Admission and Unit Information - Bachelor of Communication (Media Arts Production)

Approaches to Communication offers a wide range overview of major theories and models in communication and embraces a series of selected case studies of the emergence, impact and social shaping of different communication and media technologies through history and into the future.

This unit introduces students to forms and theories of writing as processes of communication. Students will work with processes of writing in creative, stylistic and rhetorical contexts. Students will be introduced to theories and practices of creativity, rhetorical analysis and human communication. Areas studied include writing as a communication technology, fiction writing, rhetorical and analytic approaches to writing, writing as affect and expression.

This unit will provide an introduction to film and media theories, practices and industries in Australia and internationally. It will develop critical skills in assessing a variety of moving images, modes of production and audience responses. It will explore ways in which changing media landscapes are impacting screen media.

In this unit students gain a grounding in the key areas of advertising and the steps in the advertising process, viz. research, strategy, creative (copywriting & art direction), production, account service, media planning and marketing communication. Students are also introduced to the issues surrounding advertising and its role in society.

This unit introduces students to processes of design. It examines how knowledges may be formed through visual design processes and how visual design reveals knowledges. It also introduces students to basic visual literacies, current design applications and production processes.

This unit aims to introduce the underlying rationale of the modern research process in professional communication settings including electronic database searches, critically reviewing research literature, data collection and analysis, writing the research report, and research ethics.

This unit introduces the student to the theory and research that serves as the foundation of the practice of public relations. The unit surveys the history of the discipline, the theories on which the discipline is based, and current models of practice. The unit focuses on understanding how to research and analyse the opinions of organisational publics in order to develop mutually beneficial relationships with those publics. The contemporary practice of public relations requires an understanding of a broad range of social science theory and research and the ability to incorporate that knowledge in the solution of public relations problems.

The unit introduces students to the field of journalism, the concept of news, the role of the journalist and the professional skills of news gathering and news writing. The unit also considers the legal and ethical obstacles and obligations faced by journalists.

This unit gives students a thorough understanding of the legal framework in which the communication industries operate and the ethical context of decision-making in the media professions. It covers the basics of contempt and defamation law; copyright; advertising; promotions and public relations; the legal framework for electronic communication using the internet and email; issues in the regulation and control of print, broadcast and electronic media and the professional codes of ethics that apply in all fields of communication practice.

This unit introduces students to the principles of screen and sound media in theory and practice. It has a strong emphasis on digital video and new media, yet it also aims to create an awareness of screen language and its role in the construction of meaning, culture and history by looking at key examples from classic films, to contemporary films, videos, documentaries, animation and video art. It introduces students to the main concepts in media production, filmmaking and sound, such as camera coverage, visual storytelling, genre, narrative, montage, or sound design. It also introduces students to basic editing software.

This unit introduces students to the video camera as the primary tool of video production and visual storytelling. It aims to create an awareness of screen language and its role in the construction of meaning, culture and history. Students will consider the significance of the means of production as part of this process. Students will develop thorough pre production and production work practices and be able document this creative process. Students will experience hands-on learning to gain technical and creative skills, in the production of an original project, supported by class workshops and exercises.

The convergences and diversifications in the communications media industries of the past two decades have completely altered the environment within which they operate for producers and consumers alike. Issues about digitalisation, convergence, globalisation, the network society and communications media governance require a complete reconceptualisation of the media in order to be able to understand the impact of these changes upon professional practices and consumer habits. This unit will introduce students to international perspectives on issues in the new media contexts, and an appreciation of some of the social and cultural implications.

This unit is a series of workshops designed to develop students’ skills in the principles of non-linear editing for digital video production. It aims to develop students’ appreciation for the art and craft of editing in visual and aural storytelling. Students are encouraged to explore a variety of editing styles and approaches to video footage and be capable of working within various genres and narrative structures. Students will also be exposed to current industry practice and emerging trends.

This unit provides an introduction to postproduction sound for film, television, video and multi-media production. Students learn to understand and analyse media soundtracks and through project-based assessment, develop the skills to implement post-production and sound design techniques.

Media images are not transparent windows on the world, or direct forms of communication, but are “framed” presentations that mirror social values and cultural attitudes. Media do not present reality directly but re-present aspects of “the real” in communicating about us and our world/s. This unit will examine how media do not just inform us, but persuade us, how they influence, educate and entertain us. It will develop skills in analysing and critiquing how the media can make us think, feel, react.

Practical workshops in advanced camera coverage and visual storytelling techniques for film, television and digital media. Additional skills in moving camera, lighting, screen performance, and location sound recording techniques for video camera. Through screen analysis and group discussions, students apply critical awareness to their own work, and contribute constructively to project development. The workshop provides an opportunity for students to develop original ideas for their own projects, for trial and experimentation with visual storytelling approaches. This can form the basis of their final work in Video Project, or a major video production that best represents their interests, skills and creativity.

The unit explores the art and technology of digital effects design as applied to digital video production, motion graphics and animation. The course provides students the opportunity to digitally manipulate a combination of source material into unified visual sequences integrated with sound. By doing so, students will examine and critique current styles and trends in the digital effects industry; consider the revolution these emerging technologies have had on the practice of digital media production, animation and time based design.

Researching Media Audiences (RMA) interrogates the changing nature of, and altered perspectives on, audiences and publics. Set in the context of emerging technologies of the self, the unit traverses media theory from the Frankfurt School to high-structuralist and postmodern approaches such as the ‘uses and gratification model’ and ‘ethnographic research’. Through an examination of mass audience, community, and markets, the unit also examines categories of public / audience consciousness and media typologies. There is reflection on news values and Australia’s regulatory framework for media is reviewed. As part of a broader consideration of active (rather than reactive) audiences, RMA investigates the formation and behaviour of ‘fandoms’ and the unit also reviews means and mechanisms for audience valuation.

Video Project will involve students intensively in the application of digital video techniques within a collective major project as their final assignment. Video Project is the culmination of prior learning in DV camera techniques, non-linear editing and sound. This unit allows students to produce a video piece that expresses original ideas, creativity and shows their level of expertise and skill to best advantage.

This unit provides students with the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge they are developing during their studies to tasks within a workplace (the host organisation). The unit is likely to involve substantial contact with the public through workplace placements and, for this reason, it is deemed a professional placement. The unit is restricted to students in their third year of study (or part time equivalent).

This unit introduces students to the common vocabulary of scriptwriting to examine the principles of script structure, characterisation and narrative. Students develop scriptwriting techniques through practical exercises and learn to write for production. Weekly topics include story concepts, building the story, characters, dialogue, genres, drama and comedy writing.