Course information contained within the Bulletin is accurate at the time of publication in July 2024 but is subject to change. For the most up-to-date course information, please refer to the Course Catalog.
FMA 0843. Race and Ethnicity in the Cinematic Arts. 3 Credit Hours.
Movies, cinematic arts, episodic narrative, and media arts have played a central role in how we understand diverse racial and ethnic identities. The course will study Hollywood as well as more recent streaming studios such as Amazon and Netflix as they engage in evolving portrayals of African American, Indigenous, Asian American, South American and Mexican descent, Italian American identities and more. From early cinema to the present the course will ask critical questions such as: How are stereotypes built upon century-old cinematic and moving image traditions and how are they functioning still today? What cinematic representations of "self" have creators from marginalized racial and ethnic groups developed as a source of engagement and resistance to mainstream commercial views? How do diverse racial and ethnic cinematic representations intersect with gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and age? The course will trace the impact of racism throughout the history of cinematic arts as well as provide opportunities for group discussion to share personal experiences with diversity through viewing, researching, and critiquing cinematic and media arts. Note: Prior to Fall 2023, this course was titled "Race and Ethnicity in American Cinema." NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed
FMA 0943.
Course Attributes: GD, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 0869. The Cinematic City. 3 Credit Hours.
This course takes students to cities around the world, and across time, examining how national cinemas have richly depicted and interpreted urban life during the last hundred years. We will study both screen images as well as the business structure that produces them and the audiences that view them. The urban focus of the course is international, including Tokyo, London and Rome, but the "home" setting is Philadelphia itself. NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed
FMA 0969. Also, prior to fall 2023, the title for
FMA 0869 was "Imaginary Cities."
Course Attributes: GG
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 0943. Honors Race and Ethnicity in the Cinematic Arts. 3 Credit Hours.
Movies, cinematic arts, episodic narrative, and media arts have played a central role in how we understand diverse racial and ethnic identities. The course will study Hollywood as well as more recent streaming studios such as Amazon and Netflix as they engage in evolving portrayals of African American, Indigenous, Asian American, South American and Mexican descent, Italian American identities and more. From early cinema to the present the course will ask critical questions such as: How are stereotypes built upon century-old cinematic and moving image traditions and how are they functioning still today? What cinematic representations of "self" have creators from marginalized racial and ethnic groups developed as a source of engagement and resistance to mainstream commercial views? How do diverse racial and ethnic cinematic representations intersect with gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and age? The course will trace the impact of racism throughout the history of cinematic arts as well as provide opportunities for group discussion to share personal experiences with diversity through viewing, researching, and critiquing cinematic and media arts. (This is an Honors course.) Note: Prior to Fall 2023, this course was titled "Honors Race and Ethnicity in American Cinema." NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed
FMA 0843.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GD, HO, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 0969. Honors: The Cinematic City. 3 Credit Hours.
This course takes students to cities around the world, and across time, examining how national cinemas have richly depicted and interpreted urban life during the last hundred years. We will study both screen images as well as the business structure that produces them and the audiences that view them. The urban focus of the course is international, including Tokyo, London and Rome, but the "home" setting is Philadelphia itself. (This is an Honors course.) NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed
FMA 0869. Also, prior to fall 2023, the title for
FMA 0969 was "Honors Imaginary Cities."
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GG, HO
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1141. Film, Video and Interactive Foundations I. 4 Credit Hours.
An introductory course in media arts which examines the history, theory and practice of image making, sound production, and new technologies. Students will explore both hands-on production processes and theoretical foundations of film, video, and audio in a range of technologies including digital video and photographic formats, studio, and computerized digital settings. Coursework will emphasize individual students' rigorous exploration of creative, personal visions, along with mainstream applications.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1142. Film, Video and Interactive Foundations II. 4 Credit Hours.
A continuation of media arts theory and practice with an increased emphasis on aesthetics, genres, writing, and project design. Assigned production projects and readings include documentary, fictional, and experimental formats.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1141 or 'Y' in CRFM01)
FMA 1143. Media Arts Combined. 4 Credit Hours.
An accelerated introductory course in media arts production and theory, which examines image making, sound, and new technology for those students who already have a production background. The course will further develop hands-on production processes, while relating them to the theoretical and expressive foundations of media arts. Course work will include production projects, readings and written assignments. NOTE: This course is for Honors candidates or FMA transfer students only.
FMA 1143 (0110) counts in place of
FMA 1141 (0100) and
FMA 1142 (0101).
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1144. Media Arts for Non-Production Majors. 4 Credit Hours.
This course introduces basic media arts production to non-production majors. The focus will be on developing technical and conceptual skills in a manner that will enhance the student's understanding of the medium firsthand. This practical experience will provide a deeper understanding of the close relationship between media theory and media practice. This course will explore the aesthetics and mechanics of shooting digital video, the importance of sound and how to record and mix it, and how to develop a project from concept to final cut. Course work will include classical theoretical readings and written assignments, which will address a range of narrative, documentary and experimental approaches to moving the image. The class will also offer an historical and theoretical context in which to think about technique and form, and general media literacy. The projects will cover the basic stages of short video production, diverse visual strategies, and how to apply them in several camera and sound exercises, short production exercises, and one final project that grows out of one or more theoretical and formal approaches we explored during the semester. A fundamental premise of the course is that we are exploring the moving image as an art form: an intellectual process with creative choices.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1171. Media & Culture. 3 Credit Hours.
An overview of cultural production, distribution, and reception explored through lectures, readings, and screenings. Equally oriented towards practical concerns such as the economics of the arts and the mass media, and theoretical debates on the social, political, economic and aesthetic forces that shape culture.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1172. Introduction to Film and Video Analysis. 3 Credit Hours.
This course will provide students with a conceptual and theoretical tools to analyze film, television, and video. Screenings, lectures, and readings will emphasize critical analysis, form, and content.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1241. Mobile Media Filmmaking. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is a workshop designed to allow students to explore ideas of culture, art and national identity using the city as their backdrop. Using "pocket" technology such as smart phones, digital cameras, iPads, etc., students will produce topical and conceptual film projects and develop an individual mode of expression. All projects will be collected at a class website for worldwide dissemination. The course requires no media production background and will use mobile technology for production, editing, and distribution. In doing so, the course will explore the blurring lines between high and low culture, and between professional and amateur media production.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1451. Survey of New Media. 3 Credit Hours.
An introduction to the history, theory and aesthetics of digital and networked media arts. This course explores critical perspectives on how new technologies have shaped our world, as well as aesthetic and interactive strategies for alternative ways of seeing, understanding and reconfiguring our world via digital media. The course includes readings in history, theory and artists writings, as well as screenings and interactive exercises.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 1972. Honors Introduction to Film and Video Analysis. 3 Credit Hours.
This course will ask what it means to "read" a film or video: How can we analyze moving image media in the manner that we interpret literary texts or appreciate form in the fine arts? What are the differences between film, video, and these older media? This course introduces basic analytical tools and concepts to begin to answer these questions. It surveys the broad artistic, social, and political dimensions of the cinema, with some attention to newer moving image media. As an Honors course, the readings and discussion will further emphasize the intersection between film studies and other areas of academic inquiry.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2071. Creative Industry Head Start. 3 Credit Hours.
This course, best suited to sophomores and juniors, provides students with a general overview of internship, job, and career options in the entertainment industry, as well as current industry trends and professional practices. Students will explore media hubs and companies of interest to them, and examine how their creative goals and skills can be applied to internships and jobs. Students will develop comprehensive resumes and cover letters, create professional online profiles, and hone job search, networking, and interviewing strategies designed to help them gain experience and break into the field.
Class Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Freshman 0 to 29 Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2241. Filmmaking. 4 Credit Hours.
The art, theory, and technology of 16mm film and digital cinema production with special attention paid to exposure, lenses, cameras, location lighting, location sound, cinematic composition, and film structure. Coursework will consist of individual and collaborative exercises and projects. NOTE: This course is for majors only. Permission of the instructor is required for non-majors.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: Film and Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2242. Videography. 4 Credit Hours.
Intensive instruction and practice with the tools of recording and structuring video. Coursework will consist of individual and group exercises and projects conducted in the studio and in the field. NOTE: This course is for majors only. Permission of the FMA chair required for non-majors.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2243. Audio: Production and Aesthetics. 4 Credit Hours.
An introduction to audio production and audio as a form of aesthetic expression. Students will explore theoretical concepts as they use digital audio recording and editing systems to complete projects. Coursework will consist of lectures, hands on instruction, and discussion.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2244. Still Photography for Filmmakers. 4 Credit Hours.
Using a single lens reflex camera, the student will learn technical and aesthetic considerations regarding natural and artificial light, exposure, shutter speeds, f/stops, framing, composition, lens selection and how these factors affect perspective and depth of field. The course will relate concepts in still photography to parallel practices in motion pictures.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2245. Video Production for Non-Production Majors. 1 Credit Hour.
This supplemental, one credit course is geared towards students with no background in film and video production. It is designed to be taken in conjunction with
FMA 3247 and to provide non-FMA majors sufficient training in video production for
FMA 3247. Students will study and practice both field and studio production skills (camera, lighting, sound recording), non-linear editing, sound editing and mixing, as well as different modes of filmmaking such as documentary, fiction, experimental, notebooks, diaries, and essay films. It cannot be taken for credit by FMA majors.
Field of Study Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Film and Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2341. Directing Fundamentals. 4 Credit Hours.
This class provides students with a general overview of the functionality of an episodic director in the television industry, which will then give them the language to understand the role of a director in the larger film industry. Students will learn that a great director in television is able to stay under budget and make their days while interpreting the screenplay and breaking it down for all their collaborators, choosing every element within the frame, shaping their actors' performances, and telling the whole story with the camera. Students will learn what it takes to be a great director - a leader and collaborator who is able to multitask and work with several crew members at once with very little time and money.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2396. Screenwriting I. 4 Credit Hours.
Seminar and workshop exploring various approaches to fiction and nonfiction media writing. NOTE: This course is for majors only. Permission of the FMA chair required for non-majors. Prior to Spring 2009, the course title was "Writing for Media."
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Film and Media Arts.
Course Attributes: WI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2451. Experimental Video and Multi-Media. 4 Credit Hours.
Intensive laboratory and field experience exploring personal, aesthetic, and social applications of video utilizing digital camcorders, editing, and multi-media facilities. This course includes regularly scheduled screenings of significant experimental video and multimedia projects.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2452. Web Art & Design. 4 Credit Hours.
In this production course, students learn how to conceptualize and produce digital media works on the web, using both Web 2.0 applications and more nuts & bolts technical means. The course will explore new aesthetic forms of web-based narrative, imaging and interaction. Through screenings, talks, readings and guest lectures, the course will consider issues of design, mixed reality media works, social media, locative media, virtual world-building. Students will receive a solid grounding in website construction and content development for the web.
Class Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Freshman 0 to 29 Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2453. Introduction to Animation. 4 Credit Hours.
This course will introduce a variety of fundamental concepts and techniques in animation. Students will learn the basic principles of creating animation in a variety of forms, focusing primarily on hand-drawn, digital, and stop motion with overviews on various hardware and software. Coursework will consist of discussing animation film examples, individual exercises that practice animation forms and concepts, and workshopping student-made animations. By the end of the course, students will have created a festival- and/or portfolio-ready animation and be able to create their own independent animations while having gained a foundation to serve advanced animation topics in subsequent coursework.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2471. New Media Colloquium. 1 Credit Hour.
A seminar for New Media students, which will host guests from the New Media professions and arts. The course will critique student and professional work and focus on a topic related to this discipline. Class will seek to integrate student's work across the New Media concentration.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in ((FMA 1141 and FMA 1142), FMA 1143, (FMA 1141 and 'Y' in CRFM02), (FMA 1142 and 'Y' in CRFM01), or ('Y' in CRFM01 and 'Y' in CRFM02)) and ((FMA 1171 and FMA 1172), (FMA 1171 and 'Y' in CRFM04), (FMA 1172 and 'Y' in CRFM03), or ('Y' in CRFM03 and 'Y' in CRFM04))
FMA 2551. Editing Film and Video. 4 Credit Hours.
Techniques, practices, equipment, procedures, and theories involved in achieving structure in film and video.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 2670. Topics in Film Study. 4 Credit Hours.
An intermediate exploratory seminar in film study. Topics may include: the creative process, film and politics, directors, genres, and periods. NOTE: Open to FMA majors and non-majors.
Class Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Freshman 0 to 29 Credits.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 2671. Film Noir. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines the concept of "Film Noir" in its cultural context using a body of films (literature, photography, art, music) to analyze predominant themes and the history of the concept in film scholarship. Directors, producers and writers of Noir; the industrial process by which these films were produced, marketed and exhibited; and a variety of cultural/historical issues (e.g. race, gender, class, urban development, national morale) will be examined. The first part of the class will focus on "Classic" Noir (1940-60), while the second will concentrate on the evolution of Noir, scrutinizing 1960-contemporary films that have appropriated Film Noir characteristics, paying particular attention to international examples. NOTE: Open to FMA majors and non-majors.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2672. Film Comedy. 4 Credit Hours.
This course will examine American Comedy, with a particular focus on several significant directors/producers: Harold Lloyd, Preston Sturges, Frank Tashlin, Woody Allen. We will approach this class in equal parts as a directors study, a genre study, an American culture study. Some of the questions we'll address are: How does comedy function/work? What personal styles emerge from the genre? Are these films and their critical concerns reflective of larger patterns and tendencies in American life? NOTE: Open to FMA majors and non-majors.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2673. Independent Film/Video. 4 Credit Hours.
Lectures, screenings and critical assignments will survey and analyze significant narrative, documentary and experimental works that challenge the assumptions and practices of mainstream media.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2674. History of Photography. 4 Credit Hours.
An examination of the history and aesthetics of fine art, documentary and commercial photography within their cultural contexts. The course will cover the works of major photographers and will relate historical and contemporary concepts in still photography to parallel practices in motion pictures.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2675. Film History I (1895-1950). 4 Credit Hours.
This course surveys the broad trends in the development of cinema as an art and as an industry. Spanning from the beginning of cinema to the immediate post-World War II years, it will ask how a popular art arose and how cinema finds its expression either with or against its commercial nature. Topics to include the Hollywood studio system, European national and international cinema traditions, the avant-garde, the role of documentary and propaganda, and the role of women in the film industry.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172 (may be taken concurrently), ENG 2711 (C- or higher; may be taken concurrently), or 'Y' in CRFM04)
FMA 2676. Film History II (1950-Present). 4 Credit Hours.
This course surveys the broad trends in the development of cinema as an art and as an industry. Spanning from 1950 to the present, it will particularly examine how notions of film art and social protest defined national cinemas, including American film, against the traditional Hollywood studio film. Topics to include the decline of the studio system, the international art film, the New Hollywood, oppositional countercinema, independent cinema, and transnational and global exchange of cinematic style and language.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172 (may be taken concurrently), ENG 2711 (C- or higher; may be taken concurrently), or 'Y' in CRFM04)
FMA 2678. History of Experimental Film and Video Art. 4 Credit Hours.
This course surveys major movements, artists, and works made outside the traditions of fiction and documentary filmmaking. It will chart experimental film's relation to the avant-garde art movements and cultural upheavals of the mid-20th century. In addition to experimental film, the course will provide an introduction to video art history and aesthetics and will examine installation based work, "expanded cinema," the gallery film, and recent work in digital media.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 2771. Producing. 4 Credit Hours.
Producing presents an overview of the processes of developing, line producing and distributing a documentary, fiction, or experimental media production. Emphasis is on projects produced independently, outside the commercial mainstream. Students will produce a comprehensive proposal for a viable film or media project.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: Film and Media Arts.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and ((FMA 1142 and FMA 1141), FMA 1143, (FMA 1142 and 'Y' in CRFM01), (FMA 1141 and 'Y' in CRFM02), or ('Y' in CRFM01 and 'Y' in CRFM02))
FMA 3085. Internship. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
Students selected on the basis of special qualifications are assigned as interns on an unpaid basis with organizations professionally engaged in broadcasting and film. NOTE: Enrollment subject to availability of openings. Contact FMA's internship director.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 3241. BFA Junior Directing. 4 Credit Hours.
Junior Directing offers a rigorous, hands-on examination of how directors creatively collaborate with all production departments to actualize their vision and run a professional set. With hands-on exercises and workshops, this course focuses on how communication, collaboration, professionalism, and ethics impact the success of a finished film. In addition to learning the practical nuts and bolts needed for production and postproduction workflow, we will meet industry professionals to learn about what kinds of creative director collaborations and work conditions on set have enabled them to excel in their craft.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Directing.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3242. Experimental Media Workshop. 4 Credit Hours.
An advanced workshop to develop projects in experimental, documentary, or narrative forms using portable video, TV studio, and editing facilities. NOTE: This course is repeatable for credit. Prior to fall 2009, this course was called "Experimental TV."
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2241, FMA 2242, FMA 2451, 'Y' in CRFM05, or 'Y' in CRFM08)
FMA 3244. Lighting for Film and Video. 4 Credit Hours.
This is a hands-on course designed to broaden the student's storytelling toolkit through practice in the technical, aesthetic, and compositional techniques of lighting craft. Students learn to "read" and interpret light's expressive characteristics and world-building potential, and then put those considerations into practice. Through in-studio clinics, guest-led workshops, independent projects and on-set production work, students acquire a firm foundation in lighting design and rigging techniques, as well as the confidence to light a scene with artistic intention.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 2242 (may be taken concurrently), FMA 2241 (may be taken concurrently), THTR 2511 (C- or higher), FMA 2244, 'Y' in CRFM05, or 'Y' in CRFM06)
FMA 3245. Cinematography: Junior Projects. 4 Credit Hours.
Cinematography: Junior Projects is a suggested elective course for BA Cinematography Concentration candidates. Integrating and building upon what they have previously learned, this course is designed to help junior level students secure skills and experiences necessary to lead a production crew as a Director of Photography (DP). The course will explore production strategies for both fiction and non-fiction motion pictures. Topics include planning camera setups and coverage, advanced lighting design, light plots, creating a "look", field monitors and LUTs, high dynamic range RAW files, workflows, and crew organization. Designed to work in conjunction with the BFA Junior Directing course, this class will culminate with each cinematography student serving as the lead DP for a BFA Junior Directing Projects Film (
FMA 3241).
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Cinematography.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3246. Documentary Workshop I. 4 Credit Hours.
An intermediate workshop in the theory, practice, and ethics of documentary production. The workshop will feature exercises in oral history and interview techniques, camerawork, field-sound recording, and music research, specialized editing assignments, and a final project. These skills will be integrated with documentary screenings along with readings and discussion.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2396 or 'Y' in CRFM07), (FMA 2551 or 'Y' in CRFM09), and (FMA 2241, 'Y' in CRFM05, FMA 2242, or 'Y' in CRFM15)
FMA 3247. Cross-Cultural Image Making. 3 Credit Hours.
This advanced production course will focus on cross-cultural image making. It is designed specifically to address the challenges of making films while immersed in a foreign culture and/or language. How do we make films about places that are unfamiliar to us often with limited resources and technology? How do time restraints such as being on the move and constantly changing locations affect the types of images selected and gathered? How does one assemble a future archive from which to draw at a future date in a short period of time? What happens to a culture when it is perceived as "other" and how does the lens of defamiliarization, dislocation, and disorientation translate into audiovisual production? What images, sounds and techniques represent the culture and history of a place? Which are site specific and which are transferable? What is the tension between the local and the global? At the end of the course, each student will be asked to produce their own short film based on their experiences and observations living away from home and out of their comfort zone. The course is open to majors and non-majors alike. However students without filmmaking experience must take the accompanying
FMA 2245, Video Production for Non-Production Majors.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 3249. Documentary Workshop II. 4 Credit Hours.
This course will expand the original documentary short produced in Documentary Workshop I. We will introduce creative editing strategies and introduce a post-production workflow process to identify the main thread and ideas for our final film. At the start of the semester, students will evaluate their footage (logging) and define a set of steps called Milestones, which will guide their project towards completion. Each completed Milestone is developed with the instructor's assistance and is presented according to class assignment deadlines. By the end of the semester, each student will have completed their final documentary. Class sessions will consist of screenings, readings, and short writing exercises.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in FMA 3246.
FMA 3341. Scene Analysis for Writers and Directors. 4 Credit Hours.
Scene Analysis is a hands-on exercise course designed to deepen the understanding of the dramatic and narrative blocks needed to shoot a scene within the larger context of a script. The course will give students a toolbox that will help inform narrative and directing decisions for future projects and provide the cinematic language and narrative theory needed in order to analyze films - one scene at a time.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2396 or 'Y' in CRFM07) and (FMA 2241, FMA 2242, FMA 2451, 'Y' in CRFM05, or 'Y' in CRFM08)
FMA 3342. Serial Writing. 4 Credit Hours.
This is a writing workshop focusing on dramatic serial writing in which students learn to work in close collaboration with other class members. In preparation for the class, students will be required to read or view several dramatic serials as well as read several pilot scripts. The class itself will hear "pitches" for a serial, select one story, and then begin to develop it. The course is limited to BFA students with a concentration in Screenwriting.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Screenwriting.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Sophomore 30 to 59 Credits, Junior 60 to 89 Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3343. Screenwriting II. 4 Credit Hours.
An advanced course concentrating on the preparation of a complete television, motion picture, or non-fiction script.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2396 or 'Y' in CRFM07)
FMA 3344. Adaptation and Docudrama: Screen and Television Writing from Pre-Existing Source Material. 4 Credit Hours.
This will be an exercise course leading to a final written project. It will focus on screenplays for film and television based on literature, drama and historical events. Because the material pre-exists, the course will be able to focus on the nuances of translation to screen including the visual representation of internal life, time, levels of reality, "voice," historical context, and social change.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2396 or 'Y' in CRFM07)
FMA 3345. BFA Screen Directing. 4 Credit Hours.
BFA Screen Directing focuses on the director-actor relationship. Through intensive weekly workshops, directors build their performance-based vocabulary, strategies, and toolkit. The course is built around script breakdown and analysis, audition and rehearsal tactics, blocking concepts, and collaboration strategies with actors of varying backgrounds. Enrollment is limited to BFA Directing students, except by instructor or departmental permission.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3361. Screen Performance. 3 Credit Hours.
This course is designed to develop performance skills before the camera. Actors are given experience in texts for commercials, soap operas, sit-coms, and film scenes, so that they are prepared for auditions in these areas. Individual and ensemble exercises may be on location or in the studio.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (any FMA course numbered 2241 to 2244, FMA 2396, FMA 2451, THTR 1231 (C- or higher), 'Y' in CRFM13, 'Y' in CRFM07, or 'Y' in CRFM08)
FMA 3451. Animation Workshop. 4 Credit Hours.
A workshop on the art, techniques and concepts of animation, exploring several approaches from cards and cells to computer image making.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 3452. New Technologies Lab. 4 Credit Hours.
A creative laboratory for exploring new media arts and interactive technologies for producing a variety of experimental, documentary, narrative and genre blended projects. Generating from classical traditions (film, video, and performing arts) to contemporary forms of interactive media: video games, blogs & You Tube, the projects range from the production of websites to interdisciplinary multi-media installations and performances. Successful NewTechLab productions have included individual and collaborative works by students from FMA, Art, Architecture, Dance, Music, Theater, Computer & Information Sciences. NOTE: Open to all FMA majors with suggested prerequisites that include:
FMA 1451 (0196),
FMA 2451 (0241),
FMA 2451 (0245). Permission of the instructor required for students with equivalent prerequisites in other departments.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1451 or 'Y' in CRFM14)
FMA 3453. Interdisciplinary Media Studio. 4 Credit Hours.
This production course provides the opportunity for exploring media arts in an interdisciplinary context. It is intended to introduce a broad interdisciplinary media toolbox, including developing competency in a range of technical skills, but more importantly, students are challenged to develop interdisciplinary conceptual skills. Starting with video and audio as the basis, students will follow a series of exercises that situate media in different cultural and disciplinary contexts: as installation with one or more screens (Media and Sculpture); as an element of performance (Media Projection Design for Theater and Dance); as narrative mapping (Internet-based Interactive Narrative with community partners); as location-based virtual architecture viewed through the smartphone or tablet (Virtual Public Art/Design for Civic Engagement); as engaged by an interactive sensor (Design for Physical Computing, in conjunction with Engineering).
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Media Arts.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Sophomore 30 to 59 Credits, Junior 60 to 89 Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3455. 3D Modeling. 4 Credit Hours.
This course introduces the concepts and techniques of three-dimensional digital graphics, using Lightwave3D software. The first half of the semester introduces a broad palette of techniques and formal ideas, while the second half is spent on a major project of your own design. Previous experience with graphics or animation software is not required. The course offers a unique skill set and formal perspective. The course is open to juniors and seniors, including non-majors and upper-level students from other colleges, with the specific aim of fostering an interdisciplinary, collaborative workshop environment.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 3456. 3D Animation. 4 Credit Hours.
This course introduces the concepts and techniques of three-dimensional digital imagery and motion graphics, using Lightwave3D software. The first half of the semester introduces a broad palette of techniques and formal ideas, while the second half is spent on a major project of your own design. The course offers a unique skill set and formal perspective for upper-level students. Open to juniors and seniors, including non-majors and upper-level students from other colleges, with the specific aim of fostering an interdisciplinary, collaborative workshop environment.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3457. Video Game and Playable Media Design. 4 Credit Hours.
This course introduces the many different disciplines that make up video game development and illustrate how they all come together to form a final product. Rather than emphasize any one specific subject, our focus will be broad and include introductory lessons across many aspects of development. The goal of the course is to provide as many components of development as possible to give a holistic view of everything that goes into making games. While students may not leave this course with all the specific skills needed to build their own dream games, they should come away with a strong understanding of how all the pieces fit together and where to get started in each area.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 3473. Moving Camera. 4 Credit Hours.
Moving Camera is a workshop course that explores the art and practice of moving camera media production. The course covers the range of techniques including handheld, dolly, jib, virtual/motion sensors and particularly focus on Steadicam operation. Class time will be spent on group discussion/exercises, lectures/screenings, lab instruction and critiquing work. Through a series of production projects, students will work through the aesthetics of moving camera and gain the technical and physical expertise necessary for successful projects. This course will also explore the theory and history of camera movement as well as blocking & directing techniques. Locative & mobile media projects will extend the work outside the classroom.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2241, FMA 2242, 'Y' in CRFM05, or 'Y' in CRFM15)
FMA 3551. Advanced Editing. 4 Credit Hours.
Screenings, discussions, critiques, and individual as well as collaborative workshop exercises build upon editing techniques and aesthetic concepts introduced in
FMA 2551. Through projects, lectures and screenings students will be exposed to professional editing methods, approaches and techniques while completing individual projects in picture montage, sound design and digital effects.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2551 or 'Y' in CRFM09)
FMA 3553. Color Correction. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is an introduction to the aesthetic considerations and technical aspects of color in modern post-production and cinematography. Color has a subconscious influence on emotion in storytelling. With the advent of modern digital cinema, every film and television production undergoes some level of color grading. Cinematographers must understand the process to maintain creative control of the images they produce. Editors must understand the process to perform basic color correction on low budget productions. This class is a combination of lecture and workshop with each student striving to efficiently navigate the art and practice of color correction.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2551 or 'Y' in CRFM09)
FMA 3670. Topics in Media Culture. 4 Credit Hours.
An exploratory seminar with varying special topics, which might include Gender, Theories of Subjectivity, and Marginalization and Representation. NOTE: Course may be repeated.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1171, FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), CMST 2111, 'Y' in CRFM03, 'Y' in CRFM04, or 'Y' in CRCM02)
FMA 3671. Theory and Practice of Media Culture. 4 Credit Hours.
The course will describe how cultural studies have grown out of film and media studies, combining intellectual and social history with changing representational practices. Students will analyze the dynamic relationship between ideas, socio-cultural, practices and technologies. NOTE: This course is for majors only. Permission of the FMA chair required for non-majors.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in ((FMA 1171 and FMA 1172), ENG 2711 (C- or higher), CMST 2111, (FMA 1171 and 'Y' in CRFM04), (FMA 1172 and 'Y' in CRFM03), ('Y' in CRFM03 and 'Y' in CRFM04), or 'Y' in CRCM02)
FMA 3677. American Film. 4 Credit Hours.
This course studies the American cinematic tradition from its inception in the 1890s to the present. We will examine the development of film as an aesthetic medium and a technical language, and we will connect the issues and ideas that films deal with to changes in American culture and society during this time period. We will be especially concerned with how films are used in the major value debates that shape America.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA major prerequisites: (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), or 'Y' in CRFM04) and (FMA 2675, 'Y' in CRFM18, FMA 2676, FMA 2671, FMA 2670, FMA 3670, FMA 3671, FMA 3871, 'Y' in CRFM10, or 'Y' in CRFM11) or Comm Studies prerequisites: (CMST 2111 or 'Y' in CRCM02) and (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04))
FMA 3679. Film Directors, Periods, and Genres. 4 Credit Hours.
This course offers an in-depth study of a film director, a period of film history, or a film genre. It will address the recurring thematic and aesthetic concerns of these films, as well as the historical and social context in which they were made. Different topics may be repeated for credit.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), or 'Y' in CRFM04) and (FMA 2675, FMA 2676, 'Y' in CRFM11, or 'Y' in CRFM18)
FMA 3680. Foreign Studies in FMA. 3 to 6 Credit Hours.
This course is a seminar in one of Temple's study abroad locations. It uses study of cinema and moving-image arts as a mean to more deeply understand another national culture. Reading, screenings, and field trips will connect the study of cinematic arts to other material in the study-away program. NOTE: FMA students may only count four credits towards the FMA major.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 3696. Writing-Intensive Seminar: Film Directors, Periods, and Genres. 4 Credit Hours.
A writing-intensive seminar with varying special topics to offer an in-depth study of a film director, a period of film history, or a film genre. Students will use a deeper exploration of the focused topic as a chance to develop research and critical writing skills. NOTE: Course may be repeated.
Course Attributes: WI
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), or 'Y' in CRFM04)
FMA 3770. Topics in Film Study. 4 Credit Hours.
Lectures and screenings on a special topic arranged each semester. Topics may include Film and the City, War and Film, Black Women and Film, Utopias and Dystopias, Documentary Fiction, Terrorism and Film, Gay and Lesbian Identity on Film, Philadelphia Cinema History, and Horror. Please consult with the instructor.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), CMST 2111, 'Y' in CRFM04, or 'Y' in CRCM02)
FMA 3771. Exhibition and Distribution of Independent Media. 3 Credit Hours.
The objective of this course is to expose students to methods and approaches for exhibition and distribution of independent media. Students will investigate popular media outlets such as film/video festivals, microcinemas and internet exhibition possibilities, to name only a few. The course will serve dual functions in that it will prepare students to distribute their own work while also exposing them to industry opportunities in exhibition and distribution.
FMA 3771 is considered an advanced studies course.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Film and Media Arts.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3772. Fundraising for Independent Media. 3 Credit Hours.
This course is a workshop class where students must come prepared with a project around which they will create a fundraising campaign. During the course of the semester students will be exposed to information on grant writing, non-profit and for-profit media entities and the legalities of media producing. At the conclusion of the course, students will have a full funding proposal ready for dissemination to various funding sources.
FMA 3772 is considered an advanced studies course.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3773. Contemporary Screen Studies. 4 Credit Hours.
In this course, students will examine contemporary cinema, media, and film criticism, in order to articulate their own artistic, scholarly, and professional practice. Readings in film and media history, visual theory, and aesthetics will help make sense of the contemporary mediascape, with an emphasis on cinema and media arts work in the new millennium. The course will use theory and history to contextualize artistic and industrial practices from both "high" and "low" culture. Possible areas for exploration are digital cinema; "slow cinema"; multimedia installation; the gallery film; video game aesthetics; comics and film; episodic cinema; interactive, animated, and hybrid documentary; and long-form serial television.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Film and Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3775. Entertainment Industry Perspectives. 4 Credit Hours.
This course explores career paths and current trends in the entertainment industry through visiting guest lecturers who are working in fields including scriptwriting, directing, editing, distribution, production design, advertising and more. Weekly visits offer students a chance to learn from and converse with established professionals while reflecting upon their own personal internship experiences within the entertainment industry.
Class Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Freshman 0 to 29 Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 3871. Film Theory. 4 Credit Hours.
This course introduces key ideas and debates in film theory. Covering work from classical film theory through the 1970s Screen theory to contemporary approaches, the course asks how best to understand film as an art form and social document. It will interrogate the nature of cinema as a medium and the direction of film in a digital age. Key ideas to include film aesthetics, signification, textuality, ideology, narration, political modernism, and feminist and postcolonial critique. Film screenings will illuminate concepts in the readings.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), or 'Y' in CRFM04) and (FMA 2675, FMA 2676, FMA 2671, FMA 2670, FMA 3670, FMA 3671, FMA 3677, 'Y' in CRFM10, 'Y' in CRFM11, 'Y' in CRFM12, or 'Y' in CRFM18)
FMA 4240. Topics in Production. 4 Credit Hours.
A workshop in film, video, audio, or emerging new technologies. The course will address a particular production issue (an aspect of technology or an aesthetic approach) each time it is offered, such as production design, color correction, 3-D computer imagery, special effects, audio experimentation, video verité, and film/video diary.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Film and Media Arts.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4241. BFA Directing Projects I. 4 Credit Hours.
Advanced pre-production and production of film, high definition video, or emerging technologies with specific emphasis on producing an ambitious work of artistic and social consequence, with critiques and evaluations by faculty and visiting professionals. Intensive field and laboratory work leading towards a year-long individual or collaborative final project for exhibition. NOTE: First semester of a two-semester sequence (4241-4242).
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2396 or 'Y' in CRFM07), (FMA 2551 or 'Y' in CRFM09), and (FMA 2241, FMA 2242, 'Y' in CRFM05, or 'Y' in CRFM15)
FMA 4242. BFA Directing Projects II. 4 Credit Hours.
Continuation of
FMA 4241 (0382) with an emphasis on completing the field production and post-production phases of a year-long project in film, high definition video or an emerging new technology. NOTE: Second semester of a two-semester sequence (4241-4242).
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in FMA 4241.
FMA 4243. Film and Video Sound. 4 Credit Hours.
Theory and practice of sound as it relates to film and video production location recording techniques, wild sound pick-up, Foley and sound effects, sound sweetening, scoring for film, and sound mixing for film.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in FMA 2243.
FMA 4245. Cinematography Master Class I. 4 Credit Hours.
An advanced production workshop that combines theory and practice in the making of personal films and crewing each other's productions in Super 16mm or High Definition 24P digital video, along with technical and aesthetic exercises deconstructing cinematographic/videographic moviemaking.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in FMA 3244.
FMA 4246. Cinematography Master Class II. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is a continuation of the fall semester as a practicum in completing projects in super 16mm and 24P digital advanced productions as well as introducing new exercises. This course will have professional visitors and will continue to deconstruct cinematography and various cinematic forms in the treatment of fiction/non-fiction portraiture in observational/direct cinema, avant-garde (burst and unconventional filming), and autobiographical styles of moviemaking.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in FMA 4245.
FMA 4248. Introduction to 3D: Modeling. 4 Credit Hours.
This course introduces the concepts and techniques of three-dimensional digital graphics, using Lightwave3D software. The first half of the semester introduces a broad palette of techniques and formal ideas, while the second half is spent on a major project of your own design. Previous experience with graphics or animation software is not required. The course offers a unique skill set and formal perspective. The course is open to juniors and seniors, including non-majors and upper-level students from other colleges, with the specific aim of fostering an interdisciplinary, collaborative workshop environment.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 4249. Introduction to 3D: Animation. 4 Credit Hours.
This course introduces the concepts and techniques of three-dimensional digital imagery and motion graphics, using Lightwave3D software. The first half of the semester introduces a broad palette of techniques and formal ideas, while the second half is spent on a major project of your own design. The course offers a unique skill set and formal perspective for upper level students. Open to juniors and seniors, including non-majors and upper-level students from other colleges, with the specific aim of fostering an interdisciplinary, collaborative workshop environment.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4250. Topics in Production. 4 Credit Hours.
A workshop with a changeable technological or artistic topic in film or video post-production, multimedia, or 3-D computer animation.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Film and Media Arts.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4251. Producing Master Class I. 4 Credit Hours.
Producing Master Class I is the first semester in the year-long capstone experience of the BA degree in Producing. Students will apply knowledge they have learned about producing independent film work by serving as a lead producer for a BFA directing project. The course will be structured as a workshop and will be coordinated with the capstone courses for the BFA in Directing, BA in Cinematography and BA in Post Production. This capstone course will give students a comprehensive experience in producing that will prepare them to begin a career in industry and independent film producing.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Producing.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4252. Producing Master Class II. 4 Credit Hours.
Producing Master Class II is the second semester in the year-long capstone experience of the BA degree in Producing. Producing students will serve as the hub around which the director, cinematographer and editor will collaborate, as they guide their directing project through production, post-production and strategizing audience outreach and distribution.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Producing.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in FMA 4251.
FMA 4253. Advanced Post Production Techniques. 4 Credit Hours.
This course expands on theories and techniques developed in
FMA 3551 Advanced Editing. Topics covered include best practices for digital convergence, advanced HD workflow and advanced audio for narrative short filmmaking. This is a recommended class for BA Post Production concentration students.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Post Production.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in FMA 3551.
FMA 4254. Post Production Master Class. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is the capstone experience of the BA Post Production concentration. Students will serve as the lead editor and post supervisor of a BFA/BA Master Class thesis film.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Post Production.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in FMA 3551 and (FMA 4253, FMA 4451, FMA 3553, FMA 2452, FMA 4243, FMA 4248, or FMA 4249)
FMA 4282. Special Projects. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
Individual projects proposed by advanced students. NOTE: Candidates submit a detailed project plan on prescribed form before registration.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4341. Screen Directing. 4 Credit Hours.
Theories of directing, dramatic form, and acting are examined through lectures, demonstrations, readings, and applied exercises to establish a theoretical and practical foundation in film and television directing.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: Film and Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2241, FMA 2242, FMA 2451, 'Y' in CRFM05, 'Y' in CRFM08, or 'Y' in CRFM15)
FMA 4342. BFA Screenwriting Projects I. 4 Credit Hours.
The first half of the senior year capstone in the BFA in Screenwriting. Students will integrate in practice everything they have learned about film, screenwriting and story by developing the first draft of a feature-length screenplay or television serial pilot and bible. The course will be structured as a workshop and will present students with the opportunity to further hone their critical skills and introduce them to the discipline of the writer's life.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Screenwriting.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4343. BFA Screenwriting Projects II. 4 Credit Hours.
The second half of the senior year capstone in the BFA in Screenwriting. Students will focus on rewriting as an essential part of the writing process, as they rewrite and polish the first drafts of their feature scripts or television serial plot and bible developed in
FMA 4342 BFA Screenwriting Projects I. They will be expected to cultivate their ability to give and receive a high level of criticism.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Screenwriting.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in FMA 4342.
FMA 4345. The Director-Actor Collaboration. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is designed to develop performance skills in front of, and directing techniques behind, the camera. An emphasis will be placed on the collaboration and exchange of techniques between actors and directors. Directors have the opportunity to learn what works from the actors' perspective during acting exercises. Likewise, actors will learn about the directors' perspective during directing technique exercises. Students will develop skills in each craft through acting and experiencing what it feels like to take direction; learning rehearsal flexible techniques; practicing directing techniques that are suited specifically to film and TV productions; and studying script analysis techniques that allow directors to prepare thoroughly prior to actual production.
Class Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Freshman 0 to 29 Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4440. Topics in Production. 4 Credit Hours.
A workshop in film, video, audio, or emerging new technologies. The course will address a particular production issue (an aspect of technology or an aesthetic approach) each time it is offered, such as color correction, 3-D computer animation, special effects, digital audio applications, and multimedia.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4441. Physical Computing. 4 Credit Hours.
Physical Computing is a studio class in which students build electronic interfaces for interactive media projection and exhibition. This class mingles media-making with simple engineering, developing students' skills in designing new ways to access and experience video and audio media.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2451, FMA 1451, 'Y' in CRFM08, or 'Y' in CRFM14)
FMA 4442. BFA Media Arts Project I. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is the first part of the two semester Senior Capstone in the Media Arts BFA. In this production course, students will develop a substantial interdisciplinary media arts project in dialogue with BFA cohort and faculty. They will create prototypes of proposed projects with an interdisciplinary team of collaborators from the Media Arts BFA and relevant programs in parallel arts, humanities and sciences disciplines. The development of the prototype projects will engage interdisciplinary media arts skills and concepts mastered in the sophomore and junior years of the BFA.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Media Arts.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4443. BFA Media Arts Project II. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is the second part of the two semester Senior Capstone in the Media Arts BFA. In this production course, students will continue to develop a substantial interdisciplinary media arts project in dialogue with BFA cohort and faculty. Each student will use the project prototype created in the fall Media Arts Project I course as a blueprint for the realization of the final capstone project. Students will continue to work with the interdisciplinary team of collaborators they put together during the first semester of the course to complete their media arts project, including the finalizing, testing and development of hardware, software, content, implementation and documentation.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Concentrations: Media Arts.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in FMA 4442.
FMA 4451. Digital Animation, Compositing and Modeling. 4 Credit Hours.
Animation, image compositing and object modeling have facilitated the crossover between animation and photographic imaging, mingling the fictive and the realistic image in digital film and videomaking. This workshop explores the techniques and effects of processing and layering the moving image within film/video language and within non-linear structures. Primary focus is on 2D animation and compositing using Adobe AfterEffects with other software packages introduced as time permits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4453. Interactive Exhibition Design. 3 to 4 Credit Hours.
The course explores the use of interactive media for the public exhibition of historical and artistic materials in libraries, museums, or other cultural institutions. The course will teach interactive applications such as video motion tracking, projection design, VR environments and mobile Augmented Reality. Thematically, the course will explore the challenges of cultural visibility and access and aim for critical forms of public engagement with cultural production and presentation.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4461. Interactive Narrative. 4 Credit Hours.
A creative course within a critical frame in which students make and study interactive worlds; textual, audio, graphical and video based stories, environments and games that incorporate explicit user choice. The course will be structured around a series of weekly exercises and readings, followed by a substantial final project. Students will learn necessary software. NOTE: An emphasis on interactive environments and games.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 2241, FMA 2242, 'Y' in CRFM05, or 'Y' in CRFM15), (FMA 2396 or 'Y' in CRFM07), and (FMA 2451, FMA 2452, 'Y' in CRFM08, or 'Y' in CRFM16)
FMA 4462. Video Game Theory and Writing. 4 Credit Hours.
This course will look at both the critical literature that has developed around video games and other interactive environments, as well as the practice of writing video games. Student's work will combine critical essays and written game or interactive creation that explores some of the theories addressed in the course. The course will look at some of the major issues in video game studies, such as simulation, representation, play, narrative, the ergotic, cut-scenes, and interactive space and time, as well as considering how video games may engage some long-standing aesthetic and philosophic questions that predate these games themselves.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in FMA 1172.
FMA 4471. Media Arts Projects at the Kimmel: The Virtual City. 4 Credit Hours.
Graduate and undergraduate students will work with Prof. Roderick Coover and visiting artists at the Kimmel Center to create works using emerging cinematic technologies including virtual reality (VR). The course aims to produce highly experimental and collaborative media arts works oriented around themes of the city. The course will take place at main campus, center city campus and at the Kimmel Center. This course is open to students from across the arts and it encourages interdisciplinary and cross-genre collaborations of image, sound, movement and performance.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4475. The Artist in the Business World. 4 Credit Hours.
Freelance/independent contracting is the most common type of work for any emerging artist or filmmaker but newly graduated alumni often do not know how to find work or how to protect their self-interests. This seminar class is created to help juniors and seniors prepare to move from school into the working world of media production as independent contractors/freelancers. Topics to be covered include: Creating your unique brand, negotiating rates, understanding insurance and taxes for freelancers, and understanding contracts and other legal concerns of freelancing.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4670. Topics in Film Study. 4 Credit Hours.
Lectures and screenings on a special topic arranged each semester. Topics may include: Advanced Film Theory, Third Cinema, Soundtracks, Exile Cinema, The Idea of Art Cinema, Hollywood Cinematographers, Hybrid Cinema, Gender and Sexuality. Please consult with the instructor.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA major prerequisites: (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02) or Comm Studies prerequisites: (CMST 2111 or 'Y' in CRCM02) and (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04))
FMA 4671. Senior Media Culture Thesis I. 4 Credit Hours.
The planning, conceptualization, and design of a written research project that combines skills in theory, criticism, and historiography, or a producible script based on research.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 3671 or FMA 3871)
FMA 4672. History of Documentary Film. 4 Credit Hours.
This course surveys broad trends in the history of non-fiction cinema from 1895 to present. Covering movements like the city symphony film, the postwar essay film, direct cinema, the personal documentary, and animated documentary, it will explore the conceptual issues facing documentary makers and introduce key debates around documentary representation.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), or 'Y' in CRFM04)
FMA 4673. International Cinema. 4 Credit Hours.
The course will survey and examine the various cultural determinants of international film forms through screenings, lectures, and readings. It will attempt to define the differences and similarities between mainstream Hollywood cinema and the range of international film forms from Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), CMST 2111, 'Y' in CRFM04, or 'Y' in CRCM02)
FMA 4674. Anthropological Film/Media. 3 Credit Hours.
Anthropological perspectives on media studies in terms of both cultural organization and anthropological research tools; includes anthropological and communication theory, history of ethnography, and research methods with special emphasis on visual recording modes.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA major prerequisites: (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02) or Comm Studies prerequisites: (CMST 2111 or 'Y' in CRCM02) and (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04))
FMA 4675. Women Film/Video Artists. 4 Credit Hours.
This seminar will examine closely the work of women filmmakers and video artists and their dialogue with theories of gender representation. Working outside or against the currents of mainstream commercial practices, these media artists have taken up alternate cinematic forms, whether the independently produced feature film to experimental film and video art. Readings, screenings, and writing assignments will explore the historical, theoretical and aesthetic concerns that inform and respond to groundbreaking work by women such as Martha Rosler, Mira Nair, Trinh T. Minh-Ha, Chantal Akerman, Julie Dash, Claire Denis, Ngozi Onworah, Sadie Benning, Samira Makmalbaf, and Miranda July, among others.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), CMST 2111, 'Y' in CRFM04, or 'Y' in CRCM02)
FMA 4676. Sound Studies. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is an advanced study of the aesthetics and meaning of sound in film, media, and moving-image arts. Examining the acoustic across a broad spectrum of genres and media - radio, film, video, sound art - it introduces the interdisciplinary field of Sound Studies and its relevance for the history and study of cinematic sound.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711, or 'Y' in CRFM04)
FMA 4678. Climate and the Arts. 4 Credit Hours.
This seminar class examines how film, video, visual art, architecture, music, dance, theater, literature, and social media have responded to long-term shifts in climate. Drawing on primary sources in the arts and sciences, we will explore a range of issues related to the changing climate: natural, cultural and virtual forces affecting global, socio-political and economic factors including race, class, ethnicity, gender, etc. We begin with these fundamental questions about Climate Change: What? Why? When? Who? How?... and proceed with informed research through readings and screenings to produce journal notes and a final project.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Course Attributes: SF
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4680. Advanced Topics in Media Arts Studies. 4 Credit Hours.
Advanced Topics in Media Arts Studies is a variable-content topics history/theory course in such media art topics as new technologies, sound, interactive video, mobile media, visual ethnography and other areas of interdisciplinary media art. This is an upper level studies course for undergraduate seniors, and students in the Film and Media Arts BFA with a concentration in Media Arts.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: Film and Media Arts.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1451 or 'Y' in CRFM14), (FMA 1141 or 'Y' in CRFM01), (FMA 1142 or 'Y' in CRFM02), and (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03)
FMA 4696. Senior Media Culture Thesis II. 4 Credit Hours.
The completion of the research project or script begun in
FMA 4671 (0380).
Course Attributes: WI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in FMA 4671.
FMA 4697. Advanced Film History. 4 Credit Hours.
Throughout its century-plus of existence, the cinema has been at once a popular entertainment, a major art form, a culture industry, and a basis for social and national identity. This course goes into depth into historical case studies to examine what film history means as an attempt to explain the richness of cinema's past. The emphasis will be on research and argumentation. Possible topics to include the political economy of the film industry, reception study, social history of cinema going, national cinema, and auteur or star agency in the studio system. NOTE: Prior to spring 2010, the course title was "History of Narrative Film."
Course Attributes: WI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), or 'Y' in CRFM04) and (FMA 2675, FMA 2676, 'Y' in CRFM11, or 'Y' in CRFM18)
FMA 4698. Writing-Intensive Study in Documentary Film. 4 Credit Hours.
An advanced course in the history, theory, and aesthetics of nonfiction film and media. The seminar will use documentary films as a starting point for a student-led research and writing projects. The emphasis may vary, but the course will examine more advanced debates in ethics, representation, and history posed by nonfiction cinema.
Course Attributes: WI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C (except where noted) in (FMA 1172, ENG 2711 (C- or higher), or 'Y' in CRFM04)
FMA 4770. Topics in Producing. 3 Credit Hours.
A workshop in film and media art producing. The course will address a particular producing issue each time it is offered, such as budgeting, scheduling, project development or entertainment law.
Department Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Departments: CA:Film & Media Arts.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in FMA 2771.
FMA 4771. Pathways to Media Careers. 2 Credit Hours.
This course is designed to assist FMA Juniors and Seniors in transitioning from the insulation of the classroom to "real world" careers in media production. It will provide insight into the diverse opportunities available in media at independent, corporate, and industry levels.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C in (FMA 1171 or 'Y' in CRFM03), (FMA 1172 or 'Y' in CRFM04), and (FMA 1142, FMA 1143, or 'Y' in CRFM02)
FMA 4772. Art of the Sell. 4 Credit Hours.
In this course, students will examine the pragmatic details of the producer's role and responsibilities during each stage of a project's life, from development to distribution, utilizing a case study of a produced feature film. Concurrently, this course will foster students' development of pitching techniques that creators in the media and entertainment industry use to "sell" projects - as well as themselves - to potential collaborators, investors and consumers during a project's life cycle.
Class Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Freshman 0 to 29 Credits.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FMA 4940. Honors Topics in Film. 4 Credit Hours.
An advanced seminar or workshop in film or video. Topics vary each semester. NOTE: Reserved for University Honors students.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4950. Honors Topics in Media. 4 Credit Hours.
An advanced seminar or workshop in multimedia, digital media, or new technologies. Topics vary each semester. NOTE: Reserved for University Honors Students.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Junior 60 to 89 Credits, Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4983. Honors Reading. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
FMA 4991. Honors Research/Project. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.