| Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH)) |
| Mode of activity | Learning & Teaching Activity | NESH (Study Hours) | NESH Description |
| Face To Face | Guided independent study | 72 | In Trimester 1, your independent study is essential to the development of your festival performance project and its associated business plan. You will be expected to undertake self-directed creative research to inform the concept, style, and context of your work, while actively contributing to devising, rehearsal, and performance preparation outside of timetabled sessions. Working collaboratively with your group, you should organise and participate in additional rehearsals and meetings, fulfilling your allocated role with reliability and professionalism, and responding constructively to feedback. Alongside creative development, you will independently research festival contexts, audiences, and industry trends to help position your project effectively, and contribute to the preparation of a viable business plan, including budgeting, marketing strategies, and sustainability considerations. A significant focus of your independent study will be preparing for the end-of-trimester Backers’ Workshop, requiring you to refine performance material, develop clear and confident presentation skills, and help produce a coherent pitch supported by detailed planning. Throughout this process, you are expected to manage your time effectively, maintain professional standards, and reflect on your progress in order to meet the demands of a simulated industry environment. This promotes inclusive learning because it combines independent study, collaboration, and practical learning, allowing you to contribute in ways that reflect their strengths and interests. Flexible learning activities, teamwork, and ongoing feedback support equitable participation and the development of professional and creative skills. |
| Face To Face | Practical classes and workshops | 25 | Trimester 1:
This module adopts an entrepreneurial, practice-based approach to learning and teaching, grounded in collaborative project development, simulated professional practice, and mentored experimentation. It enables you to conceive, develop, and realise performance projects for stage or screen within a festival context, aligning creative practice with industry-facing processes.
In Trimester 1, you will participate in weekly (2-hour) timetabled sessions focused on the collaborative development of short performance projects. Through structured workshops and guided practice, students engage in creative research and devising processes alongside the development of key enterprise skills. These include analysing market opportunities for performance work, identifying target audiences and contexts, and applying financial and business planning skills relevant to establishing and managing a small-scale performance company.
Learning is scaffolded through staff mentoring (half an hour), peer collaboration, and cross-programme partnerships, ensuring that you contribute effectively within defined performance, creative, technical, and managerial roles. Emphasis is placed on professional standards of practice, including reliability, communication, and collaborative working.
Performance concepts are tested through low-budget “backers’ workshops”, presented to a professional Festival Panel at the end of Trimester 1. These workshop presentations simulate industry pitching environments, requiring you to deliver a coherent creative proposal supported by clear market awareness, a viable business plan, and effective public-facing communication as well as sample performance of proposed projects. You will also produce an enhanced business plan to accompany the pitch, that incorporates detailed market analysis, financial projections, marketing strategy, and sustainability considerations. This process reinforces professional discipline, project planning, and reflective engagement with industry expectations. This promotes inclusive learning because it offers diverse learning opportunities through workshops, mentoring, collaboration, and practical project work. You can contribute through creative, technical, managerial, or performance-focused roles, while staff guidance and peer support help ensure all learners can participate, develop professional skills, and achieve their potential. |
| Online | Guided independent study | 5 | Trimester 2: Reading week: No teaching will take place during Reading Week. This week is intended to support reflection on and consolidation of your practice and learning. The module leader will offer guidance to inform and support the development of your practice during this time. |
| Online | Practical classes and workshops | 240 | Trimester 2:
In Trimester 2, selected projects progress towards preview performances and fully realised festival productions. You will work within your assigned roles to contribute to the creation and delivery of performance work to a professional standard for public audiences. This includes applying creative, analytical, and practical performance skills in a sustained and integrated manner.
Across both trimesters, you undertake significant responsibilities in both performance and production capacities, supporting the development of creative leadership, enterprise awareness, and professional practice. Each project group is supported by a staff mentor, with contact time adapted to the scale and requirements of the project. Your contact time with your mentor will be negotiated throughout each trimester and depend upon the size of each group.
The module promotes an inclusive and collaborative learning environment that recognises a diverse range of skills, experiences, and learning styles. You will engage in flexible, practice-based learning through creative, technical, and managerial pathways, fostering experimentation, shared responsibility, and equitable participation within a professional festival framework. |
| Online | Guided independent study | 8 | Trimester 1: Reading week: No teaching will take place during Reading Week. This week is intended to support reflection on and consolidation of your practice and learning. The module leader will offer guidance to inform and support the development of your practice during this time. |
| Online | Guided independent study | 50 | In Trimester 2, your independent study is focused on the sustained development, rehearsal, and delivery of a fully realised festival production. You are expected to take responsibility for progressing your project beyond initial concepts, engaging in regular self-directed rehearsals, production meetings, and creative development work to ensure the performance is realised to a professional standard. Working within your assigned role, you should contribute consistently to both performance and production processes, applying and refining your creative, analytical, and practical skills in an integrated way. Independent study will involve learning and maintaining performance material, developing character or technical elements in depth, and responding to ongoing feedback from peers and mentors. You will also support the practical delivery of the production, which may include marketing activity, technical preparation, scheduling, and audience engagement. Effective time management, clear communication, and reliability are essential, as projects move towards preview performances and public presentation. Throughout this period, you should continue to reflect on your practice, adapt to challenges, and uphold professional standards, demonstrating your ability to work collaboratively and contribute meaningfully within a live festival environment. This promotes inclusive learning because it combines independent study, collaboration, and practical learning, allowing students to contribute in ways that reflect their strengths and interests. Flexible learning activities, teamwork, and ongoing feedback support equitable participation and the development of professional and creative skills. |
| Total Study Hours | 400 | |
| Expected Total Study Hours for Module | 400 | |
| Assessment |
| Type of Assessment | Weighting % | LOs covered | Week due | Length in Hours/Words | Description |
| Report | 10 | 3~6 | Week 14 | , WORDS= 500 | Trimester 1: As part of this project, you will be assessed on your collaboration, professionalism, and contribution throughout the process of developing and rehearsing one full production. You will also be asked to evaluate all members of your group, including yourself. This will be for Trimester one. |
| Project - Written | 20 | 3~4~5 | Week 12 | , WORDS= 3000 appox. | Trimester 1: You are tasked with creating a professional-standard business plan for a theatre/ film production you propose to take to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe or film festival. This is a real-world exercise—most of your proposals will be used for the actual festivals. Your document should clearly communicate your company’s identity, your show ideas, and how you plan to make them a success. |
| Practical Skills Assessment | 40 | 1~2~3~4~5~6 | Week 14 | HOURS= 60-80min | Trimester 2: For this assessment, you will present a performance from your chosen production or film from ‘Backers’. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the full range of your acting skills developed throughout the course, including characterisation, interpretation, vocal and physical expression, and emotional engagement. |
| Practical Skills Assessment | 10 | 3~6 | Week 14 | HOURS= 500 | Trimester 2: As part of this project, you will be assessed on your collaboration, professionalism, and contribution throughout the process of developing and rehearsing one full production. You will also be asked to evaluate all members of your group, including yourself. This will be for Trimester two. |
| Practical Skills Assessment | 20 | 1~2~3~4~5~6 | Week 14 | HOURS= 45min | Trimester 1: Final showing of your two proposed shows (between 10-12min in length) / Films: two 1-2min (trailers) and formal presentation of business plan in front of panel. You should also have a 3min presentation prepared. Be prepared to answer questions about your proposals. |
| Component 1 subtotal: | 50 | | |
| Component 2 subtotal: | 50 | | | | |
| Module subtotal: | 100 | | | | |