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Accessibility statement
Creative industries shape how we see, hear and understand the world, from film and television to photography, podcasts and digital content. This introductory module explores how creative work is produced, communicated and experienced, while helping you develop confidence as both a critical thinker and creative practitioner. You'll examine issues including diversity, sustainability, representation, and artificial intelligence, and put ideas into practice through image-making, storytelling and audio production. Along the way, you'll build academic, digital and transferable skills, giving you a strong foundation for further study and helping you explore where your interest in the creative industries could take you next.
You’ll explore a variety of creative practices while developing the academic, digital and professional skills needed for future study and employment. You’ll connect critical theory with creative practice by questioning assumptions, reflecting on your experiences, and engaging with diverse perspectives.
Through activities such as digital image creation, podcast production and visual analysis, you'll develop confidence as both a creative producer and critical thinker. You'll build skills in research, communication and analysis while working collaboratively with others and exploring ethical, sustainable and inclusive approaches to media and creative practice.
The module is organised around three key dimensions of cultural analysis: production, texts, and audiences:
Block 1: Production
You’ll explore how digital content, including films and television programmes, is created, and how the creative industries have developed over time. Along the way, you’ll consider the roles of governments, media organisations, streaming platforms and digital creators, and hear creative workers talk about their jobs. Questions of diversity, sustainability, accessibility and inclusion will form part of your exploration. Examples from film, television, photography, graphic design and online media will help you understand how social, economic and technological changes affect media production. Finally, you’ll put these ideas into practice by creating a digital image for a media campaign.
Block 2: Texts
By examining film, media and other cultural products, you’ll discover how they create meaning and communicate ideas. Storytelling techniques and visual language will help you understand how creative texts reflect the cultural, social and historical contexts in which they’re produced. You’ll also consider representation and its influence on audiences, while exploring themes including authorship, place and cultural value. A detailed study of a feature film will help develop your skills in close audio-visual analysis.
Block 3: Audiences
Turning to audiences, you’ll explore the part they play in interpreting media and creating meaning. The block traces how ideas about audiences have developed, from theories of media effects to active audiences, and considers how digital platforms are changing these relationships. Data, algorithms and AI provide a further focus, raising questions about privacy, surveillance and platform power. The block culminates in a podcast production project in which you’ll learn how creative choices can help you connect with different target audiences.
There are no entry requirements for this module. This is an OU level 1 module. OU level 1 modules provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning to help you progress to OU level 2 study.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying P100 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
Exploring the creative industries starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2027.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2038.
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