Film and Television Production with a Placement Year

Film and television production with a placement year is a degree for people who want to understand the craft and business of making moving images, from the earliest stages of development through to the final screen. Film and television production encompasses scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, production design, editing, sound design, and the organisational and financial management of productions large and small. The industry has changed dramatically with the rise of streaming platforms, digital production tools, and global distribution, and a production education today must equip graduates for this rapidly evolving landscape as well as for the enduring fundamentals of good storytelling and professional craft.

At the University of East Anglia, you will study film and television production over four years, with the fourth year structured as a placement year in the industry. This means you will gain extended real-world professional experience before you complete your degree, which is a significant advantage in a sector where industry connections and practical experience are often as important as formal qualifications. The programme develops your skills in key production roles alongside a critical and contextual understanding of film and television as cultural forms, their histories, their industrial structures, and their relationship to audiences.

You will work on productions throughout the degree, building a portfolio of work that demonstrates your creative and technical development.

Graduates from film and television production programmes enter careers across the screen industries. Entry-level production roles, including runner, production assistant, and assistant director roles, are common starting points that lead to progression into more senior positions. Directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, and production designers typically build their careers through a combination of formal training and the accumulation of credits on productions of increasing scale.

The placement year provides direct industry experience and often leads to employment offers or further contacts. The wider creative economy, including advertising, branded content, corporate video, and digital media, also employs film and television graduates. Postgraduate study in film production, screenwriting, or screen studies is available for those who want to develop their expertise further.