Admissions Q&A: School of Film and TV Arts

03 Jun 2020

01: What programmes are currently offered by XJTLU’s School of Film and TV Arts? What are the requirements for students?

The School offers three undergraduate degree programmes in the following: Filmmaking,Film and Television Production and Digital Media Arts. All of the programmes are a mix of theory and practice with a strong emphasis on the ‘doing’ and creation.

BA Filmmaking is a practice-based programme that fosters creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation. You will learn to make films both for the small screen and for cinema consumption. Your practice will include notions of the creative producer, directing for both documentaries and drama, storytelling, cinematography, sound design, and editing, as well as marketing films worldwide.

BA Film and Television Production is an intensive, practice-based, creative programme where you will produce innovative media content. Your practice will include documentaries and fiction, the craft of storytelling, the art of cinematography, sound design and editing.

BA Digital Media Arts is an intense practice-based, technology-driven programme where you will create digital assets for 21st century media consumption. Your practice will include post production, motion design, compositing, coding and visual effects (VFX).

School of Film and TV Arts welcomes students who are creative, interested and passionate in film and television production. It is hoped that the students can try more to find out their potentials and talents. The teachers of SoFTA will also give students professional guidance and advice to help them stimulate their potential and enable them to become excellent film and television production talents in the future.

02: What kind of a portfolio that School of Film and TV Arts is looking for?

The School is not looking for students to make and submit a film. The student who want to apply for the School of Film and TV Arts needs to be able to show that he/she is creative. Students can prepare works such as creative writing, poetry, painting, photography, design, etc. During the interview process, it’s more about students themselves to present and discuss their work. For example, if you took a group of photos, you have to talk through why you do this photograph and why you think that they work. A portfolio that student can generate very easily if you've already been involved in self thinking creatively. All we want to see is how you have been expressing your creativity.

03: When will the SoFTA’s new Building be put into use? What equipment are equipped?

The new building is expected to be officially put into use from September to October this year. Freshmen admitted this year will have the opportunity to learn and practice here. The building is equipped with a series of world-class, high-end equipment and will facilitate every stage of a developing creative’s journey from theory, idea development, planning, production, post-production and exhibition/screening. A complete one-stop-shop for the creative practitioner. There is also a small theater in the building, which can accommodate nearly 200 people, so that students can show their ideas and communicate with their classmates and instructors.

04: How about the faculty of XJTLU’s School of Film and TV Arts?

The faculty of School of Film and TV Arts come from the United States, Britain, Germany, South Africa, Argentina, China and other countries, forming an international team of multicultural integration. They have a professional academic background and also rich industry experience. Most of them have received honours in the international film, television and art fields.

Dr G.D. Jayalakshmi

Dr G.D. Jayalakshmi is an award-winning, experienced film-maker, educator and international film and media consultant whose career has spanned a wide range of programme making skills in film, television and digital media. She have worked for the BBC for eleven years, trained as an EAVE producer and she is a full voting member of BAFTA. A short documentary Going Home written, directed and produced by Dr G.D. Jayalakshmi has won Best Documentary Film and Best Travel Film at the 22nd season of the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, as well as the Award of Excellence at the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards. Click here to find out more...

Luciano Zubillaga

Luciano Zubillaga is a British-Argentine artist and scholar whose major works take the form of transdisciplinary research in the intersections of art, philosophy and technology with publicly engaged practice. He recently exhibited work at the Institute of Contemporary Art London ICA, Whitechapel Art Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art, Buenos Aires. His first feature film, Things to Come is based on a graphic music score and performed by German star Hanna Schygulla. In 2019, his latest film Succulent Humans #3 made its international premiere at the 57th Ann Arbor Film Festival in Michigan in the United States. Click here to find out more...

Arturo Smith

Arturo Smith, an international director of photography for more than two decades, has more than 20 feature-length films to his credit and has worked with directors including Spike Jonze and Michael Gondry. Arturo Smith served as executive producer and director of photography of the film Chateau Vato premiered at the Miami Film Festival in March this year. In addition to the Miami Film Festival, his work has been screened or nominated in international film festivals including Berlin, Sundance, Venice, Montreal, Cannes and Toronto. Click here to find out more...

05: Are there any 2+2 programmes in School of Film and TV Arts? What are the opportunities of practice and international exchange for students?

The School of Film and TV Arts currently do not have 2+2 programmes. Due to the practice-based learning, the School is committed to providing students with a variety of international cooperation opportunities.

During their junior and senior years, students will participate in film and television production projects, and have the opportunity to work with foreign production teams to learn and practice film and television production.

At the same time, the School of Film and TV Arts also provides students with the opportunity to participate in international film festivals, not only as participants to visit and study, but also have the opportunity to submit outstanding works to the film festival and to win awards.

In addition, the School of Film and TV Art is cooperating with China Cultural Media Group and other well-known enterprises, students will have the opportunity to participate in industrial projects, study relevant skills of film and television production, and accept the guidance from industry professionals.

06: What are the employment prospects for students of School of Film and TV Arts? What about graduate's destination?

The School of Film and TV Arts is a research and practice-led school that prepares graduates for careers as media professionals in the film and television sector.

BA Filmmaking: Graduates from this programme are well prepared for positions such as producer, director, screen writer, content producer, advertising creative, cinematographer, sound designer, post-production editor, and digital media entrepreneur. Graduates may pursue employment in a large media company, or be entrepreneurial and start up a company of their own.

BA Film and Television Production: Graduates will be well prepared for positions in a modern media landscape, including those of producer, director, writer, content creative for web and social media platforms, cinematographer, sound designer, post-production editor, advertising creative and digital media entrepreneur. Typically, graduates will either work in a large media company or start up a company of their own.

BA Digital Media Arts: Graduates from this programme will be well-prepared for positions such as Motion designer, content creative for Web, post-production editor, 2D/3D animator, concept designer, VFX artist, and digital media entrepreneur.

In 2020, the School of Film and Television Arts will have the first batch of undergraduate graduates, some of whom have been accepted by internationally renowned institutions such as the Royal College of Art, London University of the Arts, London College of Fashion, and the University of Edinburgh.

School of Film and TV Arts welcomes students with creativity and passion to practice creativity with us! For more information about admissions, welcome to contact us.

By XJTLU-Admissions

Trainslated and edited by Wenzhen Li

03 Jun 2020