Modules
Models of Innovation (EAFM202)
| Staff | Professor Will Higbee - Convenor Mrs Victoria Thomas - Convenor |
|---|---|
| Credit Value | 30 |
| ECTS Value | 15 |
| NQF Level | 7 |
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Co-requisites | None |
| Duration of Module | Term 2: 11 weeks; |
Module aims
This module aims to:
- Consolidate the various approaches towards international film business studied up to this point on the MA, creating a forum for discussion between you, staff and invited experts from the industry.
- Explore the impact of digital on production, distribution and exhibition practices and to consider new, innovative digital business models that are emerging within the industry beyond Hollywood in relation to both fiction and documentary filmmaking.
- Explore issues of development (reading and evaluating the script, creative choices, working with writers and directors) and to consider innovations in feature development that are emerging in the industry within and beyond Hollywood.
- Consider the aforementioned impact and development from the perspective of documentary as well as fiction filmmaking.
- Assist you in making connections between the various aspects of previous modules on the programme (Film Business, Distribution and Markets and The Value Chain) to help you better understand and develop strategies for dealing with the current accelerating rate of change creatively, in terms of technology and in new business models.
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the impact of digital technologies on production, distribution and exhibition practices
- 2. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of issues pertaining to development (reading and evaluating the script, creative choices, working with writers and directors) and to consider innovations in feature development that are emerging in the industry within and beyond Hollywood
- 3. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the academic debates in the field of international film business, as well as industry perspectives on key issues pertaining to film finance, markets and distribution
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 4. Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the complex ways in which cinema is at one and the same time an industry, an entertainment, a technology, an art form and an object of study and be able to apply this knowledge to produce advanced analyses of cinema texts and pertinent contextual material
- 5. Demonstrate an advanced approach the study of cinema in terms of the inter-relation of various textual, contextual and practical factors, and to conduct research and engage in critical discussion and debate
- 6. Through the logbook assessment linked to the optional practical assessment (producing a short film for LFS students): reflect critically on the process and challenges of producing a short film.
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 7. Through essay writing and research reports, demonstrate advanced research and bibliographic skills, an advanced and intellectually mature capacity to construct a coherent, substantiated argument and to write clear and correct prose
- 8. Through individual and group pitches, demonstrate the ability to present concepts, analysis and ideas verbally in a coherent and persuasive fashion, using relevant visual aids as a support.
- 9. Through devising, producing and delivering a group podcast, demonstrate the ability to present concepts, analysis and ideas in audio (digital) form in a coherent and persuasive fashion.
Syllabus plan
Teaching for this module will be delivered via a series of thematic units spread out across the term. Teaching units will typically involve a combination of keynote addresses by invited speakers (industry specialists), lectures, industry panels and Q&As with filmmakers, student pitches, as well as a series of follow up seminars and smaller group workshops.
UNIT 1: Development, the screenplay and building transmedia storyworlds
UNIT 2: Digital Disruption and Creative Entrepreneurship
UNIT 3: Innovation in Documentary Filmmaking
Required reading will be posted in advance of the symposium on ELE. Students are expected to complete this reading in advance of the symposium and be actively involved in discussions across all sessions.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 240 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 36 | Participation in the 3 symposia (6 days) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 24 | Participation in follow up seminars and workshops for each symposium. |
| Guided Independent Study | 40 | Research, preparation and production and of group podcasts |
| Guided Independent Study | 60 | Reading and preparation of materials for each individual symposium and group pitch assignment. |
| Guided Independent Study | 140 | Research and writing up of research report/script report and essay/logbook |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual and group pitches, linked to teaching unit 1 | 5-10 minutes | 2,5,8 | Oral in class |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 75 | 0 | 25 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group podcast, relating to teaching unit 2 | 25 | 5 minutes per student | 1,3-5,9 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutor follow up |
| Research report / script report based on issues relating to teaching unit 1 | 25 | 1500 words | 2,4-6 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutor follow up |
| Extended research report on issues relating to teaching units 1, 2 or 3 OR Production Logbook (critical reflection on the process of acting as a producer for an LFS student film in term 2). | 50 | 3000 words | 1-5,7 OR 1-4,6 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutor follow up |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Podcast | Written report on topic for podcast (1500 words) | 1,3-5 | Referral/deferral period |
| Research report | Research report | 2,4,5-6 | Referral/deferral period |
| Extended research report OR Production Logbook | Extended research report OR Production Logbook | 1-7 | Referral/deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Bespoke package of articles, cases and other readings prepared in the form of a digital module reader and accessed via ELE.
Further Reading:
- Bloore, P., The Screenplay Business: Managing Creativity and Script Development in the Film Industry, Abingdon/New York, Routledge, 2012.
- McDonald, K. and Smith-Rowsey, D. eds. The Netflix effect: Technology and entertainment in the 21st century. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. 2016
- Mackendrick, A., On film-making. Faber & Faber, 2005..
- Finney, A., The International Film Business – A Market Guide Beyond Hollywood, Abingdon, New York: Routledge, 2010
- Nichols, Bill. Introduction to documentary. Indiana University Press, 2017.
- Reiss, Jon. Think outside the box office: The ultimate guide to film distribution and marketing for the digital era. Hybrid Cinema Publishing, 2010.
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Available as distance learning?
No
Origin date
18/07/2012
Last revision date
19/08/2020
Key words search
International film business, innovation, film development, digital cinema