Filmic Writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts

The philosophy of the Filmic Writing Program, a degree program for screenwriting, is that the writer has the original vision; that the art of film is most fully realized through a blending of film form and film content; and that the script needs to embody this unity of form and content.

Each fall (there are no spring admissions), a class of 24 filmic writing students is selected to begin the program. The students move from writing synopses and treatments to full-length screenplays and documentaries and from experimentation with non-verbal communication to integrating complex visual designs into advanced projects. A total of 128 units is required for completion of the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree; 68 of these units are taken in a prescribed sequential order. Students work with writing faculty as well as with professional writers from the film and television industries.

Applicants must submit supplemental application materials to the Filmic Writing Program. For specific instructions, contact the Filmic Writing Program, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211 or telephone (213) 740-3303.

General Education Requirements

Skill Levels

Expository Writing 101 and 102 (eight units). Students must meet the composition skill level requirement.

Areas of Study

Representative Cultures (16 units): COLT 150x Literature and Western Civilization I (4); COLT 151 Literature and Western Civilization II (4); one course from American Public Life (4) and one course from Non-Western Cultures (4) are required.

Representative Approaches to the Study of the Individual, Culture and Society (16 units): CNTV 190 Introduction to Cinema (4), one Literature course (4), PSYC 100 Psychology and Human Behavior (4), and one Ethical Approaches course (4) are required.

Diversity Requirement

All students must pass one course from the list of courses approved to meet the standard diversity requirement.These courses carry the designation "m" for multiculturalism. CNTV 192m fulfills this requirement.

Required Production Course

Filmic writing students are required to take CNTV 290 Visual Communication. This is an introductory production course which must be taken during the junior year.

In CNTV 290 students are introduced to the principles of filmmaking through lectures and hands-on production. Each student makes five Super 8mm non-dialogue films using his or her own equipment. At minimum, a Super 8 camera, projector, tripod, viewer and splicer will be needed, plus substantial funds for film and processing (approximately $500). A tape recorder is also useful.

Four-Year Requirements for the B.F.A. in Filmic Writing

Year One, First Semester		Units
COLT 150x	Literature and Western Civilization I	4
COMP 101	Introduction to Expository Writing	4
CNTV 106a	Filmic Writing I	4
CNTV 190	Introduction to Cinema	4
		____
		16

Year One, Second Semester Units

COLT 151x Literature and Western Civilization II 4

COMP 102 Topics in Expository Writing 4

CNTV 105 Non-Verbal Thinking: Visual and Aural 2

CNTV 106b Filmic Writing I 4

____

14

Year Two, First Semester Units

CNTV 200 History of the International Cinema I 2

CNTV 206a Filmic Writing II 4

CNTV 215 Practicum in Writing Short Films 2

FA 123x Introduction to Art History: Form, Culture and Communication 4

____

12

Year Two, Second Semester Units

CNTV 201 History of the International Cinema II 2

CNTV 205 Introduction to Filmic Design 4

CNTV 206b Filmic Writing II 2

CNTV 213 Content and Consciousness 2

____

10

Year Three, First Semester Units

CNTV 290 Visual Communication 4

CNTV 306a Filmic Writing III 4

CNTV 319 Directing for Writers: Pre-production 2

____

10

Year Three, Second Semester Units

CNTV 301 Creating the Non-Fiction Film 4

CNTV 306b Filmic Writing III 2

CNTV 316 The Affective Domain 2

CNTV 318 Acting Experience for Writers 2

____

10

Year Four, First Semester Units

CNTV 418a Filmic Writing Senior Thesis 4

CNTV 419 Directing for Writers: Post-production 2

CNTV 367 Film and the Other Arts, or

CNTV 464 Film Genres 4

____

10

Year Four, Second Semester Units

CNTV 418b Filmic Writing Senior Thesis 4

CNTV 432 Practicum in Writing and the Media 2

____

6

Electives

A minimum of 20 elective units is required. Suggested electives in Cinema-Television include:

CNTV 430 The Writer in American Cinema and Television 2

CNTV 431 Screenwriters and Their Work 2

CNTV 433 Adaptations: Transferring Existing Work to the Screen 2

CNTV 434 Comedy Writing 2

CNTV 435 Writing for Television Genres 2, max 8

Grade Point Average Requirements

A minimum grade of C (2.0) must be earned in all required and prerequisite courses (a grade of C- or lower will not fulfill a CNTV requirement).

Next Section

Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
univpub@stuaff.usc.edu

Year One, Second Semester		Units
COLT 151x	Literature and Western Civilization II	4
COMP 102	Topics in Expository Writing	4
CNTV 105	Non-Verbal Thinking: Visual and Aural	2
CNTV 106b	Filmic Writing I	4
		____
		14

Year Two, First Semester		Units
CNTV 200	History of the International Cinema I	2
CNTV 206a	Filmic Writing II	4
CNTV 215	Practicum in Writing Short Films	2
FA 123x	Introduction to Art History: Form, Culture and Communication	4
		____
		12

Year Two, Second Semester		Units
CNTV 201	History of the International Cinema II	2
CNTV 205	Introduction to Filmic Design	4
CNTV 206b	Filmic Writing II	2
CNTV 213	Content and Consciousness	2
		____
		10

Year Three, First Semester		Units
CNTV 290	Visual Communication	4
CNTV 306a	Filmic Writing III	4
CNTV 319	Directing for Writers: Pre-production	2
		____
		10

Year Three, Second Semester		Units
CNTV 301	Creating the Non-Fiction Film	4
CNTV 306b	Filmic Writing III	2
CNTV 316	The Affective Domain	2
CNTV 318	Acting Experience for Writers	2
		____
		10

Year Four, First Semester		Units
CNTV 418a	Filmic Writing Senior Thesis	4
CNTV 419	Directing for Writers: Post-production	2
CNTV 367	Film and the Other Arts, or
CNTV 464	Film Genres	4
		____
		10

Year Four, Second Semester		Units
CNTV 418b	Filmic Writing Senior Thesis	4
CNTV 432	Practicum in Writing and the Media	2
		____
		6

CNTV 430	The Writer in American Cinema and Television	2
CNTV 431	Screenwriters and Their Work	2
CNTV 433	Adaptations: Transferring Existing Work to the Screen	2
CNTV 434	Comedy Writing	2
CNTV 435	Writing for Television Genres	2, max 8