FAQs

1. What are the chances of getting a job in the Media Industry, if I come on this course?

From our experience:

Some of our students get work in the industry before they graduate (see our Alumni page for some examples); Amy Jones, a 2nd Year Media Production student, after working (paid) on To Provide All People (BBC/VOX production), had so impressed the Director, Pip Broughton, that Amy was offered an immediate year-long contract to work for VOX on their next production, so she took a gap year to take the post.

UPDATE 2022: Amy's is currently Assistant Production Coordinator at URBAN MYTH FILMS LTD

Tom Dix also worked on To Provide All People, before graduating in 2018 he secured a full-time post with Gorilla Post Production.

UPDATE 2022: Tom progressed on from Gorilla to be accepted onto the ScreenSkills scheme to train up as a 1st Assistant Director, with placements on high-end dramas. He is currently working with the BBC as a Researcher.

The bigger picture:

10.5K Enterprises in the creative industries in Wales

6,200 in the Cardiff Capital region - 4,700 in Cardiff City

Annual turnover of £4.2 Billion – £2 Billion within the city of Cardiff

Several of the largest Film studios in the UK is based in Cardiff

"The UK is set to overtake Germany in becoming Europe’s biggest entertainment and media market in the coming years.

According to PwC’s latest Global Entertainment & Media (E&M) Outlook 2022-2026, revenue in this space is expected to reach £83bn this year, with a growth forecast of four per cent per annum over the next four years. By 2026, revenue is expected to hit £97bn."

Global Entertainment & Media (E&M) Outlook 2022-2026

Before graduating a number of our USW Media Production BA (Hons) students regularly secure PAID work in the broadcast television and film industry.

Please see our Alumni section for their stories and updates on their progress.

In a nutshell, no-one can guarantee you a job but if you engage fully with the course, take up as many of the extra-curricular opportunities that we offer as you can (see Question 2), and are pro-active in chasing opportunities for yourself, then your chances are very good, even before you graduate.

Not forgetting that you would be studying in Cardiff, one of the UK’s major Television and media industry centres, from where dramas such as Sherlock, Dr Who, Casualty, Stella, Gavin & Stacey, Born to Kill, Safe House, Journeys End, Decline and Fall, His Dark Materials, A Discovery of Witches, have been produced.

And not only are there the major Bad Wolf, Pinewood, BBC and ITV studios in Cardiff –

“there is now an independent TV production industry [in Cardiff] of over 600 firms, providing jobs for close to 6,000 people contributing £350 million to the local economy”.

2. Do we provide work experience?

Working to ‘live’ briefs with external clients, under the supervision of your tutors, is built into a number of your modules across the three years of your course, in order to fully prepare you for working independently, professionally, and intuitively, with clients.

There are also a number of work experience opportunities that are offered to our department by Media Industry employers, and external clients, throughout each year, which we pass on to our students via email, Facebook etc.

These have included working on Dr Who, Sex Education, Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, The Big Question, X Ray, Crime watch, TedX; at studios like Bad Wolf and Pinewood, for major production companies such as the BBC, Netflix and Channel Four and independent productions for Rhod Gilbert, VOX, Amplified Business Content, Jolene Films, and more.

3. Is there a Dissertation in the final year?

No. There is a Cultural Context – Research Project:

Research Project: Submission of an audio and/or visual research portfolio addressing a clearly identified aspect of media production theory or practice, that interests the student.

OR

Written Report: Submission of a properly referenced text on a clearly identified aspect of media production theory or practice that interests the student: 4500 words

Summary: 10 minute Presentation illustrating how the findings of their written report or AV Research Project will impact on the student’s involvement in their Major Project/s

4. What is the amount of written work?

If you look at the Overview page you can see that the majority of your modules are practical.

The practical modules do not require written evaluations, instead each practical module requires that teams set-up Online Production Portfolios where each team member can collate pre-production and production material relevant to their production role; in this way your tutors can assess each team member separately, making group work fairer and allowing you to review your input into the production verbally, during screenings, referring to the content in your part of the portfolio.

There are Scriptwriting modules in the 1st and 2nd Year.

There is one contextual research module in each year (Yr1 requires an essay, Yrs 2 & 3 there is a Practical option, so you don’t have to write an essay) which does require some writing but these assignments inform and support your practical work – Research is also, very often, a first step into working in TV and radio, so these are very transferable, relevant skills.

5. How many days a week will I be timetabled for?

Three Days.

However, you are required to undertake Self-Directed, Independent Study for the majority of the rest of your week, outside of timetabled sessions.

6. What is it like living in Student Halls?

7. Can I study abroad during my USW MP degree?

Yes. We have student exchange agreements with universities in the US, Canada and Europe.

8. What is an Open Day at USW like?

9. How can I find out more about the Course/University and Apply?

Go here: http://www.southwales.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-media-production/

For more vlogs by our students, go here: USW Student Vloggers