Film Directing - Film and Television, Master of Arts (Art and Design)

Master's Programme in Film and Television | Film Directing

Goal of education

Master’s programme in Film and Television, major in Film Directing strengthen the student director’s idea generation skills, idea development, storybuilding and narration skills in addition to developing the director’s personal cinematic style and directorial identity. Master’s studies in Film Directing deepen the student’s production competence and provide the skills to direct a feature-length film.

The language of instruction in the Master’s Programme in Film and Television, major in Film Directing is Finnish. However, part of the courses are taught in English. The degree can be completed in English.

Education content

In master’s studies in the major in Film Directing, the student develops his/her artistic thinking and cinematic vision. The studies comprise thematic study modules with changing content. The study modules are divided into theory teaching periods and workshop work or combinations of these two elements. Some of the studies are laboratories built around a single central theme in order to develop research skills and are realised in conjunction with one or more majors.

During the master’s courses, the student develops his/her artistic thinking, studies the idiomatics of film, structure and examines the starting points for his/her personal artistic work in more detail.

A discussion on the student’s plan for studies provides the underpinnings for the Personal Study Plan (HOPS), according to which the student, in addition to film directing studies, acquires greater depth of competence in scriptwriting, visual narration and/or sound narration studies, or applies for some existing module of minor studies open to MA students.

During master’s studies, the student directs a short film that can be realised on slender resources and that is based on a script conceived or written by the director.During master’s studies, the student learns to understand the importance of resourcing when planning and realising a film and becomes familiar with actors in the professional field of film and television (production companies, financing and distribution).

Career opportunities

A student who graduates from master’s studies is able to work as a director of a feature-length film and in a television production. Film directors work in domestic film production companies as directors, in television production companies and at Yleisradio (the Finnish Broadcasting Company) as television drama directors, in commercial film and video productions and non-fiction productions, and as instructors in the field at universities of applied science and media institutions.

The student has the opportunity to complete an internship in the master’s phase, either in a film and/or television production.

The studies include regular meetings with actors in the field (production advisors, managers of television channel co-productions) and participation in Association of Finnish Film Directors activities.

Other recommended minor subjects for students of film directing include: Audiovisual narrative and design or the minor module options for the major in producing.

Elokuvataiteen maisteriohjelman elokuvaohjauksen pääaineen opinnot vahvistavat ohjaajaopiskelijan ideoinnin, ideakehittelyn, tarinan rakentamisen ja kerronnan taitoja sekä kehittävät ohjaajan omaa persoonallista elokuvallista tyyliään sekä tekijäidentiteettiä.