640 Parrington Oval
Course Descriptions
FVS 1013 Introduction to Film and Video Studies. An examination of history, role, impact, nature and delivery systems of film and video media in the United States and the international community.
FVS 2013 Film and Video History and Criticism to 1945. Survey of world film and video history and approaches to critical analysis of the moving image up to the end of World War II. Emphasizes an understanding of the role of cinema and video on aesthetic, economic and social developments of life in the twentieth century. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 2023 Film and Video History and Criticism 1945 to the Present. Survey of Hollywood, independent and world film and video making since World War II and critical approaches to these media. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 2033 Writing About Film: Analysis, Criticism, and the Industry. A course designed to assist the student in developing writing skills in the areas of film reviews, film criticim, entertainment writing, and/or scholarly writing about film. Prerequisite: FVS 1013 and ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213.
FVS 2123 Acting for the Camera. This course covers the requirements, techniques and discipline of working on camera for film and/or television as a professional actor. Prerequisite: FVS 2033.
FVS 3113 Single Camera Production. Film and video production with narrative structure. Student will learn to handle equipment and edit in-camera. Prerequisite: FVS 2033.
FVS 3213 Media Theories and Methodologies (Film Theory). This course will familiarize students with classical film theory that evolved during the early days of cinema up through contemporary film and media theory, as a foundation of understanding and analyzing the way media shape and reflect culture. Prerequisite: FVS 1013 and FVS 2013 or FVS 2023.
FVS 3223 Film Genre. Offers students a systematic in-depth study of one or two specific genres such as Westerns, Romantic Comedy, Horror, Film Noir, and Melodrama. May be repeated once with change of genre. Maximum credit six hours. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 3233 Filmmakers Up Close. An in depth study of one or two filmmakers through the study of their films. Filmmakers include directors, screenwriters, actors, and others who have a significant role in making movies. May be repeated once with change of filmmaker. Maximum credit six hours. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 3243 Hispanic Cinema. Analytical study of exemplary motion pictures from the Hispanic world: Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, and Argentina. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 3413 Asian Cinema. A survey of major Asian films, exploring aesthetic and narrative traditions from Japan, China and India as its major concern. Films from other Asian cultures will be offered as availability permits. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 3800 Internship. 1 to 3 hours. Participation in supervised internship with submission of journals describing work performed, regular reports, on-site supervisor evaluation, assigned readings and final assessment of experience. Prerequisite: FVS 1013 and instructor permission. Contact the FVS department for additional information
FVS 3810 Variable topics in Film and Video. Varied projects concerning particular aspects of film and video history, genre and methods of film or video production. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 3833 Masterpieces of World Cinema. Survey of World film and the principles underlying historical and critical approaches to the cinema, emphasizing an appreciation of international cinema as an aesthetic, economic and social factor. May be repeated with change of content. Maximum credit six hours. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 3843 Topics in National Cinemas. Analytical study of exemplary motion pictures in terms of major periods, themes and formal parameters in relation to national cultural histories, such as the French New Wave, Film Noir or American silent film. Prerequisite: FVS 1013.
FVS 3853 Feature Screenwriting. An Introduction to writing for the screen including a variety of assignments leading up to developing and writing a feature screenplay. Prerequisite: FVS 1013 and permission of instructor.
FVS 3960 Honors Reading. Contact the FVS Department for additional information. Prerequisite: FVS 1013 and instructor permission.
FVS 4013 Senior Seminar in Film and Video Studies. Development of an academic/professional project in film or video, critical analysis of film and video programming/papers/projects. Prerequisite: FVS 1013 and senior standing.
FVS 4990 Independent Study. Specialized study in film and video history, theory and production, or other topic mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor. The course enables the student to pursue in-depth analysis of special interest topics in Film and Video Studies. Prerequisite: FVS 1013 and instructor permission. Contact the FVS department for more information.
FVS 4990 Directed Readings. Contact the FVS department for additional information.
ART 2803 Media Arts Fundamentals. Prerequisite: permission of the department. Introduction to concepts and practices in media arts with exposure to a variety of media including film, video, photography, and new media.
ART 2813 Filmmaking I. Prerequisite: 2010 or 2803, or permission of the instructor. Beginning 16 mm filmmaking covering basic technical and aesthetic properties of film. Students work in b/w 16mm film and non-sychronous sound. The course is taught through a combination of lecture, hands-on lab, and film screening.
ART 2843 Photography for the Artist I. This is a non-darkroom introduction to photographic study. The main components of this course include camera and lens operations and techniques and exposure control; to develop an informed approach to discussing art through selective readings and viewing of slides and/or video; and to establish a foundation to the critical process.
ART 2853 Photography for the Artist II. Prerequisite 2843. Introduces the black and white darkroom experience. Film processing, printing, and enlarging; fine print controls; presentation and critical evaluation and will continue to develop an informed approach to conceptual issues, photo production, and criticism.
ART 2876 Video for the Artist I. Prerequisite 2010 or 2803 or permission of instructor. Emphasis on developing video production and post production skills. Training exercises in studio and field production, camera work, lighting and sound. Instruction and practice in analog and digital editing. Exploration of digital media. Students will produce a number of short projects.
ART 3810 Filmmaking II. 3 to 6 hours. Prerequisite 2813. Continuation of Filmmaking I. Introduction to synchronous sound, color, cinematography, and advanced editing techniques.
ART 3873 Video for the Artist II. Prerequisite 2873. Continuation of 2873. Introduction to advanced imaging and editing techniques.
ART 4813 Media Arts Special Topics. Prerequisite: 3810 or 3873. May be repeated with change of topic; maximum credit 12 hours. Explores various advanced-level topics in production, style, and technique. Topics to be determined by department. Individual topics may include but are not limited to animation concepts, documentary, experimental, narrative, digital media, as well as lighting, sound, and other production-related concerns.
ART 4820 Film Animation III. 3 to 6 hours. Prerequisite 3820. The student will be expected to work on developing personal ability in the experimental art film with the emphasis on theory of animation.
ARTC 2010 Analysis of Visual Arts. 1 to 6 hours. May be repeated, maximum credit 12 hours. Selected problems in the perception of art. Format and content changes with current needs.
ARTC 2913 Media Arts: Critical History and Analysis. Prerequisite 2010 or 2803 or permission of the instructor. May be repeated once with change of topic. Critical review of the media arts. Rotating topics may view media arts in the content of history, genre, medium cultural reference, or other related areas.
COMM 3003 Political Campaign Processes. Prerequisite: 1113 and 2713 or junior standing with permission of the instructor. Teaches students to apply communication skills including public speaking, debating, mass media news, and advertising to political campaigns.
ENGL 3023 Thematic Approaches to Literature: Film Topic. May be repeated with change in content; maximum credit six hours. Close study of a major theme of preoccupation of a literary period in important works of the period. Attention to the relationship of the theme to relevant philosophical, sociological, political, religious and/or scientific thought.
ENGL 3243 Special Topics in Film. May be repeated with change in subject matter; maximum credit of six hours. Sophisticated concerns involving film: the works of specific directors (Bergmann, Fellini, Kubrick, etc.); the relationship of film to literature; the writings of notable film theorists (Bazin, Eisenstein, etc.) or critics (Mast, Kael, Sarris).
ENGL 3263 Women and Film. Prerequisite1213. Focus on the representation of women on screen and the role of women behind the camera from the late 19th century through the present day. Readings will include major essays in feminist theory including sociological, psychoanalytic, semilogical, and cultural approaches.
ENGL 3273 Comic Theory and Practice. Prerequisite1213. Through readings in comic theory and film, an examination of the comic response to life, celebrating our capacity to endure rather than to aspire and suffer. Forms of comedy to be examined include satire, black humor, farce, romantic comedy, festive comedy, comedy of manners, burlesque, the carnivalesque, and women's laughter.
ENGL 3323 Gender and Cultural Texts. Considers gender to be a critical term in the study of culture. Readings consists of two groups of text: theoretical and critical writings about gender and other texts (literary, cinematic, popular/mass cultural) in which, or by means of which, gender plays a role.
ENGL 3363 Film and Context. Explores film within a particular period or milieu. Attention is given to production styles, prominent actors and studio influence within a definable setting such as American films in the 1930s.
ENGL 3373 TV: A Critical Approach. A critical investigation of commercial television as a medium of popular culture. Explores various genres of TV, the history of the medium and the forces that shape its techniques and direction.
ENGL 3423 Film and Other Expressive Forms. Examines from practical and theoretical perspectives the relationship between film and another area of creative expression such as the novel, theatre, painting and photography.
ENGL 4013 Major Figure (Film). May be repeated with change of subject matter; maximum credit six hours. The major figure designated in the subtitle is studied in depth: a major portion of his/her works are covered; significant critical approaches will be presented.
ENGL 4223 Authors, Canons, and Form. Studies the concept of authorship and its importance for defining a tradition or cannon, or texts pertaining to a particular disipline of study such as literature or film. Considers the work of one or two authors, as well as critical and theoretical essays.
ENGL 4253 Introduction to Film Theory. Introduction to basic issues of film theory as seen by classical and contemporary film theorists.
HIST 3313 Israeli Culture Through Film. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of the instructor. Introduces students to the Israeli culture in its modern day context of this young Jewish state. Focuses on the dynamic mosaic of this multi-faceted society which is still evolving.
HIST 3653 Media and Social Change in 20th Century United States. Prerequisite: 1483 or 1493. A history of the interaction between American people and the six most important ways of receiving information about their world during the 19th and 20th centuries. These include mass market newspapers (also known as "penny press"), modern advertising, motion pictures, comic books, radio, and television. This is not an introduction to journalism or communication theory, nor a course in film history.
JMC 3011 Practicum: TV News. Prerequisite: permission. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit three hours, two hours may be in the same area. Discussion and analysis of current problems.
JMC 3011 Practicum: WIRE 48. Prerequisite: permission. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit three hours, two hours may be in the same area. Discussion and analysis of current problems.
JMC 3143 Basic News Photography. Prerequisite: 2033. Basic photographic skills needed to produce photographs suitable for newspaper and magazine publication. Content includes 35mm photography, darkroom techniques, news judgment, ethics, privacy issues, crime scene, courtroom and government protocol. 35mm camera required.
JMC 3504 Writing for Entertainment. Prerequisite: 1013,2033, and permission. Basic theory, orientation and fundamental techniques of fiction writing.
JMC 3642 Video Production. Prerequisite: 1013, 2033, 3632. Studies the technology, capabilities and utilization of television medium. Units on video equipment, lighting, scenery, graphics, performance, production and direction. One hour lecture, four hours laboratory per week.
JMC 3703 Photojournalism. Prerequisite: 1013, 2033 and permission. Assignments include preparation of portfolio involving techniques to add interest to photographic content and two photo stories submitted for sale to news and magazine editors.
JMC 3713 Film History. History and development of film as a communication medium. Varied critical perspectives are offered; exemplary film presented, preceded by lectures on history and techniques, followed by discussion periods.
JMC 3723 The Documentary Film. Prerequisite: junior standing. History and development of film as a documentary medium. Varied perspectives are offered; exemplary films presented, preceded by lectures on history and technique, followed by discussion periods.
JMC 4103 Mass Communication Technology. Prerequisite: upper-division standing. An examination of new communication technologies and their impact on the mass communication industry and on society, in the framework of the information revolution. Topical areas include the electric revolution, print and broadcasting technologies, communication satellites and computers and their convergence, interactive communication systems, electronic age, and international impacts.
JMC 4613 Radio and TV Regulation. Prerequisite: 90 hours including 12 hours in journalism and mass communications. Study and research of the various laws and rules, regulations and industry codes which affect the radio and television media, their history and development.
JMC 4663 Programming. Prerequisite: 1013, 2033, 3683. Contemporary problems, issues, and policies in programming in the broadcast industry.
JMC 4683 Interactive Multimedia Design. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Description and history of Interactive Multimedia. Explore current uses of these new technologies and receive instruction in practical application. Students conceive and design IAM programs, incorporating computer graphics, text animation, audio and videos.
JMC 4734 Film Script Writing. Prerequisite: 1013, 2033, 3504 and permission. Analysis of special problems involved in writing for the film medium in general and the factual film in particular. Instruction in special approaches and techniques useful in solving these problems. Supervised work on story treatment, sequence outlines, and shooting and narration scripts.
JMC 4813 Mass Communication Law. Prerequisite: 90 hours, including 13 hours of journalism and mass communication. Examines the principles by which the mass media exercise their public functions and fulfill the mission of the First Amendment. Areas studied include: the right to know, truth, and fairness, responsibility, libel, privilege, fair comment, privacy, copyright, regulation of advertising and the rules, regulations and industry codes which affect the broadcast media.
JMC 4853 Women and Minorities in Media. Prerequisite: junior standing. Survey of past and present relationships between women and racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. and the media. Media portrayal, employment, ownership and access will be studied.
JMC 4970 Topics: RTVF Performance. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of subject matter; maximum credit nine hours. Varied projects with experimental, innovative and creative approaches, to communicating through the mass media.
JMC 4970 Topics: Electronic Field Performance. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of subject matter; maximum credit nine hours. Varied projects with experimental, innovative and creative approaches, to communicating through the mass media.
MLLL 3000 Literature in Translation: Film Topic. May be repeated with change of subject matter; maximum credit nine hours. Appreciation and analysis of poetry, novel, prose, drama, or film translated into English.