Too many cooks? Co-creating and co-teaching studio courses in the creative media context: a career-focussed approach

Abstract

This Case Study relates to the creation and implementation of career-focussed courses in Creative Media for film, television, animation, broadcast and web contexts. The paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of co-teaching, and how different professional and academic backgrounds and disciplines can productively inform curriculum design and delivery in the academic/professional context. The authors, as co-creators and co-lecturers, have developed a number of courses which represent current working models for intermediate to advanced level academic/professional study, and attract students from across the creative disciplines; including theatre, media, visual arts and music. These courses are structured to develop in students a wide range of aesthetic and technical skills, as well as their ability to apply those skills professionally within and across the creative media industries. Issues regarding the balance between academic rigour, practical hands-on skill development, assessment, logistics, resources, teamwork and other issues, are examined in the paper.