New specialist documentary MA course targets would-be filmmakers

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The film studies department at Queen Mary, University of London , has launched a new course in documentary filmmaking in partnership with a working production company.

The Specialist Factual Documentary in Practice MA module in association with Mandrake Films will run for the first time in September with an intake of up to 20 students as part of the university's Film Studies MA.

While documentary and factual MA programmes are also run by UK universities including Brunel, the University of Central Lancashire and London College of Communications, Queen Mary is claiming a first with the new module's specialist focus.

Students on the 12-week course will be trained in producing science, history and current affairs programmes and will be paired up with academics at the university specialising in these areas to make short pilot films. A selection of the best pilots will be developed into longer documentaries for broadcast with the help of Mandrake. While the module is part of the Film Studies MA, it can be taken as a standalone course.

"Broadcasters have specified that they are increasingly looking for specialist factual and cross platform series, as this is the content that is economically sustainable, and increasingly popular, for them. Scientists and academics are increasingly under pressure to make public outreach a meaningful part of their research," says a description of the course, which is led by Athena Mandis, assistant technical director of the film studies department.

"This course combines the two, giving you specialist skills in filmmaking and tutoring in technical aspects of documentary making such as camera and editing."

The MA is aimed at people who have some experience of filmmaking or who want to change career and use their work experience to make documentaries, says a release from the university .

"This project will encourage real communication, and mutual inspiration, between university academics and programme makers, forge strong links between education and the media industry and find the presenting talent of the future," says Lucy Mandrake, director of Mandrake Films, in the release.