Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film, Screen and New Media)

Storytelling for screen is no longer restricted to big-budget cinema releases and television series commissioned by major networks.

The need for quality content across digital media delivery platforms such as subscription TV, mobile devices, internet, promotional campaigns and film festivals and events is leading to lucrative opportunities for multiskilled professionals to generate highly creative, captivating productions.

This course gives you a broad base of knowledge, skills and experiences to explore a wide range of career options within the film, television and digital media industries before specialising in an area of your choice.

Early in your degree you’ll build a broad base of knowledge, skills and experiences developing technical skills in directing, camera, editing and sound before specialising in an area of your choice.

As your studies continue you’ll gain experience in pitching your ideas, audience measurement and legal issues, with hands-on opportunities to develop your skills in producing, writing, editing, sound, cinematography or directing.

You’ll have the opportunity to work across genres and formats including documentary, drama, television and experimental film, and digital, web and mobile platforms.

This means you will be well prepared for your future career across established and emerging formats and applications.

If you are interested in producing you may find your niche as a creative entrepreneur, learning how to generate ideas and develop them into finished productions.

If your passion is cinematography, editing, sound or directing, you will develop your technical skills by producing high quality creative content.

Alternatively, you may wish to hone your skills in script-writing.

Domestic Students

Your course

To meet the course requirements of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film, Screen and New Media), you must complete the following:

• Two common units (KYB101 and KYB102) – 24 credit points
• Film, Screen and New Media major – 168 credit points
• Complementary studies – 48 credit points from the Situated Creative Practice Extension plus 48 credit points chosen from a minor or unit options (electives). 

Year 1

• Gain understanding of relevant cultural contexts for your work.
• Study styles and genres from film and television formats.
• Learn practical skills in writing and business.
• Develop technical skills in directing, camera, editing and sound.

Year 2

• Gain specialist skills in producing, writing, editing, cinematography, sound and directing.
• In producing, develop skills in film and screen ;production, and gain experience in pitching your ideas, audience measurement and legal issues.
• In the craft areas, work on sophisticated, broadcast-quality equipment including digital formats and multi-camera.
• In writing, develop knowledge of genre and further develop your writing skills including dialogue.
• Work collaboratively to create experimental productions, music clips, short productions or television programs.

Year 3

• Work as a member of a creative team on major productions.
• Build on and refine your knowledge and skills.
• As a specialist, work in teams on documentaries, dramas, television series or digital media content.
• For producing, learn project management and the multifaceted role of producer.
• For craft-based specialisations, experiment with broadcast-quality, digital and mobile formats.
• Opportunities to undertake internships.
• Showcase your work to industry.

Study overseas

Study overseas while earning credit towards your QUT creative industries degree with one of our worldwide exchange partners.

Overseas study can be for one or two semesters (or during the semester break) and the units you take can be in a creative or non-creative discipline area, depending on how they match with your QUT course. Saving your electives for exchange will allow you the most flexibility.

International Students

Your course

To meet the course requirements of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film, Screen and New Media), you must complete the following:

• Two common units (KYB101 and KYB102) – 24 credit points
• Film, Screen and New Media major – 168 credit points
• Complementary studies – 48 credit points from the Situated Creative Practice Extension plus 48 credit points chosen from a minor or unit options (electives). 

Year 1

• Gain understanding of relevant cultural contexts for your work.
• Study styles and genres from film and television formats.
• Learn practical skills in writing and business.
• Develop technical skills in directing, camera, editing and sound.

Year 2

• Gain specialist skills in producing, writing, editing, cinematography, sound and directing.
• In producing, develop skills in film and screen production, and gain experience in pitching your ideas, audience measurement and legal issues.
• In the craft areas, work on sophisticated, broadcast-quality equipment including digital formats and multi-camera.
• In writing, develop knowledge of genre and further develop your writing skills including dialogue.
• Work collaboratively to create experimental productions, music clips, short productions or television programs.

Year 3

• Work as a member of a creative team on major productions.
• Build on and refine your knowledge and skills.
• As a specialist, work in teams on documentaries, dramas, television series or digital media content.
• For producing, learn project management and the multifaceted role of producer.
• For craft-based specialisations, experiment with broadcast-quality, digital and mobile formats.
• Opportunities to undertake internships.
• Showcase your work to industry.

Study overseas

Study overseas while earning credit towards your QUT creative industries degree with one of our worldwide exchange partners.

Overseas study can be for one or two semesters (or during the semester break) and the units you take can be in a creative or non-creative discipline area, depending on how they match with your QUT course. Saving your electives for exchange will allow you the most flexibility.

Assumed knowledge

Before you start this course, we assume you have sound knowledge of the subject/s listed below. If you don't have the subject knowledge, you can still apply for the course but we encourage you to undertake bridging studies to gain the knowledge:

• English, or Literature, or English and Literature Extension, or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 & 4, C)

Offer guarantee

If you achieve an ATAR/selection rank of 93.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.

Advanced standing

If you have prior studies or work experience, you may be eligible for advanced standing (credit). You can apply for advanced standing once you've been accepted to QUT. If you're in your first semester of study, you must apply for advanced standing within 10 days of receiving your offer.

Deferment

Adjustments to your selection rank

Any adjustments you receive to your selection rank (or OP equivalent) will be applied to this course.

Find out if you’re eligible for an adjustment to your selection rank

Offers we made to school leavers in Semester 1, 2019

The scores listed in the tables below reflect the offers that were made to recent school leavers. If you are not a school leaver, take a look at the entry thresholds box at the top of this page to see the lowest adjusted scores required overall to receive an offer.

You can find out more about your fellow students’ backgrounds with this course’s student profile.

Other admission options

If you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you may be eligible for admission through our Centralised Assessment Selection Process (CASP).

Careers and outcomes(DOM,INT)

Graduates work in the film, television and screen industries in entry-level positions on film sets, for production companies or screen media outlets, and as freelance professionals. Career outcomes include cinematography, vision and sound editing, directing, script-writing, producing or production management. Those who specialise in producing may aspire to work in research, production management, script development and editing, or programming and scheduling for screen media outlets. There are many opportunities for graduates to start their own specialised business in the industry.

Our graduates have gone on to make films or programs that have won Oscars, Emmy, BAFTA, AACTA and IF awards. They have screened at prestigious festivals worldwide including Cannes, Tribeca, Berlinale, Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and Tropfest.

QUT graduates have worked on films such as The Martian, Hacksaw Ridge, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Doctor Strange, Burning Man, My Mistress, Harry Potter, The Wolverine, Quantum of Solace, The Great Gatsby, Les Misérables, Batman Returns, Battleshipand Total Recall.

Television programs include True Detective, Westworld, Hoff the Record, Secrets and Lies, The Night Manager, Battlebots, Australia’s Got Talent, Big Brother, MasterChef (USA), The Voice, X-Factor, Australian Story, Go Back To Where You Came From, SLiDE, and Absolutely Fabulous, The Thick of It, and Quick Cuts for BBC London.

Music videos include those for Powderfinger, Silverchair, Washington, and many others.

There are also pathways available for professional or research postgraduate studies.

Possible careers

• Advertising Professional
• Artist
• Director
• Film Composer
• Film/Television Producer
• Lighting Designer
• Lighting Technician
• Media Producer
• Multimedia Designer
• Post-production specialist
• Producer
• Scriptwriter
• Sound and Music Producer
• Technical Officer