Summary of activity

This presentation provides an overview to the assessment of Major Production Assignments adopted within the Film and Television discipline, VCA, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, The University of Melbourne.

For this case study the assessment of the 2nd year master’s coursework capstone subject is a MAJOR PRODUCTION ASSIGNMENT which constitutes 70% of the overall mark for this double credit point subject. The assignment stipulates that each student will direct and realise a 7 - 15 mins short live action film (inc. credits) to completion. Students will report to a nominated

Supervising Producer (lecturer or tutor) throughout the production process and demonstrate self-directed learning through pre-production, production, and post-production of their own film. The development of the film may have taken place in previous subjects and students are expected to demonstrate film production to a high standard.

The introduction of assessing students on their production process is the focus of this presentation as it offers as series of assessable ‘Production Process Meetings’, which are designed to establish clear, assessable milestones for students and their academic supervisors

throughout the filmmaking process.

Challenges

Previously, these capstone films were assessed solely by external industry assessors upon completion. However, when considering what makes a great director, filmmaker, or screen production creative, most people agree that while creative vision and skill are vital, equally important are the abilities to solve problems creatively, think critically, collaborate, and communicate eXectively. Therefore, assessing only the final product addresses just one aspect of the required skills. The Production Process Meetings provides a framework that emphasizes the importance of evaluating these other attributes as well, aiming to develop students into well-rounded creative practitioners, not just individuals capable of delivering a finished film.

Outcomes & Impact

The ‘Major production assignment’ (films) are now assessed in two equal parts:

Part A: ‘Directorial Production Process and the timely management and delivery of your graduate film’

The Directorial Production Process is assessed by the Supervising Producer/Tutor based on the student's engagement with online communication and/or face-to-face production meetings held with the Production Supervisor (subject coordinator), Supervising Producers/Tutors, and contractors during the post-production phase of their graduate film.

Students are assessed on their preparation, engagement, and attendance at 10 production process meetings, which include pre, production and post. Students are expected to be motivated, prepared, engaged, and aware of their scheduled production and post-production meetings, as well as their obligations as outlined in the meeting module.

Details on how to prepare for each ‘Production Process Meeting’ are provided in an LMS module, which outlines 10 clear milestones that need to be met and assessed at each stage of the production process. Each milestone is accompanied by a rubric that provides live, instant feedback, allowing students to monitor their progress throughout the semester. Part A

constitutes 50% of the overall assessment of their capstone film.

Part B: ‘Major Graduate Production Film’

The completed Major Production Film is assessed by two external industry professionals, who provide detailed feedback based on the following criteria:

40% Story: Strength of concept, clarity of narrative, audience engagement and emotional impact:

30% Screen Language and Coverage

30% Performance Direction

Part B is worth 50% of their assessment of their capstone film.

Reflection & the Future

This assessment model, which combines both process and production outcomes, has been successful in guiding production supervisors in assessing students during the production process. Student feedback has been positive, particularly in establishing clear and tangible milestones and parameters for their productions. Providing students with these assessable

milestones has encouraged them to engage more deeply with the module, resulting in a smoother production pipeline—especially in the post-production phase, where issues previously caused projects to derail completely.

The LMS module is customisable to suit the assessment of creative practice across different disciplines and year levels. The module and assessment rubrics have been shared and adopted by production courses in Animation, BFA Filmmaking, Honours, and 1st-year Master’s programs across the Film and TV discipline at VCA, UoM.

The assessment of the production process has also reduced instances of abusive and disruptive behaviour, which were often experienced by staX when students were unclear about the process or under undue stress to meet strict production deadlines. This approach not only alleviates the

stress and pressure students feel from uncertainty about the production pathway, but it also creates a more transparent and equitable process for both the students and staff supervision. While this model does not diminish the need to judge creative practice, it others an assessment of all stages of the production process with clear objectives that are either met or not.

Bio

Dr. Angie Black is a Senior Lecturer in Film & Television at VCA, The University of Melbourne. They are an award-winning director who specialises in filmmaking as practice-led research. Black holds a PhD in performance approaches in film production and an MA in screenwriting. Their debut feature film, The

Five Provocations (2018), released through Label Distribution, along with an extensive body of short films, explores innovative approaches to filmmaking and actively promotes on-screen diversity. Black’s research examines approaches to filmmaking, screenwriting, and performance practices, with a focus on gender, sexuality, and cultural diversity on screen.

Video of Symposium Presentation