235 Humanities Instructional Building; (949) 824-5386
Rhona Berenstein, Program Director
Faculty
Rhona Berenstein, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Director of the Program in Film Studies and Associate Professor of Film Studies (television studies, film genres, gender and popular culture, queer film and television)
Homer Obed Brown, Ph.D. The Johns Hopkins University, Professor of English (film theory, American film, popular culture)
Juan Bruce-Novoa, Ph.D. University of Colorado, Professor of Spanish (Latin American and Chicano studies)
David Carroll, Ph.D. The Johns Hopkins University, Chair of the Department of French and Italian and Professor of French (film history and criticism, French cinema, film and society)
Rey Chow, Ph.D. Stanford University, Professor of Comparative Literature (Chinese literature, Asian literatures and cultures, contemporary critical theory, film)
Edward Fowler, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor of Japanese (modern Japanese literature, film, and cultural studies)
Anne Friedberg, Ph.D. New York University, Associate Professor of Film Studies (film history and theory, film and postmodernism, avant-garde and experimental film, and new technologies)
James Herbert, Ph.D. Yale University, Professor of Art History (modern European art, critical theory, and visual culture)
Renée Riese Hubert, Ph.D. Columbia University, Professor Emerita of French and Comparative Literature (surrealist film/fantastic film, early comedy)
David Joselit, Ph.D. Harvard University, Associate Professor of Art History (modern and contemporary art, critical theory, gender studies)
Kyung Hyun Kim, Ph.D. University of Southern California, Assistant Professor of Korean Culture (history of film, Asian films)
Marcia Klotz, Ph.D. Stanford University, Assistant Professor of German and Film Studies (feminism, critical theory, German film, cultural studies, race)
Alejandro Morales, Ph.D. Rutgers University, Professor of Spanish (Latin American film)
Gonzalo Navajas, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Professor of Spanish (Spanish cinema)
Mark S. Poster, Ph.D. New York University, Professor of History, Film Studies, and Information and Computer Science (theory and history of the media, theory of technology and culture, and Internet studies)
Fatimah Tobing Rony, Ph.D. Yale University, Assistant Professor of Film Studies (documentary film, race and representation, film history and criticism, film production)
John Carlos Rowe, Ph.D. State University of New York at Buffalo, Director (Interim) of African-American Studies and Professor of English (film and documentary images of war, film theory)
Sally A. Stein, Ph.D. Yale University, Associate Professor of Art History (American art, history of photography, photography and media)
We live in a world in which we are surrounded by images. Whether printed on roadside billboards or broadcast into our homes via television, the media greatly influence our sense of who we are and how we live. Yet so much of our exposure to the sights and sounds of film, TV, video, advertising, and new technologies is taken for granted. Those sights and sounds are so pervasive, and in many cases so enjoyable, that we rarely pause to consider how they act upon us and how we interact with them. An undergraduate education in Film Studies provides students with an opportunity to explore the appeal and to begin to understand the operation of these complex meaning-producing machines we call cinema, television, and new technologies.
The course work leading to the B.A. degree in Film Studies trains students to read and understand the audio-visual languages of modern media and new technologies and to analyze images from socioeconomic, political, aesthetic, and historical perspectives. Learning these critical viewing skills involves learning new ways of seeing. The Film Studies curriculum is systematic and comprehensive; upper-division courses have between 20 and 50 students and are typically taught by regular faculty. During the 1999-2000 academic year, there were more than 120 Film Studies majors enrolled at UCI.
The program in Film Studies familiarizes students with the history, theory, and art of cinema and other media. Courses focus on a range of topics, including individual directors, period styles, genres, national cinemas, the history and criticism of television, and developments in new technologies. Additional courses offer students hands-on experience in video production and screenwriting. The program provides its majors with a thorough appreciation of the modern media's roles in contemporary society. Regular course offerings are complemented by film and video screenings and series at the School of Humanities Film and Video Center. Film Studies, in cooperation with other units at UCI, regularly invites scholars, directors, producers, and screenwriters to campus to share their work and perspectives with students.
Film Studies at UCI is unique in its concentration on the history, theory, and criticism of cinema, television, and new technologies. The faculty has published books and articles on topics that include images of the Vietnam war, avant-garde directors, ethnographic film, film and postmodernism, horror cinema, women filmmakers, television performance, and new technologies.
In order to cover the extra costs generated by the purchase and rental of media and production equipment demanded by the specialized Film Studies curriculum, the School of Humanities charges a laboratory fee of $20 per course to all students taking Film Studies courses.
Film Studies students can complete professional internships in the fields of film or television production, distribution, writing, and related areas for elective course credit.
Film Studies students also have the opportunity to spend their junior year in France studying at the Inter-University Center for Film and Critical Studies in Paris, through the University's Education Abroad Program. Information in available both in the Film Studies Office and the Education Abroad Program Office.
A degree in Film Studies will provide students with a variety of opportunities leading to a career choice or to further education at the graduate or professional level. Graduates from the program have gone on to a host of different careers. Some have pursued graduate work in critical film studies at leading institutions such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Iowa. Others have entered M.F.A. programs in production at places like the University of Southern California, UCLA, or San Francisco State University. Many are now at work in various sectors of the entertainment industry as feature film editors, executives in video distribution companies, technicians for local news programs, and independent filmmakers.
The UCI Career Center provides services to students and alumni including career counseling, information about job opportunities, a career library, and workshops on resume preparation, job search, and interview techniques. See the Career Center section for additional information.
University Requirements: See pages 54-59.
School Requirements: See page 198.
Program Requirements for the Major
Film Studies 85A-B-C, 101A-B-C, 110, either 117A or 120A, 139, and four of the following: 112, 113, 114, 115, 130, 160, 185, 190, and/or no more than two of the following: 117B, 117C, 120B, 120C.
Residence Requirement for the Major: At least five upper-division courses required for the major must be completed successfully at UCI.
Program Requirements for the Minor
Film Studies 85A, 101A-B-C, and three of the following: 85B, 85C, 110, 112, 113, 114, 115, 130, 160, 185, 190.
Residence Requirement for the Minor: Four upper-division courses must be completed successfully at UCI. By petition, two of the four may be taken through the UC Education Abroad Program, providing course content is approved in advance by the appropriate department chair.
In conjunction with the Department of Art History, the Program in Film Studies offers a graduate program in Visual Studies. A program description may be found at the end of the School of Humanities section. Graduate courses satisfying the requirements of the program are listed there, as well as below, and in the Art History section.
85A-B-C Image Culture
85A Visual Media and Contemporary Culture (4) F. An introduction to the study of visual media--such as advertising, movies, television, and video--and analysis of their role in contemporary culture. Introduces students to the critical vocabulary of film and television studies. Formerly Film Studies 85. (IV)
85B History of Broadcasting (4) W. A history of broadcast media. Social, political, economic, legal, institutional, and cultural perspectives guide analysis. United States commercial TV serves as the primary case study. Prerequisite: Film Studies 85A or consent of instructor. (IV)
85C New Technologies and Visuality (4) S. The study of electronic communication technologies, such as virtual reality and the internet, from social, cultural, psychological, and political perspectives. Prerequisites: Film Studies 85A-B or consent of instructor. (IV)
101A-B-C History of Film
101A The Silent Era I (4) W. An investigation of the technological, economic, social, and aesthetic determinants of the cinema in its first 30 years. The formal strategies and historical importance of films by Méliès, the Lumières, Porter, Griffith, Murnau, Lang, Eisenstein, Pudovkin, and others. Prerequisite: Film Studies 85A. Concurrent with Film Studies 201A.
101B The Sound Era I (4) S. Explores the formal strategies and socio-historical dynamics of films made between 1930 and 1960, concentrating on representative cinemas and works by Lang, Riefenstahl, Renoir, Welles, De Sica, Ophüls, Kurosawa, and others. Prerequisite: Film Studies 101A. Concurrent with Film Studies 201B.
101C The Sound Era II (4) F. Studies narrative strategies and formal possibilities in films made since 1960, framing aesthetic questions in political, social, and economic terms, using selected features from Western and non-Western countries. Prerequisite: Film Studies 101B. Concurrent with Film Studies 201C.
110 Film Theory (4) F, W, S. A survey of major directions in film theory of the silent and sound eras. Includes Frankfurt School theorists of mass culture, formalism, realism, auteurism, semiotics, feminism, and cultural studies. Prerequisite: Film Studies 101A-B-C or consent of instructor.
112 Film Genre (4) F, W, S. Critical approaches to the serial productions we call "genre" films, the patterns of recognition known as westerns, weepies, musicals, horror films, and others. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
113 Film/Narrative/Image (4) F, W, S. What relations do sound, image, and story assume in film narrative? In what ways does film interact with and borrow from other story-telling media? How have filmmakers explored non-narrative strategies and to what end? May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
114 Film and the Other Arts (4) F, W, S. A synthetic entity, film draws on both established and popular arts. Looks at film's exchanges with high and low culture, exploring its relation to areas such as photography, music, painting, and architecture. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
115 Film Authorship (4) F, W, S. Theoretical and analytical discussions of film authorship, focusing on case studies of directors, producers, scriptwriters, and artists. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
117A Introduction to Screenwriting (4) F, W, S. Introduction to the history and technique of the screenplay, with a particular focus on its different aesthetic forms as well as on the various roles it has assumed within the evolution of the film industry.
117B Basic Script Writing (4) F, W, S. Exercises in the development of screenplays with emphasis on formal and structural considerations as well as on film industry praxis. Conducted in an intimate workshop setting with frequent group discussions of student scripts-in-progress. Prerequisite: Film Studies 117A.
117C Scriptwriting Workshop (4) F, W, S. Continuation and intensification of work initiated in 117B. Students complete a full-length screenplay. Concentrates on both practical and technical concerns, addressing pragmatic and aesthetic questions in intensive small-group discussions. Prerequisite: Film Studies 117B.
120A Basic Production (4) F, W, S. Introduction to the basic apparatus of video/film production. The elementary essentials of production, including the use of camera and lenses, lighting, editing, and sound. Prerequisite: Film Studies 85A or consent of instructor.
120B Intermediate Production (4) W. Students work on individual and group projects, utilizing skills and insights introduced in Film Studies 120A. Prerequisite: Film Studies 120A.
120C Production Workshop (4) S. As film and video are collaborative media, students form production groups and ultimately produce final 10-15 minute film/video projects. Prerequisite: Film Studies 120B.
130 Multicultural Topics in the Media (4) F, W, S. An investigation of media representations of gender, race, and sexuality in the United States. Topics include media images of and by one or more minority groups in the United States, including African-Americans, Asian Americans, Chicano/Latinos, Native Americans, and gays and lesbians. Prerequisite: Film Studies 85A or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
139 Writing About Film (4) F, W, S. Practical exercises in film criticism as a form of cultural analysis. Requires at least 4,000 words of assigned composition. Film Studies majors are given admission priority. Prerequisites: Film Studies 85A and 101A; satisfaction of lower-division writing requirement; junior standing.
160 National Cinemas (4) F, W, S. Period styles, national schools, oppositional movements, e.g., Classical Japanese Cinema, Italian Neorealism, Nouvelle Vague, Weimar Film, Cinema Nôvo. Same as East Asian 160, French 160, German 160, or Spanish 160 when topics are appropriate. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. (VII-B)
185 Television and New Media (4) F, W, S. An advanced seminar focusing on special issues pertaining to broadcasting and/or new technologies. Topics include, but are not limited to: television criticism; space and new technologies; and broadcast advertising. Prerequisite: Film Studies 85A-B-C or consent of instructor.
190 Special Topics in Film and Modern Media (4) F, W, S. Special issues concerned with film and media history, theory, and criticism. Examples include Gone Primitive (Anglo-American romance with the "primitive" in literature, film, other media); television criticism (review and analysis of models and modes of criticism applied to television since the 1940s). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Concurrent with Film Studies 290. Formerly Film Studies 198.
197 Professional Internship (2 to 4) F, W, S. Professional internship in the broadcast, film, video, or Internet industries designed to provide students with closely supervised professional experience to enhance their understanding of media from industrial, historical, and critical perspectives. Journal and final report required. Prerequisite: Film Studies 117A-B-C or 120A-B-C or consent of instructor. Open only to Film Studies majors and minors with a B average or better in Film Studies course work. May be taken for credit for a total of four units.
198 Creative Project (2 to 4) F, W, S. Creative project in screenwriting, filmmaking, videomaking, or Web or Internet design intended to provide advanced production and creative writing training beyond the Film Studies 117A-B-C or 120A-B-C series. Final project required. Prerequisites: Film Studies 85A and 117A-B-C or 120A-B-C or consent of instructor; satisfactory completion of Film Studies 101A recommended. May be taken for credit for a total of eight units.
199 Directed Research (4) F, W, S. Directed reading and research under supervision of a faculty member in topic areas not covered by regular course offerings. Final research paper required. Prerequisites: upper-division standing and consent of instructor.
Topics within a given area may vary from quarter to quarter, and courses may be repeated for credit when this occurs. In addition to the courses below, graduate courses satisfying the requirements of the program in Visual Studies are listed in the Visual Studies and Art History sections of the Catalogue.
201A-B-C History of Film
201A The Silent Era I (4) W. An investigation of the technological, economic, social, and aesthetic determinants of the cinema in its first 30 years. The formal strategies and historical importance of films by Méliès, the Lumières, Porter, Griffith, Murnau, Lang, Eisenstein, Pudovkin, and others. Concurrent with Film Studies 101A.
201B The Sound Era I (4) S. Explores the formal strategies and socio-historical dynamics of films made between 1930 and 1960, concentrating on representative cinemas and works by Lang, Riefenstahl, Renoir, Welles, De Sica, Ophüls, Kurosawa, and others. Concurrent with Film Studies 101B.
201C The Sound Era II (4) F. Studies narrative strategies and formal possibilities in films made since 1960, framing aesthetic questions in political, social, and economic terms, using selected features from Western and non-Western countries. Concurrent with Film Studies 101C.
210 Comparative Studies (4) F, W, S. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
212 Genre Study (4) F, W, S. Close study of film and television genres (musical, western, pornography, horror, gangster, science fiction, police drama, situation comedy, news magazine). May analyze the concept of genre itself, addressing generic modes (film noir) and cross-generic explorations in cinema, TV, video, other media. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
213 Media/Narrative/Image (4) F, W, S. Situates changes in electronic technologies that impact experiences of the body, identity, urban and architectural space, and information, within a cultural history of vision and visuality. Examines social, cultural, psychological, and political impact of new technologies. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
214 Media and the Other Arts (4) F, W, S. Comparison and contrast between film, television, literature, video art, photography, new technologies. The integral rapport between visual mass media, high art, music; performance in various media; issues of adaptation from one medium to another (e.g., literature to film, film to CD-ROM). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
290 Special Topics in Film and Modern Media (4) F, W, S. Special issues concerned with film and media history, theory, and criticism. Examples include Gone Primitive (Anglo-American romance with the "primitive" in literature, film, other media); television criticism (review and analysis of models and modes of criticism applied to television since the 1940s). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Concurrent with Film Studies 190. Formerly Film Studies 218.
399 University Teaching (4) F, W, S. Required of and limited to teaching assistants. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit.
