Associate Degree of Film
A DEGREE THAT COVERS EVERYTHING FROM CONCEPT TO THE FINAL CUT
Units x Costs ($AUD)
4 x $3,807
4 x $2,728
1 x $5,456
2 x $8,184
Indicative Total Course Fee*
$47,964 AUD
Plus Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
* The Indicative Total Course Fee & Indicative Annual Course Fees reflects that students are charged fees on a per unit basis and the fee for a unit may increase.
For more information view the SAE Fee Schedule or visit the Fee & Payment page.
Units x Costs ($AUD)
4 x $4,439
4 x $3,178
1 x $6,356
2 x $9,534
Indicative Total Course Fee*
$55,892 AUD
Plus Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
* The Indicative Total Course Fee & Indicative Annual Course Fees reflects that students are charged fees on a per unit basis and the fee for a unit may increase.
For more information view the SAE Fee Schedule or visit the Fee & Payment page.
Complete your course faster by studying units over 15 months. (4 trimesters)
Complete your course faster by studying units over 15 months. (4 trimesters)
Whilst still classified as a full-time study load, you will complete the units over two years. (6 trimesters)
If you want to take a little longer, that’s ok too. We’ll help you work out the best study load to suit your needs.
Note: Part-time is not available for international students.
February 2024
May 2024
September 2024
February 2024
May 2024
September 2024
February 2024
May 2024
September 2024
February 2024
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September 2024
February 2024
May 2024
September 2024
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May 2024
September 2024
ASSOCIATE DEGREE OF FILM
The Associate Degree of Film course at SAE puts you in the spotlight from day one, helping you gain the practical experience and technical knowledge needed to launch yourself in the world of motion pictures.
Starting with the fundamentals and rolling through to the finer, more complex aspects of cinematography, you’ll acquire a very particular set of skills during your time at SAE. Choose to specialise in either Production – where the focus is on directing and producing, or Post-Production – where you’ll refine your skills in editing, compositing, and colour grading.
Your growth and development as a creative practitioner will be assessed through the completion of industry-based projects. This will ultimately help you build up a body of work and portfolio to share with potential employers or your first client.
In preparation for an industry that commands agility and adaptability, you’ll cut your creative teeth on projects alongside your peers. As your skills develop and you work on more dynamic projects, you’ll apply your experience to cross-discipline projects in audio, games, design, or animation. By the end of your course, you could be collaborating with fellow students across all SAE’s disciplines.
With an Associate Degree of Film, you’ll be ready for cutting-edge industry roles using modern creative business concepts and strategies. Career options include Video Editor, Film Producer, Broadcast Specialist, or Camera Assistant.
Making the leap from being a fan of the film to becoming a force in the film happens at SAE.
Career Outcomes
What jobs will this course lead to?
- Director
- Assistant Editor
- Broadcast Designer
- Production Designer
- Production Assistant
- Producer
- Camera Assistant
- Screenwriter
- Visual Effects Artist
- Creative/Content Producer
Hayden Huynh
"Getting to use the film gear at SAE was awesome. I never thought I’d be handling a $48,000 camera as a student. It was great to use industry standard equipment, because since graduating, that's what I’ve been using." SAE Alumni | Current Job: Producer, Seven Network
Sarah Khalaf
"I have always wanted to be a film director, I worked on film sets and TV sets as an assistant director for several years, and after joining for my bachelor’s degree I focused more on production and a future working as a producer." SAE Alumni | Current Job: TV Producer
Jessica Ameduri
"Studying at SAE helped me to put the fears of failure behind me. SAE provides practical subjects where you are given a brief for a film and then you each get a role as you would in the industry." SAE Alumni | Current Job: Producer
Why study an Associate Degree of Film at SAE?
A collaborative environment with state-of-the-art equipment and studios. Access expert mentoring by our extensive network of creative practitioners.
Access to studios and software to learn the art of filmmaking.
A range of approaches to learning and teaching - virtual and on-campus - that provides flexibility, real-world application and support for students.
YOUR CAREER IN FILM BEGINS NOW
Tools & Software
Film Skills
Course Structure
The Associate Degree of Film has two stages that provide foundational learning and applied skill.
This unit introduces you to the fundamental principles of screen studies, including theory and history, to explore ways in which these principles are connected to screen practice. Emphasis is placed on how these concepts and approaches work within screen production, allowing you to develop analytical, critical reflection and creative thinking skills by applying your understanding of topics in project-based activities. Finally, this unit should assist you in becoming more critically aware of your craft and introduce you to ways of developing your knowledge of screen production.
In this unit, you will be introduced to the principles of storytelling for the screen in the production of a short dramatic screenplay. Theoretical approaches to plot, structure, character, theme and genre will be explored, and applied to a range of screenplay development tools such as synopsis, treatment and character breakdowns. Through the analysis of a diverse range of mostly short films and the application of theoretical knowledge, you will develop the skills to create engaging character arcs and a satisfying story structure.
You will learn the techniques required to write effective dialogue and scene descriptions. As you draft your final screenplay, you will need to engage with industry-standard formatting and software programs. Feedback processes are essential in the development of engaging stories, and you are expected to engage with feedback from your lecturer and colleagues throughout the trimester.
In this unit, you will be introduced to the craft of filmmaking through participation in practical film shoots. An introduction to camera, lighting and sound equipment will be supported by a study of the fundamentals of frame composition and cinematography. Key roles and responsibilities of a working film crew as well as production processes and protocols are covered, including workplace health and safety. Familiarity with the equipment and its safe assembly and use is as important in this subject as the technical and creative elements.
This unit aims to instil a basic working knowledge of the structures, aesthetics and technologies involved in digital post-production. There is a particular emphasis on the editing process, as well as a general introduction to audio mixing, titling, colour grading and authoring processes within an industry-level non-linear editing tool.
Editing techniques and approaches vary between different mediums and this unit focuses on both documentary and drama workflows and file management protocols. Effective communication of narrative is the main focus of the unit, and you will learn to edit for narrative clarity, performance, subtext and dramatic effect. Historical and contemporary perspectives on montage theory and continuity editing theory will be explored to broaden your understanding and approach to the art of editing.
This unit will introduce you to the mindset and skillset of the creative entrepreneur, and transform your approach to problem-solving. You will analyse historical and contemporary models of leadership and best practice in entrepreneurship, and use tools for project design that include ideation, problem framing, and pitching. The skills in this unit will assist you in developing your creative thinking, exploration, and experimentation methods, allowing you to experiment with project design and content for creative media.
This unit aims to instil a working knowledge of the structures, aesthetics and technologies involved in digital post-production visuals and title design. There is a particular emphasis on compositing and manipulating the visual content within the frame, and the implementation of titles to footage. Influential cinematic, art and graphic styles, movements and techniques are analysed to give you a foundation in post-production visual aesthetics. The unit also deals with workflow, project management and interpersonal skills needed to export footage for a variety of delivery mediums and collaborating with creative clients.
This unit will give you the opportunity to develop a project from early ideation through to an industry-standard screen production. The purpose of this unit is to introduce you to procedures and protocols of screen production as well as further developing your skills in cinematography, lighting and sound. You will also be introduced to the pathway a screen production takes through the post-production stage to final delivery. A key outcome of this unit will be a screen production initiated and developed over the course of the unit.
In CIM210 you will be working on interdisciplinary projects that relate to some of the most important concepts in contemporary media production. You will learn practical and analytical skills in order to help you develop your creative powers and meet briefs that take you out of your comfort zone. You will need to bring all of the skills you have learned so far: technical skills, research skills, communication skills and a growth mindset, and be prepared to encounter new concepts and new ways of working.
Film Studio 2 acts as an introduction to a "real-world" environment that will allow you to experience the industry-standard production process in an accelerated capacity. This 30 credit point module will allow you to dedicate more time and energy to understanding and developing an individual and collaborative process. Your focus will be directed toward creating a fictionalised, scripted product that may comprise: short films, television commercials, web series, etc., whilst working in a collaborative and inclusive film crew.
In this unit, you will be assigned to a project team, which is led by a facilitator. In collaboration with your peers, you will work towards developing a number of projects within a simulated studio environment. During this process, your facilitator will act as your project manager, producer, mentor and colleague.
Media and culture are not simply entertainment, but something that affects the “real world”, our everyday lives, and our worldviews. As such, we will not ask whether media accurately reflect the real world but instead ask how media shape, reinforce, and challenge power structures that influence our understanding of the world and ourselves. This unit takes a ‘critical theory’ approach to analyze media and culture. In this unit, you will explore media texts, contexts and meaning, society and subjectivity, pop culture aesthetics, and critical cultural discourses that inform creative media practices.
Drawing on a range of creative content and analytical frameworks, you will be encouraged to develop ways of thinking about media and culture that demonstrate a broad awareness of aesthetic principles and stylistic trends; subjectivity, agency, ethics, and relations of power; contexts, disciplines and discursive formations. In support of this exploration, you will produce a range of media artifacts that explore and contextualize the relationship of media to culture through individual analysis, collaborative and interdisciplinary creative practice, and critical reflection.
FLM213 introduces you to the world of documentary filmmaking. This unit has the same delivery structure as Film Studio 2, but the focus shifts from narrative fiction to documentary. You will need to draw on all the storytelling and technical skills you have learned to date, while being introduced to new concepts and practices that are applicable to the documentary genre. During the delivery of this unit, your facilitator will oversee a number of theory sessions and practical workshops that will increase your knowledge and practical skill base. Then, solo or in collaboration with your peers, you will develop and deliver a documentary project.
FEE‑HELP* is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists eligible fee paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees. It cannot be used for additional study costs such as accommodation or text books. The total amount of FEE‑HELP a person can use is known as the ‘FEE‑HELP limit’.
Once a person begins using FEE‑HELP, the amount of FEE‑HELP they have left to use is known as their ‘FEE‑HELP balance’.
* Terms and conditions apply. For the latest updates regarding FEE-HELP please refer to sae.edu.au/fees
SAE has three intakes per year: February, June and September. Short courses and certificates courses may have different intake timings. View our academic calendar for trimester start dates or contact your campus for further information.
Equipment is available for on and off campus production work, with some changes to the hire and use of equipment, guided by health and hygiene protocols. We have made some slight adjustments to teaching and assessments to ensure that projects will not be impacted. For more information about hiring equipment and booking studios, please contact Student Services or the Tech Team at your campus.
Easy transition into the Bachelor of Film
SAE Diploma, Associate and Bachelor Degrees are structured in an integrated course framework.
This means that when you complete an SAE Associate Degree of Film you will be awarded the maximum credit points available, providing you with the opportunity to seamlessly transition into the higher level Bachelor degree qualification if you choose to do so.
CREDIT AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
SAE may recognise your prior learning and may grant credit towards satisfying the requirements for a higher-level program. This is applied where previous learning is considered equivalent to the content and learning outcomes prescribed for units within the program.
For full details, please refer to SAE's policy on recognition of prior learning and credit transfers.
