Curious about studying Creative Producing (Theatre and Short Film) - BA (Hons)at University of Essex? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
University of Essex
Full Time
Oct 2026
3 Year
East 15 Acting School's BA Creative Producing (Theatre and Short Film) course is a full-time, industry-focused training aimed at entrepreneurial artists with an interest in creating, producing, administrating and promoting theatre and film. This three-year practical course draws together the broad disciplines of theatre and film (such as writing for performance, lighting & sound, theatre directing & directing for camera, screenwriting, film editing, location management, dramaturgy, and digital set design) with business-focused aspects of the creative arts and associated industries (including marketing, web-design, social media, fundraising, and arts management). It prepares you for a career in the creative industries working as producers and facilitators, and develops transferable skills in communication, presentation, administration, leadership and critical analysis. Based at our vibrant and modern Southend Campus, you will have direct access to our state-of-the-art Clifftown Theatre and the opportunity to work alongside further East 15 students studying on our actor training programs. If you cannot see this video, you can watch it on our Vimeo channel within your browser. View more undergraduate courses from East 15 Acting School, including our Stage & Production Management behind-the-scenes training.
This module looks at the conventional art of developing character dialogue and story, while taking into consideration the working practices of the playwriting profession. Students will create short scenes and finish the module with a one-act play. Throughout the process students should organise to work with East 15 actors to read and workshop their scripts outside of normal teaching hours. Students will gain a broad understanding of different theatrical genres and develop the ability to work independently.
This module will introduce the fundamentals of the creative and business practices of the creative producer in the theatre and film industries. The unit will introduce current critical debates, concepts and discourses in producing. This unit will equip you with practical skills and knowledge to develop, record and present business and strategic thinking. Students will also hone their communication and presentational skills.
This module introduces skills in camera use and editing. The module emphasises an understanding of the technical processes underlying the students' own practical work. Students will be taught how best to capture performance on camera, which may include live performance, rehearsal footage, marketing material, documentary footage, and short films. Introduction to offline editing of video will lead to students editing their own work.
This module provides students with a grounding in the development of the Western Theatre and approaches to studying and analysing theatre movements and events in their specific cultural contexts. It includes a survey of Western Theatre practice from Ancient Greece to the present day, and an introduction to key concepts in the development of theatre. Students will examine the progress of theatre history and the effects of key European influences on the development of theatre and drama in the UK. They will continue to conduct background research and will be pushed to think laterally, by exploring theatre from a point of view that they may not have previously encountered. They will be challenged to question their preconceptions about forms of theatre, and will develop an understanding of how the various elements of theatre systematically interact to communicate with an audience. Throughout the unit students will be developing critical, analytical and reflective abilities, both in oral and written communication.
This module offers you an introduction to the craft of acting and to the language, tools, and techniques used by and with actors. You will engage with key theorists and practitioners who have shaped contemporary actor training and develop familiarity with Stanislavsky’s approach to acting, which includes ‘units’ and ‘objectives’, Patsy Rodenberg’s ‘circles of energy’, and Michael Chekov’s ‘characteristics’, ‘centres’, ‘imagination’, and ‘atmospheres’. You will learn how to understand and ‘action’ texts, and will progress their learning through focused work on monologues, duologues, and ensemble scenes.
This module focuses on developing your general understanding of two major factors of the technical process in creating theatre: sound and lighting. You will develop both theoretical understanding and the practical skills to support different types of performances. There will also be an emphasis on how the elements of sound and light can be manipulated for filmed projects.
You will learn about the evolution of digital media forms from a technical and design perspective, developing your knowledge of technical and practical considerations relating to various digital media. With a focus on creative processes, you will build an understanding of the various uses and applications of digital media. You will be introduced to graphics, poster design, web design, and video art skills, and will integrate practical technological skills with critical thinking.
This module, which builds on and expands the work from the first year, adds a further aspect to the students' progression in filmmaking as well as introducing students to writing for television. As a complement to learning on other modules in directing for the camera and the practical aspects of filmmaking, in this module students will now be taught how to frame a narrative, generate dialogue, and create characters for a variety of purposes. The will see their writing realized via actors and experience the process of directing actors to perform a small script they have written.
Students will look at more specific details around producing both live events and filmed projects. They will be exploring some of the legal issues surrounding touring a theatre production, employment contracts and copyright law, as well developing strategies for Human Resources Management. Their practical skills will be furthered by sessions on how to make pitches and write proposals.
Film Making / Distribution: This unit will further develop the students’ film making skill set. As it sits alongside screen writing, there will be more of a focus on narrative and the creation of short films. They will explore more advanced editing tools and begin to look into the world of film distribution Digital Set Design: This unit will introduce students to the software and skills that will enable them to design a theatre set through digital means. It will cover the basic principles around design for theatre performance, the principles of dramatic space and how these relate to performance narrative. They will gain experience of working with CAD to experiment with design concepts. Marketing: This unit will cover the basic principles of marketing and how this applies to Arts institutions and projects. Students will develop the necessary skills to be able to research, plan and implement a marketing strategy for a variety of arts related ventures. They will be encouraged to critically analyse existing strategies and engage in dialogue around the ethics and responsibilities connected to marketing.
This module will introduce students to the working practices in the theatre and film, allowing them a better understanding ofthe various roles in a production and at the same time developing further skills that willfuel their creative work. In year two students look at a different role in each term: the dramaturg, the theatre director and the film director. Much of the sessions will be through seminar, but students will get the opportunity to test their theoretical knowledge through practical workshops. In the directing units students will gain experience of working from a text, communicating with actors, and plotting action for a given space. Students will also explore the role of the dramaturg as a facilitator between different aspects of rehearsals and planning, as mediator between the script and the actors/director, as 'outside eye' and 'critical friend', and as representative of the audience during the rehearsal process
In this module students will devise and plan a performance project (national / international tour; a festival; a feature film) in the media of your choice. As this is a theoretical project, students will not be required to realise the plan in practical terms, and as such provide the widest possible scope for their creative ambitions. Nonetheless, artistic concepts (script, design, wardrobe, etc.) and the practicalities of running the project (costing, venues, staging, casting and production schedules, etc.)need to be researched and presented in detail. This will require students to utilise the core skills and knowledge that were developed during the first and second year, use various forms of research, and demonstrate both oral and written expression of ideas.
4.3
