Postgraduate in Film Directing

Understand the elements and resources of audiovisual storytelling.

Be able to develop an audiovisual narrative linked to a story.  

Understand the conventions of different genres. 

Be creative and able to innovate in storytelling, audiovisual design and directing actors. 

Understand the tasks and techniques specific to other departments and the narrative possibilities of each aspect of the film they represent.  

Understand the principles of directing actors.  

Understand the tasks and functions of the other members of the directing team, particularly those of the assistant director and script supervisor. 

Turn a literary script into a technical screenplay.  

Be able to identify actors suited to the characters to be cast. 

Guide actors (both professional and non-professional) in their performances.  

Lead and motivate a team, making quick and effective decisions during pre-production, filming and post-production.

Communicate ideas effectively to the production team and other collaborators. 

Show maturity and analytical rigour when self-evaluating the work completed, both individually and as a team.  

Present projects convincingly to both specialist and general audiences. 

Each student directs a scene based on a script provided by the teaching staff. The aim is to work on the basic dramatic chain (protagonist–goal–obstacle–conflict), as well as developing the piece’s tone, genre and narrative intent. The stu – dents are organised into film crews of 5 to 6 people and collabo – rate on their classmates’ practical exercises, taking on different technical and creative roles. Each student directs their own exercise.

As their final project, each student develops and directs their own short film, with creative freedom in the writing. From the initial idea through to the final edit, students work on creating an original audiovisual piece, exploring dramatic construction, an authorial vision and the translation of ideas into cinematic language. The entire process is supported by tutors specialising in screenwriting, visual concept and production. The projects are made in teams of 5 to 6 people, recreating the working dynamics of a professional environment. Each student directs their own short film. 

Basic acting concepts. An introduction to traditional techniques and Western acting systems. Reading and analysing subtext. Character background and creation. Characters, motivations and objectives within the scene. The overall objective of the scene: directing the audience’s emotions. Cues, staging and shot planning according to the medium. Casting: choosing the cast. The role of the casting director . The actor in front of the camera.

How to tell a story in images. Choosing camera positions. The camera is the gaze: angle, lenses, framing, shot planning and movement. Point of view and movement: shot angles, camera position, pan, subject movement. Analysis of different resources and shot-planning styles according to the genre or the nature of the scene or text. In small groups, students film exercises to put the concepts covered in class into practice. 

Light and colour. The different types of equipment used in contemporary lighting. Capturing movement. The aspect ratio in cinema and its evolution. Elements that contribute to the development of an aesthetic concept. A meeting point in the creative process between the different departments. Expressive elements of cinematography: light, framing, focal lengths. Visual storytelling: composition, camera position, use of different focal lengths, staging. Camera styles. Feeling and space: how to photograph a space to emphasise or enhance a particular feeling. Aesthetic concept: choosing the visual concept according to the story. 

The course includes an exercise filmed in a studio in collaboration with the Postgraduate in Photography. 

Introduction to short-film screenwriting. Causal plots. The three acts. Unity of action, cause and effect, a crescendo of obstacles and twists. Characterisation. Character creation. Character transformation arcs. Dramatic devices: planting, dramatic irony, surprise and mystery. Short-film plot structures: causal with a final surprise, a process beginning towards intimacy, a process ending in separation, meandering, descriptive, a process of character change, based on repetition, with dramatic irony at the end. 

The art department and its relationship with directing. Set dressing. Furniture. Props. Textiles. Graphics. Photography: photographic elements that interact with the set. Colour. The physical parameters of colour. The psychology of colour. Universal images. 

Production department structure. The role of the producer and their relationship with the director. Production during filming. Development phase: writing, casting, assembling the team. Communication with the team. The postgraduate projects will be monitored through production tutorials.

Definition of editing and the criteria for script, directing and editing. The viewer, emotion and genres. Classical editing. The rules of classical continuity. The invisible cut. The rules of continuity. The psychology of editing. The history of editing, histo – ry of rhythm. The revolutions of the sixties. The music video era. The digital revolution. Editing styles and directors’ contributions. 

Sound conception. The sound map and sound universe. Naturalistic and expressionist resources. Sound action. Thinking about, writing and filming sound. How to give sound elements meaning, symbolic and expressive value in audiovisual storytelling. The human voice, gesture, the voice of things. Orchestral counterpoint. Aesthetic consequences of the types of microphones and recording formats used. Sound and reality. Music as a dramatic element. 

Music as a narrative and expressive tool in cinema. Analysis of the dramatic functions of music in constructing the audiovisual narrative: atmosphere, emotion, rhythm, point of view and subtext. The relationship between image, sound and music; synchronisation and counterpoint. The musical identities of characters, motifs and recurring themes. Working methods between directing and musical composition. Criteria for selecting original or pre-existing music and integrating it into the edit. Through analysis of film sequences and students’ projects, the seminar will address music as a fundamental element of mise-en-scène and the narrative construction of audiovisual work. 

Development of audiovisual projects that allow students to apply the knowledge acquired in screenwriting, pre-production, filming and post-production, working in collaborative environments similar to those found in professional productions.

Practical sessions geared towards specific production objectives, where students experiment with staging, actor direction, visual planning and the processes involved in film directing. 

Theoretical subjects focused on specific areas of audiovisual directing, taught by industry professionals to deepen students’ knowledge of professional methods and tools. 

Sessions with renowned professionals who share their experiences, creative processes and real-world examples from the audiovisual industry, encouraging dialogue and professional reflection.

Assessment combines ongoing monitoring of learning with evaluation of the projects, exercises and activities completed throughout the programme. Students’ progress and the practical application of the knowledge and skills acquired are both taken into account. To obtain the qualification, students must meet the attendance requirements (at least 75% of classes) and pass the programme’s core subjects (Projects, Directing Workshops and Actor Direction). 

The Original Short Film is assessed through the tutor’s supervision and the work presented to the committee at the final showcase.