FTV2011.20 Film Lab 1

The UHE FilmLab operates as an in-house production studio, offering students an entrepreneurial internship pathway to practical work experience whilst studying.

Film Lab 1 is a project-driven 20 Credit Point subject that develops productions for external non-profit organisations from initial liaison to production stages.  Client organisations include visual and performing arts companies, community welfare groups, and animal welfare groups. Completion of projects occurs in the following semester’s subject Film Lab 2. Projects may be no longer than 5 minutes duration. Producers must include appropriate occupational health and safety plans for all Film Lab productions.

FilmLab 1 also provides a specialist cross-cultural space for visiting filmmakers and industry professionals to provide scheduled specialist seminars in cinematography, music composition, and production management.

In a full or partially negotiated alternative to participation in sponsored Film Lab community projects , students may elect to undertake external internships at this time for approved work-experience with a partner provider for  20 equivalent full time days undertaken within a three-month period. Approved internships may also be conducted in non-teaching periods of the course as they become available.

Approved international external internships are recognisable within this subject, although overseas placements are encouraged to take place in non-teaching periods up to and before the subject’s commencement date.

Internship provider partners are expected to play an active role in developing meaningful and assessable industry learning contracts and outcomes.


FTV2010.10 Screenwriting 2

This subject develops corporate-level skills in writing scripts for short-form informational videos informed by introductory  mass communication theory.

These scripts may be used as a form of public address in government and commercial organisations for training, education, sales, health information, and behavioral change campaigns where measurable audience impact is required. 

Aristotle’s model of communication underpins this approach with its public speaking model of speaker, speech, audience, and effect.

The subject has three major assignments including two writing projects and one multinational case-study research and evaluation project.

Assessing case-studies of corporate videos from major Australian and Asian multinational companies, students define the differences between informational and entertainment screenwriting forms through a process of stakeholder identification and prioritisation with client as intermediary.

Learners are then introduced to specialist communication theory models including social media theory in the development of mass media campaigns, the propaganda model and gate-keeping theory for behavioral change screenwriting, and writer-client- decision making process through Fisher’s model of small group communication.

Steps in the practical writing process are attached to John Dewey’s standard agenda model of reflective thinking through a sequence of: problem identification, problem analysis, criteria selection, solution generation, solution evaluation and selection, and solution implementation.

This subject pairs with FTV2011.20cp Film Lab 1 providing a script ready for production. FTV1002.10 Screenwriting 1. This script will promote an innovative Australian product or service to a new market in the Asia Pacific.

FTV3018.20 Portfolio & Careers

This unit requires students to prepare a curriculum vitae, bio and video portfolio of their work produced throughout the course.

In preparing their portfolios, students will perform industry research and prepare an industry report.

Students will also develop a personal project such as a spec script, business plan, funding application, proof-of-concept or pitch video, website, press kit, or augment their portfolio by producing a short film, animation or promotional video.


FTV3017.20 Capstone Postproduction

This 20 Credit Point subject requires students to apply post-production skills to complete their films produced in FTV3017. Students will also produce a trailer for their film.

Students must own or have license rights to any music or copyrighted image used. Commissioning of original music by students is encouraged.

All non-English language components of the film are to be translated into English as on-screen sub-titles and ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) is undertaken if required.

All graduate films assessed at Pass or above will become part of the School’s annual graduate film festival and remain publicly accessible through its online archive.