Programme Structure

This course is designed to immerse students in all aspects of digital filmmaking. Students will generate ideas and develop them into shooting scripts. They will then learn to do pre-production work and execute the production using digital audio-visual medium as a form of expression. During production, students will learn the basics of directing, acting, cinematography, lighting, audio recording, art direction, and simple post-production techniques, etc.

However, the emphasis of this introductory course will be placed on visual storytelling (i.e., non-verbal). By the end of the semester, students should be able to do cinematic storytelling using film language adopted by classical cinema.

The aim of this course is to equip students’ skill set for digital content production in a multi-camera studio environment, and to enhance students’ critical responsibilities as required for the complex task of digital content production including but not limited to virtual production. The course prepares students for teamwork, on-site problem solving, efficient decision making, merging AI with virtual production as well as understanding production design and its related audio-visual elements including lighting and sound capturing. The course will be conducted in a multi-camera studio workshop that provides intensive hands-on experience in technology-facilitated environment. Students gain extensive operation and production experience by producing weekly assignment with comprehensive evaluations of their work by the instructors.

This course aims at providing the knowledge needed for both technical and non-technical oriented students to express themselves as directors or screenwriters in visual terms. Students will learn to appreciate the art and the practical use of cinematography in filmmaking. Students of director and screenwriter will be trained to incorporate cinematic apparatus in their creative works to different extends according to their technical orientation. For non-technical oriented student, more emphasis will be placed on the analytical appreciation and application of the art and craft.

This course aims to explore what documentary film - as a film genre in the 21^st century – is. Historical development of different film modes/styles of documentary will be studied. Ethical, philosophical, and practical issues of documentary filmmaking will be dealt with.

By the end of the course the students are expected to understand the historical development of documentary film, analyse its distinct cinematic modes and models, discuss important issues in the study of documentary film. 

This course serves as an advanced introduction to the discipline of film studies. Emphasis will be placed on learning rudiments of film art, form, style, and history. Highlights include basic film elements, early and modern art cinema, classical Hollywood cinema, national cinemas, counter-cinema, non-Western cinema such as Third World filmmaking, and non-fiction film practices such as avant-garde and documentary film. By the end of the course, the student is expected to understand the history of cinema as a formal, artistic, industrial, cultural, and political entity.

This course is an intensive foray into writing, blending key pre-production planning techniques with the application of AI technology at every stage. Students will embark on a creative odyssey that encompasses everything from the initial spark of an idea to the completion of a script. The class will delve into how films convey complex human issues through their narratives, including story, plot, characters, and audio-visual elements.

Throughout the course, an emphasis will be placed on the fundamentals of film narrative and the components of drama, with thorough analysis and review. With the aid of AI tools, students will engage in a series of writing assignments designed to deepen their understanding of narrative constructs such as story arc, plot structure, character development, action sequencing, continuity, pacing, ellipses, and dialogue.

Moreover, the course will explore how AI can be leveraged not only in the writing process but also in expediting pre-production planning. Students will learn how to employ AI tools effectively to refine their scripts and enhance the efficiency of planning stages, thereby gaining practical skills applicable to contemporary film production workflows.

This course explores the intersection of cutting-edge AI technologies and their role in shaping film, television, and new media. Students will delve into the historical evolution of AI and project its future trajectories within the media landscape. Additionally, the course addresses the ethical considerations surrounding AI in creative contexts. The course culminates with a practical component, where students will apply the latest AI tools to craft their own short AI-generated narrative films or animated content.

This advanced course delves into the intricacies of digital film post-production, with a special focus on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creative process. Students will explore both theoretical and aesthetic concepts and engage in practical tasks that foster a comprehensive understanding of post-production workflows, including the application of AI tools. Key topics will be enriched with AI perspectives, covering color grading and correction, frame reconstruction, visual effects, and sound design. Participants will develop professional skills through the innovative use of industry-standard software, technology, and AI algorithms, which will be applied to support lecture content and hands-on exercises, equipping students with cutting-edge competencies for the evolving landscape of film post-production.

The course aims to equip students with a profound understanding of visual structure, which is the fundamental language of picture-making, yet frequently overlooked or misapplied. Objectives include mastering the basic visual components—space, line, shape, colour, tone, movement, and rhythm—and understanding how these elements interplay with narrative structure to evoke emotion, establish a visual style, and ensure cohesion in their work. By controlling these visual components, students will learn to captivate an audience and seamlessly link story to visual presentation. The principles taught in this class are versatile, applicable across various formats such as film, television, online media, and computer games, and adaptable to live-action, traditional, or computer-generated animation. This class is designed to contextualize visual concepts within practical production settings, bridging the theoretical with the practical, for a comprehensive understanding of visual storytelling.

This course is a continuation of CTV7101 and focuses on advancing students’ ability to produce films in both technical and creative aspects. Students will develop new ideas for a shooting script and execute the production using various forms of expression. While narrative film and classical cinema are the dominant force, students are also encouraged to explore and experiment with other forms of filmmaking in this course.

However, along with production, students will be exposed to the fundamentals of film aesthetics so that an MFA student will also possess basic understanding of film literacy, especially in its Form and Style. Equipped with both technical and aesthetic knowledge, students will be able to differentiate themselves from a mere industry practitioner. This training will eventually help them towards becoming an artist or auteur.

This advanced studio workshop provides the background knowledge, theory, and instruction of practical skills that are required for producing television programs of professional standard. The course aims to help students explore useful information about the technical, logistical, and aesthetic aspects of television production. It will enable each student to understand that any thorough preparation is necessary for an effective production. In due course, the students will gradually benefit from a heightened sense of awareness of pursuing harmonious collaboration within the television production team. Emphasis will be placed on the production of format television programmes of popular TV genres. The students will be trained in the areas of pre-production, planning, organization, and execution of a multi-camera program under time-constrained studio conditions. 

This is an intensive writing course. It explores the principles of different dramatic forms. Issues in comparative drama, media aesthetics and adaptation will also be discussed. Through different writing assignments, basic narrative elements of story, plot, character, action, continuity, rhythm, ellipses, and dialogue will be thoroughly reviewed. 

The students will undergo the creative process of a full-length script and share with fellow scriptwriters all the fear and joy of creation. The teacher will be more of a facilitator than an instructor. The emphasis will be on the originality, aesthetics, and creative integrity. In terms of creative elements, this semester will emphasize building up characterisations.

Creativity is a habit, a choice. This course is a balance between survey of creativity and the practices of the enhancement of creativity. The first part is a seminar of several contemporary texts on Creativity. The students conduct the discussions themselves. The second part is Creative Activity. This workshop stresses spontaneity, improvisation, participation, and most important of all, open-mindedness. The in-class activities includes: Creative problem solving, brainstorming, mind-mapping and drawing from the right side of the brain, free-writing, role-play, etc.

This course introduces students to essential theories of comedy, so they can apply them in discussions of a variety of genres, plays, films, jokes, comics, etc. The students will select several cases to conduct in-depth studies. The creation and writing of comedy will be the major activity of the second half of the class. 

This class examines the director’s responsibilities in preparing pre-shooting script breakdowns and working on the set. Students gain hands-on experience in advanced production techniques, with the emphasis on pre-production planning, storyboarding, camera positioning/movement and lighting, audio, and post-production. Students develop and produce original short-subject film/TV that applies the principles learned through lectures, film screenings, and from guest speakers. 

Defining the central role of the director in the realization of a documentary, this course seeks to give students a firm theoretical grasp of the principles and practices of shooting and editing film/video documentaries. Students conceptualize, research, write, shoot, and edit their own productions. A series of lectures and discussions explore various visual and audio elements of documentary. Analytical sessions exploring documentary films are combined with workshops for the presentation and discussion of student work in progress at specific stages. 

This advanced course is specifically crafted for final year students selecting documentary film as their final year project (FYP). This course aims to refine their storytelling skills and develop a distinctive creative voice. Covering all facets from pre-production to distribution, it immerses students in the complexities of documentary filmmaking. The program equips them with the necessary technical expertise and critical thinking to produce a 30-minute documentary that not only demonstrates their technical prowess but also showcases their ability to engage with social issues thoughtfully. Upon completion, students will be well-prepared to deliver a documentary FYP that resonates with audiences and adds meaningful discourse to the documentary community.

An advanced workshop giving special attention to directing. This workshop provides guidance and study through all the steps a director follows. Students will utilize skills and concepts developed in Dramatic Film/TV Production. Coursework is designed to provide students with a workshop opportunity to refine their skills through the production of a series of individual/group narrative film projects, in which each student has an opportunity to direct, shoot, record, and edit. Advanced aesthetic principles of editing and sound design are examined through all forms of classic and current film and TV media. Lectures are supplemented by film screenings and simulated shooting situations. 

This course juxtaposes the creative process of script writing with the discussions of the film texts of significant films from various genres and cultures. The creative process from idea generation to script writing will be introduced. The students will discuss how the film expresses issues concerning humanity with its story, plot, characters, and audio-visual elements. The fundamentals of filmic narrative and elements of drama will be thoroughly reviewed. 

This course aims at providing structured training in writing and directing for contemporary motion picture formats, namely feature films, TV dramas, “webisodes” and “micro movies”, etc. Through lectures and hands-on exercises, students will be able to identify the needed ingredients of a popular (commercially successful) narrative work. They will be able to apply that knowledge in their personal creative work. Students will learn to analyse a screenplay; break down the action beats; and treat the material with cinematic pacing in mind. Students will be more familiar with the production protocols and the film industry in general. Through in-class practices they will be able to handle professional actors and pull out better performance from nonprofessional talent as well through audition and rehearsal. As the camera and imaging is the essential of motion pictures, use of camera and visual elements in general will be addressed throughout the course. Writing students will benefit from this course’s analysis of “great” scripts and directing approaches.

This course aims to broaden the students’ scope of digital media in the areas of cinematic applications, art and designs, and equips them with knowledge of digital media culture. It will also help the students discover more of their creative potential when they are encouraged, guided and inspired to make use of digital media. While familiarizing with the media as expressive and narrative tools, the students will also get used to the latest models of software and understand the emerging trends in relation to the most influential global advancement of digital technology.

This production course revolves around the innovative uses of graphics and sound in creating ventures for time-based multimedia output. It engages students in creative multimedia productions with authoring digital applications of industry standard. Imagery processing tools and basic animation techniques will be taught. Students will be guided to focus on project designs in the areas of motion graphics and animation to meet the needs of the fast-changing industry of the digital age. Students will also be required to put learning into practice by applying their production management know-how in their course work. 

This is an introductory course on acting techniques. Training in acting begins with basic techniques such as imitation, imagination, and observation. The second part of the course will focus on the Stanislavski system, and the psychological approach in acting will be introduced. Students will be engaged in role-playing in various scenes, and will be able to communicate with each other in the creative process of acting and role development.

This course examines the art and techniques of creating visual effects for broadcast, webcast, and filmmaking. It covers a wide range of topics including visual-effects workflow, digital technology, image processing, creating mattes, motion tracking, realistic compositing, and motion graphics. It also aims to groom the students as professionals to meet the industry standards. Therefore, the students are required to observe the commercial and business procedures while planning and creating special effects. Masterpieces and inspirational state-of-the-art works will be presented and discussed.  

This is an intensive writing workshop. After the introductory lectures, all students will be divided into groups. Each group will work together as a team and subsequently prepare a drama series proposal to be presented in class. Fundamental issues of drama series writing will be taught in class while the students will reflect on, discuss, and share their creative projects. Each student will participate as a team member and contribute a part of the write-up for the group project. A final project will be assessed both individually and as a term-end production.

This course will be offered flexibly to enhance student learning in film, television and digital media studies so as to meet timely needs of the students. Bringing in industry professionals and experts locally, nationally or internationally, it aims to inspire the students and train them in a wide range of crafts for career preparation and creative work finishing. Students can enroll in this course multiple times under different subtitles.

This course will be offered flexibly to enhance student learning in film, television and digital media studies so as to meet timely needs of the students. Bringing in industry professionals and experts locally, nationally or internationally, it aims to inspire the students and train them in a wide range of crafts for career preparation and creative work finishing. Students can enroll in this course multiple times under different subtitles.

This course aims to help students achieve a deeper understanding of the creative potential of sound in media. Based on practical exercises, the course offers a structured practical introduction to the skills and disciplines of film sound recording, post-production, and in-depth familiarization with the recording and editing of digital audio. Students will master the skills of recording, editing and mixing for film, television and internet by working on assigned projects, combining all ADR, Foley, Dialog, and Effects elements in the composite soundtrack.

This course will help students understand the basic principles and theories of advertising, the scope and limits of persuasive communication, the basic technical knowhow of promotional film production. Students will learn about the theories and components in the process of persuasive communication, the differences between various types of promotional films, creativity versus effectiveness, and specific techniques in commercial production. At the end of this course, students should be able to create a promotional film from concept to final product.

Students will explore the unique challenges encountered by video game writers and discover how the craft of game writing differs from traditional storytelling, evolving into a distinct art form. They will gain insight into leveraging the medium to craft immersive, engaging, and impactful narrative experiences for players. Additionally, this course will provide students with an understanding of the growing opportunities within the game industry for writers.  

This seminar aims to establish a firm foundation of business and management skills for specialized career training in the media industry. The roles and skills of a media producer are examined, and the proper procedures for production management from project initiation to completion are analysed in detail.

This seminar looks at the textual and institutional features of Chinese cinemas, including those from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China. Close studies of their conventions and innovative developments will be emphasized. With regard to some trend-setting movements and films, students will be prompted to investigate, discuss and analyse a wide range of issues. Class discussion will revolve around the differences and similarities of the industries, audiences, auteur styles, and cultural politics. Some essential topics on the New Wave movements of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China will be given special attention.

This course is designed to acquaint students with contemporary film theory and criticism. It has two focuses. The first is to survey film theory and criticism chronologically, from the post-war period to the full-fledged development of film studies in the late 1970s. The second focus is to guide students through the application of key theories and critical tools in film studies. Various methods of film analysis and criticism will be discussed in detail, including realism, auteur criticism, ideology, cine-modernism, third world cinema and third cinema, psychoanalysis, feminist film criticism, postmodernism, and Orientalism. 

The course explores the relationship of Hong Kong media, with emphasis on cinema and television, to globalization. Starting from its social-historical context, where its impact on both Asian and other regions will be thoroughly examined, the course will then focus on the processes and patterns of the changes in Hong Kong film and television industry against the major trend of globalization in the 1990s.  

This course is designed as an introduction to the latest media development in the East Asian region, with a focus on trade, marketization, branding, distribution, and new modes of exhibition. In addition to lectures on the background and history of East Asian cinema, guests from the Asian media industry will be invited to share their work and experiences with advanced students, which will be followed by relevant discussions on major issues of Asian Media. The relationship between politics, aesthetics, technology, and the media market will be investigated through various current cases. 

This team-taught course will introduce students to the critical issues and works of contemporary art and their impact on western and world culture. Students will be required to analysed works produced during the recent movements of futurism, constructivism, modernism, and postmodernism and explore the relationships among form, process, perception, and intention through the artists’ works. 

Art practitioners and scholars will be invited to conduct the course to share their insight on art and humanity. At the same time, they will discuss with students who share their reading, watching, listening experiences of and reflections on selected great works of humanity. The first few weeks would be conducted as lectures. The nature of great works and their insights on the human condition will be discussed. In the remaining weeks, students will make presentations; Epics, Dramas, Novels, Poetry, Non-fictions, Paintings, Calligraphies, Music, Architectures, Gardens, Cites, Cultural Artefacts, and other significant human creations may all be included. Issues of life’s mystery, its origin, meaning, and finality as well as cruelty of the plain fact of humanity and reality will be discussed.

This course will examine an array of alternative films and new art forms evolved from or related to cinema.  It aims to raise students’ creative and critical faculties through screening and studying inspiring and/or outraging films they rarely have a chance to see. Through systematic reviews of three major types of alternative cinema (experimental, cult, and exploitation films), this course questions traditional aesthetics and mores. It will also explore how film morphs and functions in video art, new media, and the Internet.  The students will be required to watch many films and some related masterpieces of media arts. They will be engaged in critical inquiry of these creative works after completing reading assignments. The course looks to broaden the students’ vista and enable them to talk about influential works of film and media art in a more open and critical way.

The course aims to enlighten the students in the area of film aesthetics with contemporary insights, traditional values, and interdisciplinary cultural perspectives. It looks at the screen relationship between film and other art forms such as architecture, multi-media installation, costume design, theatrical performance, painting, sculpture, photography, music, etc. It posits film as a relatively younger art form that used to pose a challenge to the other arts. Nowadays, film remains as a vibrant medium that continues to raise anew socio-cultural issues.

Each student will be guided to understand film art in the context of changes through history and contemporary challenges for a new way to reread film culture. During this course, students will be invited to consider questions of aesthetics, form, style, time and narrative, screen space and spectacle, representation, the relationship between art and reality, etc. Through lectures, case studies, experiential learning activities and interactive surveys, each student will be prompted to investigate, discuss and share their theoretical propositions as well as personal creative portfolios.

This course will be offered flexibly to enhance student learning in film, television, and digital media studies so as to meet timely needs of the students. Bringing in scholars and experts locally, nationally or internationally, it aims to inspire the students with a wide range of topics. Students can enroll in this course multiple times under different subtitles.

Film and literature are two vastly different forms of media and artistic creations. Yet, they often intertwine, influence and nourish one another. This course sets its foundation on theories in humanities and the dual perspectives of sensibility and rational analysis, in order to reflect on both film and literature. This course explores the close relationship of film and literature through appreciating and critiquing their various representations and impacts. By studying Asian and international films and literary works, students will understand the nature of films and literature, as well as the diverse forms of creations from different regions and of different creative media. The goal of this course is to enhance students’ appreciation and interpretation of the aesthetics and art, enrich their creative thinking and vision.

The teaching method of this course is interactive, with frequent discussions between the lecturer and students. Apart from lectures, students are required to create a short film script (around ten minutes) by adapting a great literary short story as one of the assignments. The goal is to apply theories to systematically narrate the artistic and creative depth of the literary work. Students will be able to apply the knowledge they learn in their personal creative work.

This course will be offered flexibly to enhance student learning in film, television, and digital media studies so as to meet timely needs of the students. Bringing in scholars and experts locally, nationally or internationally, it aims to inspire the students with a wide range of topics. Students can enroll in this course multiple times under different subtitles.

This seminar series explores the expertise and professionalism of the Television and New Media industry in the Chinese speaking regions. It is designed to allow the students to share their opinions, experiences, and reflections on television and new platforms, with the major professionals in the industry invited. Controversial issues of media culture, programming battle, market competition; audience reception, new technology, and transnational-co-production are discussed.

Self-motivated students may enrol in this course with a plan of independent project for the benefit of their professional development. Each student may explore any issue in the form of theoretical inquiry or creative production in any area of film and digital media studies. Under the supervision of a faculty member, the student will be required to develop and materialize the plan of study. As soon as each project commences, the student will need to clarify the project aims and objectives, schedules, and the number of contact hours with the faculty (at least one meeting every two weeks is required). This course may be available once every semester.

Students are encouraged to undertake professional internship during their study. The aim is to help them find out their strength and weakness, learn and apply working experience in real-world industry setting, realize their responsibility as a team member, and communicate with other people in a real working situation.