Plan de Estudios
Bachelor's degree in Filmmaking

Journey through the history of art, cinema and TV from its origins to the current digital context, with an emphasis on the cultural, social and economic impact of cinema and the film's relationship to the other artistic disciplines. Phases, schools, styles, titles, directors, major films, advances in cinema and television from their originis to the end of World War II.

Studies and analysis of different practices and audiovisual aesthetic currents, developed from the 70s/80s of the last century to the present. Development of an analytical and critical praxis of contemporary visual culture and acquisition of conceptual tools to carry out theoretical research and design audiovisual projects based on an aesthetic and theoretical point of view.

Introduction to the elements of film editing. Use of space, time, rhythm, transitions between shots, different logics of material editing and assembly, etc. Use of video editing tools for basic audio and video editing and post-production.

Introduction to the film script with a focus on creation, creative writing and thinking, and to the theoretical tools to understand the construction of the script, and analysis and study of classic and contemporary film scripts.

This course works on the awareness of the expressive tools of each artistic discipline, and the ability to create and dialogue. Students manage their own creative project through to its completion, with teamwork, leadership and by relinquishing individual vision in favour of the result of the project, search for an individual and collective languaje, ethical values, shared responsabilities, creative freedom, critical thought and self-criticism.

Application of the narrative techniques of film language: morphology, grammar and expressive signs. The figure of the film director and his/her holistic vision of the arts to make the elements of mise-en-scene work together: planning, actors, lighting, scenery, colour, sound, music, etc.

Processes, techniques and technologies for live sound recording in film and music concepts related to film narrative.

Control of light and colour, image capture and lighting techniques, the language of the camera lens and framing, etc. Introduction to the use of tools and expressive resources in the creation of a cinematographic imagen, and the work of the camera and photgraphy department in the day-to-day running of an audiovisual production.

Introduction to the phases of the production process, from the development of the idea to the distribution and presentation of the film piece. The new models of film production in national and international markets: legal aspects, needs and obligations.

Introduction to the film script with and emphasis on creation, writing and creative thinking, and the theoretical tools to understand the construction of the script, and the analysis and study of classic and contemporary film scripts.

Expansion and international consolidation of cinema as art and entertainment with the codification of genres, the expansion of realism and the exhaustion of Hollywood's golden age, the arrival of modernity and symbolism, new stylistic currents, changes in production, technological advances, the impact and influence of TV on fiction and the generational change in North America. The digitalization and democratization of cinema.

Dialogue between film and other artistic disciplines to delve into new poetics and contemporary forms of creation where the audiovisual coexists with the scenic, the performative and the experimental.

Development of competencies in a modern language that are helpful in studying other disciplines and favor communication.

Conceptualization of the audiovisual work from the director's point of view, providing him/her with the tools to work on style and coherent staging, the specific syntax of the various film genres and other narrative and non-fiction forms, as well as to direct actors/actresses in the tonal context of the work.

Relationship of the photography and camera direction department with other departments during the work processes. Variables in the capture of the image depending on the configuration of the camera. Referents and photographic styles of cinematography. Camera movements and filming styles. Safety and health prevention in filming. Lighting design of an indoor ou outdoor scene.

Introduction to the art direction of cinematographic works to understand the work of the art department from a technical and aesthetic perspective.

In-depth study of the elements of a screenplay from a primarily practical methodology. Students will learn the technique of screenwriting from beginning to end, i.e. from the generation of an original idea through to the final version.

Knowledge of the audiovisual market and skills to be able to operate in different scenarios.

In-depth study of the narrative, aesthetic and semiotic qualities of film editing, from the laws of classical continuity and the principles of intellectual editing to deconstruction and new formulations of postmodern cinema. Practice of editing and introduction to digital composition from the knowledge and application of technological tools.

Introduction to the concepts and technological tools applied in sound postproduction for audiovisual works.

Preparation, shooting and postproduction of a short audiovisual work, applying the characteristic codes of the different cinematographic styles and/or designing a mise-en-scène and shot composition coherent with the narrative, achieving a stylized and credible piece. Rotation of trades in the different departments.

Decomposition and deconstruction of cinema and its constituent elements through a selective and/or scientific approach, respecting the precept of “description”; followed by the study of the relationships that emerge between those isolated elements, comparing them to relevant sources and texts. Lastly, the reconstruction of a work through “interpretation”, extracting a total or partial meaning from it.

Proposal, development and creation of a non-fiction and authorial audiovisual piece in accordance with the specific codes of its format and argued in an accompanying research report. Preparation, principal photography and postproduction of a short fiction piece, demonstrating the specific competencies of each department and profession, contributing to the creation of a mise-en-scène and syntax that are coherent with the narrative, to achieve a piece that is stylized but believable. To that end, students will work in the different roles of the Production, Scriptwriting, Directing, Photography and Camera, Sound, Art Direction, Editing and Postproduction departments.

The workings of the audiovisual industry. The filmmaker as entrepreneur. Marketing in the audiovisual sector. Techniques of entrepreneurship. Business initiative. The strategic plan and definition of business opportunities. Methodology for creating a business plan.

This course teaches students to write a treatment of a full-length film or television pilot in accordance with the creative, narrative and structural processes of a dramatic audiovisual work.

Identification, analysis and creation of dramaturgical processes in different contemporary forms and artistic stories from an interdisciplinary perspective, with staging as a starting point.

Development of the functions specific to film directing, in particular point of view, conceptualization of the ethical and artistic discourse of the work, construction of the audiovisual praxis, style and mise-en-scène, and leadership in all phases of production.

Major acting tools and methods, and techniques and work processes in preproduction and filming.

Immersion in non-fiction film, in particular the narratives of creative documentary in its different forms: essay, observational, experimental and self-reflexive.

Comprehensive understanding of the preproduction and filming processes, organization and leadership of all its processes, the paperwork that establishes the workflow and communication between departments, and the execution of the director’s vision with particular attention to logistics, optimization of resources, sustainability and health on set.

A critical look at filmmakers who simultaneously developed editing practice and theory, fostering in students a capacity for this type of self-feedback.

Understanding of production design as a set of interrelated disciplines that facilitate the establishment of a diegesis through the construction of physical settings and the creation of filmic atmospheres in support of the narrative.

Translation of a screenplay into financial, functional and organizational terms for a film or audiovisual production led by the transversal figure of Production Director, who determines how the project will be executed, using minimal and indispensable resources and optimizing time and budget.

Overview of the different phases in the distribution of an audiovisual work, learning how to develop strategies for sales, marketing, communications, promotion and exhibition.

Across-the-board control of the phases of film production, through the drafting of scheduling paperwork, breakdowns, production plans, and optimization of resources allocated to the budget and handling of the financial aspects of the project.

Immersion into different television formats and programs, from the perspective of production and design.

Management of material, logistical and human resources in a stage production, finding a balance between artistic and administrative aspects and the specific tools that are all involved in a live stage production.

Audiovisual production from a legal perspective, with an emphasis on the acquisition of competencies related to audiovisual media law, from the moment of creation of a work to its dissemination in the market.

This course introduces students to the procedures involved in creating a business in the audiovisual sector, and how to structure and operate them, through different business models.

Analysis of the function of color in moving images, its psychology and emotional, aesthetic and conceptual use in an audiovisual work.

Creative immersion into Composition/VFX for film, through a knowledge of applied technology, tools, plug-ins and work processes.

Conceptual approach to the aesthetic and narrative values of sound in the conception of an artistic and/or cinematic work.

Sound design for audiovisual projects, engaging the technical knowledge of the creative possibilities of sound editing and mixing tools.

Introduction to the fundamentals of acoustics and electronics in relation to the generation and spread of sound, knowledge that is essential to the capture, register, treatment and reproduction of sound. Analysis of the range of audio systems and techniques. Advanced sound capture techniques that provide optimum results, allowing the postproduction department to give the work a professional finish.

Theory and practice of editing, with a focus on the use of editing software and application of technical, artistic and narrative knowledge to editing audiovisual works in different formats and genres, recreating the premises and conditions of professional environments.

Assistant editing processes and protocols, with a more in-depth study of the tools of the major editing software programs and procedures to coordinate workflows in postproduction.

Specialized knowledge of the concepts and instruments of cinematography: sensitometry, photometry, photocolorimetry, use of light engineering instruments, lighting setups, etc.

Main professions, procedures and protocols of the camera department: professional digital cameras, gripwork, film lenses, camera operator, camera assistant.

The workings of a lighting and grip department, through the applied knowledge of electricity, light sources and grip equipment.

The keys to working in fiction and non-fiction television photography and lighting, understanding the characteristics and requirements of each format.

Analysis and practice of the job of Digital Image Technician: digital cameras, lenses and cameras in HDTV, digital film, DIT station.

The symbolic, narrative and emotional function of color in moving images, and introduction to photography after filming.

In-depth analysis of the new audiovisual languages of the 21st century, with particular attention to Nordic, East-European, Asian, Latin American and Spanish film.

Attendance to artistic, cultural, student and cooperation events of the school, and artistic entrepreneurship.

The purpose of business internships, as specified in RD 592/2014, is to obtain practical experience that helps towards insertion in the labor market and raises the future employability of students, contributing to their full education and training, and providing them with knowledge of the work methodologies in the field of cinematography and improving the development of technical, methodological, personal and participatory methodologies.
In this context, students will work at companies linked to the audiovisual industry, where they will experience how they work, taking on various tasks and responsibilities.
The internships will be assigned according to students’ interests, suitability and availability.

In the undergraduate thesis project, students produce an individual, original, and autonomous work under the guidance of a professor, in which they apply and development the knowledge and skills they have acquired in their Degree.

An understanding and interpretation of film in all its dimensions (social, commercial, artistic, narrative, aesthetic…) and the ability to objectively assess audiovisual works.

Television fiction series design, in accordance with contemporary creative parameters, to develop a sales dossier and screenplay for a pilot episode.

This course will focus on new conceptual tools in the development of a director’s artistic persona, and sensitization towards new trends in independent and auteur film.

Concepts, techniques and processes of advertising film from the perspective of the director/producer.

Nature, characteristics and expressive functions of music for its use in film narratives as an element to communicate emotion and tone; the creative tools of the composer.

Presentation of cinema as a cultural asset within the framework of the entertainment industry and understanding of production within that process and through the figure of the Executive Producer, his/her work in search of capital and financial resources, through traditional and alternative channels of financing.

Introduction to cultural management. In-depth look into cultural sectors. Types of audience. Film festivals. Cinema, museums and art centers. Film and tourism. Transmedia projects. Cultural communication. Budget and sources of financing. Public administration and management.

Understanding the unifying nature of image, sound, music and visual effects through postproduction, and the sense of the full project in the final phase of production, in pursuit of a balance between creativity and respecting the established budget and schedule.

Production processes for television series, from the creation and sale of the project through to its premiere on platforms or other windows of exploitation.

Software: the work environment, processes and tools. VFX conceptualization and design for advertising. Provision of technical advice during filming. 3D composition and creation of backgrounds.

Animation software work environment. Creation of objects. Mograph and effectors. Materials, lights and cameras. Rendering. Modeling a character. UV Layout and bodypaint. Sculpting. Introduction to character rigging and to the principles of animation. Camera projection and matte painting. Motion tracking. Creation and movement of hair, fabrics and particles.

In-depth study of the languages and forms of fiction and non-fiction cinema, contemporary trends in audiovisual media and the various serial narrative structures from the perspective of editing.

The phases of music production. The studio recording session. Types of microphones used specifically for each instrument. Individual and ensemble instrumental recording. Recording voices. General concepts of music composition and arrangements. MIDI systems and sequencers.

In-depth study of the concepts of cinematography and development of artistic and leadership capacities.

Exposure in digital film. Advanced digital camera theory and practice. Advanced optics. Camera assistants. Cameramen. Composition and framing. Advanced filtering in camera. Advanced camera techniques

Conception of the advertisement image and its specific workflows, for both still photography and the moving image.

Lighting design for virtual spaces and advanced virtual lighting setups that are applicable in a real environment.

Immersion into the technical, narrative and creative processes of postproduction photography.