DL845 BA [Hons] Design for Film

This pathway is about developing the creative, technical, and conceptual skills required for a career in costume design across film, television and theatre. You will explore the relationship between character, narrative, and clothing through practical design projects, historical research, and hands-on making. From sketching and fabric selection to garment construction and collaboration with directors and performers, you’ll learn to bring characters to life through costume.

The course also encourages critical thinking, cultural awareness, and individual artistic development, preparing you to enter the industry with a strong portfolio and a clear creative identity as a costume designer.

The Character Make-Up Design pathway teaches students how to research, apply creative strategies and use Makeup and Prosthetics alongside the digital skills required to produce a professional portfolio on completion.

Visual storytelling requires characters to appear believable and evoke connection and emotion with the viewer. Understanding the internal and external world of a character requires researching their social, cultural and historical context. Character transformations are often key to the storyline and the role of the character designer is to authenticate these changes as they occur using MakeUp and prosthetics. Changes may include the passing of time, ageing, climatic effects, war, injury, sickness or death. Fantasy characters for imaginary worlds may also be required where  conceptual and creative strategies are employed using a diverse range of materials, techniques and processes.

You will work both individually and as part of a creative team, with directors, in close proximity with costume and directly on performers using your MakeUp ‘toolkit’.

Through the study of film and visual culture studies, you will develop your critical thinking and cultural awareness. Individual artistic development will prepare you to enter the industry with a strong portfolio and a clear creative identity as a Character Designer/ Make-Up Artist.

The Modelmaking pathway teaches traditional making processes as well as contemporary digital fabrication skills. Always evolving, the course is an innovative and hands-on programme, the work ranges from character to props and to the worlds they inhabit. It helps create professional makers and designers for the thriving film, entertainment and associated Creative Industries. Students learn highly specialised skills in a collaborative context. A love of making, attention to detail and craft skills are a typical attribute of our Modelmaking students.

The Modelmaking pathway nurtures and grows the latent skills and interests of those who come to study with us. The course syllabus is designed to challenge students, while giving them the means and skills to achieve their goals. Over the duration of their studies we concentrate on improving and building upon individual’s natural abilities and talents.

The Modelmaking course content is adaptive, strongly unpinned by the current industry standards, requirements and technological advances.

Production Design is cinematic world building. Working across architecture, art and drama the production designer and their team establish the “look” of the story world, and with the director and cinematographer play a central role in creating the aesthetics of the film or TV show.

You will explore the art and craft of set design for film and TV -developing creative, technical, and research skills while building a professional portfolio that demonstrates your skills in production design, art direction, set decoration, digital and visual effects, virtual production, set construction and scenic art.

Your studies will help you to understand the collaborative nature of film and television making working closely with writers, directors, cinematographers and other design disciplines.

The course also encourages critical thinking, cultural awareness, and individual artistic development, preparing you to enter the industry with a strong portfolio and a clear creative identity as a designer.

Design Spectacle | Design Core | Design Text | Design Frame.

Study core design principles in modules relating to film and performance design (core, spectacle, text, frame) exploring design process. Research and materials, the history and theory of visual culture, practical masterclasses and an introduction to the faculty.

Faculty Connect

Faculty Workshop

This year gives a taste of the various specialisms, so will give you a solid basis for the programme.

Design Dramatic Histories | Design Irish Drama & Film | Faculty Elective | Design Storytelling | Design Generations.

Experience various aspects of design creation and how design principles are used to create films, plays, games and events.

This year is an opportunity to make your own responses to other sources with different historical and cultural influences.

Study the history and theory of visual culture, film history, and an elective of your choosing from across the faculty.

Design Research | Design Collaboration | Design Praxis | Professional Placement.

Make work in one of the specialist pathways.

Gain opportunities to be part of creative teams as a collaborative partner with other students and professionals.

There is an opportunity to take on professional placements and live projects.

Minor Project | Major Project | Thesis.

Your opportunity to bring together all of the skills, creative understanding, and design knowledge gained on the course to make a self-directed Minor Project and a Major Project within one of the specialist pathways.

Complete an independently-researched dissertation, and further develop business skills to help you prepare for life after graduation.