FTMFPD: Film Practice or Dissertation

Module code: FTMFPD

Module provider: Film, Theatre and TV; School of Arts and Comm Design

Credits: 60

Level: 7

When you’ll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Professor John Gibbs, email: john.gibbs@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 29 January 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The film practice or dissertation module constitutes a major element in the assessment profile of the degree and enables students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in Film through an extended project focussing on a particular critical or theoretical issue or subject. The module can be taken in three different directions: (1) a short film, normally 10 mins in length with 5,000 words written documentation or a videographic documentation of 7 mins, (2) a written dissertation of 15,000 words (3) A Video Essay of 10–15 minutes with an accompanying statement of 1000 words.Ìý

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The module requires students to conduct independent research with the advice and support of teaching staff, and (1) to devise and produce a short film with supporting analytical documentation, or (2) to produce an extended piece of scholarly writing, or (3) to produce a video essay with an accompanying analytical and contextual reflective statement. The module aims to instruct students in how to identify a suitable topic, how to ask appropriate research questions, how to relate critical or theoretical ideas to a specific practical or dissertation project, how to conduct in-depth research, how to organise material and written work in an effective way, how to find appropriate forms to articulate critical issues and thematic concerns. It aims to provide guidance and support for those students pursuing research degrees after completing the MA.Ìý

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Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

Option (1) practical filmmaking project and (3) video essay: 

1. Identify and research a critical topic in film suitable for both scholarly enquiry and exploration through practice, appropriate to MA level; plan and organise practical work designed to extend and reflect upon critical research issues  
2. Demonstrate levels of technical skill and achievement appropriate to their project, including, in the case of short films, the delegation of tasks and briefing of crew members
3. Realise a practical project that is internally coherent, systematic and imaginative in its decision making and that is informed by an appropriate critical and conceptual agenda
4. Demonstrate the ability to relate practice to critical research concerns and to reflect critically on practice.Ìý

Option (2) dissertation:

1. Identify, refine and research in detail an academic topic in film suitable for scholarly enquiry and appropriate to the length of an MA dissertation 
2. Plan and organise the processes of research and writing of a substantial piece of academic enquiry, using libraries, the internet and other specialist sources 
3. Sustain over the course of a dissertation a scholarly argument incorporating a critical response to evidence and information derived from a variety of sources, primary and secondary 
4. Demonstrate critical understanding of films, television programmes and existing literature relating to the dissertation topic 
5. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the various research methods and scholarly approaches used in the field of the dissertation topic.Ìý

The module plays a significant role in the continuing development of other skills and competencies which are central to the programme. It is expected that the level of skills and competencies achieved in the following will be appropriate to the level of study: oral communication and argument in group and one-on-one situations; deployment of research using printed and electronic resources; critical analysis and coherent argument; undertaking self-directed, independent work; presentation of written work using IT. In researching and writing dissertations, and in researching and devising practical projects and associated written documentation, students acquire skills and techniques in planning and managing their own work schedule. They will need to demonstrate these skills and techniques in tutorials with supervisors, as well as presentational skills, in project presentations to fellow students and tutors. Students will also need to demonstrate self-motivation and the ability to work independently over an extended period of time. Work on the dissertation, film project or video essay will also consolidate research and IT skills, requiring students to make extensive use of library, archives (where appropriate) and other relevant research sources. Work on the film project will develop skills of successful management of the resources involved in production, including the leadership of a production team, within the constraints and policies of the Department and the development of technical skills (e.g. non-linear editing, etc.).Ìý

Module content

Option (1) Practical filmmaking project: 
The module provides students with the opportunity to research, devise, plan and execute a short practical project, and to produce critical reflective documentation on this project. Both the documentation and the practical work are undertaken with the support and advice of an individual supervisor. Preparatory work is undertaken during Sems 1 and 2; production work is undertaken through the Summer; further research, writing and evaluation of the practical work takes place in the Summer. The balance between practical work and written documentation is normally 60/40, (a video project of normally 10 minutes in length, and written documentation of 5,000 words), but can be subject to negotiation on a case-by-case basis.  There is also an option to produce the critical reflective documentation in the form of a video essay of 7 minutes in length.

Option (2) Dissertation: 
Initial decisions about dissertation topics will be made during Sem 1 in consultation with tutors, and much of the Sem 2’s work will be focussed on refining and developing the dissertation topic and beginning writing. Under supervision, the writing of the dissertation is mainly self-directed. The module provides students with the opportunity to identify, research, organise and write a significant piece of scholarly writing on film. The dissertation is undertaken with the support and advice of an individual supervisor. The dissertation itself will be an independent, scholarly piece of work of approximately 15,000 words in length.Ìý

Option (3) Video essay:

Initial decisions about video essay topics will be made during Sem 1 in consultation with tutors, and much of the Sem 2’s work will be focussed on refining and developing the topic and beginning production of the video essay, which will continue over the summer. Under supervision, the production of the video essay is mainly self-directed. The module provides students with the opportunity to identify, research, organise and create a significant piece of scholarly videographic practice. The video essay and the accompanying reflective statement are undertaken with the support and advice of an individual supervisor. The video essay will be an independent, scholarly and piece of work of between 10 and 15 minutes in length (usually), accompanied by a critical and reflective statement of approximately 1,000 words.Ìý

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The film practice, dissertation or video essay is to a large extent self-directed study, but throughout their project students attend individual supervision tutorials designed to develop the topic, project shape and approach, and writing for the written component. In the Summer Term, along with continuing tutorials, students present the development and progress of their practical project or dissertation to fellow-students and tutors in a group seminar setting.Ìý

Study hours

At least 25 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Following an initial research period, students will be expected to produce a project proposal and literature/filmography review which they will receive feedback on from their supervisor.Ìý

Reassessment

Additional costs