Filmmaking BA (Hons)
Subject and course type
- Animation, Film and Photography
- Undergraduate
Begin your career as a filmmaker with the Filmmaking BA (Hons) course from Kingston University, ranked No.2 in London for Film Production and Photography (The Guardian University Guide League Tables 2023).
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Explore various filmmaking approaches to find your voice as a filmmaker
You'll use our inspiring facilities to produce films in analogue and digital formats.
This creative filmmaking course incorporates multiple approaches to filmmaking, critical thinking, research skills and technical experimentation. Throughout the course, you’ll have access to high-end and high-speed digital cameras, and Super 8 and 16mm film cameras. You can also use our professional studios, edit suites and moving image workshop.
With strong links to the moving image sector, students benefit from work experience placements at renowned organisations and contact with staff who are actively working within the industry.
During my second year Kingston offered me the opportunity to take part in an internship with Film London's FLAMIN team. This gave me a greater understanding of how artist moving image operates from pitching ideas to distribution.
Why choose this course
On this course you'll explore the medium of film, developing your own filmmaking practice while acquiring skills for professional work in the creative industries. You will engage with innovative, ambitious ideas, developing successful films in groups and individually, and gain a practical knowledge of a range of filmmaking approaches. Your learning will be supported by technical inductions, workshops with industry professionals, guest lectures and field trips.
You'll be taught by academics who are active practitioners in the film industry. Working as artists, directors, cinematographers, editors and producers, they offer access to unique work experience opportunities. For example, our students have participated in placements at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, BFI Southbank, Film & Video Umbrella, Fly Film and Film London.
You'll participate in an annual curated screening of student film work at a London venue. Since 2015, Filmmaking students have been invited to submit their films for the annual curated Kingston screening at the British Film Institute. Your final graduation film will be screened on campus and at a central London cinema with industry guests.
Our students also have an excellent history of screening their work at external festivals and events. These include the London Short Film Festival, Aesthetica Film Festival, Birds Eye Film Festival, the South London Gallery, Chicago Art House Film Festival, Lisbon Film Festival and the British Student Film Festival.
Kingston is No.2 in London for Film Production and Photography (The Guardian University Guide League Tables 2023).
Accreditation
Kingston University is an ARRI-accredited Film School. As an ARRI-accredited Film School, final-year students can do an additional ARRI Certified Training for Camera Systems module to enhance their camera skills and CV.
The Art School Experience
As part of Kingston School of Art, students on this course benefit from joining a creative community where we encourage collaborative working and critical practice.
Our workshops and studios are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.
Course content
From conception, ideas and creative strategies of engagement, through pre-production and planning, to the innovative creation of bespoke film projects, this course provides you with a comprehensive understanding of filmmaking and key professional roles in the industry.
Throughout the course you will analyse and explore film specialisms, including directing, cinematography, editing, sound recording and production design to find your own unique career path.
You'll learn how to contextualise, engage with and critique the film industry through your own practice and projects, via taught modules and guest lectures. Upon graduation you'll be well equipped to enter film production employment with confidence and in a variety of guises.
Year 1
In Year 1, you are given technical inductions and introduced to film production through creative projects, giving you the opportunity to develop ideas for films and experience a range of production roles. You will develop your research skills and learn about directing, cinematography, sound recording, editing and sound design, running a set in a studio or on location and working with contributors.
Core modules
30 credits
Filmmaking fundamentals to explore and experiment in innovative ways
In this module, you will develop a number of short film works as an integral part of your introduction to the programme and its expectations. You will be introduced to a range of approaches to filmmaking, supported by inductions to the key areas of film resources. The module also provides support for the development of research enquiry.
- You will be introduced to the fundamentals of lighting, image and sound recording, studio and location filming, and editing, and learn how to work effectively and collaboratively within a team.
- You will be introduced to Kingston's Future Skills programme, enabling you to begin to develop your personal skills, professional identity and global citizenship, by promoting your understanding of ethical issues and values, design thinking, and commercial awareness. This will support you to plan your own personal and professional development, as a means of developing your creative practice.
30 credits
Visual storytelling through analysis of genres and their application
This module is a technically intensive induction to production skills and methods – from studio production to working as a film unit, post-production, and screen language. Through a series of filmmaking tasks, you will be assessed on their successful technical resolution and your understanding of these processes. The module will culminate in the production of a five-minute short genre film where you will work collaboratively with peers as crew members towards a shared vision.
- You will explore and evaluate the role genre plays in creating meaning within the context of narrative films while developing your understanding of film production processes.
- You will develop your understanding of the visual language of cinema and your filmmaking skills in production design, cinematography (camera and lighting), sound, editing, screenwriting, directing and producing.
- You will enhance your knowledge of screenwriting, story structure, character development, directing actors and presentation skills, with specific emphasis on how to pitch your short film idea.
30 credits
Reflective and critical approaches to issues of representation in documentary films
This module will support you to employ a reflective and critical approach to issues of representation in documentary films and discover your creative voice. While enhancing your understanding of your own artistic vision, the module will engage with narrative identities that are often overlooked. The module will offer you opportunities to explore a subject you are passionate about and feel a special connection with.
- You will examine cinematic conceptions of identities that will enable you to begin to explore ethical issues of representation through theoretical and practical analysis.
- You will experiment with shifting modes of documentary filmmaking and enhance your filmmaking craft and production skills – including sound recording techniques, editing approaches, producing, directing and working with documentary contributors.
- You will turn your creative vision to subject matters that speak to you and to stories that need to be told now.
30.00 credits
Discussing and debating the history and theory of contemporary filmmaking practices
The module is designed to support your first steps as filmmaking practitioners within the wider field of the visual arts in the 21st century. Through lectures, discussions, screenings and exhibition visits, you will be introduced to the notion of practice in filmmaking and the wider visual arts, by addressing the historical, theoretical, social and political factors that have affected our understanding of its function.
- You will be encouraged to consider the key debates, theoretical questions and changing contexts that have framed the historical development of film and its associated fields - for example, artist's video and photography.
- You will learn key analytical, critical and research skills, and through close engagement with visual sources, historical texts and contemporary critical writing, you will begin to develop the tools necessary to discuss, conceptualise and reflect on your emerging practice.
Year 2
In Year 2, you will undertake projects with the opportunity to shoot and process 8mm and 16mm film, use archive, green screen and high-speed video. You will work in groups developing pitches for ambitious productions collaborating with professional actors, developing character and script, and shooting on location. Through the production of these films, you will be encouraged to identify your strengths and explore specialist areas of interest.
Core modules
30 credits
Bridging technology and creativity through innovative filmmaking techniques
This module focuses on how to employ innovative filmmaking techniques as storytelling devices and bridge the gap between technology and creativity. To enable you to develop your professional identity, you will be introduced to the world of film festivals and learn how to prepare a film festival submission.
- You will develop your Future Skills through interdisciplinary creative projects with students on other courses at Kingston School of Art. These creative collaborations will enhance your craft and communication skills and encourage you to experiment with different forms and styles as part of your creative toolkit as innovative filmmakers.
- To place the idea of exploration at the heart of this module, instead of assessing the final outcome, the process of idea development and production will be assessed through the submission of an individual audio-visual essay which contains elements of the work that you have produced as well as documents your research and production journey in this module.
30 credits
Exploring the cinematic landscape of dramatic performance
In this module, you will work in groups on short films that involve professional performers, scripts and dialogue. Emphasis is placed on idea development and storytelling in the cinematic context (screenwriting) and the investigation of different methods to bring these scripts to life through the direction of performance. This module places teamwork and collaboration at the heart of film production and employs a series of workshops and exercises to enhance these skills which also form part of the assessment.
- You will be introduced to the skills of casting, rehearsal and performance and experiment with ideas and production techniques to push the boundaries of genre.
- Production teams are formed according to role specialisation, advancing your filmmaking skills in screenwriting, production design, cinematography (camera and lighting), sound, editing, directing and producing.
- You will also be encouraged to reflect critically on the creative choices you have made during the production process.
30 credits
Enhancing understanding of filmmaking practices beyond mainstream cinema
This module will help you develop your creative voice beyond mainstream cinema and engage with wider social and cultural issues through the prism of personal experience to produce films that embody under-represented perspectives. It explores reflexive, sensory and ethnographic approaches to filmmaking and global cinema.
- You will navigate your journey through this exciting field of filmmaking and develop your own audio-visual language to express your ideas. In small teams, using alternative production methods, you will produce films that address social, cultural or environmental issues and challenge the mainstream narrative.
- You will write a research document which explores the artistic, political and social context of your practice and critically evaluates the wider significance of your work.
30.00 credits
A theoretical framework to investigate the critical issues of contemporary filmmaking
Building on the thematic and historical context introduced at Level 4, this module enables you to create a theoretical framework within which to investigate and understand some of the critical issues affecting the practice and interpretation of contemporary filmmaking. With a close focus on analysis of key case studies, a series of lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, and group and individual screenings inform and support your own emerging research interests and the development of independent visual and academic research skills common to both the historical and theoretical study of film and practice of filmmaking.
- With reference to important concepts and primary texts that have informed the development of film theory, you will acquire the knowledge and analytical skills engage with the critical contexts in which filmmaking operates today.
- You will also develop research methods appropriate to the study and practice of film, propose an area of research for development at Level 6, and begin to contextualise and make sense of the concerns emerging in your own practice.
Year 3
In Year 3 you will undertake two short film projects in specialised production roles, culminating in the Graduation Film. You will work to your strengths and develop material for your graduation portfolio. The final graduation films are screened during the degree show on campus and at a central London cinema.
Core modules
30 credits
Practical introduction to the professional expectations of the workplace beyond university
This module will develop your Future Skills and professional practice through the production of a short film/live brief set by an external client. It will equip you with the personal and professional skills to succeed as a filmmaker within the screen industries or related career paths.
- You will critically evaluate your personal and professional development through reflection on your progress, as a means of developing your creative practice, and to explore complex problems within the wider social, cultural, economic and industrial context.
- This will be supported through personal development planning, enabling you to evidence your understanding of the skills you are developing through the work you are creating as part of your course, and to set goals and take actions which further your ambitions, help you plan your career and develop your creative and professional identity.
- You will also prepare a production pack for the graduation film to be shot in the second teaching block.
60 credits
Combining your accumulated knowledge into an ambitious final film
This 60-credit capstone module is the culmination of study in filmmaking, incorporating research, development and film production, and an understanding of funding and distribution.
- You will work in various specialised production roles, distilling accumulated knowledge into an ambitious graduation film for presentation at both on-site and external graduation screenings.
- You will also learn how to complete a film funding application and pitch deck, and coordinate the realisation of the final degree show.
30 credits
Building on the links between research and practice embedded at Level 5, the Independent Research Project in Critical and Historical Studies module focuses on in-depth research, critical enquiry and reflection on questions and critical issues emerging in students' own practice, and pertinent to the practice of their own discipline.
Over the module, you will initiate and develop an individual research topic; identify and evaluate appropriate archives, bodies of critical literature, visual/material sources and research methods; manage your study time; engage with and respond to tutorial dialogue and peer feedback, and apply critical and analytical skills to produce an output of 5-6,000 word (or equivalent) representing the culmination of your research project. You will be supported by a series of lectures, seminars, and tutorials.
Future Skills and career opportunities
This degree prepares you for a range of careers such as director, independent filmmaker, cinematographer, editor, artist-filmmaker, producer, sound recordist, designer and film programmer. The course is also a platform for further study or vocational positions in commercial film.
Student and graduate film festival and award successes include:
- Dylan Friese-Greene was shortlisted for the prestigious Grierson Awards for his short documentary Sian: Portrait of a Photographer.
- Chiemi Shimada's film, Chiyo, screening at Open City Documentary Festival in September 2019, was nominated for Best UK Short.
- Naomi Wong's graduation film, Naturally Lazy, screened at the BAFTA-qualifying London Short Film Festival 2018.
- Chiemi Shimada's graduation film, Fragments, screened at the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival in York 2017.
- Zhao Siyu won Best Film at the London Independent Film Festival in 2017.
- Will Hooper's graduation film won Best Underground Film at Lisbon International Film Festival in 2016.
- Jacob Hesmondhalgh and Marie Hobson won Best Documentary Short at Weyauwega International Film Festival in 2015.
- Ed Chappell won the Young Greenhorn Film Award at Greenhorn Short Film Festival in 2014.
Our Future Skills programme is embedded within the Filmmaking BA (Hons) course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience. As the demands of modern employment continue to evolve, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate.
The programme aims to provide you with the skills most valued by employers, such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability. As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.
I got a unique opportunity to thoroughly expand my passion for the analogue film during my work experience as film checker at LUX.
At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it
For more information on how Kingston prepares you for the future job market, visit our Future Skills page.
Teaching and assessment
Scheduled learning and teaching on this course includes timetabled activities including lectures, seminars and small group tutorials.
It may also include critiques, project work, studio practice and performance, digital labs, workshops, and placements.
Outside the scheduled learning and teaching hours, you will learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, preparing for and completing your work for assessments. Some independent study work may need to be completed on-campus, as you may need to access campus-based facilities such as studios and labs.
Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at Kingston and show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 120 credits across a year (typical for an undergraduate course) would equate to 1,200 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below for each year of study. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- Year 1: 24% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 2: 22% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 3: 18% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
Types of assessment
- Year 1: Coursework 100%
- Year 2: Coursework 100%
- Year 3: Coursework 100%
Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. If your course includes optional modules, this breakdown may change to reflect the modules chosen.
We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled learning and teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 6pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.
Fees and funding
| Fee category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | £9,535* |
| International | |
| Year 1 (2025/26): | £19,500 |
| Year 2 (2026/27): | £20,300 |
| Year 3 (2027/28): | £21,100 |
The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2025/26 the fees for this course are above.
For courses with Professional Placement, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.
* For full time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying this course at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
Kingston University will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
If you choose to do a placement year, travel costs will vary depending on your location. These costs could be up to £2,000.
You will need to invest in an external hard drive, which can handle high definition video and has sufficient storage. This will cost around £200. You may also choose to invest in your own art materials and equipment, a USB drive, headphones and Super 8 film (prices vary). You might have to pay for film production costs too, which vary between £100-£500 depending on film.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
Key information
The scrolling banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
