B.F.A
- FILM & VIDEO PRODUCTION MAJOR:
First established
in 1941 as The Institute of Film Techniques, the Film & Video program
in the Department of Media & Communication Arts at CCNY is the oldest
continuous film program in the country. It is the only program in the
CUNY system to offer a BFA degree in Film & Video.
The mission
of the BFA Film & Video program is to teach the art and craft of
filmmaking, explore the history and theory of film and video, and to
provide intensive hands-on experience utilizing the latest technology
in fiction and documentary media production. Embedded in a liberal arts
academic environment, the program nurtures students to discover their
own creative voice and provides them with the knowledge and diverse
skills to enter an ever-changing media world, or to continue their studies
in a graduate program.
The BFA
in Film & Video program provides a broad range of fundamental production
skills in the areas of fiction and documentary media production. Courses
in screenwriting, production, and editing prepare students to produce
their own projects in both 16mm film and digital video. In addition
to production courses, students also take classes in the history, theory,
and aesthetics of film to compliment and contextualize the production
skills they learn. The program’s emphasis is on single camera
fiction and documentary field production.
Admission
to the BFA in Film & Video program requires you to be a student
already admitted to CCNY. If you are not currently a student at CCNY
or you are a transfer student, application forms to the college are
available through the Admissions Office. Students must apply separately
to the BFA program through a second application process. Applications
forms to the BFA program are available in the Department of Media &
Communication Arts.
Admission
to the program is limited to 25 students, once a year, and only in the
Fall semester. Students must apply in the Spring semester preceding
the Fall semester you wish to enter. You must be at least an “upper”
freshman to enter the program and you must have completed, or be in
the process of completing, MCA 10500, 20200, and 12100.
Transfer
students must get a transcript evaluation of their core courses and
requirements through the academic advisors in the Division of Humanities
and Arts. Media courses, if any, must be evaluated through the academic
advisors of the BFA program in MCA. It is necessary for students transferring
from other film and video programs to get their media coursework evaluated
by the BFA program to determine their program of study in the department.
Requirements
for the B.F.A. in Film & Video Production:
Program Director: Prof.
Herman Lew
Admissions
Criteria & Creative Portfolio:
Students are evaluated and admitted to the program
based on 4 criteria:
• Creative Portfolio*
• 1 page Personal Statement
• Passing grade of “C” or better in MCA 10500, 20200,
and 12100
• 2.7 cumulative G.P.A. (B-)
*The creative portfolio must consist of film/video work that you have
had major creative input on. The portfolio work can be established
in several ways:
• Work created in MCA 105 Introduction to Media Production.
• Work created at other colleges (transfer students).
• Independently produced work outside of college.
Curriculum:
The BFA degree in Film & Video requires a minimum of 54 credits
with the majority of courses in the curriculum being completed in
a 4 semester (Fall-Spring), 2-year cycle. The 54 credit total includes
MCA 10500, MCA 12100, and MCA 20200 and these courses should be completed
before a student applies to the program. The department
is not open during the summer although the program will occasionally
offer a critical studies course during the summer session. Please
be aware that not all courses in the curriculum are offered every
semester, and a student who misses or fails a course will be “out
of sequence” and may have to wait for another year for the course
to be offered again.
Evaluation
& Maintaining Matriculation: Two
mechanisms are used to evaluate a student’s progress and to
maintain matriculation in the program
GPA - Students must have 2.7 cumulative GPA (B-) to enter the
program and must maintain a 3.0 GPA within the major to remain matriculated
in the program. The BFA Review Committee may make exceptions to the
minimum GPA requirements only after a thorough assessment of individual
cases. The BFA Review
Committee will review and assess the academic and creative work of
students at the end of each academic year (fall-spring). This assessment,
along with the student’s GPA, will determine if the student
is qualified to continue matriculating in the program. This assessment
will also be an opportunity for the faculty to identify students who
may need more academic support so that they may maintain matriculation
and progress through the program with success.
Required
Courses for BFA in Film & Video Production:
10500 - Introduction to Media Production (3cr.)
20200 - Research & Writing for Media* (3cr.)
12100 - Introduction to Film Studies (3cr.)
20000 - Introduction to Film Production (3cr.)
20500 - Editing (3cr.)
21500 - Sound Production & Design (3cr.)
22100 - History & Theory of Film I (3cr.)
22200 - History & Theory of Film II (3cr.)
22300 - Critical Approaches to Indep. Cinema (3cr.)
23200 - Documentary Workshop I (4cr.)
32100 - Motion Picture Production Workshop I (4cr.)
32300 - Screenwriting Workshop I (3cr.)
32400 - Screenwriting Workshop II (3cr.)
32500 - Directing for Film & Video (3cr.)
32600 - Digital Post Production (3cr.)
*MCA 202 is equivalent to English 210. It is highly recommended that
students take MCA 202 in place of or in addition to English 210.
One
of the following two:
32200 - Motion Picture Production Workshop II (4cr.)
33200 - Documentary Workshop II (4cr.)
One
of the following four:
30200 - Critical Approaches to Film Directors (3cr.)
30300 - The Documentary in Film & Television (3cr.)
30400 - Studies in Film History & Aesthetics (3cr.)
31000 - Internship (3cr.)
=Total
credits for B.F.A. Film & Video Major: 54*
(*in
addition to general degree requirements)