| Unit name | Digital Worlds |
|---|---|
| Unit code | FATVM0032 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Samuel |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Film and Television |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit helps students gain a critical perspective on trends in the contemporary media landscape by focusing on the construction of expansive but recognisable worlds. Notable examples might include the Marvel Cinematic Universe (The Avengers, etc.), the Wizarding World (Harry Potter), and the Kingdom of Westeros (Game of Thrones). This unit helps students grasp both the commercial imperatives and aesthetic possibilities of cross-media world-building – and world-inhabiting – in a digital age.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit offers insight into ongoing transformations around digital filmmaking and worldbuilding, providing students a contemporary analysis of the media industries in relation to cross-media serialization and film franchising. As such, the unit complements and builds upon knowledge and skills gained on the programme more widely, and will provide a rich introduction to topics that may wish to be explored further for the dissertation unit.
Unit aims:
An overview of content
From Marvel to Star Wars, Harry Potter to Pirates of the Caribbean, trends in media storytelling supported by digital technology are increasingly favouring the construction of distinctive ‘worlds’ (or ‘universes’ or even ‘metaverses’) that can support an array of narratives and experiences across film, television, fan fiction, theatrical events, video games, and even theme parks. This unit helps students gain a critical perspective on the reasons for this trend and the cultural impacts of media franchising based around the construction of a recognisible ‘world’.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students taking with this unit will emerge with a new perspective on the digital media landscape, including the roles of franchising, fandom, and ‘world-building’.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Weekly 2-hour interactive lecture/seminar. Each week (or set of weeks) focuses on a different case study and gives the opportunity to explore a different dimension of the topic through lecture overview breaking out into critical discussion
Weekly 3-hour screening. Cohort screenings may involve not only feature films/TV episodes but also video game playthroughs, marketing materials, fan-produced video analysis and reimaginings, etc.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Transmedia map (0%) – a visual map of a transmedia franchise and how it has expanded, with a brief memo summarising creative personnel, major developments, etc.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period). The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. FATVM0032).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
