Curriculum for Filmmaking Degree

This course introduces students to the notion of creative work as knowledge work-unique ways of understanding the world through the arts, design, humanities, and media. Drawing on diverse creative work, including their own, students will explore the potential for varied creative practices and tools to make meaning and how systems-political, economic, cultural-influence what people can make and whether it holds value. Students will also learn to apply critical frameworks in examining the world of creative expression and cultural production.

Through an examination of the history of film aesthetics, theories, and movements, students will learn to place films in historical and global contexts while analyzing power systems, social movements, and issues of representation. The class will watch and discuss narrative, documentary, and experimental films from various countries, genres, movements, and specific directors/producers/screenwriters. Students will acquire visual literacy skills and a better understanding of film as a shaper and product of sociocultural movements. This course fulfills the requirement for FRM-128 Global Contexts in the Creative Arts, Media, and Humanities.

The course provides students with opportunities to develop specialized projects in art, humanities, and media production. Students will apply critical frameworks, including theories, and use interdisciplinary methods to explore how culture is shaped by popular appeal, innovation, and mechanisms of power. Students will work individually and collaboratively to bring creative work-narratives, images, multimedia forms-and rigorous scholarship to complex challenges in varied contexts.

Students will explore documentary filmmaking as both craft and ethical practice, developing skills in cinematography, sound recording, lighting, editing, and interview techniques. Through critical examination of documentary forms and contemporary distribution contexts, students will investigate how non-fiction storytelling creates social impact and personal expression. Applying principles of fair use, creative commons licensing, and ethical representation, students will produce an individually or collaboratively created short-form documentary project.

In this course students are introduced to the language of film. Through a combination of lectures, screenings, readings, discussions, and film exercises, students will investigate the fundamentals of screenwriting, producing, directing, composition, sound design, and editing. Students will be exposed to documentary, narrative feature, short and web series, and experimental films from around the world representing different perspectives and experiences. They will explore the evolving landscape of production and the social impact of filmmaking.

This course provides an introduction to screenwriting. In seminar and writing workshop style, students will read and discuss short and feature-length screenplays, including their own works-in-progress, as well as compare scripts to their final films. Students will learn basic structures of screenplays, character development, conflict, dialogue writing, industry standards for script formatting and ways to ignite their creative spark. Students will complete one short film script.

Through a combination of classroom instruction and project-based work, students will learn and gain command of industry standard software and fluidly demonstrate picture editing, sound design, transitions, and professional workflow. Students will view and analyze the work of master editors and apply these techniques to their individual projects. The class will be exposed to the editing process in experimental, documentary, and narrative feature and short pieces.

This course covers the theory and practice of field/location and studio audio recording for motion pictures. Students learn techniques in the use of field/studio recorders and mixers, microphones, and boom poles. The class covers digital recorders, time-code synchronization management, foley recording, and additional dialogue replacement (ADR). Students will complete two (2) sound recording projects by the end of the course.

This course focuses on cinematic storytelling, and explores digital video cinematography techniques for both studio and field. Students will familiarize themselves with multiple digital video camera formats. Students will also use lighting equipment, determine set and lighting needs, block scenes, and become familiar with topics including film space, continuity, lenses, color, filters, and camera control. Over the course of the semester, students will collaborate to produce a number of short works in both field and studio environments.

The course provides student filmmakers with practical tools for working with actors. Students will be introduced to different acting techniques, participate in acting exercises, and direct and act in scenes. Students will analyze texts, break down scripts, and identify subtext.

This course examines the changing landscape of the moving image industry, highlighting areas where film and business intersect, including funding, promotion, international co-production norms, tax breaks and other incentive programs, festivals, grants, distribution options, and career pathways.

This course introduces students to special effects and compositing. Through classroom instruction and project-based work, students will learn and gain command of industry standard software. By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to skillfully demonstrate the use of effects, animation, keying, motion graphics, and color correction.

Each student will make their own narrative short with a maximum five minute run time. Before principal photography begins the class will focus on script writing, pitching, production management, risk management, crew responsibilities, location sound recording, and casting. Upon completion of the production phase students will screen and critique dailies, rough cuts, and final cuts. Students will strengthen their collaborative and storytelling skills.

Students will pitch, write scripts, and shoot, either individually or in small teams, a film with a maximum eight minute run time. By creating a documentary, narrative, or experimental film, students will develop skills in production design, which includes set design, costume, make-up, props, and color scheme. The focus will be on directing, with an emphasis on working with actors and crew. These skills, along with advanced cinematography and sound design, will enable students to enhance production quality and express their vision.

Students, working individually or as a group, will complete pre-production and principal photography on a portfolio film with a maximum 15 minute run time. The course calls upon all of the techniques and skills acquired in the first three years. The film should demonstrate a marked progression in screenwriting, producing, directing, cinematography, and sound recording. Students will also explore various fundraising avenues.