Advanced Certificate in TV and Digital Film Production

Level 6 QQI Award Film and Television Production 6M18519

Duration

This is a Full-time One Year course which runs from Sept. to May. Exact details of the timetable will be given out to students during the induction process prior to class commencement in September.

Overview

This course is an excellent upskilling and portfolio course for students who wish to progress to either media or TV/film degrees or employment. Students gain highly practical skills in a range of techniques used in today’s TV and digital film industry. Areas covered include: drama, documentary news packages and single camera interviews. Graduates have received offers of direct entry to second year in the BA in Film and TV in IADT (National Film School), and offers of both second and third year advanced entry in the BA in Film Broadcasting in DKIT.

Entry Requirements

One of the following:

  • Relevant Level 5 QQI Award
  • Degree Graduates
  • For Mature applicants (aged 21 or over) - appropriate experience will be considered in lieu of formal qualifications. Note: Mature applicants may be entitled to VTOS funding. For details about VTOS, please contact the college.
  • Applicants whose first language is not English require level B1 competency on the CEFR language framework. Applicants may be required to undergo English language testing to establish their language competency.

Course Modules

  • Documentary Production
  • Scriptwriting for Film and Television Drama
  • Editing Practice and Techniques
  • Film and Digital Video Production
  • Research and Reporting for Digital Media
  • Television and Video Studio Production
  • Personal and Professional Development
  • Communications
Module Information

Module Information

Advanced Certificate in TV and Digital Film Production

Level 6 QQI Award: Film and Television Production (6M18519)

Course Content (Module Names and Codes)

 

 

Film and Digital Video Production (6N5428)

Explore the production techniques and work practices used in the Film and Television industries through hands on film production. This component provides an introduction to film making as a storytelling medium using film and/or digital media, and establishes fundamental technical and administrative competencies across key production crew specialities. A portfolio of work including an individual clip and a group short film will be produced to complete the course.  

Assessment:  Assignment (40%),  Project (60%).

 

Documentary Production (6N18514)

Explore the creative skills and processes used in the production of documentaries. This component will look at the evolution of the documentary form as well as allowing learners to develop in teams a short documentary piece from concept, proposal, taster, Pitch and Production.

Assessment:  Assignment (50%),  Project (50%).

 

Research and Reporting for Digital Media (6N5526)

This module is designed to equip the learner with the knowledge, skill and competence to research and produce news reports for digital media. The learner will explore the importance of research and supporting documentation required in production. To complete the module learners will produce both a news package and a single camera interview using professional, Electronic news gathering and Single camera interview techniques for assessment.  

Assessment:  Assignment (40%),  Project (60%).

 

Scriptwriting (6N18517)

Every film project needs a script. Luckily during Scriptwriting at level 5 you discovered that this a craft that can be learned.  Through writing practice and lively workshops you will grow your knowledge base, and further develop your personal writing style.  By the end of the course you will have written your own 10 minute short film script, and have developed and idea for a television series.  

Assessment:  Project (50%), Portfolio/Collection of Work (50%).

 

Editing Practice and Techniques (6N5427)

This component is intended to build on level 5 Film & TV Editing. We revisit the basics at the start of the course to ensure every learner is competent on AVID Media Composer. The aim is to further develop the knowledge, skill and competence for film & TV editing. Learners will through observation and practice, further develop their personal edit style using Avid Media Composer (as used in RTE, DIT and IADT amongst other locations), with a focus on Picture Pacing, Audio adjustment and Colour grading.

Assessment:  Portfolio/Collection of Work (60%), Project (40%).

 

Television and Video Studio Production (6N5945)

This module will empower participants to work independently or with others to formulate a range of viable practical or creative solutions for the production of television content. Learners will engage in a range of commonly used recording methods for studio production. A portfolio of studio work will be produced including: a studio insert, an electronic field production insert and a short studio magazine show.  

Assessment:  Assignment (100%).

 

Communications (6N1950)

Level 6 Communications builds on the knowledge and skills gained in level 5 Communications. The learner is facilitated to gain the knowledge and skills to exercise personal autonomy in communicating verbally and nonverbally. There is an emphasis on understanding the requirements of the workplace and using excellent communication skills to maximise participation in personal and vocational life.

Assessment:  Portfolio/Collection of Work (50%), Skills Demonstration (50%).

 

Personal and Professional Development (6N1949)

This is not life coaching! However it is an opportunity to take stock and to evaluate your personal and professional goals. Through humorous workshops, lively group discussions and practical exercises we will shine a light on the following techniques: Stress Management, Conflict Management, Managing Change, Decision Making, Goal Setting, Delegation and Team Working.

Assessment:  Portfolio/Collection of Work (50%), Skills Demonstration (50%).

Certification

  • Level 6 QQI Award Film and Television Production (6M18534)

Special Features

This is a very practical course where the student will develop a personal portfolio of work; structured and produced to television and video industry standards. Students will use professional digital cameras, editing techniques and practice using Avid Media Composer software. This course includes field reporting techniques with group trips to record material for news packages. Past trips have included: Commissioner of Irish Lights, IMMA, The DLR Lexicon and Eirtakon. 

Free full suite of Adobe Creative Cloud Software for all students on this course for one year to facilitate portfolio and assessment work.

All DFEi students are provided with an M365 account, which gives them access to the tools and resources needed to deliver assessment work while attending their course. M365 Apps include Word, PowerPoint, Excel, outlook and OneDrive.

Additional Information

Students will have an extensive portfolio from their course work in Television and Film, Scriptwriting. This portfolio may be used for application to the IADT and other Higher Education Institutes and Universities.

Assessment

Assessment techniques will be used to assess the knowledge and skills that students will have achieved on successful completion of modules:

  • Student Record
  • Collection of Work
  • Assignments
  • Project
  • Skills Demonstration

All assignments are submitted electronically.  Therefore all students need access to a device such as a computer/laptop.

A full major award is granted on passing the relevant eight components.  On successful completion of each component, you will be awarded a pass, a merit or a distinction grade. See www.qqi.ie for more details

Progression Opportunities

Although Level 6 is directed more at employment whereas Level 5 is the primary CAO route, Graduates are eligible to apply through the CAO and/or the Higher Education Links Scheme to a range of higher certificate and degree programmes, at Universities, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities using their full QQI Level 5 and Level 6 major awards. Places are not guaranteed and are subject to students meeting certain criteria. It is the students' responsibility to consult with the relevant HEI for information on the admissions process, especially if a student is looking for advanced entry into third level. Students may also refer to the QQI FET section of the CAO website. www.cao.ie

Examples of CAO progression routes are listed below.

Progression Examples

BA Film and Television Production (DK864)

Dundalk Institute of Technology - www.dkit.ie

BA Film and Broadcasting (TU983)

Technological University Dublin (City) - www.tud.ie

BA Media Production and Digital Arts (TU982)

Technological University Dublin (Tallaght) - www.tud.ie

BA Arts (MH101)

BA Media Studies (MH109)

BA Psychology (MH106)

Bachelor of Social Science (MH107)

Maynooth University - www.nuimaynooth.ie

BA Television Production  (DL844) - Advanced entry into 2nd Year consideration

BA Film Production (DL843) - Advanced entry into 2nd Year consideration

BA New Media Studies (DL837) - Advanced entry into 2nd Year consideration

IADT, Dún Laoghaire (National Film School) - www.iadt.ie

BA TV, Radio and New Media (MT812)  - Advanced entry into 2nd Year consideration

Munster Technological University (Kerry) - www.mtu.ie

BA Film and Television Production (DK864) - Advanced entry into 2nd Year consideration

Dundalk Institute of Technology - www.dkit.ie

Career Paths

Most graduates opt to advance to further studies, while others have gained direct employment with media broadcasters, film and TV companies and web content related employment.

Thank You

we will be in touch shortly

David Toolan

2015 DFEi Graduate. Freelance Film Producer. Clients include Virgin Media, Eir Sports and Macalla Teoranta.
"When I left school I wanted to get into TV. DFEi helped me prepare my portfolio and give me the that leg up. It was a great way to…

Read More

David Toolan

2015 DFEi Graduate. Freelance Film Producer. Clients include Virgin Media, Eir Sports and Macalla Teoranta.
"When I left school I wanted to get into TV. DFEi helped me prepare my portfolio and give me the that leg up. It was a great way to get used to all the video editing packages and understand how the industry operates.  The lectures were helpful and interesting and teachers very approachable." I graduated from IADT in 2019 and am now (2019) working as a freelance film producer. I have worked for Virgin Media, Eir Sports and Macalla Teoranta and have 3 short films that will be screened in upcoming film festivals. 

Course Coordinator

Laura Fryday

Laura Fryday

Thank You

we will be in touch shortly