Browse each module, see what you practise in it and check what to have ready before you begin. The order follows how a factual shoot is planned.
Modules
Each module centres on one practical task that produces a planning document. You complete the task independently, receive written feedback and revise it. No module promises a certificate; the outcome is a set of usable plans for your own projects.
You begin with a short written idea and divide it into scenes, then into individual shots. The exercise asks you to decide what each shot must show and how it connects to the next. You finish with a numbered shot list and a short note explaining the order you chose.
This module covers simple framing, thumbnail sketches and brief annotation. You draw panels for a short sequence using basic shapes, adding notes on movement, lens feel and sound. The aim is a storyboard that any crew member can read at a glance, regardless of drawing ability.
You plan an interview from the first question to the last cutaway. The exercise covers where the subject and interviewer sit, how the question flow builds, and which supporting pictures you will need. You produce a one-page scene outline with a floor sketch and a list of cutaway ideas.
You research at least two possible sites for a short report, recording access, permissions, noise, power and space limits. Then you set the options into a side-by-side comparison. The module ends with a shortlist and a recommendation you can defend to a colleague or editor.
You mark camera positions, lens choices and light sources on a simple floor plan for one scene. The module looks at natural light at different times of day as well as basic studio setups. You finish with an annotated plan that shows where everything sits and why.
You build a shooting day from the documents made in earlier modules. The exercise asks you to allow for travel, setup, interview time and the way daylight changes. You produce a timed schedule with a few built-in margins, then adjust it after feedback.
The course is written for beginners, so there are no formal prerequisites. A little preparation helps you get more from the exercises, and none of it needs specialist equipment or earlier training in film.
Choose a small factual subject you would like to film, such as a local business, a community event or a short interview. A real idea makes each exercise more useful because you apply it straight away. It does not need to be finished or polished. A paragraph describing the subject and who it is for is enough to begin with, and you can change direction as you learn.
You need paper and a pencil for storyboards, a notebook for location notes and access to a computer for the schedule exercises. A phone camera is useful for recording location details, though you do not need to film anything for the course itself. Nothing specialist is required, and you do not need to buy software.
Plan to study alone between feedback points and to revise your work at least once per module. The exercises reward steady effort more than long sessions. It also helps to be willing to show unfinished drafts, because feedback is most valuable while a plan can still change. Realistic outcomes are clearer, better organised plans, not instant professional results.
Most people want to know whether the course suits their experience, how feedback works and what they will have at the end. The course is based in Stirling and was founded in 2016. Lessons are delivered through guided exercises, and each instructor looks after the modules closest to their own work. You will not leave with a certificate, but you will hold a set of planning documents built around your own project. If your question is not covered here, the study questions page and the contact form are the best places to ask.
Teaching approachEmail: [email protected]
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