Film

This is an archived copy of the 2022-2023 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.miracosta.edu.

Students take film courses to satisfy general education requirements in arts and humanities and to explore the discipline. Students who earn a bachelor's degree in film at a four-year university pursue careers as filmmakers, editors, digital media artists, film archivists, media educators, film festival curators, script analysts, cinematographers, television producers, and studio executives.

Academic and Career Pathway: Creative and Applied Arts

Contact Information

Chair: Tracy Williams

Dean: Jonathan Fohrman

https://www.miracosta.edu/academics/degree-and-certificate-programs/creative-and-applied-arts/film/index.html

Department: Theatre and Film

Office: Building OC2700, 760.795.6844

Full-Time Faculty

Phillip Boland
Billy Gunn

Associate Degrees

Associate in Science Degree

Film, Television, and Electronic Media for Transfer

The Associate in Science in Film, Television, and Electronic Media for Transfer (AS-T) degree is intended to meet the lower-division requirements for radio-television film, television-film, television, video, film, or electronic arts majors, an emphasis or option within such a major, or a major considered similar to these majors at a participating California State University (CSU) campus. This interdisciplinary program includes a balanced curriculum with course work in both film production and theory.

Following transfer to a participating CSU campus, students will be required to complete no more than 60 units to obtain a bachelor’s degree; however, some CSU campuses accepting this degree may require additional lower-division major preparation. This degree may not be appropriate preparation for students transferring to a CSU campus not accepting this degree or to a university or college that is not part of the CSU system. Students should consult with a MiraCosta counselor for further information regarding the most efficient pathway to transfer as a film, television, and electronic media major and to determine which CSU campuses are participating in this program.

To complete the degree, students must fulfill the following requirements:

Complete a minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester units.
Complete all courses required in the major with a “C” or "P" or better.
Complete the CSU-GE (Plan B) or IGETC (Plan C)* general education pattern.
Obtain a minimum CSU-transferable GPA of 2.0.
Complete a minimum of 12 units in residence at MiraCosta College.

* Students completing IGETC may be awarded the degree, but they must complete a course from Area IC: Oral Communication to meet CSU admission requirements.

Program Student Learning Outcome Statement

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to critically evaluate films from a social and cultural perspective, demonstrate knowledge of film theory, and apply appropriate production techniques.

Required Core:
FILM 101	Introduction to Film ^*	3
or FILM 101H	Introduction to Film (Honors)
FILM 105	Introduction to Media Writing	3
List A:		7
Select two courses from Area 1 and one course from Area 2.
Area 1: Audio (two courses required)
MTEC 110 & MTEC 120	Recording Arts I and Digital Audio Production I
Area 2: Video or Film Production (choose one course)
MAT 160	Video 1: Production
or MAT 200	Video 2: Post-Production and Special Effects
List B: Select one course.		3
FILM 111	Film History I: 1880-1945 ^*
FILM 111H	Film History I: 1880-1945 (Honors) ^*
FILM 112	Film History II: 1945-Present ^*
FILM 112H	Film History II: 1945-Present (Honors) ^*
List C: Select a minimum of three units from courses not used above or from the following list.		3
FILM 106	Study of Filmed Plays ^*
FILM 211	Identity and Film: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality ^*
FILM 211H	Identity and Film: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality (Honors) ^*
FILM 212	Women and Film: Representation and Impact ^*
FILM 212H	Women and Film: Representation and Impact (Honors) ^*
FILM 292	Internship Studies
DNCE 104	Dance on Film ^*
COMM 220	Introduction to Mass Communication ^*
Total Units		19

*: Course satisfies a general education requirement on the CSU-GE or IGETC general education pattern. To ensure this degree is completed with no more than 60 units, students should select courses that will also satisfy a general education requirement.

NOTE: Students are strongly advised to select courses that meet lower-division major preparation requirements at their transfer university and to complete the History, Constitution, and American Ideals requirement prior to transfer.

Associate in Arts Degree

Film Studies

The Associate in Arts in Film Studies degree is intended to prepare students who plan on transferring to pursue a bachelor's degree in radio-television film, television-film, television, video, film, or electronic arts, an emphasis or option within such a major, or a major considered similar to these majors. This interdisciplinary program includes a balanced curriculum with coursework in both film theory and production. Students may also need to complete additional requirements or electives required by the transfer institution, as many CSUs and UCs have unique admissions and preparation-for-the-major requirements. Students should consult with a MiraCosta counselor for further information regarding the most efficient pathway to transfer as a film major to their desired institution.

Program Student Learning Outcome Statement

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to critically evaluate films, demonstrate knowledge of film theory, and apply appropriate production techniques.

Required courses:
FILM 101	Introduction to Film	3
or FILM 101H	Introduction to Film (Honors)
FILM 105	Introduction to Media Writing	3
FILM 111	Film History I: 1880-1945	3
or FILM 111H	Film History I: 1880-1945 (Honors)
FILM 112	Film History II: 1945-Present	3
or FILM 112H	Film History II: 1945-Present (Honors)
MAT 160	Video 1: Production	3
MAT 200	Video 2: Post-Production and Special Effects	3
List A: Film Studies		11-12
Select four courses.
FILM 106	Study of Filmed Plays
FILM 211	Identity and Film: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality
or FILM 211H	Identity and Film: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality (Honors)
FILM 212	Women and Film: Representation and Impact
or FILM 212H	Women and Film: Representation and Impact (Honors)
ART 207	Film Photography I
ART 251	Digital Photography
DRAM 130	Acting I
DRAM 141	Lighting Design for Theatre, Television, and Film
DESN 100	Fundamentals of Design
BUS 155	Business Plan Development
Total Units		29-30

How to Read Course Descriptions

For more detailed information about a course, such as its content, objectives, and fulfillment of a degree, certificate, or general education requirement, please see the official course outline of record, available on the Courses and Programs webpage at https://www.miracosta.edu/governance/courses-and-programs-committee/curriculum-management-system.html.

Courses

FILM 101: Introduction to Film

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 101H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This course introduces students to the art of film and the critical vocabulary of film studies through analysis of filmmaking techniques and the meanings they create. It explores film as a synthetic art form by examining the various individuals and elements involved in the production process. Feature, documentary, and genre films may be used to analyze artistic techniques, cultural impact, and socio-political implications. Film viewing is required both inside and outside of class. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 101 or FILM 101H.

FILM 101H: Introduction to Film (Honors)

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 101.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Spring, Summer

This honors course offers highly motivated students an enriched introduction to the art of film and the critical vocabulary of film studies. Students examine, research, and present content as they explore film as a synthetic art form. Feature, documentary, and genre films may be used to analyze artistic techniques, cultural impact, and socio-political implications. Film viewing is required both inside and outside of class. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 101 or FILM 101H.

FILM 105: Introduction to Media Writing

Units: 3
Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, ESL 150, or eligibility determined by the English placement process.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

As an introductory entry-level course in writing for film and electronic media, this course introduces students to dramatic storytelling elements including, but not limited to, script format, story structure, character development, tension, conflict, and themes. Upon grasping the basic elements that constitute an effective cinematic narrative, students workshop their original ideas into a completed feature and/or short screenplay.

FILM 106: Study of Filmed Plays

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

This course explores cinematic adaptations of dramatic literature. Various adaptation theories are used to critically examine how literary and production styles are translated to the language of film. Students engage in structural, character, and thematic analysis through class discussion and written essays. Attendance at public performances is required.

FILM 111: Film History I: 1880-1945

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 111H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

This course traces the history of motion pictures from 1880 to 1945 through a critical examination of the technical, aesthetic, social, political, and economic factors that had an impact on this emerging art form. It explores the cinema from its conception as an entertainment novelty, through major international movements of the silent era, to the development of the American studio system, the transition to sound, and the effect of two world wars. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 111 or FILM 111H.

FILM 111H: Film History I: 1880-1945 (Honors)

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 111.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

This honors course offers highly motivated students an enriched exploration of the history of motion pictures from 1880 to 1945 through a critical examination of the technical, aesthetic, social, political, and economic factors that had an impact on this emerging art form. It explores the cinema from its conception as an entertainment novelty, through major international movements of the silent era, to the development of the American studio system, the transition to sound, and the effect of two world wars. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 111 or FILM 111H.

FILM 112: Film History II: 1945-Present

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 112H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This course traces the history of motion pictures from 1945 to the present through a critical examination of the technical, aesthetic, social, political, and economic factors that have an impact on production, distribution, and exhibition of film. It explores the cinema of the post-WWII era, through major international movements of the 1950s and 1960s, to the development of the new Hollywood of the 1970s, concluding with the globalization and digitalization of film culture in the twenty-first century. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 112 or FILM 112H.

FILM 112H: Film History II: 1945-Present (Honors)

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 112.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This honors course offers highly motivated students an enriched exploration of the history of motion pictures from 1945 to the present through a critical examination of the technical, aesthetic, social, political, and economic factors that have an impact on production, distribution, and exhibition of film. It explores the cinema of the post-WWII era, through major international movements of the 1950s and 1960s, to the development of the new Hollywood of the 1970s, concluding with the globalization and digitalization of film culture in the twenty-first century. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 112 or FILM 112H.

FILM 211: Identity and Film: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 211H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Spring

This course explores the impact of identity on film as an art form and cultural artifact by confronting ideologies of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation as they are reflected in cinematic representation. American film is used as the primary lens through which to view how social, political, and cultural values have been formulated over the last century. Students analyze major films, figures, character types, and narrative strategies to evaluate the relationship between film and identity. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 211 or FILM 211H.

FILM 211H: Identity and Film: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality (Honors)

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 211.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Spring

This honors course offers highly motivated students an enriched exploration of the impact of identity on film as an art form and cultural artifact by confronting ideologies of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation as they are reflected in cinematic representation. American film is used as the primary lens through which to view how social, political, and cultural values have been formulated over the last century. Students analyze major films, figures, character types, and narrative strategies to evaluate the relationship between film and identity. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 211 or FILM 211H.

FILM 212: Women and Film: Representation and Impact

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 212H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall

This course explores the significant, and frequently unrecognized, role of women in film. It investigates cinematic history and artifacts through the lens of feminist theory in order to critically examine the various ways women have been both (mis)represented in a male-dominated industry and participated in the art of filmmaking. Students discuss key individuals in film history and a variety of genres to explore the social, political, and cultural impact of women in film. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 212 or FILM 212H.

FILM 212H: Women and Film: Representation and Impact (Honors)

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in FILM 212.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall

This honors course offers highly motivated students an enriched exploration of the significant, and frequently unrecognized, role of women in film. It investigates cinematic history and artifacts through the lens of feminist theory in order to critically examine the various ways women have been both (mis)represented in a male-dominated industry and participated in the art of filmmaking. Students discuss key individuals in film history and a variety of genres to explore the social, political, and cultural impact of women in film. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for FILM 212 or FILM 212H.

FILM 292: Internship Studies

Units: 0.5-3
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Instructor, dept chair, and Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Course Typically Offered: To be arranged

This course provides students the opportunity to apply the theories and techniques of their discipline in an internship position in a professional setting under the instruction of a faculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces students to aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionals employed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or intern at a new site upon each repetition. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.

FILM 296: Topics in Film

Units: 1-3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 1 hour.
Lecture 2 hours.
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: To be arranged

This course gives students an opportunity to study topics in Film that are not included in regular course offerings. Each Topics course is announced, described, and given its own title and 296 number designation in the class schedule.