*name change subject to approval

Film Studies at Trinity College is an exciting area of study. Along with our undergraduate Film Studies programme, there is a vibrant postgraduate and research culture. The M.Phil. in Film Studies plays a central role in that thriving postgraduate community offering students the opportunity to blend film theory, history and practice. Many of our graduates go on to further study at PhD level, and others pursue careers in the film industry, in film journalism, and other related areas in the arts and media. To apply for this course please see details below.

The M.Phil. in Film Studies at Trinity College Dublin is a unique opportunity to embark upon a detailed investigation into the intellectual currents and aesthetic concerns surrounding the study of film. From the outset, questions of history, theory and context combine with issues of close analysis and interpretation to provide a course that is both rigorous and rewarding. Optional introductory modules in screenwriting, creative documentary and editing allow students to balance film theory with practice. At every step of the way your progress will be informed by the continued emphasis on independent study and critical thinking. In addition, the course aims to develop the key transferable skills required for postgraduate study. These include dissertation preparation, time management, oral presentation, power-point presentation and other important computer skills, alongside the emphasis on independent critical thinking.

Important programme developments include:

• the addition of more practice-based elective modules;

• an enhanced interest in the study of the digital arts and humanities;

• the appointment of an internationally renowned Filmmaker-in-Residence (Lenny Abrahamson).

Location

The Department of Film Studies is located on the main campus of Trinity College in the heart of Dublin’s city centre. It is just a stroll away from the city’s major cultural attractions, including the Irish Film Institute, The Abbey and Gate Theatres, and the Temple Bar and Docklands areas

Duration

The M.Phil. in Film Studies is a one-year full-time course, running from late September to the beginning of the following September. Formal teaching and coursework will be completed by May, after which students will focus on their dissertations and need not be resident.

Admission

Candidates should have a good honours degree of upper second class (2.1) or above, or an equivalent qualification, in a related or relevant area. Applications should be made directly to the Graduate Admissions Office, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin, by 1st June 2011. Applications from serious candidates may be considered after this date.

To apply for this cours please click on the postgraduate courses link

 

Course Structure

The course consists of six taught modules and a dissertation module that includes research methodologies.

• Dissertation and Research Methodologies

This module prepares students for the formal processes of research and writing at M.Phil level. Classes will cover library use, archival skills, electronic resources, use of Endnote, research skills, note taking, writing and oral presentation and power-point techniques. Students will write a dissertation of approximately 15,000 words on an approved topic to be supervised by an appropriate member of staff.

Taught modules:

• Aesthetics of Digital Cinema

This course traces the history of the development of the digital image with specific reference to its application to filmmaking. We will look at the analogue origins of the digital image and discuss the aesthetic implications of the shift to digital film. Further we will discuss developing models of criticism and their application to the digital cinematic image. We will be drawing examples from Western (Hollywood, Danish, British) cinemas and non-Western (Iranian) cinemas as well as from other outputs, such as YouTube.

• Cinema and Ireland

This course will explore the history of Irish cinema from the 1930s to the present. It will also cover such areas as state film production policies, film censorship, and the history of Irish film distribution and exhibition. In addition, it will trace how British and American cinemas have represented Ireland and the Irish, and it will examine representations of political violence, history, gender and the cinema of the Celtic Tiger years, while also focusing on Ireland’s two most prominent auteurs, Neil Jordan and Jim Sheridan.

• Current Trends in American Cinema

This module will seek to present an in-depth examination of the period of upheaval in American cinema from the late-sixties through to the present day. This era, during the emergence of 'New Hollywood', saw shifts in the conception, production and reception of film in the United States, as the industry atomised and American audiences demanded a new cinematic experience. The course will address key changes in film at this time through an assessment of foreign and domestic artistic influences, developments in the studio system, the rise of new directorial and industry forces, and the mainstreaming of marginal productions, as well as broad scale cultural shifts. 

• Current Trends in European Cinema

This course will look at and examine the changes taking place in cinema in Europe in the latter part of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first. This was a period that saw enormous transformation throughout the continent - both East and West – when the post World War II political dispensation collapsed and Cold War divisions crumbled. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent overthrow of the remaining Stalinist regimes in Eastern & Central Europe, the emergence of the European Union as a transnational political entity in 1992, and the globalisation of the world economy all impacted on the way in which films were made and the type of themes they explored and topics they tackled.

• Cult Cinema

This module will examine a number of films that have earned 'cult status' for a variety of reasons. It will pay particular attention to the ways in which these films have circulated in popular and academic discourses, and the various attempts to identify 'cult' qualities and qualifying practices.

• Melodrama

This module will consider a wide range of variations on the melodramatic mode, including examples from early cinema, classical Hollywood cinema, as well as current American and European cinema.

 

Practice Based Elective Modules

• Editing

This module will introduce students to the craft of editing, giving students an understanding of the essential technical and creative skills involved: how a scene is assembled and seamlessly put together, cutting dialogue, creating tension and drama using editing, using pacing, editing to rhythm, cutting to music and beats. It will also provide students with a through knowledge of the editing software, Final Cut Express, covering all aspects of the software, from capture and system-settings, editing tools and shortcuts, to effects, transitions and colour correction. The overall aim is to give students the knowledge, tools and confidence to complete their own work to a professional standard.

• Creative Documentary Practice

The aim of this module is expose students to the possibilities of creative documentary film making with a strong emphasis on learning thorough practical application. The module will take a critical look at current practices in the genre with an emphasis both on the techniques of documentary filmmaking and the practicalities of how films are made.

• Screenwriting

This module will introduce students to the techniques and conventions of screenwriting. Class exercises will involve the analysis of screenplays and short films, and the course will cover both the conventional three-act structure and other models of screenwriting.

Please note: all modules are subject to change and/or availability

 

Guest Lecturers and Workshops

Talks from visiting academics and film practitioners are regular aspects of the M.Phil. programme. These enhance the core learning experience by providing a variety of perspectives along with practical advice regarding working in the film industry.

Students are encouraged also to attend the School of Drama, Film and Music Postgraduate Research Seminar, a weekly forum for the presentation of current research by School staff, PhD students, and visiting lecturers. The Research Seminar is held in the Arts Technology and Research Laboratory, a cutting-edge facility dedicated to postgraduate research.

Assessment

Assessment is by a combination of coursework and dissertation:

• Six module essays of 3,000-4,000 words each (or equivalent practice-based assessments). Total ECTS: 60

• Dissertation of approximately 12,000-15,000 words and Research Methodologies assessment. Total ECTS: 30

Postgraduate Diploma

A Postgraduate Diploma in Film Theory and History may be awarded in certain circumstances on the basis of coursework alone (60 ECTS). Entry is the same as for the M.Phil. programme.

Filmmaker-in-residence: Lenny Abrahamson

Lenny Abrahamson was a Foundation Scholar and Gold Medalist here at Trinity College. He has gone on to national and international success with his short and feature filmmaking and his work for television. His award winning films include: 3 Joes (1991);, Adam and Paul (2004), Garage (2007), and Prosperity (a series of four one-hour films for television) (2007).

Lenny Abrahamson will carry out a series of workshops for M.Phil. students during the year. These will include talks on working in the film and television industry, workshops on visual analysis, on Irish cinema, and on techniques of short filmmaking.

Staff

Kevin Rockett, D.Phil, FTCD, is Associate Professor in Film Studies and is the author or co-author of a number of books on Irish cinema and the cinemas of the Irish diaspora. His research interests include Irish film history, film censorship, and pre-cinema visual culture.

Ruth Barton is the author of a number of books and articles on Irish cinema and international stardom. Her research interests include national cinemas, diaspora studies and performance studies. She is a regular contributor to RTE Radio's Arena and to other arts programmes and documentaries.

Paula Quigley is Director of the M.Phil. in Film Theory and History. She has written on a variety of topics in film studies, including film theory, film style, and aspects of European and American cinemas. Her research interests include film theory and philosophy, film and gender, aspects of European and American cinemas.

Fees

Please check the Treasurer’s Office for the summary of postgraduate degree fees.

Enquiries:

Course admissions and applications

The Graduate Admissions Office
Trinity College
Dublin 2
Ireland.
Telephone: +353 (0)1 896 2182
Fax: (00 353 1) 671 2821
E-mail: gradinfo@tcd.ie

 

Course content and structure

Dr. Paula Quigley,
School of Drama, Film and Music, Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College Dublin.
Email: pquigley@tcd.ie
Tel: (00 353 1) 896 3512