KPB324 Advanced Screen Production Contexts

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit examines the broader context in which screen content is produced in relation to policies and practices that support the screen production sector in Australia. This includes film, television, streaming, and online video production. Students will focus on specific government policies, production initiatives, markets, producers or platforms to identify production and / or distribution opportunities. Students will develop a project proposal targeting specific initiatives or responding to government policies, and create a proof of concept, prototype or other short form screen production. 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Identify and evaluate key policies and initiatives shaping Australian screen content and representation of cultural identity on screen.
2. Develop critical reflective techniques for the contextualisation of personal and professional screen production practice.
3. Evaluate and apply information and theories from a variety of scholarly and industry sources to develop a project proposal targeting a specific screen production context or opportunity.
4. Demonstrate technical proficiency and creative problem solving to the development of a prototype or proof of concept.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit is delivered through an integrated series of lectures and tutorials, involving formal presentations, discussion and application of screen production practices. Key concepts and approaches will be introduced and illustrated in formal lectures, supplemented with discussion in weekly tutorials that will also be directed at deeper understanding of content and supporting student work-in-progress on assessment tasks. Students will work individually and in groups and will be required to work outside of class time to develop their screen project.  

Please be advised that this unit may include the presentation and scholarly analysis of material and subject matters that may be considered confronting, such as certain representations of race, class, gender and violence. QUT counselling support is available should you feel the need to avail yourself of these services.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive formative feedback on your progress in this unit during class and informally via ongoing discussions throughout the semester. Your contribution to the unit will be considered in terms of teamwork; ethical and collaborative behaviour; engaged and reflective participation; and demonstrated understanding of contemporary screen policies and initiatives.

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessments for this unit. The first is an individual oral presentation worth 30%. The second is a creative work worth 40%. The third is a project distribution and marketing proposal (30%). The presentation requires you to conduct research to identify and evaluate screen production policies, initiatives, or other industry opportunities that align to your aspirations as a creative practitioner. The second assessment requires you to work collaboratively and demonstrate initiative and integrity in the process of developing and making a creative prototype. The distribution and marketing proposal requires you to work individually to develop a strategy to market and release this creative work to a specified audience. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

You will deliver an oral presentation that connects screen production policies, initiatives or markets with your aspirations as a creative practitioner within a specific production context. Your presentation should clearly outline the challenges the screen policy or initiative is attempting to address and the opportunity it provides to create more inclusive and diverse screen stories. Clearly locate yourself within the production context including the production role to which you aspire and the responsibilities associated with that role. 

This is an authentic assessment because filmmakers are often required to identify and respond to development or funding opportunities. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Creative Work

Develop a prototype or proof of concept screen work to respond to screen policies or initiatives. You are required to demonstrate ethical judgement and respect for cultural and social differences throughout the project. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Project Proposal

Develop a distribution and marketing proposal that positions your screen work within a specific market or professional development opportunity and identifies and targets an audience.  

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages (CIESJ Tier 1 HSE requirement). 

You will be advised if you are required to complete a Tier 2 CIESJ Health and Safety Induction which is provided by the technician on site in the theatre, workshop or studio, or a Tier 3 CIESJ Health and Safety Induction which is a hands on induction on specific machinery.

Costs

KPB324 may require student contributions to the production costs of collaborative project work.

Cost varies depending on the nature of the production project and may include such things as: additional equipment and materials (e.g. computer storage drives) not already provided for by QUT; travel to locations and accommodation; art direction, costumes and makeup; music composition and copyright clearances; payment for actors; and catering. 

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Collins, F. Landman, J. and Bye, S. (eds), 2019, A Companion to Australian Cinema, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.

Davis T (2017) Australian indigenous screen in the 2000s: crossing into the mainstream. In: MD Ryan and B Goldsmith (eds) Australian Screen in the 2000s. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 231–259.

Lotz A (2022) Netflix and Streaming Video: The Business of Subscriber-Funded Video on Demand. London: Polity.

Lotz, A. and Potter, A. 2022, ‘Effective cultural policy in the 21st century: challenges and strategies from Australian television’. International Journal of Cultural Policy, vol. 28, no. 6, pp. 684–96.

McWilliam, Kelly and Ryan, Mark David (Eds.). (2021). Australian Genre Film. New York and London: Routledge. 

Reference book(s)

Danks, A, Kunze, P, & Gaunson, S (eds) 2018, American-Australian Cinema: Transnational Connections. Palgrave Macmillan, United Kingdom.

Safety and protective equipment

Enclosed footwear must be worn on set and on location.

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information. 

Where substantial computer-based work is required, you are recommended to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work, and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury. 

Every project is different and the risks are unique to that project. When working on film and television productions you are required to provide appropriate risk plans of your projects prior to receiving equipment. The risk plan should look at the scope of the project and document responses to possible scenarios that might be encountered. The prevention and avoidance of risk should be addressed by: ELIMINATION of the risk, SUBSTITUTION of the risk, ISOLATION of the risk, ENGINEERING to remove the risk, ADMINISTRATION of the risk and the use of PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

Note: If in your considered opinion, there is a potential for an accident to occur, the activity should be abandoned and advice sought from specialists, supervisors or lecturers. It should be noted that even if this risk plan has been done and/or advice and consultation has been sought from lecturers or other consultants, the liability for risk management still rests, in the final instance, with the students responsible for the project.

QUT takes its obligations to the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011 very seriously. You as a student, must also meet your obligations under the Act. This can be done in different ways, but you are obliged to take action to manage exposure to risk.

There are Regulations, Advisory Standards and Industry Codes of Practice, to meet your obligations under the Act you must comply with these. You must take reasonable precautions and exercise proper diligence in making sure the risk is managed.

Students have an obligation to exercise care when operating equipment and to follow instructions as to the safe operation of the equipment, safe manual handling and the use of safety devices and personal protective equipment.

STUDENTS WORKING ON FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE RISK PLAN HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED FOR THAT PROJECT AND THAT IT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER.

A QUT Risk Plan Form for Student Productions and an accompanying Risk Plan Guidelines should be accessed and downloaded from the unit's Canvas site.

For students working on campus and/or accessing QUT production equipment, the following applies:

RESPONSIBILITY: Equipment faults and damage must be reported to Equipment Loans Centre (ELC) staff as soon as possible.

Students are responsible for ensuring equipment is secure and at no risk of damage. Action will be taken against anyone responsible for wilful damage or theft of QUT property.

SECURITY: Z6, the hub, offers 24 hour swipe card access. Consequently, the equipment you use there, your personal possessions and your personal safety are at risk unless everyone complies with the security regulations pertaining to this facility. Admission is by your own student card only. Do not let anyone in on your card unless prior authorisation has been given by the Discipline Head. Under no circumstance should you give your student card to anyone else. These rules will be strictly enforced and anyone who breaks them will be subject to harsh disciplinary action by the university.

Course Learning Outcomes

CA01 Bachelor of Creative Arts

1. Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
   Relates to: ULO1, Presentation
2. Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Creative Work, Project Proposal
3. Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Creative Work, Project Proposal
4. Demonstrate technical proficiency and a knowledge of contemporary digital practices and technologies in one or more disciplines and apply these in creative and critical settings.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Creative Work, Project Proposal
5. Communicate independent learning clearly and coherently in diverse modes relevant to your field of creative practice.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Presentation, Creative Work, Project Proposal
6. Communicate, represent, and promote your work in ways relevant to your creative field.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, ULO4, Presentation, Creative Work, Project Proposal
7. Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Presentation, Creative Work, Project Proposal
8. Work productively as a leader and collaborator in disciplinary and interdisciplinary practices.
   Relates to: ULO4, Creative Work, Project Proposal
9. Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Presentation, Creative Work, Project Proposal
10. Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
    Relates to: ULO1, Presentation
11. Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
    Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Presentation, Creative Work, Project Proposal