- UCAS Code: 1063
- Level: Undergraduate
- Starting: September 2021
- Study mode: Full Time (3 years), Full Time (4 years with Professional Placement)
- Location: City Centre
Studying with us in 2021/22
It is possible that the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any arrangements put in place by the University for the 2021/22 academic year will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
Want to study a Film Production degree? Explore the fundamentals of technology in film, from narrative, composition and film theory to camera testing, designing digital production workflows and post-production.
Like the film industry itself, BSc Digital Film Production enables students to exercise a broad range of technical and creative skills with the support of the university’s cutting edge facilities and software, including our Parkside Media Centre.
What's covered in the course?
The Digital Film Production degree course combines a study of audiovisual technologies and production processes, with contextual investigations and production experience. You’ll develop knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the production of digital film content and to the wider film, television and video industries.
You’ll focus on fundamental technical concepts, including the physics of sound and light being recorded during production (and the tools and techniques required to do this), as well as the technology used to digitally store and manipulate both images and audio in post-production.
When you graduate, you will be versatile, technically literate, and creative: well-equipped to perform a variety of craft roles within film, television and video production and will bridge the gap between technology specialists and creative artists.
Birmingham City University is a great place to study - the city has an active and accessible film-making community, and you will be studying in the same campus as undergraduates studying a range of arts, including acting, music, photography, fashion and theatre.
You’ll also be encouraged to engage with industry, with a number of flexible paths to help you gain work experience, including: basing selected modules around work experience, taking a placement year and working on commercial productions within the University.
The course definitely helped me with so many aspects of film and video production. From creating budgets for jobs, to understanding the technical functions of various cameras, right through to delivery formats for the projects. I certainly came out with a larger skill base and experience in filmmaking.
Cinematographer, Josh Birch Films
Why Choose Us?
- Incredible opportunities - Read about how Tayyib landed his first graduate job working on a Hollywood blockbuster film straight out of BCU.
- Outstanding facilities - Our Centre for Digital Media Technology is equipped with over 1,200 sq m of facilities including two film/television studios, four multi-track recording studios, post-production suites, a MILO motion control rig and several editing and grading stations.
- Knowledge of the fundamental aspects in film production - Explore the technology and science of film production, from working with light and sound, to understanding how different production and post-production tools affect images and sound you capture.
- Highly employable graduates - Move quickly into key production roles with the combination of technical knowledge and practical production experience from your course. Our graduates have gone on to work on major feature films and high-end TV series.
- Gain first-hand experience in industry - You will have the opportunity to network and make contacts with people in industry, gain work experience and to take a placement year between your second and final year.
Similar Courses
Open Days
Our next Virtual Open Day is taking place on Saturday 20 March. It's the perfect opportunity to virtually tour our facilities, hear from some of our staff and get a feel of what it's like to study at BCU.
Book your place
This course is open to International students
I AM BCU
Student Story by Tayyib Mahmood
Tayyib had not initially considered going to university until he discovered BCU. His parents were worried about his career prospects because of his degree choice. However, the sense of belonging, personal support and professional teaching Tayyib experienced during his degree has helped him land his dream job – working on a Bond film for his first job.
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WISE members inspire girls to choose maths, physics and computing.
Entry Requirements
We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.
Essential Requirements
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120 UCAS tariff points from A/AS Level |
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| GCSE |
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| Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level) |
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| Scottish Intermediate 2 |
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| Scottish Credit Standard Grade |
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| Scottish National 5 |
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| Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) Qualifications | ||
| A level and Advanced VCE |
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| Access to HE Diploma |
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Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate - Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015) |
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Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma – Core (awarded until 2016) ESW/KS Combined component |
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International Baccalaureate Diploma |
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| Other qualifications | ||
| If you have a qualification that is not listed in the table please refer to our full entry requirements on UCAS. Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website. |
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Additional information for EU/International students
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Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In additional to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table. |
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| EU/Non-EU (International) Qualifications | ||
| IELTS |
6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information. |
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| International Baccalaureate Diploma (or equivalent, including internationally accredited Foundation courses). |
1. For students who complete the full IB Diploma: a total of 14 points or above from three Higher Level Subjects. 2. Students who do not complete the IB Diploma will be considered on the basis of their IB Certificates. Students must have grade 5 in Maths (Standard Level) |
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International students who cannot meet the direct entry requirements can begin their degree studies at Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC).
Additional Requirements
As part of the application process you will be invited to attend an applicant visit day where you will undertake a short one-to-one interview with an academic member of staff. This is your chance to show us how passionate you are about the subject and it will help us make a decision on your application.
This will provide you with more information about the School and your course. In addition, it will give you a chance to meet and our staff and students to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a student here.
Don’t meet our entry requirements?
You could apply for a foundation course or a course at our International College. These routes have lower entry requirements and act as the bridge to a full degree. To find out more, please select your status:
- UK students
- International students
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 years
- £9,250 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Full Time
- 4 years with Professional Placement
- £9,250 per year
- Apply via UCAS
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 years
- £12,400 per year
- Full Time
- 4 years with Professional Placement
- £13,200 per year
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Guidance for UK students
UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.
Applying through UCAS
Register with UCAS
Login to UCAS
Complete your details
Select your course
Write a personal statement
Get a reference
Pay your application fee
Send UCAS your application
International students
There are three ways to apply:
1) Direct to the University
You will need to complete our International Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form, and submit them together with scan copies of your original academic transcripts and certificates.
2) Through a country representative
Our in-country representatives can help you make your application and apply for a visa. They can also offer advice on travel, living in the UK and studying abroad.
3) Through UCAS
If you are applying for an undergraduate degree or a Higher National Diploma (HND), you can apply through the UK’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
You can request a printed form from your school or nearest British Council office. You will be charged for applying through UCAS. Birmingham City University’s UCAS code is B25 BCITY.
Personal statement
UK / EU students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.*
The personal statement gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Course choice
Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?
Career plans
If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.
Work experience
Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.
School or college experience
Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.
Non-accredited skills or achievement
eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.
You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
*Non-EU students are not required to submit a personal statement when applying for this course.
Additional costs
- Memory Cards – £40
- Portable Hard Drive (1TB+) – £70
Worried about personal statements?
If you've got no idea where to start or just want to check you're on the right track, we’ve got expert advice and real examples from our students to help you nail your personal statement. You can even download our ultimate personal statement guide for free.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible undergraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Year One
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Year Two
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Year Three
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Attendance requirements
For more information on attendance requirements, course contact time and suggested self-study hours, download the course specification.
Further study
On completion of this course students have continued on to study our MA in Film Marketing and Distribution.
At course completion, there is a high level of interest for further study. This relates to the need to continue to research and practice, as a core activity, but also recognises statistical evidence that says that in 2014 the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills noted that someone with a Master’s degree earns on average £9,000 more per year than someone with a degree qualification, which, when coupled with the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (2014) observation that one in seven jobs will require a postgraduate qualification by 2022, the importance of postgraduate study to employability is increasingly significant.
Student stories Andrew Bond
Mentored by one of the UK’s most Respected Actors
When BSc (Hons) Film Production Technology student Andrew Bond started his studies at Birmingham City University, little did he know that it would lead to him being mentored by one of the UK’s most respected actors.
He was chosen by Idris Elba, star of ‘Luther’ and ‘Mandela’, as his protégé for Samsung’s ‘Launching People’ project, which searched for the brightest young talent in the fields of food, film, music and photography.
Enhancing employability skills
Engaging with industry and gaining work experience during your studies is essential if you are going to be taken seriously in the job market. Getting work experience in film production can be challenging, so we encourage you to be agile and help you engage with a board range of opportunities available.
The University is eager to students who have made the effort to gain industry experience and stand out from the typical graduate, and thus it offers for you to get extra awards and recognition for your work
You have the option undertake an assessed sandwich year between your second and third year, which will provide you with valuable work experience and give you the real-life skills you need.
The second-year Collaborative Practice and final-year Production Project modules have been designed so that you can use your work in as a basis for the module’s assessment.
The university has a Graduate+ programme, an extracurricular awards framework that is designed to augment the subject-based skills that you’ve developed throughout the programme with broader employability attributes, which will enhance your employability options upon graduating.
Daniel Warszawik
BSc Film Production Technology
“After graduating in 2015, I continued on to study Birmingham City University’s MA in Film Marketing and Distribution, while at the same time working as a runner on commercial productions for BBC, Sky, Channel 4 and at the University’s Parkside Media Centre.
“Since then, I have completed numerous internships with the British film sales agents, where the knowledge I gained at Birmingham City University enabled me to experience a professional environment at the Cannes and Toronto film festivals and further develop my skills in film distribution, marketing finance.
“I am now working for an American corporation in London, called Vubiquity. Vubiquity is the leading global provider of Premium Content Services. Working with nearly 650 leading film studios, television networks, independent producers and MCNs, the company brings premium content to over 1,000 global video distributors spanning 109 million households.
"I truly believe that the knowledge and experience I gained from the course made all this possible."
Placements
There a range of opportunities for to gain industry experience, examples of activities our student have done include:
- Working as a runner on one of our commercial productions
- Working crewing agencies
- Working part-time for a production company
- Doing a placement year between the second and third year of the course
- Submitting work to crowdsourcing competitions and film festivals
- Collaborating with other students and local on productions
- Setting up a YouTube channel
- Working directly clients
- Organising and running events.
Where our students go
Our students have gone on to work with companies such as:
- Ashfields
- Christopher Smith
- Creative Video
And in jobs such as:
- Film Production and Technology
- Film Maker
- Production Assistant
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
BCU Graduate+
Through our courses we give you the skills and experience needed to get a head start when applying for jobs. But we offer something extra too – Graduate+.
Our unique programme gives you the chance to develop valuable skills outside of the more formal classroom learning. We award points for Graduate+ activities (including firewalking!) and these can be put towards a final Graduate+ award.
More about Graduate+
Graduate Jobs
Graduates have gone for companies and such as ITV, Red Bull, Red Planet Pictures and work on productions for Working Title, Studio Canal, RDF Television, Objective Productions, Channel 4, Sky and Buffalo Pictures. Students from this course have also gone study at the National Film and Television School.
The skills and knowledge you'll gain throughout the programme will allow you to tackle various jobs within the field. You'll have experience of using industry-standard large sensor digital camera rigs, with follow focus, matte box interchangeable lenses.
The careers available to you after this course are vast and exciting. You will be skilled to take on a number of roles, film producer, film director, first assistant director, producer, production manager, production assistant, editor, camera operator, director of photography, lighting technician, production sound mixer and much more!
You may also choose to take on or fixed roles, such unit manager, location manager, sound assistant, boom operator, screenwriter, script editor, script reader film distributor – the list really is extensive! Throughout will help you to nurture your own creative flair and personal interests, and guide you towards a working professional role.
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
As an international student on this course you will benefit from studying alongside a diverse range of students, all with different backgrounds and experience. In addition to this the course is led by tutors with international experience. You will have the chance to draw upon the diverse cultures and wealth of experience from your fellow students, learning new skills and sharing your own knowledge.
As an international student you will benefit from studying in close proximity to the UK’s diverse and continuously changing creative industries, and you are encouraged to engage and regularly network with these industries. Through practice-based teaching you will develop an in-depth understanding of digital media technology practices within the UK and further afield.
You have the chance to earn while you learn, taking on various roles through the University’s in-house employment scheme: OpportUNIty. You will also be able to access personal and academic support services, as well as help and advice tailored specifically for you. Through an international orientation and welcome week you will be able to adjust to life within the UK, preparing you for your studies!
Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC)
International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.
BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.
Popular home countries
Our students come from around the world, but our Film Production Technology course is particularly popular with students from Hong Kong and Eastern Europe.
Our Facilities
The course is supported with cutting-edge facilities, including the University’s Parkside Media Centre, which is equipped with over 1,200 sq m of dedicated equipment, including three film/television studios, dedicated green screen studio, post-production facilities, MILO motion control rig, multi-track recording studios, and several editing and grading stations.
You have access to the industry standard software used on the course such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Final Cut Pro, AVID and Logic. Most of these tools are also available in our dedicated open access areas and our library which is open 24 hours a day. Laptops can also be hired out used in other spaces within the University.
Cameras, light and grip equipment can be hired for free from our hires and loans team. Equipment available includes: 4K cameras, high-end HD cinema style cameras with follow focus and matte boxes, a range of DSLR cameras, a range of different lights, soft boxes, flags, reflectors, a range of different tripods, stands, dollies, steady cams and jib arms.
Within the Centre there is an internationally recognised research team, DMT labs, specialising in mixed reality, intelligent animation, automated grading and compositing and human perception. This research team is involved in the delivery of this course, providing opportunities to join them as a post-graduate researcher on completion of the course.
Stephen Gordon
Course Leader
After graduating from Birmingham Polytechnic, Stephen worked as a freelance journalist and scriptwriter for corporate video production.
Since joining BCU in 2006, he has designed and delivered modules across a range of Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses, and currently teaches all but one of the practical production modules on the Digital Film Production degree.
As an additionally enthusiastic advocate for the analogue resurgence, he lists vinyl records, Super 8 film, and Polaroid photography among his enduring passions. He is also Chair of the West Midlands Freelance Branch of BECTU.
Lianne Forbes
Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Visual Effects
Lianne has 14 years of high-end VFX film industry experience. Her focus is on forging strong links between the University and industry. She plans to develop student awareness of industry practices and produce more opportunities for them to engage with industry professionals.
Her VFX career has spanned over 5 countries, working with award-winning companies such as Framestore, Animal Logic, Pixomondo, and Rising Sun Pictures.
Michael Bickerton
Lecturer
Michael has been producing and teaching film for over twenty years. He has international production experience and has taught on prestige courses (such as the UK Film Council’s Introduction to Screenwriting).
He is a member of BECTU, GTC, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Jay Patel
Senior Lecturer
Jay is a Lecturer in the School of Digital Media Technology. Jay has been involved with the delivery of ERDF projects. Since the successful completion of these projects he has moved into teaching. He currently delivers a variety of modules such as Audio Visual Technology, Moving Image Technology and Mathematics for Media.