The best universities for film and tv production?

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The courses we offer at Herts are:

BA Film and Television Documentary
BA Film and Television Fiction
BA Film and Television Entertainment
- do one of these if you want to be a filmmaker (DOP, camera/sound operator), producer, director, editor etc. The course is 75% practical and includes a very large amount of filming.

I should know... I run the degrees...

Hi, when u say u run the degrees, do you mean that you are a staff there? If that's the case, can I check with you taking a BA Film and Television Entertainment will that restrict us to only entertainment industry? Will i be able to do modules from other course like fiction or animation, VFX etc. ?

Because I'm currently working in the tv entertainment industry, and i would like to explore with drama, film and sitcom if possible during my schooling days.

Reply 161

francinesakura

Original post by LastLordofTime

Actually, it is moving because of finances. They are selling the Pittville Campus and moving over to Park (not a new campus, just refurbishing some existing areas to fit our needs) but we're no way in trouble :smile:

By moving to another existing campus wouldn't that reduce the amount of space for the course. Wouldn't that affect the number of equipments and facility in the course?

Reply 162

LastLordofTime

Original post by francinesakura

By moving to another existing campus wouldn't that reduce the amount of space for the course. Wouldn't that affect the number of equipments and facility in the course?

Not really. We're getting a bigger studio, more edit suites, and all existing equipment is being moved over there. We're also getting more equipment this year.
What they've done is taken the Student Union at Park Campus (which was absolutely MASSIVE at two storeys high, but pretty much wasted space) and gutted it out to make in to the new media area. The top floor of the refectory is being remade in to the new SU (and the refectory is also huge anyway).

Reply 163

inksplodge

i know someone at leeds met doing the course, says its very nice

Reply 164

TomHutley

Original post by francinesakura

At Herts with the BA Film and Tv Production course you can choose either; Entertainment, Fiction or Documentary but regardless of what you choose it has no effect in the first year.

I'm in my first year and you do one project in each area, we are currently doing the entertainment section where we produce a live style TV debate show, styled to how we feel appropriate.

At the end of first year after doing all of the fields we have the option to change to a different field from what we initially applied for. For example I chose Entertainment but after our storytelling/scripting writing class it has reminded me how good and versatile Fiction is.

Reply 165

thecurators

Original post by francinesakura

Yes, I am staff at Herts. I am the Deputy Programme Leader for all three BA Film and Television degrees and also Link Tutor and Lecturer in Post-Production for the BSc Film and Television degree. On the BA degrees I am the person who plans, structures and lays out the overall curriculum, as well as being responsible for students, staffing, course promotion and lecturing in Post-Production as an Apple Master Trainer.

As Tom says above, you get to do aspects of all of the courses in your first year - Fiction, Entertainment and Documentary. We actually classify comedy under both Fiction and Entertainment. And we also see a lot of crossover with Documentary when looking at factual entertainment formats.

And there are common modules throughout the three years of the course - Post-Production is taught with all three pathways together, as are our theory modules. You get a lot of scope to do what you want too within your own productions - the staff are here to help you make the productions you want to make, not hinder your creative output.

Reply 166

Will Smith

Im Currently studying at AUCB on a Foundation Year and I am on the Film Pathway. Im not Guaranteed a place on the BA Film Production Degree next year as it is very hard to get on to.
I've heard that UCA(farnham) and Westminster are good options for alternatives but does anyone else have any other suggestions for other Uni's?

Reply 167

FTstudies

Original post by Will Smith

Aberystwyth's Film & Television Studies is a VERY good course. It was my insurance choice, however very close to being my firm, the Department is very well equipped with editing suites and filming areas. Plus the requirements are relatively low, (was 220 points last year, however believe it is now 260-300 due to its popularity)

Hertfordshire I would say is a good choice, as some have mentioned before, UCA I'd be a bit iffy about, whilst the course may look good, I've heard some bad things about the course. Not to mention that UCA is a VERY new Uni, so it doesn't have a stable reputation yet.

Westminster I would say is a decent choice, I actually applied there and got a place, the course looked generally good, but I just didn't like the Uni itself, that's down to my own opinion however.

I would recommend the course I am currently studying Television, Film & Theatre at the University of Reading, however it depends how much practical you want. In ratio, for my course, I would say it is around 70% Theory, 30% Practical. However if you go simply for Film & Theatre as a degree, you get 50% Practical, 50% Theory. There's always an element of theory in production degrees anyway.

However it depends on what sort of grades you are aiming for really.

Reply 168

francinesakura

Original post by FTstudies

Just to check, if it had a low points requirement doesn't it means that it isn't highly rated? How recognise is the course in Aber internationally? The school really sounds wonderfull thou.

Oh I would also like to ask about University of Winchester as well. Is the Media production course there highly recognise too?

I have fix like 3 uni choice already, still trying to fill 2 more schools.

Reply 169

francinesakura

Hi, I've chance upon University of Winchester, anyone know if it's good?

Reply 170

logo15

York St. John Is actually crap! :P Too much theory...

Has anyone considered London film academy or London met? I heared they are only practical which sounds much better to me as im good at theory in oral practice, but bad in writing essays! :P

Reply 171

playitagainsam

i'm studying film and tv @ solent uni. am really enjoying it. it's a good mix of production and theory and the tutors are all really friendly and supportive.

Reply 172

robbyrichmond

I'm currently studying at UH with some of the posters above.
I researched a host of universities before deciding where I wanted to apply last year. These included the much lauded Bournemouth and Ravensbourne, Uni of Herts, UCA (Farnham) and Portsmouth Uni.

In my opinon a film and Tv course is governed by the determination and dedication of the student and the opportunities that each course can offer them.

Farnham was a bit of a joke to be honest, the staff seemed very cold and unhelpful during open days, the standard of the editing equipment is laughable in comparison to Uh. The winning moment came at the end of my interview when the interviewee asked where else I had applied and when I told him remarked, "Oh really? why are you applying here for? I'd go to Herts instead..."

Bournemouth, well it claims that 100% of students get a job in the industry after graduation. That's a load of *******s. They also do assignments based on using 16mm film to learn the value of setting up your shots correctly and taking your time with your film. Ok, but its a completely dead technology and stands you in no stead at all in the industry. Also, film students are treat like dogs and sent to Salisbury, where the facilities are less than useless.

I have two friends currently at Bournemouth, one doing TV one doing film, neither are enjoying it and feel they've dropped a ******* going there.

Ravensbourne was a waste of time unless you want to be surrounded by vapid stick thin anorexics...

Portsmouth was obsessed with documentaries, and the equipment was not true hd. DV tapes are the way of the dinosaur.

Uni of Herts was different, it was unique. It was the only place i visited twice and the lecturers remembered my name. The standard of equipment, the forward thinking, means that students are utilizing equipment that the leading lights of the industry are currently experimenting with and will in common usage by the time we graduate. Equipment like Digital SLR cameras.

Uni of Herts are building relationships with employers and making every effort to find work experience for students, not just go " well, if you can find it you can do it..."
Last week we received an exclusive workshop with Phillip Bloom, a leading industry guru on DSLR's, he was very impressed by the students and staff he met, think I'm lying? check his Twitter page...

Bloom wont be visiting any other Unis in the UK that's for sure.

The level of dedication given by members of staff is untouchable, always willing to listen, to help, to explain. We receive excellent camera and editorial lectures, not just "ooh look! Here's the on switch!"
Were looking to create films using shallow depth of field, to bring our camera work to as near a professional level as possible, as quickly and help our films stand out from the crowd.

Herts has struck an excellent balance between theory and practical and allows students the chance to grow and make more innovative films rather the same old bland tosh doled out by so many students.

You need simply to search out the showreels and vimeo pages of current students and the curators webpage to see the calibre of creation available at Uni of Herts.

The course may be quite new of the scene but its making leaps and bounds every year and i can say honestly this was the best decision I could have made, cos this uni embraces students with determination and dedication.

Robby Richmond Ba in Film and TV Entertainment Uni of Herts(eventually!)

ps Seriously where else are you going to find a course that offers you a chance to be an Apple accredited editor for free? That course in itself is a huge step in the right direction gaining a job in the industry...

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 173

JohnnyA

Can someone please tell me will the universities keep my portfolio after the interview is over? I was just wondering do I have to make up to five portfolios so that every university will have one copy for themselves or can I just do one and show it to every university I'm applying...?

Reply 174

thecurators

Original post by JohnnyA

I've never heard of a University keeping an applicant's portfolio. You should only need the one, though if you have digital work you could always make a few copies on DVD.

Reply 175

Dominicque

Would film and television studies at Nottingham, interest you?
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/course.php?code=015827
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/profiles/profile78.php

Reply 176

skenny7

Original post by Saturnas

Too bad one of requirements in Bournemouth is that international students must have foundation year first, and I don't want to do that :frown:

Gloucestershire course looks good too, maybe you could ask a student from that course are they shooting on 16mm cameras?

I made a list of universities which I'm interested in. Maybe someone could help me choose 5 universities which have the most practical course and fits best for cameraman/DOP career?

University of Central Lancashire - Film Production

University for the Creative Arts - Film Production

University of Greenwich - Digital Film Production

University of Wales, Newport - Film and Video

London College of Communication - BA (Hons) Film and Television

University of Gloucestershire - Digital Film Production

University of Westminster - Film and Television Production

Any comments and help would be appreciated.

i really liked UCA Farnham for film production :smile:

and westminster is AMAZING .

Reply 177

TomHutley

I found this video very good for covering some of the aspects of the Entertainment course and Post-Production module here at Hertfordshire.
http://vimeo.com/17799941

Reply 178

AmeliaMadline

so it pretty much seems like westminster, hertfordshire and gloustershire are the favorates for most of you guys so im going to apply there. im also applying to edge hill as i had already looked into that one!

but i dont no if anyone said anything about winchester?
is it good there?
any comments?
anybody?

Reply 179

toddman10

Is Media Technology at Salford Manchester not a great course as it is partners with Media City UK and you can get experience with Channel M, the university TV channel. The prospectus also says that you can apply to Granada for work experience as they are partners with the uni. I've been given an offer from it and Liverpool Hope College and I'm from N.Ireland