FMS-Film and Media Studies

FMS 1013. Introduction to Film and Media Studies.3 Credit Hours.

An examination of the history, role, impact, nature and delivery systems of film and media in the United States and the international community. (F, Sp, Su) [IV-AF].

FMS 1113. Introduction to New Media.3 Credit Hours.

Provides students with an overview of new media studies, focusing on digital culture and computerized technology. Focuses on issues including convergence, the blurring of producer and consumer, and social aspects of media. (F, Sp) [III-SS].

FMS 1123. History of Video Games.3 Credit Hours.

Presents the history of video games as an expressive and artistic medium. Focuses on the technological, cultural, and economic factors that influence game production and reception. (F, Sp) [IV-AF].

FMS 1313. Film Production Foundations.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013 or concurrent enrollment. In this hands-on course, students will explore narrative filmmaking techniques, focusing on camera work, lighting, and sound. Topics include mise-en-scene, single-camera cinematography, and cinematic lighting. Students will learn audio capture, editing, and file management while addressing ethical considerations and representation. Through projects, critiques, and exercises, they'll gain practical experience. (F, Sp)

FMS 2013. Film History & Theory to 1960.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013. This course provides a survey of film history and theory from the silent era to 1960. It is designed to expand the student's knowledge of the historical development of cinema (including silent film, the transition to sound, classical Hollywood, and various international film movements) and introduces some major theoretical approaches to film during the period (e.g., photogenie, Soviet montage, realism). (F)

FMS 2023. Film History and Theory: 1960 to Present.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013. Survey of film history and theory since 1960, including various New Wave movements, New Hollywood, media conglomeration and convergence, screen culture in the digital age, and major theoretical approaches to film during the period (the auteur theory, Third Cinema, feminist film theory, postmodernism, etc.). (Sp)

FMS 2033. Writing and Career Workshop.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013, and English 1213 or Expository Writing 1213. This course is designed to give students the opportunity to improve their media-related research and writing skills and to use those skills to begin the process of career exploration. (F, Sp)

FMS 2970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.

Special Topics. 1 to 3 hours. May be repeated; Maximum credit nine hours. Special topics course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research, and field projects. (Irreg.)

FMS 3023. Chinese Martial Arts Cinema.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. This course examines the historical development of Chinese martial arts cinema and its influence on today's transnational film culture through attention to the aesthetics of the genre and recurrent themes/issues, including the chivalric code of xia, cultural nationalism, social uses and meanings of screen violence, changing representations of masculinity and femininity, and the interplay of the body with technology. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

FMS 3033. The Hollywood Musical.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013, ENGL 1213, or EXPO 1213. This course will examine the Hollywood musical as a genre that, while positioned as "escapist entertainment," remains a product of distinct cultural and institutional forces. We will study the film musical's distinct conventions (drawing on minstrel shows, vaudeville, and Broadway), its social and ideological meanings, as well as how it functions as entertainment. (Irreg.)

FMS 3043. Science Fiction and Cultural Modernity.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013 or ENGL/EXPO 1213. Science Fiction addresses many issues central to the concept of "cultural modernity": utopian/dystopian visions, technological developments/disasters, mass media/mass culture, and encounters with the alien "other." In this course we will think and write critically about these and other key themes from a range of science-fiction films and television series. (Irreg.)

FMS 3123. Scorsese and the Coen Brothers.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013, ENGL 1213, or EXPO 1213. In this course we will study selected works, first from Martin Scorsese and then from the Coen Brothers, in relation to a range of topics, including American filmmaking since the 1960s; independent vs. mainstream American filmmaking; the concept of auteur filmmakers; and recurrent themes such as the problem of violence, masculinity in crisis, alienation and isolation, and genre revisionism. (Irreg.)

FMS 3213. Media Theories & Methodologies.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 2013 or 2023. Familiarize students with classical film theory that evolved during the early days of cinema up through contemporary film and media theory, as a foundation for understanding and analyzing the way media shape and reflect culture. (F)

FMS 3223. Topics in Film Genre.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 1013. May be repeated once with different genres; maximum credit six hours. Offers students a systematic in-depth study of one or two specific genres such as westerns, romantic comedy, horror, film noir, and melodrama. (Irreg.)

FMS 3233. Filmmakers up Close.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 1013. May be repeated once with change of filmmakers; maximum credit six hours. An in-depth study of one or two filmmakers through the study of their films. Filmmakers include directors, screenwriters, actors, and others who have a significant role in making movies. (Irreg.)

FMS 3243. Hispanic Cinema.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. Analytical study of exemplary motion pictures from the Hispanic world: Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, and Argentina. (Irreg.) [IV-AF] .

FMS 3313. Intermediate Film Production.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1313 or concurrent enrollment. Students will advance their foundational filmmaking skills and begin working with actors, scripted material, production design, and intermediate camera, grip and lighting equipment. Students will work in groups to learn on-set procedures and etiquette, as well as crew roles and responsibilities. Practical experience will be gained through collaborative projects, critiques, and in-class exercises. (F, Sp)

FMS 3323. Editing: History, Theory, Practice.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013. Combines the history, theory, and practice of digital editing in a narrative context. Explores early experimentation in film editing, the evolution of equipment and techniques, major montage/ editing theories, and famous editors, while also providing hands-on shooting and editing experience. (Irreg.)

FMS 3333. Advanced Film Production.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 3313. Advanced production is a collaborative exploration of creative cinema that leads students through the full process of making a narrative short film. Students form crews in which directors, producers, cinematographers, and editors collaborate to pre-produce, shoot, edit and deliver a short narrative project in one semester. (Irreg.)

FMS 3343. Film Directing.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1313 or concurrent enrollment. This course explores the art of directing, emphasizing techniques for guiding camera work and actors. Students will focus on collaboration, pre-visualization, and essential preparatory work. Through scene-by-scene script breakdowns, they'll learn effective actor collaboration and camera placement with cinematographers. The curriculum includes directing vocabulary, acting techniques, and hands-on experience through scene work, projects, and critiques. (Irreg.)

FMS 3440. Mentored Research Experience.3 Credit Hours.

0 to 3 hours. Prerequisites: ENGL 1113 or equivalent, and permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit 12 hours. For the inquisitive student to apply the scholarly processes of the discipline to a research or creative project under the mentorship of a faculty member. Student and instructor should complete an Undergraduate Research & Creative Projects (URCP) Mentoring Agreement and file it with the URCP office. Not for honors credit. (F, Sp, Su)

FMS 3443. East Asian Cinema.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. An introduction to East Asian cinema, 1980 to present (Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong). Focuses on individual films and larger social, political, and cultural contexts of production and reception. Considers films' unique formal and stylistic characteristics and as cultural reflections of the historical experiences and perspectives of peoples within East Asian. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

FMS 3453. Global Indigenous Media.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. Traces historical and contemporary issues of Indigenous self-representation in film and media using theoretical frameworks to examine historical, regional, and digital productions including, but not limited to, Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Canada, Australia, Aotearoa, and Circumpolar Communities. Topics include Indigenous methodologies, political sovereignty, feminisms, futurisms, activism, as well as Indigenous experimentalism, animation, genre play, digital storytelling, and documentary forms. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

FMS 3463. Classical Hollywood Cinema.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. This course will examine Classical Hollywood, a style and method associated with the studio-era of filmmaking in the U.S., roughly the 1920's through the 1950's. Specific topics will include the industrial conditions and stylistic specifics of this era, Classical Hollywood genres and cycles, censorship and the Production Code, technological innovations, and the social impact of popular films. (Irreg.) [IV-AF].

FMS 3493. South Korean Cinema.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. South Korean cinema (Oldboy; Parasite) constitutes an integral part of today's "Korean Wave," or hallyu, and is a striking example of non-Western mass cultural success. This course offers an introduction to this vibrant national cinema from the 1960s to the present, focusing on both individual films and the broader socio-historical contexts within which these films were made and consumed. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

FMS 3513. Cinemas of Childhood.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. This course examines the figure of the child in world cinema. Specific topics will include the function of fairy tales and fantasy, representations of gender socialization and childhood sexuality, and how films represent children as political actors in stories of social change and environmental crises. (Irreg.)

FMS 3663. The History and Theory of Animation.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213/EXPO 1213. This course will survey the history of animation, with attention to theoretical and critical discussions of authorship, style, technological developments, industrial and independent production, issues in representation, and reception. The focus will be on the development of animation within the Hollywood studio system, and on global trends including Indigenous animation, Japanese anime, and animation traditions in Africa, Europe, and elsewhere. (Irreg.)

FMS 3673. Anime: the World of Japanese Animation.3 Credit Hours.

(Crosslisted with MLLL 3673) Prerequisite: Junior standing. This course explores the history and development of Japanese animation, or "anime". It examines how animation was brought to Japan, and how it developed prior to the Second World War, and then further in the postwar decades. We will highlight how despite being influenced by foreign sources, Japanese animators create a uniquely Japanese mode of image-making. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

FMS 3683. Social Issues and Film.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 1013. Analytical study of films that engage one or more social issues such as race relations, gender roles, class conflict, nationalism and imperialism. Focus will be on their various aesthetic approaches such as social realism, anti-realist techniques, and satire. (Irreg.) [IV-AF].

FMS 3693. Gender and Media.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. Course Description: This course will use the tools and methodologies of the humanities to examine how film, television, and other contemporary entertainment media reflect and inform popular attitudes about sex and gender, primarily in a US context. Special attention will be given to how gender intersects with other key identity axes, including race, sexuality, class, and ethnicity. (Irreg.) [IV-WC].

FMS 3703. Topics in Film and Media Production.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013; may be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 12 hours. An in-depth critical and applied study of a particular type of production, with topics such as Advanced Single-Camera Production, Aesthetics and Practice of the Short Film, and Making the Feature Film. (Irreg.)

FMS 3713. Topics in Writing for the Screen.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013. May be repeated once with change of content; maximum credit six hours. An in-depth critical and applied study of a particular screenwriting topic such as "Writing for Television," "Writing the Short Film," and "Advanced Screenwriting." (Irreg.)

FMS 3800. Internship.1-4 Credit Hours.

1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: FMS 1013, junior standing, and permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of internship; maximum credit four hours. Participation in supervised internship with submission of journals describing work performed, regular reports, on-site supervisor evaluation, assigned readings, and final assessment of experience. (F, Sp, Su)

FMS 3801. Career Planning in Film and Media Studies.1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013. Designed to help students professionalize themselves by gaining general career skills (developing a resume, interviewing skills), information specific to careers in film and media (on-set etiquette and performance expectations), and introductions to industry professionals (through guest lectures and informational interviews with FMS alumni). (Irreg.)

FMS 3810. Variable Topics.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: FMS 1013 or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit twelve hours. Varied projects concerning particular aspects of film and media history, genre, and methods of film or digital cinema production. (Irreg.)

FMS 3823. Short Form Screenwriting.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013. This course will function as a writing workshop; students will write and share what they have written. They will also be called upon to offer constructive criticism of their student colleagues' work. Instruction includes story development through the first draft, the incorporation of critical feedback, rewrites, and the merger of ideas to convey dramatically compelling productions. (Irreg.)

FMS 3833. Masterpieces of World Cinema.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 1013. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit six hours. Survey of world film and the principles underlying historical and critical approaches to the cinema, emphasizing an appreciation of international cinema as an aesthetic, economic, and social factor in the twentieth century. (Irreg.)

FMS 3843. Topics in National Cinema.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 1013. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit six hours. Analytical study of exemplary motion pictures in terms of major periods, themes, and formal parameters in relation to national cultural histories, such as the French New Wave, Film Noir or American silent film. (Irreg.)

FMS 3853. Feature Screenwriting.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 1013 and permission of instructor. An introduction to writing for the screen, including a variety of assignments leading up to developing and writing a feature screenplay. (F, Sp)

FMS 3863. Writing for Television.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013. This course introduce students to the basics of writing for episodic television, with a focus on the one-hour format. We'll engage in writing activities that address various craft issues particular to the medium of television (runners, act structure, etc.), then put those techniques to work by creating, as a class, our own one-hour show. (Sp)

FMS 3903. Topics in New Media.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1113; May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 6 hours. Analytical study of digital new media, focusing on a specific venue (YouTube, Twitch, Podcasting, FaceBook), genre (fashion vlogging, "let's play" videos, true crime podcasts), or analytical lens (political economy, critical studies, cultural studies, feminist critique, visual culture, aesthetics). (Irreg.)

FMS 3913. Video Game Analysis and Critique.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 2033 or FMS 1123. Analytical study of video games as media objects, whose formal and aesthetic aspects convey artistic, cultural, and symptomatic meanings. Focus will be on the numerous ways that video games convey meaning and the various ways that scholars, media theorists, and journalists explore meaningful video game content. (Irreg.)

FMS 3923. Video Games and Culture.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1123. Analytical study of video games and their relationship to wider cultural norms and practices. Focus will be on the subcultures that congregate around video games (developers, fan communities) and the ways that wider cultural issues (gender, sexuality, violence) intersect with video games. (Irreg.)

FMS 3933. Media Controversies.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: FMS 1013 or FMS 1113. Analytical study of media (including film) that faced banning or censorship in some way, and the public discourse surrounding it. Focus will be on comparing the media's content and artistic meaning, using public discourse about it as a lens through which to examine wider culture. (Irreg.)

FMS 3960. Honors Reading (HONORS).1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: FMS 1013, permission of the Honors Program. May be repeated with change in content; maximum credit 6 hours. Independent study in film and media history, theory, and production for students enrolled in the Honors Program. In-depth analysis of specialized topics. (F, Sp, Su)

FMS 3970. Honors Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: admission to Honors Program. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Subjects covered vary. Deals with concepts not usually treated in regular courses. (Irreg.)

FMS 3980. Honors Research (HONORS).1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: FMS 1013, permission of the Honors Program. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 6 hours. Open only to students enrolled in the Honors Program. Individualized research with a Film and Media Studies faculty member leading toward work for the Honors thesis. In-depth research of specialized topic in film and media theory, history, or production. (F, Sp, Su)

FMS 3990. Independent Study.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: permission of instructor and junior standing. May be repeated once with change of content. Independent study may be arranged to study a subject not available through regular course offerings. (F, Sp, Su)

FMS 4013. Capstone in Film and Media.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Majors only; 24 hours of major credit; senior standing. Special problems or topics in film and media studies selected by the instructor and indicated by its particular title. Emphasis will be on the individual preparation of a research paper and/or creative project in the topic area. (Sp) [V].

FMS 4960. Directed Readings.1-4 Credit Hours.

1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: good standing in University; permission of instructor and dean. May be repeated; maximum credit four hours. Designed for upper-division students who need opportunity to study a specific problem in greater depth than formal course content permits. (Irreg.)

FMS 4970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Special topics or seminar course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (Irreg.)

FMS 4990. Independent Study.1-4 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: 1013, permission of the instructor. Specialized study in film and media history, theory, and production, or other topic mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor. The course enables the student to pursue in-depth analysis of special interest topics in Film and Media Studies. (F, Sp, Su)