Films Tools and a Meta-Narrative Vocabulary (11138.1)

Please note these are the 2026 details for this unit
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Films Tools and a Meta-Narrative Vocabulary
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
School Of Arts And Communications Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905)
With great power comes great responsibility... in this unit students are introduced to the hardware and software of film production. But they are not just releasing their inner tech-head, before we can deliver a data set to a post-production workflow we must consider how best to serve needs of the story.

In a series of workshops, seminars and screenings students will work in groups as they investigate and apply the theory and practice of cinematography, film-editing and sound.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Effectively and safely engage with digital cinema cameras, and film lighting equipment;
2. Analyse cinematographic productions for technique and story content; and
3. Use technical knowledge to analyse a screenplay for logistics and story and develop strategies to support both.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology


Skills development

As students of the University of Canberra, you will develop your critical thinking skills, your ability to solve complex problems, your ability to work with others, your confidence to learn independently, your written communication skills, your spoken communication skills and a variety of discipline related work skills.



Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 03 February 2025 On-campus Dr David Spencer
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 16 February 2026 On-campus Dr David Spencer
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

There is no compulsory set text, but students will find

Brown, Blain. 

Cinematography: theory and practice: image making for cinematographers and directors. Taylor & Francis

         both fascinating and useful

 

 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Extensions will only be given for substantial medical or similar unexpexted reasons. Workload pressures from other units, or outside employment, are not valid reasons for an extension.  If an extension is given work  must be submitted by the extension date. Work submitted after the agreed extension date will be assessed as late.

 

 

Special assessment requirements

Safety requirements for production in this unit:

No filming in or around vehicles. This includes stationary vehicles.

No weapons. This includes toy or replica weapons, projectiles and knives of any description.

No filming on or around edges e.g. beyond the safety barriers on a bridge or balcony, on the edge of a cliff, next to a precipice of any description.

No explosions or pyrotechnics, this includes all fireworks, bonfires or anything with flames.

All shots tripod shots.

Grades will be significantly impacted for any assignments that do not comply with the safety requirements.
 

 

Artificial intelligence

Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit.

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:

  1. the Unit Convener has authorised GenAI use for that assessment

  2. the student uses GenAI in the way that the assessment instructions allow

  3. the student fully acknowledges their use of GenAI, with proper citations, references and a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in line with the assessment instructions.

Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not permitted for that assessment. Students must still provide the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement to indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment. If unsure, students should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

The GenAI for Students Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

The biggest indicator of success for this unit and, indeed, all units within the Film Production degree, is engagement - attending lectures and workshops, and completing exercises with groups.

Inclusion and engagement

Reasonable Adjustment Plans will be taken account of in relation to assignment submission upon receipt of an emailed request from the student.

Participation requirements

Participation in classes is not compulsory, but as stated, engagement in the unit is pivotal for success in it.

In-class exercises should be the subject of reflection in the assessment item Journal of film project and roles.

Groups for Shoot and edit portfolio exercises will be announced in weekly lectures.

Required IT skills

It is anticipated students taking this unit often have prior editing experience, however help will be provided where this is not the case.

In-unit costs

none

Work placement, internships or practicums

none

Next step

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