Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking

DEGREE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Filmmaking curriculum described below runs concurrently with general studies requirements as well as related courses in art and design.

YEAR ONE

During the first semester, students will learn the foundations of the art and technique of visual storytelling. Students will learn the requisite skills to write, direct, film and edit four short films. This accelerated pace of study develop students' basic narrative and visual literacy that further semesters will build upon. Students will also enter specialized liberal arts and sciences courses designed to provide a foundation for a well-rounded education, while also informing the artistic coursework completed by Bachelor students throughout the remainder of the degree program

In the second semester, students will shift their focus towards mastering the fundamentals of cinema production. Students will film an additional three short films incorporating the new tools of dialogue, challenging them to increase their skills in directing actors, writing, editing and visual style. Liberal arts and sciences courses use balanced course work to emphasize critical thinking and develop college-level writing skills.

During their third semester students improve their production and aesthetic skills. Intensive instruction, demonstration, group sync-sound directing exercises, increase students' comprehension of cinematography, producing, directorial style, editing and collaborative and leadership skills. These skills prepare students to direct their intermediate film in the next semester.

YEAR TWO

Semester four is dedicated to the production of the intermediate film. These productions can be up to fifteen minutes in length, produced on double system high definition video or color negative film. This project represents an implementation of all the knowledge learned in first year of the program.

Bachelor's candidates are expected to spend an additional twenty to forty hours a week beyond class-time on the production of their film projects. Production or practicum hours are considered separate from lab and lecture hours; however, they are still necessary to successfully complete the program. The Academy recognizes, as should the students, that these hours will vary on a case-by-case basis.

The fifth semester is split between post-production on their intermediate films, advanced cinematography, screenwriting and liberal arts classes from the following areas, foundation studies, and natural sciences. Completed projects should show maturity in terms of artistic ability compared with the work of the previous semesters. The advanced equipment including the Red camera will be introduced increasing the capabilities for future projects. A course in critical film studies provides a context for these filmmakers to draw upon as their complete their first feature scripts.

During semester six students will be asked to undertake projects of increasing complexity in an on set mentoring class in which students bring craft and theory together in production exercises. Students will film the spec commercial in this semester. Prep work begins on the scripts for students' Thesis Films.

YEAR THREE

The overall goal of the seventh semester is to challenge students to grow as film artists and help prepare them for thesis film production in semester eight. The production of a music video will broaden students' cinematic abilities as they complete the final draft of the thesis scripts. The advanced directing project will further develop filmmakers ability to create dynamic and realistic performances on set.

Semester eight dedicated to the production of students' thesis films. These thesis films are the capstone project of the BFA program, putting into practice the skills acquired throughout the previous seven semesters.

The final semester provides an opportunity for students to complete post-production on their thesis films and expand their knowledge of the entertainment industry into which they will soon be entering. They will also undertake instruction in preparing to produce their own projects outside of school environment.

SEMESTER ONE COURSES

DIRECTOR’S CRAFT 1 A
The core of the first semester, this course introduces students to all major aspects of filmmaking. Students will learn the concepts to help achieve maximum psychological impact by studying the director’s decisions in camera placement, blocking, staging, and visual image design. Students will take part in several in-class workshops and will be challenged to think comprehensively about their film projects in terms of the economic realities of low budget student production. Using their own film projects as prototypes, students will learn to break down their film scripts in terms of story and emotional beats, shot selection and composition, and budgeting and scheduling. This course will be the forum for preparing, screening and critiquing seven short films over the course of the semester.

CINEMATOGRAPHY 1
In this course, students undergo intensive training in the use of the 16mm non-sync motion picture and video cameras and their accessories. Through hands-on workshops and film tests, they will also learn fundamental lighting techniques. As they progress through the workshop, they learn how to support the mood of the story with lighting choices and they experiment with expressive lighting styles. The relationship between text and subtext is explored in depth through classroom sessions, screen and critiques and in the field production exercises.

DIGITAL EDITING 1
This course presents students with multiple aesthetic approaches to editing film and video. Students will learn how to apply concepts such as temporal continuity and spatial continuity, as well as less traditional discontinuous editing techniques to their work. The course will also discuss the psychological and emotional effects of editing on the overall story. Additionally, students will learn to operate Final Cut Pro digital editing software, which they will use to edit their own films. Classes are supplemented with individual consultations at the computer.

SCREENWRITING 1
This course introduces the established tools and language used in writing a film project. Students will take a story from initial idea, treatment, and outline to a rough draft and finally a shooting script. Instruction focuses on the fundamentals of visual storytelling. The intersection of story structure, theme, character, tension, and conflict is examined through detailed scene analysis. In-class discussion provides students with constructive analysis and support. Students are encouraged to tell their stories visually, rather than relying on dialogue.

ACTING FOR DIRECTORS
This course adheres to the philosophy that in order to direct actors one must understand and experience acting as art and methodology. Directing students will become actors. Students learn how to identify a screenplay’s emotional "beats" and "character objectives" in order to improve their actors’ performances. Students are prepared to not only communicate and collaborate with their actors, but to actualize the best emotional outcome of a scene

SEMESTER TWO COURSES

DIRECTOR’S CRAFT I B
As continuation of Director’s Craft I A in the first semester, students expand upon lessons already learned and complete an additional three short film projects.

SCREENWRITING 2
In addition to providing an in-depth study and exploration of dialogue in film, Screenwriting 2 focuses on the writing, rewriting, and polishing of the Digital Dialogue Film and the Intermediate Film scripts. Students will conduct live readings of their screenplays and engage in instructor-led discussions of the work. The goal of this seminar is to increase the writer’s mastery of those aspects of screenwriting as outlined in Screenwriting 1.

DIGITAL PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
Students stage and shoot complex dramatic exercises under the guidance of the instructor. They design shots to heighten the emotion of a sequence, and then shoot the sequence on digital video in a supervised environment. The relationship between text and subtext is explored in depth through classroom sessions, screenings and critiques, and in the field production exercises.

CRITICAL FILM STUDIES 1
This seminar teaches students to identify the techniques used by cinematic innovators throughout the history of filmmaking. Through screenings and discussions, students will grow to understand how filmmakers have approached the great challenge of telling stories with moving images from silent films to the digital age. Students are then challenged to place themselves within that development with regard to their on-going film projects.

DIGITAL EDITING II
This course teaches students to edit their sync-sound projects. Students are encouraged to expand upon previously mastered techniques to establish a consistent editing design, dialogue rhythm, and sense of pacing and continuity that compliments the story as a whole.

DRAWING
This course covers the necessary tools, materials and techniques to communicate ideas visually. Lectures and assignments demonstrate the basics of how our brains interpret form via value changes. The rendering examples demonstrate the use of pencil, chalk and marker. Student practices practical application of technique to render value changes, form, and shadows to communicate lighting strategies. Further study leads to the visual development of a storyboard and how this tool aids the filmmaking process.

SEMESTER THREE COURSES

DIRECTOR’S CRAFT 2
Building upon knowledge and skills acquired in Director’s Craft 1, this course is a concentrated examination and analysis of the aesthetic elements of the director’s toolkit as it applies to shot choice, composition, setting, point of view, character, and camera movement. Students learn how to cover complex dialogue scenes with a series of shots and practice different approaches to coverage by breaking down scenes from their own scripts. Students are encouraged to develop their own directorial style drawing from the elements presented in this class.

CINEMATOGRAPHY 2
This class immerses students in the technical and creative demands of cinematography. They will learn to go beyond simply ‘getting an image’ and focus on the nuances of visual storytelling. Topics include: Arriflex 16SR camera and accessories, High Definition Camera, Use of Color and Light, and 35mm cameras. In addition to being trained to operate advanced camera equipment, students study basic color theory and learn to control the color palette of their projects. Special attention is given to the emotional attributes that can be assigned to an image by changing the hue, saturation, and contrast of any given image. Students learn to incorporate these theories into their projects, and gain a greater understanding of aesthetic image control.

SYNCHRONOUS SOUND PRODUCTION WORKSHOP 1
This hands-on course challenges students to interpret and apply all theory and practice of the third semester curriculum in a series of sync- sound production exercises. Students shoot complex dramatic scenes on 16mm film and high definition video from their own scripts with the guidance and critique of the instructor. Students must determine what adjustments to make to their scripts and shooting plans before entering into production. These scenes are to be fully pre-produced (storyboarded, cast, scouted, rehearsed and pre-lit) and executed on a professional level.

PRODUCING I
Producing 1 leads students through the entire process of pre-production, including scouting and securing of locations, permits, and casting. The producing instructor and students design a production schedule for the entire class. The instructor encourages students to form realistic plans for successfully making their films. Using script breakdowns, students learn how to plan and keep to a schedule and budget for their productions. They use their own finished scripts in class as they learn how to take advantage of budgeting and scheduling forms and methods.

SEMESTER FOUR COURSES

INTERMEDIATE FILM PRODUCTION
Semester Four culminates in the pre-production, and production of the Intermediate Film. This film project is the capstone project of semesters one through four. All students are challenged to incorporate lessons from all other courses in the design and execution of these films. These projects may be up to 15 minutes in length of any genre style and may be produced either on 16mm film, 35mm film or High Definition Video.

INTERMEDIATE FILM CREW PARTICIPATION
By participating as crewmembers during their classmates’ Intermediate Films, students will gain further on-set experience and become more intimate with the nuts-and-bolts aspects filmmaking. By understanding the role of each key member of the crew, students will greatly improve their ability to manage a large production as a director.

FEATURE SCREENPLAY 1
The goal of this workshop is to fully immerse each student in an intensive and focused course of study, providing a solid structure for writing a feature film outline. Students will learn the craft of writing by gaining an understanding of story, structure, character, conflict, and dialogue. With strict adherence to professional standards and self- discipline, students will complete an outline of a feature-length script that will be further developed in the later semesters of the program.

INTERMEDIATE FILM PREP
This course prepares students for their final presentation of their intermediate film production book. Through a combination of lectures, exercises, and individual mentoring sessions, the skills required to produce a detailed production presentation for a film of a larger scope will be taught.

SHORT FILM DIRECTING I
Utilizing the skills learned in Director’s Craft IA, IB and II, this course examines the director’s challenge in directing the short film, specifically the Intermediate Film. Through a series of lectures and exercises, the tools available to implement the Director’s vision in the unique narrative structure of the short film are examined in depth.

SEMESTER FIVE COURSES

INTERMEDIATE FILM POST PRODUCTION
In this course students will apply the knowledge so far gained through editing and post- production courses to finish their Intermediate Film. They will be assessed on their ability to take a film from rough assembly to locked picture to a finished product with sound mix and titles. Excellent problem-solving skills will be necessary to steadily improve each cut of the film on the way to achieving one’s vision.

FEATURE SCREENPLAY 2
This class is designed as a creative and academic safe-haven for students to develop, write, and polish a feature film script. In order for a student to successfully pass this class, each project must be completed by the end of the semester.

CINEMATOGRAPHY III
Class sessions are designed to help students master many elements of cinematography using professional HD cameras and the Red One camera system. Proper use of advanced lighting and grip equipment such as HMI lights and dollies is taught in this course. In preparation for the upcoming projects, students learn lighting techniques of increasing complexity, building on their arsenal of skills through shooting tests and experimentation.

SEMESTER SIX COURSES

DIRECTOR’S CRAFT 3A
A continuation of Director’s Craft 2; students study the language and craft of film directing from the perspective of the last thirty years. Students will increase their comprehension of visual expression and directorial style through a series of in class exercises, assignments and lectures. These skills will help prepare students for Synchronous Sound Production Workshop 2, which runs concurrently. Preparation of a director’s journal will assist students in defining their style and vision for projects in later semesters.

SCREENWRITING SHORT THESIS A
Building upon the narrative short film screenwriting skills developed in semesters one and two, this course focuses on advanced narrative storytelling techniques to be applied in the thesis project scripts. Students will take their projects from log lines to completed scripts in this class. A supportive workshop environment will allow students to work through multiple scenarios as they hone their narrative vision for these thesis projects.

SYNCHRONOUS SOUND PRODUCTION WORKSHOP 2
A continuation of Synchronous Sound Production Workshop 1, students stage and shoot exercises under the supervision of the instructor. Putting into practice the skills learned in Director’s Craft 3A and Cinematography 3, students film spec commercials using the advanced equipment package. This experience gives students an arsenal of techniques and practical tools that they can use to successfully complete their Thesis Project.

SEMESTER SEVEN COURSES

DIRECTOR’S CRAFT 3B
A continuation of Director’s Craft 3A; students build upon skills learned in semester six. These skills provide students with the foundation required to direct a sophisticated music video using the advanced equipment package. Each student will direct their own music video in addition to collaborating as crew on their classmates’ projects. These projects allow students to implement the vision and style refined in the last semester in Director’s Craft 3A and the production experience gained from Synchronous Sound Production Workshop 2. Later stages of the class will focus on advanced scene work, performance, and production of the director’s notebook for the upcoming thesis film projects.

SCREENWRITING SHORT THESIS B
A continuation of Screenwriting Short Thesis A; this course takes students through multiple drafts, ultimately leading to the final draft of the thesis project. Workshop and instructor feedback, in addition to class exercises and assignments, will provide crucial insights, as these projects become production ready.

PRODUCING 2
Students will apply the fundamentals of film producing to their own Thesis Project. This class continues to examine the job of producer by matching tasks and challenges with ways of approaching them. As students start to produce their own projects, the challenges will become clear, and some class time will be devoted to specific production "hurdles". Students will hone group problem-solving skills, a film industry must-have, and learn through sharing real examples.

DIGITAL EDITING 3
This course seeks to increase students’ proficiency as editors and to increase their knowledge of complex post-production elements such as color correction, sound mixing, and both electronic and traditional film finishing. Using Final Cut Pro, students are given instruction and asked to complete exercises of increasing complexity. The goal is twofold: for students to grow as editors, and to provide them with more complex tools in order bring their final thesis films to a higher stage of completion than in previous semesters.

SEMESTER EIGHT COURSES

THESIS FILM PREP
Similar in nature to Intermediate Film prep, this course prepares students for their final production of their Thesis Film. Through a combination of lectures, exercises, and individual mentoring sessions all aspects of the physical production will be examined preparing students for their final greenlight meeting.

THESIS FILM PRODUCTION
Semester eight culminates in the production of the Thesis Film. This film project is the capstone project of semesters one through seven. All students are challenged to incorporate lessons from all other courses in the design and execution of these films. These projects may be up to 30 minutes in length of any genre style and may be produced either on 16mm film, 35mm film or High Definition Video.

THESIS FILM CREW PARTICIPATION
By participating as crewmembers during their classmates’ Thesis Films, students will gain further on-set experience and become more intimate with the nuts-and- bolts aspects filmmaking. By understanding the role of each key member of the crew, students will greatly improve their ability to manage a large production as a director.

SHORT FILM DIRECTING II
Utilizing the skills learned in all previous directing classes, this course examines the director’s challenge in directing the short film at a more advanced level.

Higher-level concepts such as control of tone and style will be pursed in depth as they related to the unique short film format. Lectures and exercises will contribute to this advanced directing class aimed at refining the student’s ability to more precisely execute their creative vision.

SEMESTER NINE COURSES

PRODUCING 3
An intensive course focusing on creating industry standard proposals for future projects based either upon the student’s short form thesis or the feature screenplay written in the Feature Screenplay 1 and 2 classes. Case studies of feature films, both large and small will be examined to help students better prepare to develop their projects in the real world.

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY SEMINAR
Students will examine filmmaking from a business perspective as well as the breadth and diversity of the industry today. Topics include the history of the studio system, the job of production companies, post- production companies, professional guilds, financing, film festivals, roles of agents and managers. Exposing students to the expansive scope of the industry will provide students with multiple pathways to enter it after graduation. Students will meet industry professionals during special guest lectures.

THESIS POST-PRODUCTION
In this course students will apply the knowledge so far gained through editing and post-production courses to finish their Thesis Film. They will be assessed on their ability to take a film from rough assembly to locked picture to a finished product with sound mix and titles. Excellent problem-solving skills will be necessary to steadily improve each cut of the film on the way to achieving one’s vision.