Documentary Filmmaking

“The Year 3 Documentary specialism provides an immersive, practice led pathway where students build on skills developed in Year 2 Documentary’s focus on the theme of Character and Place.

Blending the theoretical elements of the BA Media and Communications with their Documentary practice, students develop a critical and reflective approach to issues of representation and reality. 

In their final year, they have the creative freedom to explore the diversity of the documentary form; researching, developing, and pitching their original ideas. Selected pitches are then produced through collaborative teamwork, with students taking on specialist roles in directing, producing, cinematography, sound recording and audio design, and editing. Over two terms, students are encouraged to critically engage with the documentary form, and develop their own distinctive approach to storytelling. Professional, technical, organisational, and legal skills underpin their production processes throughout.

The films presented here demonstrate the diverse and original approaches our students have developed in exploring character, story, and theme. These works reflect the power of documentary to contribute to cultural and social knowledge production and impact.

We are immensely proud of what they have achieved, both individually and collectively, and look forward to seeing them enter the industry as confident, critical, and reflective filmmakers.”

Tassia Kobylinska, Convenor & Lecturer TV Practice, Senior Tutor Year 1 BA Media & Comms 

Benedict Unwin, Lecturer, Media, Communications and Cultural Studies