Film

Programme Information

Duration: 3 Years

Award: BA(Hons) Film

The seventh art, film, resembles so many other arts. However, it's in itself a unique medium. Film prizes the collaborative process, and The Puttnam School of Film sits in a privileged position of being able to tap into the ecosystem of the various arms of an arts college. Whilst doing so, the primary focus of the school is to nurture its students to find their own voice through the art of cinematic storytelling.

This programme answers the call of the local and international film community, which seeks reflective practitioners empowered by the capacity for creativity and authenticity. Through practice-based learning, instilled with critical thinking, you will be inspired to communicate within a cinematic framework and explore various narrative environments, such as short and feature films, documentaries, mini series, and television commercials, with an emphasis on professional and broadcast standards.

While keeping with the current advances in technology, the school also observes that these are mere tools in the overall architecture of content. Although new technologies always have and will continue to have an impact on the realisation of artistic works, the programme will emphasise skills and knowledge that refer to the artistic and conceptual traditions in film, especially in the area of storytelling, in all the film related disciplines, from screenwriting, directing, and producing to cinematography, sound, and editing.

Level 1 establishes the groundwork of filmmaking andpresents the theoretical approaches needed for the study of film. You will be introduced to the disciplines of screenwriting, producing, directing, cinematography, sound recording, sound-designing, and editing. Level 2 develops the practical and academic work begun in the previous level and takes the collaborative process of film practice further, through various exercises and a short film project. Central to Level 3 are the complex demandsof professional filmmaking. Work undertaken in the final year combines your developed artistic approach and technical skills, culminating in a Thesis Film where you specialise in a discipline.

Teaching Methods: You will have ample opportunities to work in studios and attend special workshops. You will attend lectures, seminars, and practical presentations. There will be regular guest lectures by international artists who will bring valuable experience and advice. You will participate in class presentations and complete written assignments. You will be assessed every semester on your studio practice.

Assessments: Assessment is an integral part of the learning process, and will be formative and diagnostic as well as summative and evaluative, providing feedback to students wherever appropriate. Read more about assessments here.

Modules

Level 1 – Introduction and Collaboration

FILM PRACTICE 1: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
You will learn the function and purpose of story, the fundamentals of screenplay structure, the nature of scenes, subtext, beats and point of view, script format and elements of style. You will get a good understanding of directing and producing, from development of a project, preproduction, working with the actor and crew, and the delivery of the film production.

FILM PRACTICE 2: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design
This module will introduce you to the practices of the other concurrently running key disciplines of filmmaking, and cover topics such as the collaborative efforts and work of directors of photography, camera operators, production designers, sound recordists, sound designers, and film editors.

Critical Film Studies: History of Film
The introduction of Critical Film Studies concentrates on the history of film, with a direct connection to the genesis of film language, clearly illustrated by a series of programmed curriculum screenings whilst connecting how contemporary films have been informed by historical approaches.

FILM PRACTICE 3: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
Workshops on Development and Writing for Location Short Film Production prepare you for the roles and responsibilities of the screenwriter where original screenplay and adapted writing will be covered and enables you to translate fictional works into an artistic cinematic language.

Directing for Location Short Film Production takes you on a comparative approach to expound on a 'style versus story' technique in order to gain insight into genre and how it affects the intrinsic dramatic structure of a film.

A Cross Faculty Exercise introduces the basic approach of the directing and acting vocabulary in order to achieve the best out of a performance in front of the camera.

FILM PRACTICE 4: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design – Classical Narrative Cinema
The Camera and Lighting Workshop builds on the knowledge of the previous introductory semester, and concentrates on motivation for the movement and blocking of the camera, cinematic continuity and light measuring.

Editing aesthetics for narrative structure extends the understanding of post-production methods, procedures, workflows and technologies. It introduces you to the dynamic and creative roles involved in the post-production stage of the filmmaking process in defining the final outcomes of a production work through editing, colour correction and visual effects, using an appropriate range of software application and hardware tools.

Critical Film Studies: Narrative in Film
Critical Film Studies will evolve from a film historical background – including a new series of curriculum screenings – to a more analytical one with a focus on the study of narrative cinema and its popular genres by providing an overview of the major cinematic works and directors from the early stages to the present. It traces the history of Hollywood cinema and the influence of the film industry on the development of these particular modes of production. It will then proceed to explore and analyse other forms of narratives such as the art cinema narration as well as the documentary.

Level 2 – Critical Practice

FILM PRACTICE 5: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
This module continues the study of the screenwriter, director and producer as the three key initiators of any film project. However, these will be extended to the work of the actor, where you get basic introduction to well known acting methods, and to other practice modules, so as to include also the role and importance of the director of photography in realising the scene/project in accordance with the intentions of the screenwriter, director and producer, while exploring the photographic aspects of the shot and related areas. This applies also to the other key roles of production design, editing and sound design, which extends from the collaboration of the three key initiators of film projects to the delivery of the final product.

FILM PRACTICE 6: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design
This module continues the study of essential elements in professional filmmaking and introduces the procedures that affect the film as an aesthetic product. It looks at the artistic and technical potentials related to the image and sound in the professional production and post-production process. It focuses on key areas of expertise that are involved in staging a screenplay in front of the camera, such as blocking, set design and decoration, costumes and props design, lighting and sound design, sound effects, visual effects, editing and mastering.

Critical Film Studies: Film Form
This module will offer perspectives on filmmaking techniques by evaluating and deconstructing traditional film practice, discourse and philosophies in the analysis of film as an art form. Critical Film Studies will be accompanied by a series of curriculum screenings.

FILM PRACTICE 7: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop and realise a short film project. You take responsibility for at least one key role in the production team. In the module, the roles of the three key initiators of film projects are covered.

FILM PRACTICE 8: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop and realise a short film project. You define the project with advice from and under the supervision of an assigned mentor/lecturer, conduct relevant research, and manage the entire process of the project. You will take responsibility for at least one key role in the production team.

Critical Film Studies: Issues in Film
This module looks at and connects film movements and content to social, cultural, political and historical events that have shaped contemporary films today. By studying these issues, you will clarify the relevance of theory, making it the spine of your practice. This crossing between theory, reflection and practice will be accompanied with curriculum screenings.

Level 3 – Advanced Film Production

FILM PRACTICE 9: Specialisation Modules
Specialisation modules are offered in the key areas of filmmaking. You will select one of the core disciplines, with the foresight of taking on a head crew position in one of the thesis films.

FILM PRACTICE 10: Special Film Productions
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop and realise a film project within your selected discipline area. You will define the project with advice and under the supervision of an assigned mentor/lectirer.

Dissertation: Thesis for Thesis Film
Dissertation writing will be the backbone of your film practice as it complements the process and production of the thesis film to ensure that each specialism is both informed and analytical through appropriate and accurate research. As a module involving research writing, which encourages you to be an autonomous learner, you are required to formulate a self-explored research paper that reflects your discipline within the thesis film.

FILM PRACTICE 11: Final Project – Thesis Film
You are required to complete your final project in this module. The independent project brings together the experiences gained throughout the film programme in a collaborative effort to realise a cinematic project that matches the professional demands and requirements of the creative industries.

POSTSCRIPT: Thesis for Thesis Film
You will revisit your thesis paper and correct flaws and inadequacies of the paper. This post-script approach while aiming to be a continuance of the original paper, also addresses self-evaluation and critique on arguments, discourse and implications previously put forth.

Faculty Members

Dean
Wolfgang Muench

Diplom Freie Grafik (MA Fine Arts equivalent), State Academy of Art and Design Stuttgart, Germany

Academic Qualifications in progress
PhD Candidate (Scenography), University of Vienna, Institute of Theatre, Film and Media Studies, and ZHdK University of the Arts Zurich, Institute for Design and Technology

MAS Masters of Advanced Studies, ZHdK University of the Arts Zurich, Institute for Design and Technology Wolfgang Muench is a media artist and art educator. He studied Fine Arts in a pre-computer era at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, Germany, and the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria. In 1996, he joined the ZKM Centre for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany, as programmer and software designer. He was involved in various projects at the ZKM institutes of Visual Media, Music and Network-Development, such as the 'Panoramic Navigator' and the CD-ROM series 'artintact' and 'digital arts edition'. He taught Interactive Media at Merz-Academy Stuttgart (1997), Hong Kong Art Centre / The Art School (2003) and LASALLE Singapore (2003), and was artist in residence at ARS Electronica Linz, Austria (2001), ZKM (2002), and IAMAS Institute for Advanced Media Arts and Science Ogaki, Japan (2003). In his artworks and research, he examines socio-cultural implications of media technology and human computer interfaces. His interactive installations and artworks, including 'Bubbles' (in collaboration with K. Furukawa), and 'Small Fish', in collaboration with K. Furukawa and M. Fujihata, have been shown in numerous international media art exhibitions and festivals in Europe, America and Asia. In 2004, he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Media Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts Singapore, and Chair of the LASALLE Research Committee in 2008.

The Puttnam School of Film

Head of The Puttnam School of Film
Gisli Snaer Erlingsson

Gisli Snaer has been honored for his feature films at festivals in 13 nations, including Chicago-USA, Kerman-Iran & Giffoni-Italy. In addition, he has been the creative force behind highly successful advertising campaigns around the globe, for many major brands such as One, Cisco, Toyota, Yamaha, Ricoh, Iceland Air and the European Council.

Gisli joined the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV) in 1986 as a writer and host of a comic youth program. He worked as an assistant director, assistant editor and production manager in various film productions and then studied at the Sveriges Television (SVT) in 1988, focusing on directing and producing television dramas. From 1988 to 1990, he directed and produced a number of television programs; variety shows, television dramas, comedy shows, live concerts, etc ., for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

In 1990, Gisli enrolled at the prestigious film school La Fémis, in France where he studied film directing. Since graduating, with a undergraduate and postgraduate degree, and to present day, Gisli Snaer has directed award- winning feature films such as Benjamin Dove, and Ikingut, and a number of TV-commercials. In addition, he has developed, with the support of the Icelandic Film Centre, several screenplays, co-written with Steve Baker, of the English design group tomato.

Before joining LASALLE, Gisli was running his own production & distribution company, Ansur Pictures Co., Ltd. in Japan. He's a member of the Director's Guld of Iceland, and has been a member of the jury at international film festivals, such as the Berlin International Film Festival.

Lecturer-in-Charge & Co-ordinator, Film
Charles Maideen

Charles Maideen is a Senior Lecturer in the Puttnam School of Film in charge of Producing with a Masters in Business Administration from Bharathiar University, India and a certificate in Production Management from the Australian Film Television and Radio School, Australia. He was formerly a Lecturer in a film school from a leading local polytechnic teaching Production Planning and Management and also held various course management positions in the Advanced Diploma in Film Production programme and Interdisciplinary Studies programme. Prior to this, Charles worked for Filmwest, an Australian Film company in Singapore in almost all production capacities from Production co-ordination, Camera work, Sound recording, Editing and assisted in directing before taking up responsibilities as a Producer. He has been involved in the production of live sports multi camera coverage, corporate videos, documentaries, TV programmes and TV commercials. "TNT Express Singapore International Cricket Sixes" a 30 minute TV programme which he co-edited was awarded a certificate for creative excellence at the US International Film and Video festival.

Lecturer, Critical Film Studies
Mardhiah Osman

Mardhiah has been in the local media industry for 10 years. A Film Studies postgraduate of Universiteit van Amsterdam, and a Gender Studies graduate from the University of Western Sydney, her career began in broadcasting as Commissioning Editor for MediacorpTV12's SURIA. After various globe-trotting experiences, beginning with the Australian Broadcasting Authority in Sydney, to film festivals in the Netherlands, and global media agencies in Hong Kong and Singapore, Mardhiah has returned home to her first love – teaching. Her research interest is in the representation of gender and ethnicity in film.

Lecturer, Cinematographer
Hideho Urata

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Hideho earned a Master's degree from New York University. He began his career in the United States as a camera operator for NYPD Blue ― a four-time Golden Globe winner – television drama starring Dennis Franz. He has worked as a camera assistant for cinematographers such as Ernest Dickerson and Stephen H. Burum. He is now a cinematographer with a wide experience in feature film, TV commercial and music video production. One of the feature films "KAMATAKI" won Best Director, Ecumenical Prize, International Film Critics' Award, Most Popular Canadian Film, People's Choice Award at Montreal World Film Festival 2005 and Special Mention at Berlin International Film Festival 2006. Urata recently won the Best Cinematography at Montreal Fantasia Film Festival 2009 and the Best Visual Achievement at New York Asian Film Festival 2009 on his work "The Clone Returns Home ".

Lecturer, Sound & Image Post Production
Sean Ashley

Sean graduated in 1997 with a BA(Hons) Film degree from the Surrey Institute. He brings 15 years of editing experience to The Puttnam School of Film, LASALLE. He cut his teeth at England's Kodak Film Labs before moving to Singapore in 1997 as a freelance editor, and since then he has worked on numerous short films, commercials, documentaries and feature films, including the critically acclaimed "Salawati" (Winner of Best Feature Film at the 2009 Asia Hot Shots festival in Berlin)

Sean's experience in television include projects for international and regional broadcasters like the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, BBC Worldwide, Channel News Asia, Disney and MTV. He also possesses a diverse corporate and commercial portfolio, having worked with ministries and multinational companies, including the Media Development Authority, the Economic Development Board, PUB, ST Technologies, Canon, Far East Organization, Starhub, Singtel and Star Sports.

Media Arts Undergraduate Studies

Lecturer, Media Arts
Rashid Saini

Rashid teaches Contextual Studies for the Faculty of Media Arts. Before his current position as a lecturer, Rashid came from the field of Marketing and Advertising, working for agencies such as McCann Erickson, Dentsu and Young & Rubicam . Having a series of published short stories in the early years of his creative practices, he then moved on to exhibit in Melbourne (where he completed his undergraduate studies majoring in Film and Photography), Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. His works include a short film, video installations and photography. His research continues to be observational in nature, making abstract portrayals on the study of state of being and various forms of abstract communication.

For his postgraduate degree, Rashid chose Faculty of Fine Arts, LASALLE, to continue his area of research (through video installations), which has now expanded to his continued explorations of abstraction of the medium in order to make social commentaries via film.

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

Completed High School (Grade 12), Junior College or Pre-University education. Recognised Singapore qualification: Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level: Minimum 'Pass' in 2 subjects + General Paper or recognised equivalent. Recognised international qualifications: Please click here to view list.

Note:
'A' Level Art/Art Elective Programme or International Baccalaureate (IB) Art & Design are not required subjects but represent the portfolio standard for eligibility into the BA(Hons).
Alternative English qualification: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT80.

Portfolios & Interview Requirements

You are requested to present a story, or a treatment for a story, that you would like to make for the screen. The premise of the story is important. You will be asked to articulate why you think your story will be appealing, and worthy of being produced as a film. To assist your presentation, you may use still-photographs to reflect the mood, style and form of your end product – the film.

What we are looking for
The Puttnam School of Film, LASALLE, is looking for a student who possesses commitment, motivation, determination, and a passion for storytelling. Your presentation should reflect your dedication to creating stories with universal appeal.

Good communication skills, and the capacity to work unselfishly in a team, are essential.

It is not necessary to have made films, although any professional experience and practice in filmmaking will add credence to your portfolio.

Programme Information

Duration: 3 Years

Awards: BA(Hons) Film

The seventh art, film, resembles so many other arts. However, it's in itself a unique medium. Film prizes the collaborative process, and The Puttnam School of Film sits in a privileged position of being able to tap into the ecosystem of the various arms of an arts college. Whilst doing so, the primary focus of the school is to nurture its students to find their own voice through the art of cinematic storytelling.

This programme answers the call of the local and international film community, which seeks reflective practitioners empowered by the capacity for creativity and authenticity. Through practice-based learning, instilled with critical thinking, you will be inspired to communicate within a cinematic framework and explore various narrative environments, such as short and feature films, documentaries, mini series, and television commercials, with an emphasis on professional and broadcast standards.

While keeping with the current advances in technology, the school also observes that these are mere tools in the overall architecture of content. Although new technologies always have and will continue to have an impact on the realisation of artistic works, the programme will emphasise skills and knowledge that refer to the artistic and conceptual traditions in film, especially in the area of storytelling, in all the film related disciplines, from screenwriting, directing, and producing to cinematography, sound, and editing.

Level 1 establishes the groundwork of filmmaking andpresents the theoretical approaches needed for the study of film. You will be introduced to the disciplines of screenwriting, producing, directing, cinematography, sound recording, sound-designing, and editing. Level 2 develops the practical and academic work begun in the previous level and takes the collaborative process of film practice further, through various exercises and a short film project. Central to Level 3 are the complex demandsof professional filmmaking. Work undertaken in the final year combines your developed artistic approach and technical skills, culminating in a Thesis Film where you specialise in a discipline.

Teaching Methods: You will have ample opportunities to work in studios and attend special workshops. You will attend lectures, seminars, and practical presentations. There will be regular guest lectures by international artists who will bring valuable experience and advice. You will participate in class presentations and complete written assignments. You will be assessed every semester on your studio practice.

Assessments: Assessment is an integral part of the learning process, and will be formative and diagnostic as well as summative and evaluative, providing feedback to students wherever appropriate. Read more about assessments here.

Modules

Level 1 – Introduction and Collaboration

FILM PRACTICE 1: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
You will learn the function and purpose of story, the fundamentals of screenplay structure, the nature of scenes, subtext, beats and point of view, script format and elements of style. You will get a good understanding of directing and producing, from development of a project, preproduction, working with the actor and crew, and the delivery of the film production.

FILM PRACTICE 2: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design
This module will introduce you to the practices of the other concurrently running key disciplines of filmmaking, and cover topics such as the collaborative efforts and work of directors of photography, camera operators, production designers, sound recordists, sound designers, and film editors.

Critical Film Studies: History of Film
The introduction of Critical Film Studies concentrates on the history of film, with a direct connection to the genesis of film language, clearly illustrated by a series of programmed curriculum screenings whilst connecting how contemporary films have been informed by historical approaches.

FILM PRACTICE 3: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
Workshops on Development and Writing for Location Short Film Production prepare you for the roles and responsibilities of the screenwriter where original screenplay and adapted writing will be covered and enables you to translate fictional works into an artistic cinematic language.

Directing for Location Short Film Production takes you on a comparative approach to expound on a 'style versus story' technique in order to gain insight into genre and how it affects the intrinsic dramatic structure of a film.

A Cross Faculty Exercise introduces the basic approach of the directing and acting vocabulary in order to achieve the best out of a performance in front of the camera.

FILM PRACTICE 4: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design – Classical Narrative Cinema
The Camera and Lighting Workshop builds on the knowledge of the previous introductory semester, and concentrates on motivation for the movement and blocking of the camera, cinematic continuity and light measuring.

Editing aesthetics for narrative structure extends the understanding of post-production methods, procedures, workflows and technologies. It introduces you to the dynamic and creative roles involved in the post-production stage of the filmmaking process in defining the final outcomes of a production work through editing, colour correction and visual effects, using an appropriate range of software application and hardware tools.

Critical Film Studies: Narrative in Film
Critical Film Studies will evolve from a film historical background – including a new series of curriculum screenings – to a more analytical one with a focus on the study of narrative cinema and its popular genres by providing an overview of the major cinematic works and directors from the early stages to the present. It traces the history of Hollywood cinema and the influence of the film industry on the development of these particular modes of production. It will then proceed to explore and analyse other forms of narratives such as the art cinema narration as well as the documentary.

Level 2 – Critical Practice

FILM PRACTICE 5: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
This module continues the study of the screenwriter, director and producer as the three key initiators of any film project. However, these will be extended to the work of the actor, where you get basic introduction to well known acting methods, and to other practice modules, so as to include also the role and importance of the director of photography in realising the scene/project in accordance with the intentions of the screenwriter, director and producer, while exploring the photographic aspects of the shot and related areas. This applies also to the other key roles of production design, editing and sound design, which extends from the collaboration of the three key initiators of film projects to the delivery of the final product.

FILM PRACTICE 6: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design
This module continues the study of essential elements in professional filmmaking and introduces the procedures that affect the film as an aesthetic product. It looks at the artistic and technical potentials related to the image and sound in the professional production and post-production process. It focuses on key areas of expertise that are involved in staging a screenplay in front of the camera, such as blocking, set design and decoration, costumes and props design, lighting and sound design, sound effects, visual effects, editing and mastering.

Critical Film Studies: Film Form
This module will offer perspectives on filmmaking techniques by evaluating and deconstructing traditional film practice, discourse and philosophies in the analysis of film as an art form. Critical Film Studies will be accompanied by a series of curriculum screenings.

FILM PRACTICE 7: Screenwriting, Directing and Producing
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop and realise a short film project. You take responsibility for at least one key role in the production team. In the module, the roles of the three key initiators of film projects are covered.

FILM PRACTICE 8: Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Recording, Editing and Sound Design
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop and realise a short film project. You define the project with advice from and under the supervision of an assigned mentor/lecturer, conduct relevant research, and manage the entire process of the project. You will take responsibility for at least one key role in the production team.

Critical Film Studies: Issues in Film
This module looks at and connects film movements and content to social, cultural, political and historical events that have shaped contemporary films today. By studying these issues, you will clarify the relevance of theory, making it the spine of your practice. This crossing between theory, reflection and practice will be accompanied with curriculum screenings.

Level 3 – Advanced Film Production

FILM PRACTICE 9: Specialisation Modules
Specialisation modules are offered in the key areas of filmmaking. You will select one of the core disciplines, with the foresight of taking on a head crew position in one of the thesis films.

FILM PRACTICE 10: Special Film Productions
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop and realise a film project within your selected discipline area. You will define the project with advice and under the supervision of an assigned mentor/lectirer.

Dissertation: Thesis for Thesis Film
Dissertation writing will be the backbone of your film practice as it complements the process and production of the thesis film to ensure that each specialism is both informed and analytical through appropriate and accurate research. As a module involving research writing, which encourages you to be an autonomous learner, you are required to formulate a self-explored research paper that reflects your discipline within the thesis film.

FILM PRACTICE 11: Final Project – Thesis Film
You are required to complete your final project in this module. The independent project brings together the experiences gained throughout the film programme in a collaborative effort to realise a cinematic project that matches the professional demands and requirements of the creative industries.

POSTSCRIPT: Thesis for Thesis Film
You will revisit your thesis paper and correct flaws and inadequacies of the paper. This post-script approach while aiming to be a continuance of the original paper, also addresses self-evaluation and critique on arguments, discourse and implications previously put forth.

Faculty Members

Dean
Wolfgang Muench

Diplom Freie Grafik (MA Fine Arts equivalent), State Academy of Art and Design Stuttgart, Germany

Academic Qualifications in progress
PhD Candidate (Scenography), University of Vienna, Institute of Theatre, Film and Media Studies, and ZHdK University of the Arts Zurich, Institute for Design and Technology

MAS Masters of Advanced Studies, ZHdK University of the Arts Zurich, Institute for Design and Technology Wolfgang Muench is a media artist and art educator. He studied Fine Arts in a pre-computer era at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, Germany, and the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria. In 1996, he joined the ZKM Centre for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany, as programmer and software designer. He was involved in various projects at the ZKM institutes of Visual Media, Music and Network-Development, such as the 'Panoramic Navigator' and the CD-ROM series 'artintact' and 'digital arts edition'. He taught Interactive Media at Merz-Academy Stuttgart (1997), Hong Kong Art Centre / The Art School (2003) and LASALLE Singapore (2003), and was artist in residence at ARS Electronica Linz, Austria (2001), ZKM (2002), and IAMAS Institute for Advanced Media Arts and Science Ogaki, Japan (2003). In his artworks and research, he examines socio-cultural implications of media technology and human computer interfaces. His interactive installations and artworks, including 'Bubbles' (in collaboration with K. Furukawa), and 'Small Fish', in collaboration with K. Furukawa and M. Fujihata, have been shown in numerous international media art exhibitions and festivals in Europe, America and Asia. In 2004, he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Media Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts Singapore, and Chair of the LASALLE Research Committee in 2008.

The Puttnam School of Film

Head of The Puttnam School of Film
Gisli Snaer Erlingsson

Gisli Snaer has been honored for his feature films at festivals in 13 nations, including Chicago-USA, Kerman-Iran & Giffoni-Italy. In addition, he has been the creative force behind highly successful advertising campaigns around the globe, for many major brands such as One, Cisco, Toyota, Yamaha, Ricoh, Iceland Air and the European Council.

Gisli joined the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV) in 1986 as a writer and host of a comic youth program. He worked as an assistant director, assistant editor and production manager in various film productions and then studied at the Sveriges Television (SVT) in 1988, focusing on directing and producing television dramas. From 1988 to 1990, he directed and produced a number of television programs; variety shows, television dramas, comedy shows, live concerts, etc ., for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

In 1990, Gisli enrolled at the prestigious film school La Fémis, in France where he studied film directing. Since graduating, with a undergraduate and postgraduate degree, and to present day, Gisli Snaer has directed award- winning feature films such as Benjamin Dove, and Ikingut, and a number of TV-commercials. In addition, he has developed, with the support of the Icelandic Film Centre, several screenplays, co-written with Steve Baker, of the English design group tomato.

Before joining LASALLE, Gisli was running his own production & distribution company, Ansur Pictures Co., Ltd. in Japan. He's a member of the Director's Guld of Iceland, and has been a member of the jury at international film festivals, such as the Berlin International Film Festival.

Lecturer-in-Charge & Co-ordinator, Film
Charles Maideen

Charles Maideen is a Senior Lecturer in the Puttnam School of Film in charge of Producing with a Masters in Business Administration from Bharathiar University, India and a certificate in Production Management from the Australian Film Television and Radio School, Australia. He was formerly a Lecturer in a film school from a leading local polytechnic teaching Production Planning and Management and also held various course management positions in the Advanced Diploma in Film Production programme and Interdisciplinary Studies programme. Prior to this, Charles worked for Filmwest, an Australian Film company in Singapore in almost all production capacities from Production co-ordination, Camera work, Sound recording, Editing and assisted in directing before taking up responsibilities as a Producer. He has been involved in the production of live sports multi camera coverage, corporate videos, documentaries, TV programmes and TV commercials. "TNT Express Singapore International Cricket Sixes" a 30 minute TV programme which he co-edited was awarded a certificate for creative excellence at the US International Film and Video festival.

Lecturer, Critical Film Studies
Mardhiah Osman

Mardhiah has been in the local media industry for 10 years. A Film Studies postgraduate of Universiteit van Amsterdam, and a Gender Studies graduate from the University of Western Sydney, her career began in broadcasting as Commissioning Editor for MediacorpTV12's SURIA. After various globe-trotting experiences, beginning with the Australian Broadcasting Authority in Sydney, to film festivals in the Netherlands, and global media agencies in Hong Kong and Singapore, Mardhiah has returned home to her first love – teaching. Her research interest is in the representation of gender and ethnicity in film.

Lecturer, Cinematographer
Hideho Urata

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Hideho earned a Master's degree from New York University. He began his career in the United States as a camera operator for NYPD Blue ― a four-time Golden Globe winner – television drama starring Dennis Franz. He has worked as a camera assistant for cinematographers such as Ernest Dickerson and Stephen H. Burum. He is now a cinematographer with a wide experience in feature film, TV commercial and music video production. One of the feature films "KAMATAKI" won Best Director, Ecumenical Prize, International Film Critics' Award, Most Popular Canadian Film, People's Choice Award at Montreal World Film Festival 2005 and Special Mention at Berlin International Film Festival 2006. Urata recently won the Best Cinematography at Montreal Fantasia Film Festival 2009 and the Best Visual Achievement at New York Asian Film Festival 2009 on his work "The Clone Returns Home ".

Lecturer, Sound & Image Post Production
Sean Ashley

Sean graduated in 1997 with a BA(Hons) Film degree from the Surrey Institute. He brings 15 years of editing experience to The Puttnam School of Film, LASALLE. He cut his teeth at England's Kodak Film Labs before moving to Singapore in 1997 as a freelance editor, and since then he has worked on numerous short films, commercials, documentaries and feature films, including the critically acclaimed "Salawati" (Winner of Best Feature Film at the 2009 Asia Hot Shots festival in Berlin)

Sean's experience in television include projects for international and regional broadcasters like the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, BBC Worldwide, Channel News Asia, Disney and MTV. He also possesses a diverse corporate and commercial portfolio, having worked with ministries and multinational companies, including the Media Development Authority, the Economic Development Board, PUB, ST Technologies, Canon, Far East Organization, Starhub, Singtel and Star Sports.

Media Arts Undergraduate Studies

Lecturer, Media Arts
Rashid Saini

Rashid teaches Contextual Studies for the Faculty of Media Arts. Before his current position as a lecturer, Rashid came from the field of Marketing and Advertising, working for agencies such as McCann Erickson, Dentsu and Young & Rubicam . Having a series of published short stories in the early years of his creative practices, he then moved on to exhibit in Melbourne (where he completed his undergraduate studies majoring in Film and Photography), Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. His works include a short film, video installations and photography. His research continues to be observational in nature, making abstract portrayals on the study of state of being and various forms of abstract communication.

For his postgraduate degree, Rashid chose Faculty of Fine Arts, LASALLE, to continue his area of research (through video installations), which has now expanded to his continued explorations of abstraction of the medium in order to make social commentaries via film.

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

Completed High School (Grade 12), Junior College or Pre-University education. Recognised Singapore qualification: Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level: Minimum 'Pass' in 2 subjects + General Paper or recognised equivalent. Recognised international qualifications: Please click here to view list.

Note:
'A' Level Art/Art Elective Programme or International Baccalaureate (IB) Art & Design are not required subjects but represent the portfolio standard for eligibility into the BA(Hons).
Alternative English qualification: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT80.

Portfolios & Interview Requirements

You are requested to present a story, or a treatment for a story, that you would like to make for the screen. The premise of the story is important.

You will be asked to articulate why you think your story will be appealing, and worthy of being produced as a film. To assist your presentation, you may use still-photographs to reflect the mood, style and form of your end product – the film.

What we are looking for
The Puttnam School of Film, LASALLE, is looking for a student who possesses commitment, motivation, determination, and a passion for storytelling. Your presentation should reflect your dedication to creating stories with universal appeal.

Good communication skills, and the capacity to work unselfishly in a team, are essential.

It is not necessary to have made films, although any professional experience and practice in filmmaking will add credence to your portfolio.