Television Production Technology FdSc
- Level(s) of Study: Foundation degree / Undergraduate
- Typical Offer: 64 UCAS tariff points
- UCAS Code(s): P311
- Start Date(s): September
- Duration: Two years, full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: Confetti Nottingham
Introduction:
Do you want to work on the next big TV drama, be part of the crew on the biggest sporting events or maybe make the next big documentary?
This innovative new course embraces the ground breaking technology that continues to change our viewing habits and will equip you with the necessary technical skills required to work in the video production process whilst developing a strong portfolio of work. So if you want to be the next director, floor manager, documentary filmmaker or you want to produce a big budget online drama then this is the course for you.
You will study a broad range of disciplines including:
- camera operation
- audio and visual post production
- documentary production
- studio production
- graphics
- lighting
- audio acquisition.
This course is taught at Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies in Nottingham.
Key features
- Enhance your employability by developing your Imdb profile with broadcast credits earned working on Notts TV
- Gain valuable work experience every week on Notts TV and allow your work to reach a global audience
- Learn from world class visiting guest lecturers (past guests have included Shane Meadows, Nick Broomfield and Vicky McClure)
- Have your work entered into the prestigious Royal Television Society Awards
- Film live sporting events and gigs at some of Nottingham’s most prestigious venues helping you develop a world class portfolio of work
- Experience television production in different countries with exciting overseas trips
- Collaborate on real world projects with your peers and professionals in this exciting and fast moving industry
- Deliver content across multiple platforms and devices
- Exhibit your final year’s work at the Confetti Degree Show and be eligible for a paid internship
What you’ll study
The course will give you the professional, creative, intellectual and technical skills you will need to work successfully within the global television industry whilst offering a broad range of work based learning opportunities.
You’ll study a wide range of disciplines, including camera operation, audio and visual post-production, graphics, lighting and audio acquisition.
Sound and Picture for Broadcast (20 credit points)
Being able to understand the capabilities and scientific principles of broadcast technologies is essential for those working in the television industry. This module will allow you to explore the technical theory involved in camera operation, audio acquisition and lighting whilst developing your technical and craft skills working with equipment to achieve a broadcast quality to your work.
Live Studio Production (20 credit points)
In this module you will study the technology, principles, techniques and workflow required to produce content for broadcast in a studio environment. You will gain valuable knowledge through experiencing a range of production roles within the broadcast studio environment to enhance your understanding of this career path. You will then put this theory in to practice, working to the correct health and safety regulations, in the production of your own live production.
Live Studio Planning (20 credit points)
Pre-production is the starting point for any live studio production. The ability to undertake meticulous project planning is essential if you are to create successful content. During this module you will learn about the different stages of broadcast studio project management such as risk assessment, kit specifications, crewing, budgeting, working with scripts and scheduling. You will then work in small groups to project manage the technical requirements of a broadcast studio production demonstrating a detailed understanding of the health and safety regulations that govern the television industry and in particular broadcast studio production.
Post-Production Technology For Television (20 credit points)
This module will explore the advances in technology responsible for this shift in television post-production workflow. You will d the skills required to operate industry standard audio and video post-production software used to create, manipulate, and distribute content for television in both offline and online environments.
The History of Broadcast Technology (20 credit points)
You will study the history of broadcast technology and assess the impact technological change has had on the industry. You'll compare broadcast technologies past and present, in order to assess the impact technology has had and continues to have on the changes in television production, distribution and access.
Interview Techniques for Broadcast (20 credit points)
This module will allow you to explore the creative and technical processes involved in shooting interviews for a range of television formats (news, documentary, entertainment etc.) During this module you will examine a variety of creative factors within different interview techniques.
On completion of the module you will be well versed in a variety of questioning and interview techniques and understanding of the technical set up required to create content to a broadcast standard.
Advanced Sound and Picture for Broadcast (20 credit points)
Within this module you will examine the engineering capabilities of specialist equipment used in the television industry and develop skills operating a range of specialist camera equipment in order to shoot more complex sequences. You will also learn to perform the role of the digital imaging technician; ensuring cameras are able to achieve their optimum performance in a given scenario.
Industry Practice (20 credit points)
You will undertake appropriate work-based learning allowing the direct application in the workplace of the knowledge and skills learnt throughout the programme. You'll develop an understanding of the employment market and learn about working in the television industry from both an employment and self-employment perspective.
You will learn how to operate as a freelancer and how to set-up, operate and run a production company. This module will develop entrepreneurial skills and you will develop a range of self-promotional material to help prepare for entering the television industry.
Advanced Post-Production Technology for Television (20 credit points)
In this module you will learn to prepare and distribute audio-visual content to audiences via multiple platforms adhering to the correct technical requirements. You'll develop advanced skills in the areas of post-production such as grading, colour correction, audio dubbing and mixing. You will work with an industry partner or client to deliver an edit for multiple platforms working to the correct technical specifications.
Documentary Development (20 credit points)
This module focuses on developing academic research skills which will enable the planning of a documentary production.
Students will be expected to research appropriate markets to inform the development and production of their own documentary to be entered into a relevant and respected documentary festival. Working under the guidance of an industry partner, you will undertake the pre-production, of your own documentary, ensuring that the correct health and safety regulations are fully considered. You will be expected to make appropriate judgments in the planning of their production and demonstrate the ability to problem solve.
Documentary Production (20 credit points)
You will apply the skills of both the journalist and the filmmaker in the production of your own television documentary. You will adhere to the legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks that govern this genre whilst working with appropriate technologies to produce a documentary that meets broadcast standards and adheres to the appropriate codes and convention. You will work independently to produce film and direct your documentary, but are able to appoint members fellow students to assist in the production process.
Live Stream Production (20 credit points)
With live streaming becoming an important part of television broadcast, this module aims teach you the technology fundamentals and skills required to produce and deliver high-quality live streaming content. This module will cover variety of audio-visual hardware and the different live streaming services that are required to ensure a high-quality experience for audiences. Within this module you will research and plan a live streaming event, once your event has been planned you will be required to lead a team of production staff in the live stream of broadcast content to an appropriate audience.
Do It For Real at Splendour
How you’re taught
At Confetti our classrooms are unique. As part of their course, our students get the chance to go out into industry and Do It For Real at locations across the UK!
Teaching and learning experiences will include:
- lectures
- seminars
- group tutorials
- academic tutorials
- workshops
- presentations and pitches
- visiting industry professionals
- team working
- independent study.
Assessment
There is a varied range of assessment methods throughout the course, which includes:
- television production development work
- television productions
- research tasks
- case studies
- portfolio work
- reports and evaluations
- lab reports
- essays
- visual and verbal presentations.
To progress through the course you must achieve 120 credit points each year. Your final degree mark will be based on your final year work.
Industry Week
As part of the course, students are given access to bespoke activities during Confetti’s Industry Week where a host of industry guest speakers gather for talks, lectures and workshops. Previous guests have included:
- BAFTA-nominated actor Stephen Graham
- Director Shane Meadows
- BAFTA-winning actor Vicky McClure
- Documentary Filmmaker Jeanie Finlay
- Key Grip Rupert Lloyd-Parry
Check out our talks OnDemand here.
Degree Show
In your final year you will exhibit your work as part of Confetti's Degree Show. This event includes all final year students across Confetti's courses and is a great platform for you to showcase your work to key influencers across the creative industries.
Contact hours
- Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops (30%), independent study (70%).
- Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops (28%), independent study (72%).
How you’re assessed
- Year 1 coursework (100%).
- Year 2 coursework (100%).
Careers and employability
After completing your foundation degree, you’ll have the chance to top up to BA (Hons) Television Production at NTU or go straight into industry.
You’ll be prepared for specialist technical roles from camera operator to gallery producer. TV technical roles and will also develop transferable skills for alternative careers in teaching, media, and freelance design.
Connecting with industry
Industry professionals will visit the course to guest lecture and share their experiences. Live projects will help you to gain real experience of the industry, make contacts and build your portfolio and CV.
Through the Confetti Media Group Head of Talent Development, you'll be offered a range of real work opportunities to help build your portfolio of experience.
Work placement and internship opportunities
You will be actively encouraged and supported to undertake informal work experience and professional practice in addition to your studies.
Our teaching staff, including part-time lecturers who are professionally active, help and support students in directing them towards work placement and professional practice opportunities.
Campus and facilities
On this course, you'll study at Confetti's dedicated film & TV hub - Space2
- Industry-standard broadcast cameras
- A 25 seat media production lab running Avid and Adobe Creative Cloud
- A 25 seat screening room
- A 37m2 Green Screen VFX studio with VFX infinity curve screen
- A 144m2 Television Studio space with broadcast standard digital video cameras and full lighting rig
- Broadcast spec production gallery with 4k production facilities
Entry requirements
- 64 UCAS Tariff points; and
- GCSE - English and Maths Grade C / 4
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
This course is not suitable for International applicants.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
This course is not suitable for International applicants.
How to apply
Application for this course is through the UCAS application form.
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Selection for this course takes place through UCAS application form.
Application deadline
This course starts in September and applications should be submitted by the UCAS deadline.
Applications received after this date will only be considered if places are still available, after all applications received by the deadline have been assessed.
Mature students
We welcome applications from mature students (over the age of 21) for this course. We will assess applicants of this nature on an individual basis.
If you are a mature student, you will still need to apply to us by UCAS form, but you don't necessarily need to meet our minimum entry requirements.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. So include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades,
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It's your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You've got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you're applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page.
Getting in touch
If you need any more help or information, please email our Admissions Team or call on +44 (0)115 848 4200.
This course is not suitable for International applicants.