MA Film

at Edinburgh Napier University

Screen Academy Scotland is an active filmmaking hub in the culturally vibrant city of Edinburgh. It offers great scope for collaboration, with some 200 or so students at undergraduate and postgraduate level engaged in diverse film activities. Students can also draw on support from tutors who themselves have significant experience in the industry.
The Screen Academy is a professionally-equipped facility and we expect student work to aspire to a level that is close to industry standard. As it's one of only three film academies in the UK accredited by ScreenSkills, the film industry’s skills body, it gives our graduates significant credibility in the industry.

In addition, Screen Academy students can buy an industry pass at a heavily-discounted rate to attend screenings, master classes and networking events at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June.

This course will advance your knowledge of your chosen specialist area as well as giving you a rounded understanding of other film making disciplines. The emphasis on professional skills will help maximise your chance of success.

Previous graduates have had their films screened at festivals around the world, including Venice, Beijing, Kolkata and Edinburgh. Many have gone on to win awards and commissions for TV and feature film projects.

Subjects include:

Trimester 1 

• Creative Practice for Film and TV 
• Collaborative Techniques for Film 1

 

Trimester 1 (optional) 

• The Business of Screen Project Development 
• Script Workshop 1
• Writing and Screen Project Development 
• Moving Image Design (editors and cinematographers only) 

 

Trimester 2 

• Creative Practice for Cinema 
• Collaborative Techniques for Film 2 
• Critical Film Study 

 

Trimester 3 

• Masters Film Project 

 

Graduate film screening at Edinburgh Filmhouse in late autumn

Lead academics
MA Film is taught by a range of professionals from a number of specialisms.

• Susie Brown is an experienced Line Producer/Production Manager in drama, documentary and television features. With over 30 years in the industry, Susie has worked in the production of film and television for BBC, C4, ITV, Polygram, Sky, Working Title and many others. Susie has taught production staff throughout her career, within the industry and in academia.
• David Lumsden is an award winning fiction & commercials Director based in Scotland. His work has been screened to audiences at film festivals around the world. Alongside his fiction and commercial projects he has also directed broadcast documentaries and behind the scenes content for feature films. His work has received awards from Scottish BAFTA New Talent, Roses Creative Awards & The Christopher Johnson Movie Viral Award. 
• David Byrne has over 25 years experience in the TV and film industry in every role in the camera department; on feature films, TV drama, commercials, documentaries and industrial / corporate projects for BBC, ITV,  Channel 4, Sky and other non-UK channels. Previous teaching includes courses for Kodak and Technicolor staff.
• Kieran Gosney is an editor with 8 years experience in documentary and drama. He edited the award-winning feature documentary Time Trial, as well as The Guardian and The Atlantic Selects short Crannog.

We also engage a range of professional practitioners as visiting lecturers on the programme.

Undergraduate and postgraduate taught degrees 

IELTS (Academic)
6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5

TOEFL Internet Based Test
80 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing

Pearson’s Test of Academic English
56 overall with a minimum of 51 in each component

Cambridge C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE))
169 overall with a minimum of 162 in each component

Cambridge B2 First (formerly Cambridge English First (FCE))
169 overall with a minimum of 162 in each component

Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge English Advanced (CAE))
169 overall with a minimum of 162 in each component

Trinity Integrated Skills Test (ISE)
ISEII, ISEIII, ISEIV with a pass in each component

LanguageCert English language qualification
B2 Communicator Test with overall 39 or above, and 25 or above in all skills

The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes.  

                     
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2022 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.

Careers:-

• Director
• Assistant Director
• Producer/Production Management
• Location Manager
• Cinematographer
• Editor
• Assistant Editor
• Location Sound Mixer
• Sound designer