Film Studies MA

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

University of Sussex

Program Overview

The MA Filmmaking at Sussex combines hands-on production, screenwriting, and documentary training to help you build a strong, creative film portfolio. It’s ideal for students who want to direct, write, produce, or edit — especially if you’re excited about collaborating across disciplines and using both traditional cinematic techniques and emerging digital formats.

Curriculum Structure

In the first term, you’ll take core modules like Documentary Filmmaking: approaches and practices and Fiction Filmmaking: directing and visualisation, helping you understand both the theory and craft of film production.
In the spring term, you choose from optional modules such as Collaborative Fiction Film Project, Short Documentary: Research and Production, Writing for the Screen, and even Podcasting or Photography: Documentary, Landscape, Politics — letting you tailor your studies to your creative interests.
By the end of the course, you complete a Final Filmmaking Project, either in documentary form or fiction, giving you a tangible, professional piece of work to showcase in your showreel.

Focus Areas

Documentary and fiction production; screenwriting; visual storytelling; collaboration; creative portfolio development.

Learning Outcomes

You will gain creative and technical filmmaking skills, develop a versatile film portfolio (including at least two short films), and build a showreel that demonstrates your ability to tell compelling stories across formats.

Professional Alignment

This MA is well aligned with careers in the film and media industries — you’ll graduate ready for roles such as director, scriptwriter, producer, editor, cinematographer, or sound recordist, with a professional-standard reel to back your talent.

Reputation / Employability

Research Strengths: Sussex is ranked 8th in the UK for research outputs in Communications, Cultural and Media Studies (REF 2021).
Graduate Destinations: Graduates have moved into roles in TV, film production, and creative media, such as production assistant, events manager, or campaign/project coordinator.
Career Support: The university provides tailored careers help, including one-to-one consultations, entrepreneurship initiatives (like StartUp Sussex), and advice on screening your work at festivals or via other platforms.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Sussex, this MA is designed so that you don’t just learn about film — you make it. You’ll train on real professional equipment, collaborate with peers on creative projects, and build a strong portfolio. The university’s technical facilities are available 24/7, giving you the flexibility and space to experiment, produce, and refine your work with real-world tools and support.

Here’s how experiential learning happens in this MA:

Industry-grade production facilities: You get 24-hour access to cutting-edge production facilities.
Fully equipped film & photography studio: There’s a dedicated film studio with lighting rigs, grip gear, dollies, jibs, green-screens, black curtains, and full set-build capability.
Professional equipment pool: Through the equipment store, you can borrow high-quality video cameras, cinematic lighting, tripods, rigs, microphones, and even Wacom tablets and computing kits.
Post-production labs: There are seven dedicated editing booths, plus editing workshops and an audio-visual finishing suite.
Software & voice-over studios: You’ll work on dual-monitor iMacs loaded with Adobe Creative Cloud (including Premiere Pro), and have access to voice studios with condenser mics, channel strips, and audio interfaces for narration or radio-style work.
VR & maker spaces: You can use a VR suite (for virtual reality / 3D scanning) and a Maker Space with 3D printing and soldering facilities — enabling you to experiment with immersive or interactive media.
Mac and PC labs: There are computer labs for editing, research, and your written work, so you can switch between creative production and academic reflection.
Digital & photography print studio: For creating physical outputs, the print suite lets you produce high-quality photographic or design materials.
Practical modules & projects: Core modules include Documentary Filmmaking and Fiction Filmmaking (directing & visualisation).
Final project / showreel: You complete a Final Filmmaking Project (either documentary or fiction) as part of your MA — by the end, you’ll have produced at least two short films and built a professional showreel.
Paid client projects: Through the Careers and Entrepreneurship team, there are paid project opportunities with UK organisations, giving you real-world experience working to a brief.
Masterclasses & industry exposure: You’ll attend masterclasses led by award-winning filmmakers and industry professionals, blending artistic learning with professional insight.
Career support: Sussex’s Careers team helps you refine your showreel, target film festivals, online platforms, or broadcast opportunities, and plan your career in roles like directing, producing, scriptwriting, cinematography, sound, and editing.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from the MA Filmmaking at Sussex are well-equipped for creative leadership and production roles in the film and screen industries. Typical career paths include film director, producer, scriptwriter, cinematographer, editor, and sound recordist.

Here’s how Sussex supports you — and why this programme is a strong stepping stone into the creative and media industries:

University Support & Services
- The Faculty Careers Consultant gives you one-to-one coaching to define your career goals, refine your CV, and prepare for interviews
- Sussex’s Careers and Entrepreneurship Team helps you turn your creative ideas into real projects through StartUp Sussex and the Ideas Lab. There are paid project opportunities built into the course: students work with real UK-based organisations to tackle practical filmmaking / media-industry challenges.
Employment Roles & Graduate Outcomes
- By the end of the course, you’ll have made at least two short films and built a showreel, which is extremely helpful when applying for creative roles.
- The programme gives you guidance on screening your work — whether at film festivals, independent screenings, broadcast, or online — helping you to build a visible creative profile.
- Sussex lists specific roles that alumni have taken on: scriptwriter, producer, director, editor, sound recordist, cinematographer.
- Recent graduates have gone into: events manager (Old Tree), production assistant (Twenty Twenty TV), and projects & campaigns coordinator (Long Run Works)
University–Industry / Cultural Partnerships
- The course combines theory and practice — you study documentary, screenwriting, and fictional filmmaking, which broadens your creative and professional network.You gain access to industry-grade production facilities, with 24-hour access, giving you real hands-on experience.
- You benefit from masterclasses with award-winning filmmakers and experienced practitioners, helping you build professional relationships.
Long-Term / Accreditation Value
- Sussex is research-strong in media and communications: their Communications, Cultural and Media Studies outputs are ranked 8th in the UK (REF 2021).
- The practical + theoretical mix makes this MA valuable for both creative industry careers and academic progression, giving you flexibility in your long-term path.
- Building a showreel, completing professional-standard projects, and working with industry-standard equipment — all of this makes your CV stand out in a competitive market.
Graduation Outcomes
- On graduation, you will have: two short films + a showreel, giving you portfolio work you can show to potential employers or collaborators.
- You’ll also have experience working on real-world commission-style projects, which teaches you project management, collaboration, client communication, and production skills.
- With that, you emerge ready for production roles, creative development, or even independent filmmaking — with a concrete body of work to back you.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this MA, you could:

Apply for a PhD in Film / Media Production, focusing on filmmaking theory, documentary practice, or production studies.
Work as a research assistant or teaching assistant in university departments, contributing to teaching or research in film and media.
Explore fellowships or funded residencies (in filmmaking, media labs, or creative organisations) to develop larger-scale projects.
Or continue hands-on creative work: start your own independent production company or pursue contract / freelance roles in the film industry, leveraging your portfolio + contacts from Sussex.