Film Production Minor

A theoretical and practical introduction to the human phenomenon of storytelling, what stories are, their central role in culture from ancient times to the present day, and how storytellers seek and communicate meaning. Particular attention will be paid to the significance of story in the Judeo-Christian tradition and story’s role within the Christian faith. Students will generate numerous story ideas, and with the help of their classmates and the instructor will evaluate those ideas in terms of audience appeal, theme and meaning.

This class will focus on the basic fundamentals of post-production, which includes picture and sound editing, media management, media capture and the various editing techniques available to editors to communicate ideas. The class will cover the history of cinematic editing and the impact it has had on visual storytelling, as well as the various styles of editing that make up the language of cinema. Students will learn and use editing software to edit various projects and assignments.

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of pre-production and production, and the roles and responsibilities of all personnel and positions that are essential to its success. Students will become familiarized with the detailed preparation required for the shoot and the interdependence of the script, budget, schedule, and breakdown. Students will also learn how a digital video camera works, the characteristics of lenses, how to record clean sound, and how to use lighting to illuminate and shape an image.

This class will study some of the most important films in American cinema to understand the cultural context in which they were created, the role of the director in the filmmaking process, and the lasting legacy that the various films enjoy.

This course builds on the storytelling fundamentals learned in Story, Genre and Structure, with specific application to writing for the screen. The student will learn the basics of scriptwriting and will combine this with previously acquired writing and storytelling skills to write a spec script for an existing half-hour or hour-long television series. Students will hone their presentation skills to pitch their television story. Class time will be dedicated to covering beginning and intermediate topics including breaking stories, scene writing, dialogue, subtext, direction, giving and receiving notes in a writers’ group, and script format. Students will critique one another’s work in small groups, with instructor guidance. Considerable time will be required for students to write outside of class. Students will read and respond to the required texts as well as assigned episodic television scripts.

This course will cover the fundamentals of sound and how they are applied in a media environment to help communicate a message. The class will address the importance of sound in the pre-production process and how to properly prepare a project with a sound state of mind. In the production environment, students will learn the proper sound tools and techniques and how to use them to record clean, consistent and intelligible recordings.

In this course students will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively communicate an idea to an audience through the use of a documentary film. Students will view and analyze current and past documentaries and identify the idea, concept and structure that makes up the film. Students will create a documentary film that either records the present using behavioral or anthropological means, or recalls the past using historical or biographical elements, incorporating visuals, statements and interviews with verifiable truths.

This class expands on many of the skills learned in the Fundamentals of Production class. Students will learn intermediate camera and lighting techniques and how to use these specific tools to communicate a story visually. Specific emphasis will be on image composition, lens characteristics, codecs and formats, camera settings, specific lighting styles and instruments, and how the camera and lights complement and support the storytelling experience.

In this class, students will work as part of a collaborative production team that will write, produce, film and edit a short-form narrative film. Students will gain an understanding and knowledge of the key personnel positions required to produce a film, and will execute those job functions by taking a project through pre-production, production and post-production.

This course focuses on how persuasion is effectively used in the world of media to influence viewers. Focusing primarily on its use in the world of advertising, students will identify the commercial advertising requirements of potential clients, and effectively produce television commercials to achieve identified goals. Students will also evaluate client needs, identify a target audience, craft a message promoting unique benefits and importance to customers, pitch a concept, and present the finished product to a simulated client for approval and feedback

Course description coming soon

This course continues to build students' proficiency in motion picture production using real-time rendering in Unreal Engine through several group projects. Additional topics include motion capture, facial capture, and virtual camera tracking.

The Producer: Planning for Production provides a theoretical and practical introduction to the role of the film producer in five principle areas:

• Creative Development
• Packaging
• Financing
• Budgeting, Scheduling & Hiring
• Marketing & Distribution

In this course students will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively communicate an idea to an audience through the use of a documentary film. Students will view and analyze current and past documentaries and identify the idea, concept and structure that makes up the film. Students will create a documentary film that either records the present using behavioral or anthropological means, or recalls the past using historical or biographical elements, incorporating visuals, statements and interviews with verifiable truths.

This course concentrates on the understanding of how light works, how to manipulate it, and how to use light and its supporting instruments to light in a way that will communicate emotion and help establish the visual character of a film. Students work with various types and styles of lighting instruments, stands, grip equipment and light modifiers as they light a variety of scenes.

This class focuses primarily on the role of the cinematographer. Students will learn how to visually communicate an idea through extensive use of the camera and lights. Areas of emphasis will include composition, camera techniques, camera placement and movement, lens characteristics, color, depth of field, lighting techniques, the qualities of light and color temperature.

Course description coming soon

Course description coming soon

This course is part of the feature film program. Students actively participate in the creative development and pre-produciton process on an independent feature film. This course is open to students from various disciplines including producers, directors, cinematographers, production designers, 1st assistant directors, concept and storyboard artists, advertisers, graphic designers and sound recordists. Students gain insights into the filmmaking process by fullfilling hands-on tasks with real-world stakes and through collaborating with the other various departments. Industry professionals will participate in this course to provide mentorship to the various disciplines involved.

This builds upon the collaboration between students that begins in Feature Film: Pre-Production II. Students are invited to participate in various roles as the pre-production process progresses from creative development through scheduling, budgeting, casting, camera and lighting tests, scouting locations, storyboarding, and more

This course is part of the Feature Film Program. Students apply for specific on-set positions that align with their unique skills and career goals and fulfill that role throughout principle photography on a narrative feature film project. This class may be taken as a 3 unit or 6 unit class based on the student's role and class status.