Every film goes through three stages; pre-production, production and post-production. Post Production is the rewarding creative activity that can make a good film or television programme great and if you choose to work as an editor, ultimately it’s your version that hits the screen. This is the final, and often most creative stage of the process.
The UK is a world leader for editors and Futureworks is a frontrunner in educating passionate dedicated students in the art of filmmaking. Working with award winning professionals on industry-standard equipment and the latest software, every student has the opportunity to realise their creative potential.
You will be working with various source materials, from Hollywood films, prime time TV, to footage you shoot yourself. Futureworks collaborates with producers throughout the country to get its students high class broadcast standard footage in a wide range of genres. In doing this our students replicate real programmes previously shown at the cinema and on TV, giving them a perfect grounding for life in the Post Production industry.
Upon graduation you will achieve not only a recognised degree qualification, but will also be equipped with a strong portfolio and showreel making you ready to hit the ground running on an exciting and fulfilling career.
This course, developed in consultation with industry, is designed to equip hard working and enthusiastic individuals with the skills to succeed as post production specialists with the ability to work as freelance editors or as part of a major production team.
The first year is the foundation of the course, introducing you to the building blocks of Post Production. Building on your first year, year two is essential in establishing a career focus and shaping your final year. In the final year of study, you will be completing a professional portfolio of work and will be focussing on an area of specialism in the field of Post Production.
Everything comes together in the honours project. Working with your course leader, you will come up with an idea that will become your final year project. This could be a narrative film, a short documentary, an academic dissertation – whatever it is, it will require you to utilise all the skills and abilities you have learned.
We want you to become a successful post-production artist. The course reflects the fact that the modern post-production role is so much more than just editing. It is about everything that comes before, and Futureworks with its film, TV and audio departments packed full of tutors and students who are passionate about their subjects, places you in the heart of a vibrant, knowledgeable and collaborative environment.
You will find yourself working closely with other students (such as VFX, filmmaking and audio students) on joint projects and learning from each other. It’s this outstanding integration that makes all Futureworks courses so vibrant - lots of creative and technical people all working together under one roof.
All our tutors have real world experience. Whether it’s feature film, TV documentary or corporate film experience, we only employ tutors who have worked in the industry, or in many cases, are still actively involved in real world projects. They are all professionals who have ‘been there’ and ‘done that’. These tutors also utilise their contacts as guest lecturers so the course content is always lively, exciting and highly relevant.
The links that Futureworks has with the industry mean that you will get the opportunity to work on live projects while you're a student. We don’t do work placements. Instead you will be working as part of a team on real life jobs – they could be TV ads, short documentaries, web content or even feature films. Our partner organisations are always handing us live briefs and if you want to be a part of them, the opportunity is there for you.
In fact, Futureworks students have recently completed their own full length feature film which was financed by Futureworks and a Kickstarter campaign. More than 50 students contributed to the project under the directorship of the course leader.
In the area of post-production this could be as a freelance editor or post-production artist. We help you make contacts and partnerships that could last the whole of your career. Whether that’s working with independent directors, becoming associated with film production companies or working for an agency or design consultancy, the aim is the same: to help you achieve your ambition of developing a post-production career.
In today’s film industry, many roles are carried out by trusted freelancers or teams of freelancers. Therefore, Futureworks prepares students by giving them everything they need to embark on a successful and long-term freelance career.
The final qualification for this programme is awarded by the University of Central Lancashire.
As a guide, 20 credits typically represents around 52 hours of tutor contact time (e.g. lectures/workshops/feedback) and 148 hours of self-study time (usually over the course of a semester). These numbers may increase or decrease depending on the nature, length and level of the module, especially towards the end of the course.
We want to do everything we can to prepare you for working within the creative industries, and this is reflected in the way we teach and assess you. The course is mostly coursework based, which means your tutors will be able to give you constant, constructive feedback. Presentation techniques will give you valuable experience of how to present your thoughts and ideas successfully and enthusiastically, so you are better at selling your ideas to prospective employers.
The written work is an important part of assessment and will improve your communication skills. A combination of lectures, tutorials, peer reviews, discussions and observations will ensure that you’re industry ready. External trips will present you with a wider range of topics and the opportunity to expand your portfolio, whilst guest speakers will help you to understand the world of games, how it works and how you can make your mark on it.
Your primary location of study will be at our Riverside Campus, which is located on New Bailey Street in Manchester. As part of your course, some of your lessons will take place at our Futureworks Studios facility located in MediaCityUK, a few miles from the city centre.
Futureworks recognises that the skills, competencies and contribution of its staff are vital to the delivery of high quality Higher Education. All programmes are managed by a dedicated Programme Leader and team of experienced tutors, and our excellent links with industry employers mean you'll have access to exciting guest lectures and fantastic opportunities to gain experience on real-world projects.
Admissions requirements, course content and delivery can be subject to change to enable Futureworks to deliver a better quality of educational experience. Applicants are encouraged to check information on our relevant course pages from time to time, particularly before submitting any application for their academic year of study.
Students on degree courses at Futureworks are required to attend lessons according to the course timetable. Futureworks operates a Student Engagement Policy which has been developed as part of Futureworks' commitment to providing a supportive learning environment which enables all students who have chosen to study with us to achieve their full potential. The full Engagement Policy can be downloaded here.
Students are expected to pay their tuition fees (whether via a student loan and/or direct payment) on-time and in accordance with their Finance Agreement. If you fail to make payments according to the agreed schedule you may be suspended from your course until any outstanding fees are paid.
Students are liable for 25% of the course fees when they enrol in Term 1 (and stay after the 2 week change of mind period). If students attend in Term 2 they are liable for 50% of the course fees, and 100% if they attend in Term 3. Students will have a 2 week period at the beginning of the course where they will not be liable for fees if they leave the University.
If a student needs to retake any modules part-time, there is an additional tuition fee of £1127.50 per 20 credit module.
For it's Higher Education courses, Futureworks operates a robust three-stage complaints procedure which incorporates both the University of Central Lancashire and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. The Complaints Procedure is intended to provide an accessible, fair and straightforward system which ensures an effective, prompt and appropriate response. The full procedure can be downloaded here.
As a provider of Higher Education, our commitment to you is important and we therefore need regulations, policies and codes of conduct, which are designed to protect and maintain both academic quality and your rights and responsibilities as Futureworks students.
You need to be aware of their existence and their relevance to you and your studies. Alongside this, you may also have other separate arrangements with external organisations, such as the Student Loans Company, which you will need to ensure that you fully understand.
UCLan's academic regulations ensure that all students are treated in a fair way – from the moment you are accepted on to a course, through to assessments and the qualification that you are awarded.
You can find out more about UCLan's general policy documents, which together form the student contract, the basis of the contractual relationship between you, Futureworks and the University, here.
'Unfair means' includes copying the work of others (plagiarism) and passing it off as your own, and other forms of cheating in assessments. The use of unfair means is taken very seriously by Futureworks, and if you are suspected of using unfair means, you could be subject to disciplinary action under the Futureworks disciplinary procedure which may jeopardise your status as a student.
You have the right to cancel and withdraw within 14-days from the date your contract with Futureworks is entered into (the day the you accepted our offer of a place on the course). To cancel your application, complete this form and return it to: Admissions, Futureworks, Riverside, Manchester, M3 5FS.
Fees for the 2017/18 academic year are £6,765 per year.
You may be eligible for a student loan to cover most of the cost of your fees. Click here to find out more about tuition fee loans.
Alternatively, call us on 0161 214 4600 and speak to our admissions team to find out more.