Film Studies Minor Courses
Film Studies Spring 2027 Offerings
Required Courses:
Film 2759G.600, History of Cinema
Robert Martinez
ONLINE
Course Description: Film 2759G will offer a comprehensive yet selective overview of the history of cinema, integrating the basic tools for analyzing film as art. It will examine how the uses of camera, editing, lighting, sound, and acting contribute to the construction of meaning for various audiences, as well as consider how meaning is filtered through various cultural contexts. WI. This course fulfills the Cultural Diversity and Fine Arts requirements for General Education.
Film 2759G.601, History of Cinema
Andrew Britton
ONLINE
Course Description: Film 2759G will offer a comprehensive yet selective overview of the history of cinema, integrating the basic tools for analyzing film as art. It will examine how the uses of camera, editing, lighting, sound, and acting contribute to the construction of meaning for various audiences, as well as consider how meaning is filtered through various cultural contexts. WI. This course fulfills the Cultural Diversity and Fine Arts requirements for General Education.
CMN 3530, Film Communication
Andrew Britton
MW 1:00-2:15
Blair Hall 2165
Film as the expression of the performers, producers, directors, writers, and technicians. Critical discussion of film theory, history, and criticism. WI Credits: 4.
ENG 4904.600-Studies in Film
Robert Martinez
ONLINE
Course Description: English 4904 is in-depth study of major periods, genres, history, criticism and/or theory of film. Topics in the course may include the following: representations of family and youth culture, the problem of evil in society, crime and punishment, selfhood/identity, and technology. We will explore these thematic ideas (listed above) and pay special attention to how schools of film criticism and film genre theory affect our interpretation of cinematic meaning.
Elective Courses
AFR 3300.001 – African Cinema
James Ochwa-Echel
M 4:00-6:30pm
Blair Hall 3103
Course Descriptions: This is a course which encounters and interprets traditions of Africa through its cinema.
CMN 2500.001 – Production I
S.M. Walus
MW 8:00-9:40am
Buzzard 2436
Course Description: This production-centered course teaches the foundational elements of visual storytelling through video, television, and film. These foundational elements include narrative construction, visual composition, genre aesthetics, visual brand development, characterization, and non-linear editing in order to communicate a unified message through video, audio, and graphics.
CMN 2500.002 – Production I
Andrew Gregory Britton
TR 3:30-5:10pm
Buzzard 2436
Course Description: This production-centered course teaches the foundational elements of visual storytelling through video, television, and film. These foundational elements include narrative construction, visual composition, genre aesthetics, visual brand development, characterization, and non-linear editing in order to communicate a unified message through video, audio, and graphics.
CMN 3050 – Production II
Jonathan Mattson
TR 8:00-9:40am
Buzzard 2436
Course Description: This intermediate course extends upon the skills and concepts of television, video, and film production as introduced in Production I. Students refine their visual storytelling abilities through a series of creative, persuasive, and reality-based production projects with a special emphasis on visual composition, directing, audio, characterization, and refinement in post-production.
CMN 4500.001 - Topics in Media Production: Production and Distribution of TV Series
S.M. Walus
MW 6:00-7:40pm
Buzzard 1712
Special Topic in Communication Studies. For more information, contact S.M. Walus: smwalus@eiu.edu
CMN 4540.001 – Production IV
Andrew Gregory Britton
TR 8:00-9:40am Buzzard 2434
Course Description: This workshop-based production class focuses on the creation of a single long-form project from inception to distribution. These long-form projects refine both technical and creative skills and can include formats such as television show pilots, featurettes, and webisode anthologies. Additionally, students create all promotional materials for their productions and a portfolio.
ENG 2000.001 – Introduction to Creative Writing
Michael McClelland
MWF 2:00-2:50
Coleman 3150
Course Description: This course will introduce students to reading for craft and writing creatively across poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic genres. Students will participate in workshops of their creative work and read writing in each genre.
ENG 3064.001 – Intermediate Dramatic Writing
Christopher Wixson
TR 11:00am-12:15pm
Coleman 3150
Course Description: Intermediate practice and instruction in dramatic writing. Though the course will review the basic elements common to all dramatic writing, it will allow students to concentrate on the media of their choice: radio, theatre, TV, or film.
