Bachelor of Arts Major in Film Studies

Bachelor of Arts Major in Film Studies Students must complete a minimum of 124 units with a Pacific cumulative and major/program grade point average of 2.0 in order to earn the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in film studies. The program deals with film in the context of the liberal arts, with focus on the medium as an art form. It examines film as a “text” which can be studied through diverse critical and theoretical perspectives, including such approaches as Formalism, Neo-Historicism, psychoanalysis, gender theory, auteur theory and genre theory. Film is analyzed both from its technical aspects and its function as a cultural referent. It accommodates both high art and popular culture, both an international discourse and an individual auteurism. Students can take film courses to enhance their liberal education through cultivation of critical and aesthetic knowledge, or they may use their studies to enter a variety of professions. These include: teaching, film making, writing, work in the film/television industry, advertising, computer software, graphic design, entertainment law, production finance. Graduate programs in film, film and literature, and interdisciplinary studies are available. Also, students may go on to technical training in editing, cinematography, directing and screenwriting. Degrees in Film The goals of the Film Studies major are as follows: Place Film Studies in the context of the Liberal Arts where students analyze the elements of film such as narrative, image, theme and persuasive communication techniques Provide hands-on experience with film production in a variety of capacities including, camera, editing, screenwriting, acting, music scoring, and direction Provide students with the ability to think critically and communicate effectively, recognizing the central role of film and narrative in civic society Locate film as a cultural artifact that both represents and constructs historical, socio-economic, political and psychological meaning Focus on film aesthetics, international cinemas, individual major filmmakers, film genres, film history and key events in the technological and cultural evolution of cinema Develop visual literacy for readings of individual films with attention to editing, camera, shot composition, lighting and sound Learning Outcomes 1. Identify and apply a variety of critical theoretical approaches and film aesthetics in writing on filmic texts. 2. Create films using the skills acquired in the production courses. 3. Operate a variety of film technology including: camera, editing equipment, lighting, and audio equipment. 4. Assemble groups of students to collaborate on developing and producing scripts and films. 5. Select an appropriate film format or genre for their productions. 6. Identify the aesthetic and persuasive messages in their productions as well as in classic and contemporary films.