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CUA60620 Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media
Digital Cinema - AC80

National ID
CUA60620
WA Course Code
AC80
CRICOS code
107937F
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Why choose this course?

Create your career in digital cinema. This course will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to work within the film and television industry. It will provide you with the opportunity to explore the nature of storytelling through the medium of digital cinema and helps you to evolve your ideas for professional creative work.

The course covers skill areas such as lighting design, developing story lines and treatments, directing cinematography, managing performers and crews for screen productions and editing complex screen productions. You could find yourself working on content as varied as client-based corporate projects, micro dramas, documentaries and short-form narrative films with professional actors shot on cinema standard equipment.

Successful completion of this course may see you gain advanced standing for entry into the WA Screen Academy's Bachelor of Media & Communications at Edith Cowan University.

Career opportunities

  • Assistant Director
  • Editor
  • Production Manager

  • An IELTS score (academic) of 6.0 with no band score less than 5.0 or equivalent.

  • Completion of CUA51020 Diploma of Screen and Media (Film &Television) (AC75) is required for entry into this course.

Your study options

Semester 1, 2025

Duration | 2 semesters
When | Semester 1, 2025
Where | North Metropolitan TAFE (52786)
How | On campus, to a minimum of 20 contact hours per week
Fees (total indicative for course)
  • Tuition fee: $12,480
  • Resources fee: $1,320
  • Materials fee: $0

Tuition fees are reviewed annually. If tuition fees are increased, you will be required to pay the new fees as they are introduced. You will be provided with an indicative schedule of fees in your Letter of Offer.

Resource fees are for consumables you use in your course e.g. paint, internet etc. You pay this fee to your college at enrolment. If your course goes longer than one semester, the resource fee may not need to be paid in one amount but may be spaced out over the duration of your course. Your college will advise you of the payment amount each semester.

Material fees are for items that remain your property after the course has been completed e.g. personal protective equipment, tools, text books etc. You pay this fee to your college at enrolment.

Work placement

There is no work placement requirement for this course. 

To achieve this qualification, students must demonstrate competency in 16 units. These 16 are comprised of 4 core units and 12 elective units. Elective units listed below have been selected in consultation with industry.

Students who enrol into this qualification will be eligible for credit transfer of the units that they have already achieved. Fees paid by international students are set on a commercial basis and are paid as a whole of course fee - no refund will apply to credit transfers. Please refer to your letter of Offer for detailed duration and costings for your enrolment.

Core units
    National ID
    Unit title
  • CUAIND611 Work professionally in the creative arts industry
  • CUAPPR515 Establish and maintain safe creative practice
  • CUAPPR613 Engage in the business of creative practice
  • CUAPPR615 Evolve ideas for professional creative work
Elective units
    National ID
    Unit title
  • CUACAM414 Pull focus
  • CUACAM611 Direct cinematography for screen productions
  • CUADRT512 Direct performers for screen productions
  • CUADRT611 Establish creative vision for screen productions
  • CUALGT514 Develop lighting designs
  • CUAPOS511 Edit complex media productions
  • CUAPOS512 Perform primary and secondary colour correction
  • CUAPPM512 Realise productions
  • CUAPPM613 Plan and manage pre-production activities
  • CUASOU411 Coordinate sound recording operations on location
  • CUASOU418 Edit dialogue
  • CUAWRT602 Edit scripts

Assessment methods

The methods of assessment used in this course involve skill assessments which are based upon live work modelling with demonstration of required performance evidence.  Evidence will be gathered through observation and portfolios and knowledge evidence is assessed separately. Most assessments are conducted in class or in a simulated workplace.

 

These assessment strategies and evidence gathering are in accordance with the relevant training package or accreditation guidelines. Detailed Information is available in the assessment matrix, learning plans and assessment tools for each of the units of competency. Assessors use this matrix to ensure assessments, are undertaken across the duration of the course, rather than clustered together at particular times.

Learning resources, facilities and equipment

The following learning resources, facilities and equipment are available at each campus so that you can achieve the skill and knowledge requirements of this course.

 

Learning resources may include access to Blackboard resources, handouts, workbooks, learning guides, supporting documents and booklets.

Facilities and equipment may include access to simulated office workspace with computers and required software, such as Word and Excel (pre-production), equipment such as RED Dragon and Scarlet digital cinema cameras, Zeiss fixed lens kits, Satchler tripod, camera assistant cases, 664 field production mixers, Sennheiser 416 & 816 microphones, Blondes and stands, Kinos and stands, HMI and stand (production package) and post production equipment including AVID Media Composer editing suite, Pro-tools suite, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid Nexis Server.

Key dates

Semester and holiday dates are included in your Letter of Offer. View upcoming semester start and end dates.

Semester 1, 2026

Duration | 2 semesters
When | Semester 1, 2026
Where | North Metropolitan TAFE (52786)
How | On campus, to a minimum of 20 contact hours per week
Fees (total indicative for course)
  • Tuition fee: $12,480
  • Resources fee: $1,320
  • Materials fee: $0

Tuition fees are reviewed annually. If tuition fees are increased, you will be required to pay the new fees as they are introduced. You will be provided with an indicative schedule of fees in your Letter of Offer.

Resource fees are for consumables you use in your course e.g. paint, internet etc. You pay this fee to your college at enrolment. If your course goes longer than one semester, the resource fee may not need to be paid in one amount but may be spaced out over the duration of your course. Your college will advise you of the payment amount each semester.

Material fees are for items that remain your property after the course has been completed e.g. personal protective equipment, tools, text books etc. You pay this fee to your college at enrolment.

Work placement

There is no work placement requirement for this course. 

To achieve this qualification, students must demonstrate competency in 16 units. These 16 are comprised of 4 core units and 12 elective units. Elective units listed below have been selected in consultation with industry.

Students who enrol into this qualification will be eligible for credit transfer of the units that they have already achieved. Fees paid by international students are set on a commercial basis and are paid as a whole of course fee - no refund will apply to credit transfers. Please refer to your letter of Offer for detailed duration and costings for your enrolment.

Core units
    National ID
    Unit title
  • CUAIND611 Work professionally in the creative arts industry
  • CUAPPR515 Establish and maintain safe creative practice
  • CUAPPR613 Engage in the business of creative practice
  • CUAPPR615 Evolve ideas for professional creative work
Elective units
    National ID
    Unit title
  • CUACAM414 Pull focus
  • CUACAM611 Direct cinematography for screen productions
  • CUADRT512 Direct performers for screen productions
  • CUADRT611 Establish creative vision for screen productions
  • CUALGT514 Develop lighting designs
  • CUAPOS511 Edit complex media productions
  • CUAPOS512 Perform primary and secondary colour correction
  • CUAPPM512 Realise productions
  • CUAPPM613 Plan and manage pre-production activities
  • CUASOU411 Coordinate sound recording operations on location
  • CUASOU418 Edit dialogue
  • CUAWRT602 Edit scripts

Assessment methods

The methods of assessment used in this course involve skill assessments which are based upon live work modelling with demonstration of required performance evidence.  Evidence will be gathered through observation and portfolios and knowledge evidence is assessed separately. Most assessments are conducted in class or in a simulated workplace.

 

These assessment strategies and evidence gathering are in accordance with the relevant training package or accreditation guidelines. Detailed Information is available in the assessment matrix, learning plans and assessment tools for each of the units of competency. Assessors use this matrix to ensure assessments, are undertaken across the duration of the course, rather than clustered together at particular times.

Learning resources, facilities and equipment

The following learning resources, facilities and equipment are available at each campus so that you can achieve the skill and knowledge requirements of this course.

 

Learning resources may include access to Blackboard resources, handouts, workbooks, learning guides, supporting documents and booklets.

Facilities and equipment may include access to simulated office workspace with computers and required software, such as Word and Excel (pre-production), equipment such as RED Dragon and Scarlet digital cinema cameras, Zeiss fixed lens kits, Satchler tripod, camera assistant cases, 664 field production mixers, Sennheiser 416 & 816 microphones, Blondes and stands, Kinos and stands, HMI and stand (production package) and post production equipment including AVID Media Composer editing suite, Pro-tools suite, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid Nexis Server.

Key dates

Semester and holiday dates are included in your Letter of Offer. View upcoming semester start and end dates.

There may be further semester intakes available for enrolment. You can view any further intakes when you submit your online application(opens in a new tab).

For information about pathways from TAFE to university, view our Pathways to university page.

How to apply

Apply to study at TAFE in six steps:

  1. find a course;
  2. check entry requirements;
  3. submit an application;
  4. accept your offer and pay;
  5. apply for your student visa; and
  6. receive your visa and come to Australia for your studies.

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TAFE International Western Australia (TIWA) is the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) provider, for the delivery of training to international students, enrolled in a TAFE course in Western Australia. This nationally recognised course is delivered by a Western Australian TAFE college on TIWA's behalf. TIWA retains responsibility for the quality of the training and assessment delivered by the TAFE colleges and for the issue of certification documentation to students.

Last updated on December 1, 2022