms and social media including websites, podcasts, Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. You will engage in new and innovative ways of connecting to the audience through extended narrative and content, while discovering the underpinning strategies used for developing a transmedia world where the central narrative of a film, or television programme, is extended through different delivery platforms and protracted narratives.

Branded Content will enhance your knowledge and understanding of the creative industries, running alongside the traditional television model, and develop your skills in producing high-quality and relevant branded content. Over the past decade there has been an enormous increase in the range, volume and quality of additional content produced by the media industries. Content such as second-screen apps, websites, webisodes, social media feeds, video extras, additional behind-the-scenes footage, online games and interactive promotions have added to the depth and richness of film and television as audience experiences. The module will develop practical skills in the conception, management and production of additional content, enabling you to create and design your own digital media content, fusing creativity with a brand message for integrated campaigns across a range of media platforms. You will learn about the broader contexts of transmedia/ancillary screen content and use this knowledge to inform your practice.

Fantastic Visions and Where to Find Them spans a wide range of texts and genres, from feature films and television, to games, comics, graphic novels, novels and internet content, as it engages you with fantasy film and media. As a broad category, fantasy and the fantastic incorporates horror, science fiction, the Gothic, the supernatural, surrealism, fairy tales, myths, legends, magical realms and musicals. It can facilitate discussions relating to socio-political contexts, allegory, ideology, industrial contexts, franchises, adaptation, aesthetics, gender, identification and representation. This module draws upon a broad range of critical and contextual approaches, including psychoanalytic and cultural theories of the uncanny, monstrosity, the body, estrangement and enchantment, and enables you to interrogate the design, function and impact of fantastic film and media.

Media Content offers professional collaboration with charities and community groups to give you a realistic insight into the world of work. The aim is to produce exciting content for the partner organisations that could be delivered across a range of online and offline platforms. You will gain valuable experience of working to a live brief, creating exciting and innovative content to a deadline, receiving feedback from clients and peers, and learning to work creatively and professionally in collaboration with an employer. The module will prove an asset for your graduate portfolio as you produce relevant client-led media content for real world consumption, such as a short film, website, blog, social media curation and newsletters. You will also gain first-hand insight into the underlying concepts and principles that underpin the third sector and the creation of content for this specific audience.

Music Video introduces you to the form, function and creation of a music video and analyses its artistic and aesthetic conventions. Through an historical analysis of music videos, you will apply your understanding of the craft and techniques to plan and produce your own music video. You will work to embody the principles of music video production by synthesising the sonic and visual elements in the dynamic manner required through the necessary pre-production, production and post-production techniques. The finished product will enable you to demonstrate your creative versatility and provide excellent source material for your graduate showreel.

Screen Criticism, Journalism and Social Media is an innovative module that introduces you to the history and theory of screen criticism. The module enables you to appreciate the coexistence of different approaches to the analysis, evaluation and appreciation of the moving image. You will learn to produce, as well as disseminate, your own critical written, audio and audio-visual pieces. In addition to traditional lectures and seminars, some sessions will be devoted to writing, as well as to analysing the work of your peers. You will be encouraged to reflect critically on different media of film criticism (newspapers, magazines, academic journals, the internet, television) and on the current state of screen criticism, including how it has changed face since the development of social media.

Media Futures enables you to study contemporary media practices, the impact of technology on the creative industries, developments in global and local media, and the changing paradigms of media production and audience consumption. Contemporary media develops rapidly as new technologies are tested, explored and marketed and old ones gain new functions. This module, which is flexible to enable coverage of emerging trends, will engage you with the dominant themes which are present within the media and culture industries. You will develop a critical awareness of key themes including social experience and the shaping of media forms, as well as access, participation and engagement and the relationship between private and public spheres. By considering these themes through a range of different theories and research, you will discover a variety of approaches to enhance your understanding of a rapidly expanding frontier of creative and cultural practice.

Dissertation/Research Project offers you the opportunity to undertake an in-depth personal research project, under supervision, and explore a range of relevant research methodologies and presentational formats. You will gain a thorough knowledge of your chosen subject area and be expected to shape that knowledge to produce a final submission that demonstrates your ability to locate the material within the wider contexts of your discipline. The project will require the consideration and discussion of methodological and/or epistemological issues, as well as a reflection on the ethical implications of research. The dissertation will allow you to work independently, with a supervisor, to explore areas of contemporary academic interest, consider issues of current or historical industry practice, and critically analyse case studies or products within specific cultural and social contexts.

Global Convergence: Film and Television Drama in the 21st Century critically analyses some of the key developments in media, in relation to film and television fictions, within the context of larger developments in non-fictional forms. The module will enable you to gain a detailed insight into contemporary developments in the production of film and television drama, with fictional film and television drama continuing to dominate budgets and audiences in the film and television industries. You will examine how convergence, new distribution technologies, multi-platform environments and issues of global and local significance impact on film and television drama. You will have the chance to analyse the impact these environments have on the design and production of content, the planning of marketing strategies, the relevance of global and diasporic audiences, and the way serial forms communicate with their audiences.

Migration, Mass Movement and Mobility on Screen engages with the way human mobility and migration are represented on screen. The module starts from the premise that human mobility is a major defining aspect of contemporary life and one that both media producers and media consumers engage with in a variety of ways across film, television, animation, advertising, social media, video games, tourism, urban displays and video art. Mobility refers, in this instance, to transnationalism, the liquidity of contemporary life, migration, cosmopolitanism, tourism, and transmediality. Transitions, change, movement and in-betweenness, as aspects of mobility, will also be considered. The module will use a range of theories to analyse contemporary media representations of human mobility, as well as media industry contexts and consumer/fan behaviour.

Politics and Censorship in Popular Culture introduces you to the concepts of regulation and censorship. You will explore their history, the theoretical debates surrounding the subject, and several key case studies from popular culture. These may include films, television, print and digital media that have been sites of contention. The module will examine the targets and activities relating to censorship, such as violence, obscenity and politics, as well as the institutions, modes and practices of regulation. These might include the Hays Code, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Code and Ratings Office, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), as well as self-regulation, state censorship, web blocking and relevant legislation. The module provides you with the historical, contextual, academic and theoretical knowledge to inform and develop your own opinions and attitudes as you identify and critique material, images or content commonly subject to censorship, while analysing and interrogating the implications of censorship and regulation.

Client-Led Content Production incorporates collaborative working practice and culminates in the production of a media asset based which is based on a consultation with a third-party client. The production will be based on a live brief and may take the form of media from either audio, moving or still image, performance, promotional/marketing material, or content for exhibition and display. You will gain experience of the world of work, including interactive and collaborative working, and receive meaningful, real-time briefs from commercial partners. You will be tasked with creating professional standard media content for clients such as charities, schools, sports organisations, local authorities and other partners. The production process will be contextualised and informed by industry-related techniques including planning, negotiation and production management.

Media Policy and Political Communication provides you with a grounding in political theory and the role of power and counter-power at national, European and global levels. The communication strategies deployed by political actors, as well as the outcomes of consultation and decision-making processes in the creative industries, will also be explored. The module explores the tensions between the media’s public duties and business requirements, recognising that media policies shape the creative industries and permeate the decision-making and job performance of media practitioners. From job interviews to management positions within the creative industries, you will gain an understanding of regulatory frameworks, as well as the political and cultural decisions that have shaped them and the communication strategies needed to achieve consensus. A high awareness of the abundance of stakeholders involved in the political processes is paramount. You will critically assess the shift from national to transnational level in media policy making, in direct relationship with the development of media and communication technologies, as it investigates the delicate balance between consumer autonomy and corporate interests.

Sport and the Media critically evaluates the cultural, economic and political importance of sport to the global media landscape in both historical and contemporary contexts. With huge sums invested in events like the Olympic Games and World Cup, as well as the selling and buying of rights for domestic and European football, sport on television has helped to create days and moments of historic importance. As terrestrial television changes, due to the development of streaming and on-demand television, sport remains of vital importance to the media industry. The advent of the Internet has also seen the development of a highly active fan media environment, where billions of spectators use social media, blogs, vlogs and podcasts to have their say. On this module, you will therefore evaluate and articulate the significance of sport to the media industries, such as television and video games, and the role that it plays in the regulatory, political and cultural lives of peoples, nation states and in global geopolitics. You will also research and critically evaluate the role that sport has played in the development of contemporary conceptual issues like celebrity culture, gender and sexuality, and the articulation of nationality and nationalism.

Activist Media addresses new forms of mediated grassroots protest movements and assesses their ability to use the Internet and new forms of online communication to develop their activist repertoires and spread their message. From the anti-corporate and ecological movements of the late 20th century, to contemporary animal rights and equality activists, these protest movements have used the potential of the networked world to develop often highly effective networks of people who are centred in the online and offline worlds. This module enables you to gain a systematic understanding of how old and new forms of activist media production inform the development of contemporary political and social movements. You will evaluate how effective these repertoires have been and directly apply the knowledge gained to your own creative media activism. This will involve producing an activist media campaign for a grassroots political organisation, pressure group or community level organisation. You will identify and sustain the key arguments and apply activist media techniques to advance the profile of the movement.