Term films

General overview

As the name suggests, each term, FilmSoc allocates a wide range of resources and finance to produce a project, with a total of three 7-15 minute fiction short films ('term films') per academic year. Unlike affiliate projects (click here for more info), term films are made within the society, and tend to be larger scale productions with greater budget allowance.

Application

If you want to participate in a term production, the most important early bird advice we can give you is to be on the lookout for upcoming deadlines for each role application!

By regularly checking our Forum, as well as our Instagram page, you can stay in the loop with the latest developments and open positions in our term projects!

Stages of production

Please note, that the following is a general representation of events that take place in pre, pro, and post-production. Therefore, it is important to refer back to the aforementioned platforms where specific dates and deadlines will be announced for each term film!

• Pre-production
  • The entire term film production is overseen and managed by the committee’s Drama Producer - Barbara Kononova (2022/23).
  • Throughout the pre-production process, applications are (usually separately) open for several roles, including:
  • Writer
  • Producer(s)
  • Director
  • DP (Director of Photography)
  • Assistant directors
  • Gaffer
  • Production designer(s)
  • Costume designer(s)
  • Script supervisor
  • Spark(s)
  • Grip(s)
  • *In certain cases, an alternative role may be offered to an applicant. An example of this may be: First Assistant Director for an individual who originally applied as Director.
  • It may also be the case that applications for such roles as Sound Designer, Editor, and Composer will be opened at this stage.

• Shooting
  • Shooting happens towards the latter half of the term, ranging anywhere from two to five days of being on set.
  • A series of events lead up to shooting, including:
  • Location scouting
  • Set and costume design
  • Casting of actors
  • Equipment training, checks and hire
  • Budget management
  • Etc.
  • Both the Director as well as the Drama Producer and Term Producer(s) will establish a coherent schedule with in-depth information on what needs to be done before filming begins.
• Post-production
• Editing and sound design, among other processes associated with the assembly of the final cut, generally occur at the start of the succeeding term. Therefore, when applying for post-related roles, it is important to consider your availability and academic schedule beforehand!
• Once the final cut is locked in, a screening will be held of the term film where all members are welcome to attend.
• Additionally, any and all involved crew members and actors are also entitled to include the project as part of the portfolios.
• *Appropriate accreditation, including credentials for the Film & TV Society as a whole, will also grant the opportunity to apply for various film festivals (in and beyond London).

Education pages

We've also compiled a few education pages to help you get stuck in if you're just getting started.

Here's a list (please note, we're still updating these!):

• For our writers