The Division of Film/Video Production of the School of Cinema-Television offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Fine Arts degrees.

The primary goals of the degree programs in film and video production are to develop the student’s ability to express original ideas on film or video and to instill a thorough understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of motion pictures and television. Courses in production provide individual and group filmmaking experiences and the opportunity to learn all aspects of filmmaking in a collaborative environment.

Applicants for the B.A. or M.F.A. degree must submit supplemental application materials to the Film/Video Production Program. For specific instructions, contact the Cinema-Television Office of Student Affairs, University Park, Los Angeles, CA
90089-2211, (213) 740-2911, web page: http://cinema-tv.usc.edu.

 

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in Cinema-Television with a track in production is granted through the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the School of Cinema-Television. Students study within a framework which combines a broad liberal arts background with specialization in a profession. Bachelor of Arts students are enrolled in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, where they take their pre-professional courses, including the general education requirements. Major courses are selected from the curriculum of the School of Cinema-Television. The degree requires 128 units including 16 lower division units and at least 24 upper division units in Cinema-Television. A maximum of 40 CNTV upper division units will apply to the B.A. degree.

General Education Requirements

The university’s general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This new program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing, foreign language and diversity requirements, which are described in detail here.

All students who (1) enter the School of Cinema-Television as freshmen in the summer of 1997 or later; or (2) begin college elsewhere in the summer of 1997 or later; or (3) began college earlier but transfer to USC in the summer of 2000 or later, must satisfy the requirements of the new general education program. Other students whose schedules permit are encouraged to follow the new program as well. However, continuing and transfer students who began college full-time before summer 1997 and enter USC before summer 2000 may elect to satisfy a "transitional" plan instead.

Production Sequence

Undergraduates admitted to the Film/Video Production Program are required to take CTPR 241 Fundamentals of Film and CTPR 290 Visual Communication. CTPR 241 and CTPR 290 are introductory production courses taken either in the second semester sophomore or first semester junior year after a student has completed the minimum required units and requirements toward his or her USC degree. CTWR 413 Writing the Short Script I is taken concurrently with CTPR 241 and CTPR 290, and these three courses are prerequisites for the next production sequence, CTPR 310 and CTPR 376.

CTPR 241 is a lecture course dealing with the technical and aesthetic principles of directing, cinematography, editing, sound and the development of ideas through a cinematic vocabulary.

In CTPR 290 students are taught 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 $800). A tape recorder is recommended.

CTPR 310 Intermediate Film and Video Production and CTPR 376 Intermediate Film and Video Cinematography is the second production sequence required for the B.A., Film/Video Production track. These courses are also taken concurrently. In these workshops students work in teams of two, learning to collaborate and explore the expressive potential of sound and image through the production of one 16mm film and one video project. Both are non-dialogue projects. Each student directs and prepares the soundtrack for the project he or she has written and is cinematographer and editor for his or her partner’s project. Most equipment and materials are provided by the School of Cinema-Television. However, approximately $1,000-$1,500 should be budgeted by the student for the purchase of personal equipment, supplies, transportation, props, etc. which will also be useful in future classes.

To qualify for enrollment in CTPR 310 and CTPR 376, students must fulfill all requirements outlined in the CTPR 310/376 guidelines distributed in CTPR 241. It is mandatory for students to form their own partnerships. Students will not be allowed to register for CTPR 310 and CTPR 376 without having a qualified partner.
Because of the structure of CTPR 310 and CTPR 376, these courses cannot be taken separately. Therefore, should a student fail to achieve a passing grade on either CTPR 310 or CTPR 376 (see the section on grade requirements) both courses must be retaken the subsequent semester.

CTPR 480 Production Workshop I follows CTPR 310 and CTPR 376. In CTPR 480 production majors form crews of eight to 10 persons to produce a synchronous sound project in one semester. Each student is responsible for a specific aspect of the production such as production management, assistant director, cinematographer, editing or sound.

Film/video stock, processing, equipment and facilities are provided by the School of Cinema-Television. There are extra personal expenses associated with all production
workshops.

The selection of scripts and directors for the advanced production workshop (CTPR 480) is made by the production faculty. Note: To qualify to direct an advanced production workshop, a student must complete CTPR 480 (non-directing position) and take a specified directing class.

CTPR 290, 310, 376, 480 cannot be waived or substituted with another course or transfer credit under any circumstances.

Course Requirements

Required courses		Units
CTCS 190	Introduction to Cinema	4
CTCS 200	History of the International Cinema I	2
CTCS 201	History of the International Cinema II	2
CTPR 241	Fundamentals of Film (taken concurrently with CTPR 290, CTWR 413)	4
CTPR 290	Visual Communication (taken concurrently with CTPR 241, CTWR 413)	4
CTPR 310*	Intermediate Film and Video Production (taken after CTPR 241, CTPR 290, CTWR 413 and concurrently with CTPR 376)	4
CTPR 376*	Intermediate Film and Video Cinematography (taken after CTPR 241, CTPR 290, CTWR 413 and concurrently with CTPR 310)	4
CTWR 413	Writing the Short Script I (taken concurrently with CTPR 241, CTPR 290)	2
CTWR 414	The Screenplay	2

*Note that enrollment in CTPR 310/376 requires meeting specific guidelines.

and a choice of:
CTPR 371	Directing for Television, or
CTPR 475	Directing: Mise-en-Scene (prerequisites for CTPR 475 are CTPR 310 and CTPR 376)	4
One of the following courses is required:
CTPR 392	History of the American Film, 1925-1950	4
CTCS 393	History of the American Film since 1950	4
CTCS 400	Non-Fiction Film	4
CTCS 464	Film and/or Television Genres	4
One of the following courses is required subsequent to completing CTPR 310/376:
CTAN 448	Introduction to Film Graphics-Animation	4
CTPR 480	Production Workshop I (narrative or documentary or video)	4
CTPR 484	Advanced Multi-Camera Television Workshop	4

Grade Point Average Requirements

A minimum grade of C, 2.0 (A = 4.0), must be earned in all required and prerequisite courses. A grade of C- or lower will not fulfill a major requirement.

Students who do not earn the minimum grade in CTPR 241, 290, 310 and 376 after repeating these requirements will be disqualified from the program.

Curriculum Review

Cinema-Television majors are required to appear before the Cinema-Television Undergraduate Committee one year prior to graduation for a curriculum review. Contact the Student Affairs Office (Carson Television Center, Garden Level 106), (213) 740-8358, for further information.

 

Master of Fine Arts

The Master of Fine Arts degree with a Film/Video Production track requires a minimum of 40 units in cinema-television at the 400 or 500 level. A thesis is not required for the M.F.A. degree; however, course work involves participation in advanced film/video production courses.

Graduate Preparation Production Courses

In addition to the 40 units, students are required to take 12 units of prerequisite courses (CTPR 507x Production I and CTPR 508x Production II) in their first year. These courses provide intensive preparation considered necessary for graduate education in
production.

CTPR 507x Production I is designed to introduce the fundamental principles of motion picture production. The course provides instruction, projects and readings in directing, cinematography, editing, sound design and production management. Each student makes five 8mm non-dialogue films using his or her own equipment. Students must provide their own Super 8 camera, tripod, projector, viewer and splicer and approximately $800 for film and processing. A tape recorder is highly recommended. CTPR 507x is taken concurrently with CTCS 501 and CTWR 528 in the first semester.

In CTPR 508x Production II, students working in crews of two produce two non-dialogue projects whose primary goal is to communicate effectively through sound/image relationships. Each student directs and prepares the soundtrack for the project he or she has written and is cinematographer and editor for his or her partner’s project. It is mandatory for students to form their own partnerships. Most equipment and materials are provided by the school, but there are other expenses associated with the projects made in CTPR 508x. Approximately $1,000-$1,500 should be budgeted by the student for the purchase of personal equipment, supplies, transportation, props, and so on. CTPR 508x is taken concurrently with CTCS 504 and CTWR 529 in the second semester.

CTPR 507x and CTPR 508x are preparatory courses and do not count toward the total 40 units required for the degree. A minimum grade of C (2.0) in CTPR 507x and CTPR 508x is required in order to continue in the Master of Fine Arts program. Students earning lower than a C (2.0) in a preparatory or core production course may repeat the requirement on a one time only basis upon approval of the CNTV Graduate Committee.

Students who do not earn the minimum grade in CTPR 507x and CTPR 508x or satisfy the degree requirements after repeating a required course will be disqualified from the program.

CTPR 507x, 508x, 546L, 581abc, 583, 584, and 586ab cannot be waived or substituted with transfer credit under any circumstances.

Three-Year Requirements for the M.F.A. in Production

Year One
First Semester		Units
CTCS 501	History of the International Cinema: Silent Film	2
CTPR 507x	Production I	6
CTWR 528	Screenwriting Fundamentals	2
Second Semester		Units
CTCS 504	Television and the New Technologies	2
CTPR 508x	Production II	6
CTWR 529	Intermediate Screenwriting	2
Year Two
First and Second Semesters		Units
CTCS 502	History of the International Cinmea : Sound Film	2
CTPR 506	Visual Expression	2
Two of the following (the second may be taken in year three)
CTPR 541	Intermediate Interactive Multimedia Workshop	4
CTPR 545	Intermediate Multi-Camera Television Workshop	4
CTPR 546L	Production III (non-directing capacity)	6
Six units from the required cinema-television electives (8 if CTPR 541 and CTPR 545 are chosen)
CTPR 484	Advanced Multi-Camera Television Workshop	4
CTPR 531	Planning the Production (prerequisite to develop a CTPR 546L project)	2
CTPR 532	Intermediate Directing (prerequisite to qualify to direct a CTPR 546L or CTPR 583 project)	2
CTWR 533ab	Writing the Feature Script	4-2
CTPR 534	Intermediate Production Design	2
CTPR 535	Intermediate Editing	2
CTPR 537	Intermediate Cinematography	2
CTPR 538	Intermediate Producing	2
CTPR 539	Intermediate Graphics	2
CTPR 540	Intermediate Sound	2
CTPR 542	Intermediate Electronic Imaging	2
CTAN 543	Intermediate Computer Animation	2
CTPR 551	Planning the Advanced Production (prerequisite for CTPR 586ab, CTPR 581ab, CTPR 582abL and CTPR 583 in a directing or producing position)	2
CTPR 552	Advanced Directing	2
CTWR 553	Advanced Screenwriting	4
CTPR 554	Advanced Sound	2
CTPR 555	Advanced Production Design	2
CTPR 556	Advanced Editing	2
CTPR 557	Advanced Cinematography	2
CTPR 558	Advanced Producing	2
CTPR 559	Advanced Graphics	2
CTAN 563	Advanced Computer Animation	2
CTPR 568	Advanced Electronic Imaging	2
CNTV 572	Practicum in Directing Actors for Film	2-4
CTWR 574	Advanced Seminar in Directing Actors for Film	2
Year Three
First and Second Semester
One course from the following:
CTPR 546L	Production III(director or different crew position)	6
CTWR 553**	Advanced Screenwriting	4
CTPR 581abc*	Individual Production Workshop	4-2-2
CTPR 583*	Graduate Television Production	6
CTPR 584*	Graduate Interactive Group Project	6
CTPR 586ab*	Production IV	6-0
*Students must complete the prerequisites and follow the guidelines for CTPR 581abc, CTPR 583, CTPR 584 and CTPR 586ab
One of the following critical studies courses:
CTCS 464	Film Genres	4
CTCS 469	Film Style Analysis	4
CTCS 510	Case Studies in National Media	4
CTCS 511	Seminar: Non-Fiction Film/Video	4
CTCS 518	Seminar: Avant-Garde Film/Video	4
CTCS 564	Seminar in Film and Television Genres	4
CTCS 567	Seminar in Film/Television and a Related Art	4
CTCS 569	Seminar in Film and Television Authors	4
CTCS 587	Graduate Television Seminar	4
CTCS 588**	Bibliography	2

**Four units of Cinema-Television electives at the 400 or 500 level if CTWR 553 and CTCS 588 chosen. Six units of the Cinema-Television electives at the 400 or 500 level if both CTWR 553 and 588 chosen.

Cinema-Television electives

A minimum of two units of Cinema-Television electives at the 400 and 500 level is required.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) must be maintained in all USC course work toward the master’s degree. Courses in which a grade of C- (1.7) or lower is earned will not apply toward a graduate degree.

Time Limit

Students must maintain satisfactory progress toward their master’s degree at all times. The time limit for completing all requirements is three years from the first course at USC applied toward the Master of Fine Arts degree. Course work more than seven years old is invalidated and will not be applied toward the degree.

Graduation Review

Graduate students are required to appear before the Cinema-Television Graduate Committee one year prior to graduation for a curriculum review and to file appropriate forms. Contact the Cinema-Television Student Affairs Office for appointments at (213) 740-8358.