Film Studies

The Film Studies minor at IWU provides courses that deeply examine film's evolution into the unique and powerful medium it has become in the 21st century. Additionally, this exciting, hands-on curriculum teaches you, the student, to create your own films, shorts, commercials and documentaries by mastering fundamentals in the classroom, then applying and developing critical skills in a variety of positions on set.

Coursework includes the following skills, techniques and principles:

Videography 

The core production class, Videography, covers five main aspects of the filmmaker's journey: editing, camera, lighting, sound, and special effects. Each student who completes this course will have a real working knowledge of how to create their own films to exacting, professional standards.

Editing

Gone are the days of having to move video projects in and out of multiple software suites to get to a final product. With DaVinci Resolve 17, students now have the means to do everything in one easy-to-use, sophisticated program. Resolve 17 allows editing, color grading, complex sound editing, and sophisticated special effects editing without leaving Resolve's interface and it is free.

Resolve offers tools for editing and color along with Fusion for visual effects and motion graphics and Fairlight for your audio needs. But unlike Adobe, it’s free. - Editors' Choice - Videomaker

Camera Work

Students will learn how to properly white balance cameras, utilize peaking focus assist, zebras for controlling exposure, work with slow motion, time lapse effects, high dynamic range LOG footage, follow focus rigs, camera dollies, motion stabilization rigs and aerial drones. 

Lighting

Learn how to use key, fill, and back lighting to create stunning lighting effects. Study the uses and applications of different types of lights including LEDs, Tungsten, HMI, etc. and the importance of color temperatures and how to apply them effectively. Students will create sophisticated lighting scenarios on our sound stage, and then take those lessons out on location to create amazing footage in their own films.

Sound

Learn to use boom, lapel and hand-held microphones and understand the benefits of each. With DaVinci Resolve, explore the sophisticated Fairlight audio editing suite to do Automated Dialogue Replacement  work (ADR), Foley sound effects recording, and effectively deal with room noise and basic noise reduction.

 

Minor Sequence in Film Studies:

A minimum of 7 units, of which at least three are upper division, to include:

1. FLM 110 Film Aesthetics
2. FLM 320 Film Theory
3. FLM 330 Videography
4. Four courses from (Courses that are not listed below, but are appropriate and available may be prerequisites for inclusion by the Director of the School of Theatre Arts. Existing prerequisites for all courses must be satisfied.):
   1. ANTH 380 Visual Ethnographic Methods
   2. ART 240 Digital Photography
   3. FLM 431, 432
   4. HIST 154, 305
   5. MUS 113 Audio Recording Techniques
   6. LC 116, 260, 320
   7. THEA 114, 225, 314, 342