Film Studies and Production

Film studies and production is a discipline that takes seriously both the art of making films and the critical and intellectual frameworks needed to understand what films are and what they do. The two are more deeply connected than they might appear: becoming a more thoughtful maker requires being a better analyst of how films work, and the study of film culture, history, and theory gives production practice a depth that purely technical training cannot provide. The discipline draws on aesthetics, cultural studies, media theory, and history to examine film as both an art form and a social practice.

At Queen's University Belfast this three-year full-time programme gives you a blend of advanced filmmaking and critical thinking. On the production side, you will develop knowledge and skills in digital production, screenwriting, directing, cinematography, sound design, and editing, working with broadcast-quality facilities in the Film Studio and using high-definition cameras, lighting and grip kits, and offline and online editing suites for location and post-production work. Screenings and classes take place in the cinemas of the Queen's Film Theatre, connecting your academic study directly to a living exhibition culture.

On the studies side, you will engage with film and screen cultures and industries from a critical and historical perspective, developing the analytical vocabulary and theoretical grounding to write and think about film with rigour.

Graduates of film studies and production programmes find careers across the screen industries and beyond. Directing, producing, editing, cinematography, sound design, screenwriting, and production management are the most direct creative paths, alongside roles in distribution, exhibition, and broadcast. The critical and analytical skills developed through the studies component are valued in journalism, arts administration, media education, and commissioning roles.

Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in film production, screen studies, or creative writing for screen, or develop independent filmmaking careers alongside other professional work.