Overview

A MAJOR IN FILM & VIDEO

Film & Video majors entering as new students during the 2008-2009 academic year (or earlier) must complete 24 credit hours of basic film classes in the Department’s core curriculum, then a further 36 credit hours of more advanced courses.

Core courses cover story development, the history and aesthetics of film and video, technical fundamentals, and the craft basics of the filmmaker at work. Once the core is completed , students may choose among more specialized courses to prepare for their future careers.

The Department offers concentrations in Audio, Cinematography, Critical Studies, Directing, Documentary, Editing, Producing, Screenwriting and Animation (Traditional or Computer). Students who choose to pursue the Film and Video major without a concentration may choose the additional 36 hours of study from across the Film & Video Department course offerings subject to any required prerequisite courses.

Students entering in the 2009-2010 academic year (or later) must complete the 16 credit hour Foundations in Film & Video sequence. Go here for more information.

Students entering the program in the 2008-2009 academic year may elect to take the new curriculum. For more information contact your Academic Advisor or Margie Barrett, Manager of Academic Services mbarrett@colum.edu

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR

To graduate with a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia College Chicago , Film & Video Department students are required to take 120 credit hours as follows:

60 credits to fulfill the Film & Video requirements
42 credits to fulfill general education requirements
18 credits of college wide electives. These can be made up of additional film courses, additional general education courses and/or any other course offered at Columbia College.

The 60 (minimum) credits in the Film & Video department are broken down as follows:

24 credits of department Core classes.
36 or more credits as follows:
for a Major without Concentration student may take 36 hours from any available Film & Video classes for a total of 60 (+) F&V credits.
for a Major with Concentration (such as directing, cinematography, editing, screenwriting etc) student follows the concentration’s requirements for a total of 60 (+) F&V credits.

See our Degree Requirements pages for more specific information.

Film & Video Major Without a Concentration

Once the student has completed the core, he/she may design a course of study across the concentrations in consultation with a faculty advisors o they follow the most effective sequence of study in realizing their career goals. This further study must amount to 36 credit hours, and for each course the student must have the appropriate prerequisites.

Film & Video Major with a Concentration

Students take a further 36 credit hours to prepare for a professional specialization. Concentrations include:

Animation - Barry Young, Program Director

Audio for Visual Media - Michael Caplan, Associate Chair, Below-the-Line

Cinematography - Michael Caplan, Associate Chair, Below-the-Line

Critical Studies - Don Smith, Associate Chair, Documentary, Critical Studies and the Foundation Curriculum

Directing - Ron Falzone, Area Coordinator

Documentary - Don Smith, Associate Chair, Documentary, Critical Studies and the Foundation Curriculum

Postproduction - Sharon Zurek, Postproduction Area Coordinator
Producing - Kevin Cooper, Area Coordinator

Screenwriting - Carri Callis, Area Coordinator