Department of Film, Television & Digital Media

I. Area: MFA Cinematography (See sections I to V for all requirements)

II. Summary: The Cinematography Program has a twelve-quarter time-to-

degree requirement. The minimum total units required to graduate is 72 units (18
courses). Only 16 units of FTVDM 596ABC may be applied towards the total
course requirement and only 8 of these may be applied towards the minimum
graduate course requirement. Only 4 units of 596A and 4 units of 596B may be
taken prior to advancement. FTVDM 596 D though F may be taken after
advancement.

III. Courses:

A. Required Courses:

a. Pre-Requirements

To pursue the Cinematography specialization, students are required to:

 complete the FTV 410 course sequence and other general MFA degree
requirements
 complete FTV 153, 298A, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 596A
 photograph a minimum of three advanced projects
 enroll in Directed Individual Research Projects exploring various aspects
of cinematography
 write a research paper on an area of cinematography
 photograph a short project related to the research paper
 photograph three thesis films

b. Required Cinematography Courses

FTV 153 Motion Picture Lighting

FTV 454C Post Production Pathways
FTV 416 Intermediate Cinematography
FTV 417 Lighting for Film & Television
FTV 418 Cinematography & Directing
FTV 419 Advanced Cinematography
FTV 420 Digital Cinematography
FTV 596A Directed Individual Research (repeated)

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c. Required Cinema and Media Studies Courses

Seminar courses that are approved to fulfill the Cinema and Media Studies
requirement are (Two of these courses are required):

201 Media Industries and Cultures of Production

202 Media Audiences and Cultures of Consumption
203 Film and Other Arts
206A European Film History
206B Selected Topics in American Film History
206C American Film History **
207 Experimental Film
208B Classical Film Theory **
208C Contemporary Film Theory
209D Animated Film
217A American Television History
217B Selected Topics in Television History
218 Culture, Media and Society
219 Film and Society
221 Film Authors
222 Film Genres
223 Visual Perception
246 Electronic Culture
268 Short Film
270 Film Criticism
271 Television Criticism
273 Contemporary Film and Television
276 Non-Western Film
277 Narrative Studies

IV. Course Requirements by Year:

A. First Year Course Requirements

Fall Quarter

410A SYMPOSIUM (2 units)

410B CINEMATOGRAPHY (2 units)
410C POST PRODUCTION (2 units)
410D PRODUCTION AND POST PRODUCTION SOUND (2 units)
298A DIRECTING THE ACTOR
298A DIRECTING THE CAMERA
433 WRITING FOR THE SHORT FILM

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401 FILM ANALYSIS

Winter Quarter

410A SYMPOSIUM (2 units)

410B CINEMATOGRAPHY
410E PRODUCTION

Spring Quarter

410A SYMPOSIUM (2 units)

410C POST PRODUCTION (2 units)
410D POST PRODUCTION SOUND (2 units)
TBD DOCUMENTARY COURSE
298A FINAL CUT PRO

B. Years 2 and 3

Cinematography students take required classes in intermediate cinematography,

lighting for film and television, cinematography and directing, advanced
cinematography, digital cinematography, among other courses. Students also
take diverse electives such as film and television critical and historical studies,
screenwriting, directing actors, makeup fundamentals, production design, etc.
Directed Individual Research Projects are required. These courses afford the
student an opportunity to work one-on-one with individual faculty members,
allowing the student to pursue targeted interests in aesthetic or technical
subjects.

Cinematography students also serve as the director of photography on the

advanced projects written and directed by Directing students.

C. Years 3 and 4

Each Cinematography student is required to photograph three thesis films written

and directed by MFA Directing students.

D. Year 4

Completion of the thesis research project. Students focus their academic

research on an aspect of cinematography of interest to them. Combining a
written document with original photography, each student creates a research
project that contributes to the greater knowledge of the field. Currently, students
are authoring their research projects on interactive DVDs, allowing for greater
correlation of the research to the images created in support of that research.
Recent examples: The Narrative Impact of Hand-Held Camera Work, Color

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Theory and Cinematography, and Cinematography in a Multi-Monitor
Environment.

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V. REQUIRED COURSES – CINEMATOGRAPHY

NAME: UID:

FIRST YEAR COURSES

Quarter Courses - Fall
298A - Directing

410A – Symposium (2 units)

410B – Cinematography (2units)

410C – Post Production (2 units)

410D – Post Production Sound (2 units)

433 – Writing the Short Screenplay

Quarter Courses - Winter

410A – Symposium (2 units)

410B – Cinematography (2units)

410E –Production

Quarter Courses - Spring

298A – Special Studies in Film & Television (Wohl)

410A – Symposium (2 units)

410C – Post Production (2 units)

410D – Post Production Sound (2 units)

405 – Television Production Workshop

C416 – Intermediate Cinematography

SECOND YEAR COURSES

Quarter Courses - Fall
153 – Motion Picture Lighting

417 – Lighting for Film & television

420 – Digital Cinematography

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 Quarter Courses - Winter

454C – Postproduction Pathways

One of the recommended courses

Quarter Courses - Spring

418 – Cinematography & Directing

419 – Advanced Cinematography

596A – directed Individual Research (may be repeated)

One of the recommended courses

RECOMMENDED COURSES:
FTV 298A – Combat for Camera
FTV 486 – Preparation to Advance to Candidacy
Theater 452C – Lighting Design for Television
Theater 122 – Makeup for the Stage

TWO approved Graduate Seminars (List available for Graduate Counselor)

ONE course outside of the Production program (animation, screenwriting or producers program)