50198 Media Arts Project

This is a creatively demanding subject designed for students to produce a short media work informed by theoretical study. The work should demonstrate evidence of professional skills, critical analysis and creative problem solving. The project can be in any of the media arts – radio, sound, film, video, interactive media or performance – and students are encouraged to explore possibilities in the convergence of media.

Students direct and produce their own project work but also have the opportunity to work collaboratively. Students are also able to complete the subject by working on one or more media projects in other creative roles such as sound design, cinematography, editing, animation and web design.

This subject develops and consolidates students' professional skills, and enables students to produce an industry entry-level calling-card, showreel or portfolio.

Note: Students aiming to make film projects must provide for their own film stock and processing costs. There are also limits on the scope and duration of film projects to ensure that equipment and post-production resources are shared as fairly as possible. As a guide, a drama shot on 16 mm film should not exceed 5 minutes.

Additional subject costs: Students intending to complete film projects must cover their own film stock and processing costs.

Assessment: The assessment is on-going and continuous throughout the semester. The main assessment criteria are the student's openness and willingness to learn, and the extent they are willing to collaborate and / creatively contribute. The assessment is process rather than product orientated. Therefore, a student may still pass the subject if they actively participate in the seminars and production processes, even though the end result of their project work may be technically and artistically flawed.

Students must satisfactorily complete within the semester either:

• A Short Media Project and a 1,000 word Critical Analysis in which the student evaluates his or her process and results in relation to their original aims and objectives, or
• A Showreel /Portfolio showcasing their creative and technical work (as specified by guidelines, or as negotiated by an individual learning contract) and a Critical Analysis /Report which critically evaluates conceptual and technical research and production work.

For students directing and producing a project: A project must be approved for feasibility by Week 3 of semester. Feasibility will be judged by the lecturer and will take into account the schedule and scope of the project and the resources available to it. As a guideline the maximum length for a project is usually:

• Drama: Video – 9 mins, Film – 5 mins
• Documentary: 10 mins
• Experimental 16mm: 5 mins
• Animation: 2–3 mins
• Sound: 10–20 mins
• New Media: scope to be approved by lecturer.

Typical availability

Autumn semester, City campus
Spring semester, City campus