Diploma of Screen and Media: A Comprehensive Course Outline

The Diploma of Screen and Media is designed to meet the ever-growing demand for skilled professionals in the screen industry. This course offers students the opportunity to develop industry-level skills, preparing them for successful employment upon graduation.

Industry-Focused Learning

The Diploma of Screen and Media distinguishes itself through its commitment to providing students with practical, industry-relevant skills. The teaching staff comprises world-class industry experts actively working in broadcast production and live streaming. This ensures that students are learning from the best and are exposed to the latest industry trends and practices.

Unlike traditional lecture-based courses, this diploma utilizes on-demand learning materials such as readings, videos, and other resources. This approach allows for a more flexible and engaging learning experience, enabling students to learn at their own pace and focus on areas where they need the most support.

RMIT Capabilities are integrated into the course, along with extracurricular experiences.

Career Prospects in the Screen Industry

The Australian screen industry is a thriving sector, employing approximately 55,000 people in 2021-22. The industry has experienced significant growth, with total employment increasing by 37% since 2015-16. Graduates of the Diploma of Screen and Media are highly sought after by media production companies for a variety of roles. While specific job titles may vary across sectors, the diploma equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in this dynamic industry.

Admission and Application Process

For those applying directly to RMIT, completing and submitting a direct application is essential. After submitting the application, a link to the selection task will appear on the applicant dashboard. The selection task offers two options: demonstrating relevant RMIT previous studies or providing an applicant statement accompanied by a storyboard exercise.

The applicant statement should detail any prior experience with screen and media production and technology, including familiarity with specific video production equipment and post-production software. Work experience or formal/informal learning experiences should also be included, and applicants may provide URLs of relevant work. Applicants should also outline personal strengths and attributes they will bring to the program.

The storyboard should visually narrate a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, driven by the applicant's understanding of a chosen theme. The narrative should be easily understood by an audience without the use of dialogue or captions.

Meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee entry into the program.

Pathway Options and Credit Recognition

This course offers pathway options. Credit may reduce the duration of study by acknowledging earlier, relevant study experience.

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Fees and Expenses

Tuition fees for this program depend on whether the student is offered a Victorian Government subsidized place or a full-fee place. The student tuition fees displayed are indicative only and subject to change based on individual circumstances at enrolment. Students may also be required to purchase additional items such as field trips, textbooks, and equipment. A VET Student Loan becomes part of the student's VETSL debt, and living expenses should also be taken into account.

Course Structure and Content

The Diploma of Screen and Media is a full-time course delivered over two semesters, requiring approximately 24 hours of study per week. The course aims to provide students with both technical and creative expertise, enabling them to excel in various industries such as film, television, animation, gaming, radio, and digital effects. Students will gain hands-on experience and theoretical knowledge, allowing them to confidently work in specialist roles.

The qualification requires effective teamwork to design and develop media productions. Students will complete individual roles that support this development process, collaborating with other areas within and outside the Screen and Media department.

Core Skills

Successful completion of this course requires Australian Core Skills Framework literacy levels of at least 3 across reading, writing, learning, oral communication, and numeracy skills (depending on the course of study). Support is available for students who do not meet this level, and they may prefer to begin with a lower-level course.

Course Updates and Changes

Qualifications are regularly updated or replaced to meet current industry needs and maximize employment opportunities. Students may need to vary their learning to meet new national requirements if this occurs during their studies. CIT may also need to cancel or change classes at short notice to ensure positive outcomes for all students. Efforts will be made to inform students of changes and offer alternative arrangements, and a full refund will be provided if necessary.

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Key Units of Study

The Diploma of Screen and Media covers a range of essential skills and knowledge required for success in the screen industry. Some key units of study include:

Work Health and Safety in a Professional Practice

This unit focuses on determining and responding effectively to broad and specific safety requirements in a professional practice. It involves identifying hazards, managing risks, and monitoring and enhancing safety in various work environments, including workshops, studios, offices, field locations, and performance venues. The unit applies to sole practitioners or those working in collaborative teams.

Maintaining Creative Arts Industry Knowledge

This unit covers maintaining creative arts industry knowledge and monitoring and managing own professional practice. This includes applying industry knowledge to research-based work activities, interacting with others, and engaging in professional practice in the music industry. The unit applies to practitioners, administrators, or managers with advanced research and analysis skills.

Working as an Independent Operator

This unit focuses on working as an independent operator within the creative arts industry. This includes promoting self to potential clients, negotiating work arrangements, managing financial and business aspects of services, and undertaking strategic planning. The unit applies to those with a high level of self-motivation, discipline, and an entrepreneurial attitude.

Editing Complex Media Productions

This unit covers making sophisticated creative and technical judgements in the editing of complex media productions. It involves establishing post-production requirements, assessing source materials, undertaking editing, and finalizing the edit. The unit applies to those who play a key role in the creative visualization of concepts, plots, and storylines for productions such as feature films, television dramas, and interactive digital media products.

Writing Stories for a Range of Media

This unit focuses on writing fully developed stories in a wide range of styles in response to creative conceptualizations or project briefs. It applies to individuals who use appropriate structures and creative narrative development techniques to write stories for print media, screen, radio, animations, e-learning resources, games, and fiction or non-fiction projects.

Editing Digital Content for Fast Turnaround

This unit covers using non-linear digital facilities to edit digital content for fast turnaround. The unit applies to those with experience in editing for screen and daily programs such as television news, web shows, and current affairs.

Conducting Interviews for Broadcast

This unit focuses on planning, preparing for, and conducting interviews for broadcast. The unit applies to radio and television presenters who are responsible for conducting live-to-air or pre-recorded interviews on a wide range of topics.

Recording Dialogue and Sound Effects on Location

This unit covers recording dialogue and sound effects on location for a screen production. It applies to individuals who record dialogue and live sound effects in outdoor and indoor locations for a range of screen productions.

Directing Performers During Filming or Recording

This unit focuses on directing performers during filming or recording of screen productions. It involves preparing for shoots, overseeing performances, and finalising production according to requirements. The unit applies to those responsible for visualising and defining the style and structure of screen productions.

Shooting Television Content in a Multi-Camera Environment

This unit covers shooting television content in a multi-camera environment, in a studio or on location. Cameras can be in fixed positions, on pedestals or handheld.

Directing Television Programs and Segments

This unit focuses on directing television programs and segments that have a clearly defined format. It involves conducting pre-production activities, overseeing production of programs and segments, and reviewing completed materials. The unit applies to those responsible for directing crew, program guests, interviewees, or members of the public being filmed for programs.

Managing Media Assets

This unit covers implementing systems and processes to manage media assets for media productions and projects. It involves establishing media asset management systems, recording documentation and media assets, and confirming required personnel have ongoing access to the systems. The unit applies to those working on projects or productions that require different media assets.

Vision Mixing Productions

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to vision mix productions from a control room or an outside broadcast van. Individuals prepare vision mixing documentation, set up different effects and processes and ensure mixing is completed according to production requirements. The unit applies to those who mix components from a variety of sources to create composite images, transitions and effects for live or pre-recorded television productions.

Engaging in a Creative Process

This unit focuses on engaging in a creative process and reflecting on own role in the process. The unit applies to individuals who are working in creative industries, as well as those involved in broader business and community activities where creative team effort is highly valued.

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