Ikram shares what it's like to study a film degree and how it can be tailored it to suit your interests.
Before I’d started at Birmingham, I had never studied film before. I always loved watching new movies and TV shows, but I was nervous about starting since I didn’t have an academic background in film.
Thankfully, I had four compulsory film modules in my first year. The Introduction to Film Studies modules helped me to begin to think about film from an academic perspective, and the Creative Practice modules gave me the opportunity to get involved with filmmaking. I realised quite quickly that I preferred studying film theory rather than practical filmmaking, so I was ecstatic about being able to customise my course based on my preferences!
Entering my second year, I had chosen only theoretical film modules. My favourite module was American and World Cinema because I was able to learn about so many different film cultures and practices outside of Hollywood. It was exciting to discover so many different forms and styles of film and alternative ways of communicating ideas. My favourite films to study were the Before trilogy, which I analysed as an expression of time and identity through a philosophical lens. This was a pivotal moment where I really began to view film as a form of artistic expression and culture rather than pure entertainment.
In my final year, I decided to challenge myself and chose the practical module Film Editing. I learned more about film production and built up some practical skills. I felt a bit nervous going into it - I had no experience with editing, but many in my class did. I was worried that I wouldn’t do well. However, I ended up loving all of the lectures and the workshops especially, which allowed me to push myself creatively and experiment with the filmmaking process. I used industry standard equipment and facilities that are available to students for personal or academic purposes. I got to know the film technicians and really appreciated how they constantly encourage creative expression and are always happy to provide support with any projects.
I quickly realised how well English Literature and Film studies complemented each other with many shared themes and concepts. This really helped when I first began my course, and more recently, I combined the subjects in my final year English module, Bringing Out the Bodies, and was actually able to focus my assessment on film using the knowledge gained throughout the module. The most important thing I learned was that film is one of my passions and that I want to pursue a career in the film industry participating in discussions of film as an art form.
Now, when working on my dissertation, I feel I have gained the knowledge I need to be able to explore my specific interests and make unique observations about film. I’ve never regretted my decision to study fil. Over the years, I’ve only grown to love the subject more.
Hi! My name is Ikram and I study BA English and Film at University of Birmingham.
