Media and Communication Studies

Video Production I

Formerly MCS-232. An introductory course in the art and craft of video production. Coming to understand film as a method of storytelling, students learn and practice film aesthetics and techniques, including all the elements of preproduction, production, and postproduction. Students will collaborate to plan, shoot, and edit short videos while learning the basics of filmmaking equipment and software. Students will reflect on the nature of film and the practice of filmmaking through a faith lens. Materials fee applies. 

Oral and Interpersonal Communication

An introduction to oral communication, including basic theory, conversation, non-verbal communication, performance, use of technology, writing for reading aloud, and public speaking.

Introduction to Media and Communications

This course introduces students to the rise of mass media and communication and its impact and influence on modern society. Basic media forms and their function in society will be surveyed and students will develop a Christian perspective on media and its role in both the production and consumption of culture. Students will examine the application of a Reformed Christian worldview to understanding communication and communication-related vocations. The relationship between Christianity and professional communication, including professions in the media, will be discussed.

Video Production II

Students will work in small groups to develop, shoot, and edit experimental and dramatic projects with more advanced camera equipment. Materials fee applies. 

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Corequisites:

Digital Video Postproduction

Students will explore digital editing theories, as well as practices of digital film editing and other elements of the postproduction process. Students will develop skills that include engagement with non-linear software and organizing and structuring short pieces. In addition, students will learn how shot selection, pacing, rhythm, sound, etc. shape both scenes and final productions.

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The Language of Film and Television

This course provides students with a nuanced understanding of how film and television articulate meanings. Grounded in the historical eras and practices that range from the silent to the digital era, students will learn formal analyses and close readings of cinematic and televisual texts with special attention to narrative constructions, lighting, production design, acting styles, editing, genre, sound, music, and point of view. The course will also emphasize how such analyses should consider various contexts.

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Video Production III

Formerly MCS-324. In this course, students will explore the theoretical and practical elements of the pre-production and production phase, including concept development and shooting techniques so as to collaboratively write, produce, shoot, and edit short pieces. Students will develop their skills in audio and sound production, camera work, lighting, directing, and producing. Materials fee applies. 

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Media and Communication Ethics

A course in the moral and legal dimensions of communication, with special attention given to working in communication and media professions. The course cultivates a Christian understanding of the topic through attention to theological and philosophical issues and through wrestling with a range of cases and controversies.

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Theories of Communication

This course establishes the basic framework of core knowledge concerning the nature of human interaction. It will survey theories and research in communication as it is applied to various social, political, and cultural contexts. Students will develop a broad Christian framework for understanding, critiquing, and utilizing these theories.

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Documentary Films and Filmmaking

In this class, students will learn about the history, aesthetics, and politics of the documentary film tradition. Drawing on films from the silent era to the digital age, the course explores movements, techniques, philosophical underpinnings, and limitations of cinema verite, direct cinema, investigative documentary, activist media, personal video essays, and mockumentaries. Cultivating a Christian understanding of the history and practice of this genre, students will participate in the tradition of documentary filmmaking and produce various short form documentaries. Materials fee applies. 

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Audio Production

This course introduces the basics of audio production and post production. Students will learn how to capture sound in a studio setting and in field work. They will also explore audio editing, audio processing, and mixing. Both audio production and postproduction components will cover the applications of music, radio, and moving images.

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Screenwriting

This course covers the theoretical and applied components of script writing for film and television production. Topics will include conflict, character development, structure and plot creation, genre, and mood, among others.

Content for the Digital Age

Information is audiovisual and text in the Digital Age. In this course, students will study the emergence of digital technology and its impact on commercial and social cultures. Students will also learn how to communicate an effective story online using 21st century digital tools, including video, photographs, audio, and text. Materials fee applies. 

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World Cinemas

Aiming to put a question mark on the end of the phrase, “what are world cinemas?”, this course offers an atlas of world cinemas as a mode of film making comprised of a wide intersection of contests. As such, the complex phenomenon of world cinemas opens up the opportunity to engage the limits of our own Western imaginations.