Certificate in Digital Cinematography and Image Grading
Course Overview
Express your creativity and upskill in the world of cinematography, live studio broadcast, visual effects and more!
Are you looking to transition into cinematography? Perhaps you’re a photographer wishing to cross over to the moving image? Maybe you’re already working in the film, TV and screen media industry but you want to learn camera and cinematography skills?
In this hands-on programme, delivered by industry professionals, you will learn core practical skills in visual storytelling, camera operation, data management, and equipment handling. As you progress through the programme, you will develop skills in: composition, camera movement, lighting techniques, visual effect cinematography and planning and realising complex visual sequences. Working across location-based, set-based and studio-based cinematography, this programme will hone your cinematography and visual storytelling abilities in all genres and across all modes of production.
You will use footage you have generated during the programme and see it through to post-production and grading. You’ll apply industry workflows to grade, finish and master your work to produce industry-standard deliverables to the highest professional standard.
Why study Digital Cinematography and Image Grading at Griffith College?
This programme equips you with the knowledge and practical and conceptual skills to work as a camera assistant, camera operator, or self-shooting content producer/director. This programme is for you if you want to gain a qualification recognised in the industry. You will gain a broad and deep education in cinematography and image grading. You will develop vital professional skills in camera operations, lighting, camera movement, working with clients and image finishing. Interpersonal and communication skills are vital in this industry and will also be developed as part of this programme.
Throughout the duration of their programme, learners will have access to:
- Professional lighting equipment
- Professional cameras
- Professional grip equipment
- Industry-standard equipment and facilities
- Fully equipped TV studio
- Fully equipped editing suites
- Fully equipped grading suite
- Production spaces
- Professional connections with the film industry
Ultimately, you will conceive, light, and create complex visual sequences generated through established workflow to finish, grade, master and produce industry-standard deliverables.
Intake Dates
- Dublin - Part-Time - September 2025
Testimonials
I struggled with cameras beforehand but taking this course really helped with my understanding of them, not just teaching us shutter speed, and aperture, but they give you the cameras to get you to start learning first and explain the rest later, so it makes sense. The lecturers gave us assignments such as one take shots, planning out shot lists, and doing all the theory and practical work together and that made a better understanding for me. I would definitely recommend this course.
Certificate in Digital Cinematography and Image Grading
Course Details
Course Modules
This module explores specialist technical skills in lighting and camera for digital filmmaking. It establishes core skills in camera operation, lighting technique and the handling of equipment. This module also informs learners of the relationship between input to output screen resolutions, subsequent file formats and codecs used for best quality broadcasting to web-based usage.
The module’s objectives:
- Through analysis of key case studies and practitioners, learners are equipped with a lucid understanding of cinematic aesthetics and styles and the vital role played by camera and lighting in visual storytelling for the screen.
- Through a range of technical exercises, learners work in different roles in the camera crew to film short scenes, exercises which in turn support the films produced in the Production and Direction for Screen module.
- Learners develop the ability to visually interpret scripts from a camera and lighting perspective and, in so doing, investigate the relationship between director, director of photography and other key heads of department.
This module builds on cinematographic knowledge to develop advanced competency and skills in the areas of camera operation, lighting design and critical and creative analysis of the role of cinematography within productions. This module builds on core technical skills in camera operation and lighting techniques for digital filmmaking and screen media production.
Learners are able to manage the technical operation of digital cinematography cameras and can make informed, confident and creative decisions regarding exposure control (aperture, ISO and shutter speed/angle), white balance and frame composition. This module advances the learners’ knowledge of recording codecs, capture and output resolutions, and keep them up-to-date with industry-standard formats in a constantly evolving field. Through practical demonstrations and exercises, learners develop their technical and creative lighting skills and apply them across their productions.
This module develops advanced and specialist skills in the area of digital camera operation, lighting design, visual effect cinematography, planning and realising complex visual sequences. Learners are able to effectively harness digital camera and lighting equipment in a highly creative manner to create visually striking moving images. This module equips learners with the skills necessary to navigate some of the more nuanced creative and technical decision-making involved in digital film production.
This module exposes learners to advanced up-to-date knowledge on recording codecs, capture and output resolutions and industry-standard formats, technologies and techniques. Through a series of practical demonstrations, case-study analyses and industry masterclasses, learners are introduced to advanced camera operation knowledge, lighting and shooting techniques for VFX, and more detailed considerations for delivery requirements across a range of platforms, both online and theatrical. This module prepares learners with competencies that are industry standard expectations.
In this module, the learner combines both craft and technical expertise in the final stages of postproduction, developing an advanced knowledge and understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of editing in screen media finishing, mastering and delivery. The learner hones the editing style with a sophisticated understanding of tone, mood, timing and pace as key techniques within editing as a narrative craft.
Furthermore, learners acquire detailed knowledge and understanding of the components that make up a digital image; how to manipulate them; analyse workflows and artefacts for technical issues; use and modify advanced online editing skills and post-production tools to rectifying technical problems in shots and workflows. As a result, the learner develops a deeper appreciation of the storytelling power of editing and is equipped with the required organisational, technical and administration skills to perform well in the industry.
From the outset, emphasis is placed upon the importance of planning, correct on-set acquisition and other considerations that support an understanding of both digital cinematography and visual effects production. In this way, practical demonstrations consistently reinforce the relationship between the possibilities of visual effects and storytelling across a variety of film, TV and screen media modes.
Timetables
The course is designed to be delivered part-time over two semesters. It will take place two evenings a week for 24 weeks (two semesters).
Exact days TBC.
How to Apply
Entry Requirements
English Language Requirements
Applicants from countries where English is not the first language will also be required to provide evidence of sufficient English language abilities.
Griffith College is accepting the online Duolingo English Test (DET) as valid proof of English proficiency. Please see here for further details.
How to Apply
This is a direct entry program. All applicants can apply directly through our website.
For more information on how to apply or the entry requirements below, please contact admissions@griffith.ie.
Applicants under 23 years of age:
- At least 2 H5 grades and 4 O6/H7 grades, to include maths and a language
- Learners must have a basic knowledge of digital editing software and post production workflows
- English Language requirements (detailed below)
- Interview with Program Director
- Candidates with equivalent grades from other awards are also considered
Applicants over 23 years of age (Mature students):
- Work experience/life experience: A CV that evidences a basic knowledge of digital editing software and post production workflow
- English Language requirements (detailed below)
- Interview with Program Director
- Candidates with equivalent grades from other awards are also considered
Fees
For purposes of fee calculation, residence is counted from time of application.
Please note that not all study modes may be offered at all times; for confirmation, refer to the Intake dates on the Overview tab.
Tuition Fees
Study Mode: Part-Time
Dublin: EUR 2,400.00
(+250EUR Academic admin fee, + 2% Learner Charge of 53EUR + QQI Award Fee of 50EUR)
General Fee Information
An Academic Administration Fee of €250 is payable each September at the start of term. For students starting in the January/February term, €125 is payable in February, and then €250 will be payable each September from then onwards.
Sponsorship
Is your company paying for your course?
They will need to complete a Griffith College Sponsorship Form and send this to the Student Fees Office:
- Email: studentfees@griffith.ie
2% Learner Protection Charge
All QQI accredited programmes of education and training of 3 months or longer duration are covered by arrangements under section 65 (4) of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 whereby, in the event of the provider ceasing to provide the programme for any reason, enrolled learners may transfer to a similar programme at another provider, or, in the event that this is not practicable, the fees most recently paid will be refunded.
QQI Award Fee
Please note that a QQI Award Fee applies in the final year of all QQI courses. For the Certificate in Digital Cinematography and Image Grading, this fee is EUR 50. For more information, please see the Fees page.
