Film & Media Arts

Nora Alter, Ph.D., Chair

120 Annenberg Hall
2020 N. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-204-3346
nalter@temple.edu

www.temple.edu/sct/fma/

The Film and Media Arts (FMA) Program focuses on the development of creative and technical skills in film, video, audio, digital media, and new technologies, and the theoretical understanding of media and culture. The program recognizes and explores the creative tension between individual expression and the social, political, and economic forces that shape culture at large through the creation and study of film, video, and new media.

Students are trained in developing meaningful content as well as craft, theory, and practice. In learning independent and mainstream approaches to production and theory, graduates will be prepared to develop their own independent productions and to assume a creative role in the motion picture, television and media industries.

FMA faculty have received the Oscar, Emmy, Guggenheim, Rockefeller, NEA, Fulbright, Sundance and international film awards and are authors of some of the important texts in the field.  The department also brings in guest media makers and visiting professors from diverse backgrounds for special lectures and workshops. Students may select elective courses from throughout the university, including other departments in the School of Communications and Theater, in such areas as journalism and theater. A highly-recognized graduate program offers undergraduates numerous opportunities to work on advanced productions and participate in advanced research, exhibition and creative work in the field.

Faculty Mentoring

FMA faculty strongly believe in the importance of close mentoring. This is particularly important in a department that focuses on individual and collaborative expression. Upon entering the department, each student will be assigned a faculty mentor who will guide the student through his/her four years at Temple. The faculty and external jurors review student work submitted to yearly screenings and as portfolios for Senior Project.

Special Programs and Internships

The Film and Media Arts Department offers special programs for study and research in London, Rome, and Tokyo. FMA has an extensive internship program throughout the year in Philadelphia (the fourth largest media market in the country), and in Los Angeles during the summer.  Additionally, many organizations in New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Washington, D.C. provide regular opportunities for student professional internships.

Summary of Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Arts

The Bachelor of Arts degree may be conferred upon a student majoring in Film and Media Arts by recommendation of the faculty and upon satisfactory completion of a minimum of 124 credit hours. Students must complete:

1. University requirements:

• New students starting in the 2010-2011 academic year are required to complete the General Education (GenEd) curriculum.
• All students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses. The specific writing-intensive courses required for this major are listed below and identified with the code "WI" in the RCI column.

2. School of Communications and Theater requirements
3. At least 42 credits and a maximum of 58 credits earned in one of the Film and Media Arts sequences.

The number of credits taken in the School of Communications and Theater is limited to 71 credits. A student must earn a grade of "C" or better in all Film and Media Arts courses that count towards the degree.

Maintaining Program Performance

Prerequisites to entrance and graduation from the Creative and Media Studies Thesis sequences require students to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 calculated in all courses taken in the university. Students who have earned at least a 2.0 GPA may enter and graduate in the General sequence. Students with an average under 2.0 may not continue in the FMA program. Students may take up to 4 of the 42 FMA credits as an internship.

FMA Foundation Courses

Film and Media Arts students will complete the following courses by the end of the sophomore year:

At the completion of these courses, students will choose to enter either the General sequence (a self designed program with no thesis required), the Media Studies Thesis, or the Creative Thesis (leading to a supervised Senior Project or a feature length screenplay).

Creative Thesis Sequence

Mark Rosenthal, Sequence Director

215-204-3395

mark.rosenthal@temple.edu

This sequence educates prospective media makers, writers, and new technology practitioners to take creative control of their own work. It emphasizes students’ initiative in creating individual or collaborative projects that serve as an expression of their personal vision and voice. Students can enter this sequence to work on their own project or as a collaborator with equal creative responsibility as screenwriter or director.

The Creative Thesis sequence builds to a two-semester senior capstone course in which each student, working with close faculty guidance, finishes an advanced film/video project and production book or a feature length screenplay. Media work must be presented publicly at the end-of-the-year program screenings.

Students may enter this sequence if they earn a 3.0 or higher in the FMA foundation courses and in all of their other FMA classes. Completion of this sequence requires Senior Project I and II or Screenwriting Master Class I and II and is based on the grade requirements listed above, along with faculty acceptance of the Senior Project application portfolio (which includes a proposal or script and a work sample) submitted in April of the student’s junior year).

Creative Thesis Sequence (Production)

Creative Thesis Sequence (Screenwriting)

Media Studies Thesis Sequence

Paul Swann, Sequence Director
215-204-1735
pswann@temple.edu

This sequence explores the role of media in American and international cultures. The critical exploration of technology, ethics, economic and legal factors, social history, and institutions highlights the processes through which media culture affects identity construction and social change. Students who choose this sequence develop critical, analytical, and organizational skills in linking media culture to such arenas as community-based organizations and museums, schools, media resource centers, and the multicultural community of independent film and video producers.

The Media Studies Thesis sequence builds to a two-semester capstone course in which each student completes a written research-based thesis on media culture criticism and/or history or a producible script for research-based media programming. Students may enter this sequence if they earn at least a 3.0 GPA in the FMA foundation courses.

Students who do not meet the above requirement may petition to enter this sequence based on a review of their written work. The petition must be received by the Media Studies sequence director no later than the seventh week of the semester prior to the semester when the student would be taking the senior thesis course.

Media Studies Thesis Sequence

General Sequence

Allan Barber, Sequence Director
215-204-8399
allanbar@temple.edu

This sequence is designed for students who wish to have a more general approach to the major or wish to conclude the degree with something other than a year-long capstone film, feature length screenplay or a supervised written thesis. After completing the FMA core, students must take one production or writing course in either Filmmaking, Videography, Experimental Video or Media Writing, along with one 2000-level or higher studies course.  Students then design their own program with approval of their advisors, choosing a range of middle- and upper-level courses that complete a balanced approach to media study and production or a self directed emphasis in camera, lighting, sound, animation, directing, writing, producing or new media studies or production.  The program requires at least one middle-level writing-intensive course, one advanced writing-intensive course, one advanced studies course and one advanced course in studies or production.  Students may progress through the General sequence if they have a 2.0 cumulative average and grades of C or better in the FMA foundation courses.

General Sequence

* If 2396 is not taken, then one of the 2000+ Studies or Production electives must be Writing Intensive.

Suggested Semester By Semester Plans

Please note that these are suggested academic plans. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different.

For students following the Creative Thesis Sequence (Production):

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2010-2011 Academic Year

For Students following the creative thesis sequence (Screenwriting):

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2010-2011 Academic Year

For Students following the General sequence:

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2010-2011 Academic Year

For Students following the Media Studies sequence

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2010-2011 Academic Year