MA

Wildlife Documentary Production

3 good reasons to study Wildlife Documentary Production at Salford:

Enhance your career prospects in wildlife video and film production
Masterclass series with eminent practitioners
Develop creative and technical skills in producing wildlife documentary films based on scientific understanding of wildlife behaviour.

You will make a number of wildlife films through research, scriptwriting and production, throughout the duration of the course. The course is delivered through lectures, team-based projects, and case studies. Visiting external professionals with links to the television industry will contribute to the teaching in masterclasses. There is an extensive programme of field trips, including individual and group projects to a range of different habitats. You will work on a range of specialist techniques including long-lens and time-lapse photography, alongside close-up sound recording. We put emphasis on professional practice with project outcomes meeting scientific scrutiny, and both exhibition and broadcast standards.

Course details

This course aims to develop skills in video production applied to wildlife alongside a scientific understanding of animal behaviour, biodiversity, ecology and environment.

Semester 1

Creative Development Project

You will select two specialist production areas from the pool of producing, directing, camera, editing and sound, in liaison with the programme leader. You will then take part in workshops in which you develop your documentary production skills. Part of this module includes the production of a minor project in which you partake in one of your specialist roles.

Wildlife Biology, Ecology and Behaviour

You will gain a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to the study of the biology, ecology and behaviour of wildlife species as relevant to wildlife documentary production and a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge of the biology, ecology and behaviour of wildlife.

Semester 2

Advanced Production Skills

In contrast with the production skills workshop in semester one, this module will specifically enhance your knowledge of, and skills in, the specialised techniques of production. You will therefore deal with specialised elements such as long-lens photography, time-lapse photography, macro-photography, high-speed photography, specialised close-up sound recording and advanced post production techniques.

Wildlife Research Skills

This module looks at a range of research and practical skills needed for the preparation of a wildlife documentary production. Through a combination of lectures, seminars, exercises and projects, you will deal with issues around wildlife law, the logistics of organising field trips and the challenges of organising a film production. You will also be taken through all the key areas that link science to production, including the communication skills necessary to facilitate the appropriate dialogue between scientist and filmmaker.

Semester 3

MA practice Research Project

Building on research carried out in the Wildlife Research Skills module, you will carry out further research, script, produce and complete a 10-20 minute wildlife film, bringing together all your accumulated knowledge and experience. You will be guided by a supervisor.

Course Enquiries

For course enquiries please call us on:

T: +44 (0) 161 295 4545

Or Email us at:

Home/EU students
E: enquiries@salford.ac.uk

International students
E: international@salford.ac.uk