University degrees: Postgraduate
Course length: 2 years full-time
Course city: Melbourne
A professional coursework degree, the Master of Production Design for Screen will give you the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to design environments for film, television and other screen-based media including commercials, web series, and documentaries.
Learn from both theoretical and practical training to practice your own craft professionally. As collaboration is at the heart of filmmaking, your creative ideas will develop through artistic collaborations with directors, designers and other film makers at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).
Practical training and facilities help to develop advanced skills in a range of 2D and 3D visualisation techniques both analogue and digital. These skills are employed to develop, document and communicate ideas, and produce realised designs on screen.
The course also helps you to develop links with the profession through a range of guest lecturers from the industry as well as the option to participate in industry placements.
This course also provides a pathway to a PhD.
Gain a deep understanding of the discipline of design for screen. Take on key roles in the development of artistic works, including: decision making, implementation of ideas and leadership of teams.
Learn about the design process, script analysis, visual language and research for design. Explore these concepts both theoretically and practically though studio-based classes and design projects.
Take on practical workshops and group projects, developing skills in collaboration and design realisation. Collaborators may include other designers, directors, animators, and cinematographers.
Develop the fundamental skills and techniques for documenting and communicating designs for screen including, model making, perspective drawing, storyboarding, digital visualisation and CAD drafting.
Gain an understanding and insight into how the Art Department operates. Areas covered include art direction, budgeting, scheduling, continuity, standby props and clearances.
Develop skills in utilising computer graphics software to communicate design concepts and produce items for actual use on screen including printed props and on-screen graphics.
Gain an understanding of design in your specialist area: live performance or screen. The investigation may include an internship on a professional production, attachment to a practicing designer or research into the industry you are preparing to enter.
Through a series of guest lectures and projects, gain a deeper understanding of the industry you are about to enter. Learn how to promote yourself to gain employment and develop the skills you will need to manage a successful freelance career .
