The Bachelor of Arts in Cinema is focused on narrative movie production. Consequently, the program is designed to advance conceptual understanding of visual storytelling and to teach and practice the technical methodologies foundational to movie-making.
Cinema majors collaborate on student productions under the supervision of faculty with professional production experience. Each summer session, students and faculty work collectively on a series of films funded by the School of the Arts.
Course work explores the proper use of motion picture cameras, lights, sound recording equipment and editorial software. Students also learn the history and theory of film, and develop skills in screenwriting, producing, directing and the business of movie-making.
The B.A. in Cinema requires a minimum of 120 credits, including 48 in the major. At least 45 of the 120 credits must be taken as 300- and 400-level courses. Students are admitted directly into the cinema program and are not required to complete the Art Foundation Program.
Many full-time students enrolled in the cinema program graduate with their B.A. degree after the successful completion of the summer session following their third year.
Learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:
- Operate film equipment and screenwriting, editing, scheduling and budgeting software
- Gain an international film perspective
- Create all aspects of the art of storytelling
- Produce narrative short films
- Develop creative collaborations
- Synthesize other disciplines with filmmaking
Special requirements
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in the program.
Majors in the Cinema Program may choose to complete a second major or minor in any other department or program that supports their educational and artistic goals. Alternatively, students may create a customized plan of study for a second major by requesting admission to the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program.
Degree requirements for Cinema, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
General Education requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Core Education Curriculum | ||
| UNIV 111 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry I [View Image] | Focused Inquiry I | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry II [View Image] | Focused Inquiry II | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Inquiry and the Craft of Argument | 3 |
| Approved humanities/fine arts | 3 | |
| Approved natural/physical sciences | 3-4 | |
| Approved quantitative literacy | 3-4 | |
| Approved social/behavioral sciences | 3-4 | |
| Additional General Education requirements | ||
| General Education courses | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 30-33 | |
![[View Image]](http://bulletin.vcu.edu/images/playbutton.png){kind=link}
Collateral requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH 270 & ARTH 271 | History of the Motion Picture I and History of the Motion Picture II | 6 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
Major requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CINE 100 | Visual Storytelling | 2 |
| CINE 101 | Visual Storytelling | 2 |
| CINE 200 | Cinema Form and Concept I | 2 |
| CINE 201 | Cinema Form and Concept II | 2 |
| CINE 300 | Cinema Form and Concept III | 2 |
| CINE 301 | Cinema Form and Concept IV | 2 |
| CINE 390 | Digital Cinema Production Intensive I | 15 |
| CINE 490 | Digital Cinema Production Intensive II | 15 |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
Open electives or second major or minor courses
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 42-60 credits in courses towards a minor, second major or electives | 42-60 | |
The minimum total of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Cinema electives
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CINE 401 | Advanced Cinema Production | 4 |
| CINE 495 | Cinema as Art | 3 |
| CINE 496 | Advanced Screenwriting Seminar | 3 |
| CINE 497 | Expanded Cinema | 3 |
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| ARTH 270 | History of the Motion Picture I | 3 |
| CINE 100 | Visual Storytelling | 2 |
| UNIV 111 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry I [View Image] | Focused Inquiry I | 3 |
| Humanities/fine arts course (University Core) | 3 | |
| Quantitative literacy course (University Core) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ARTH 271 | History of the Motion Picture II | 3 |
| CINE 101 | Visual Storytelling | 2 |
| UNIV 112 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry II [View Image] | Focused Inquiry II | 3 |
| Natural/physical sciences course (University Core) | 3 | |
| Social/behavioral sciences course (University Core) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CINE 200 | Cinema Form and Concept I | 2 |
| UNIV 200 | Inquiry and the Craft of Argument | 3 |
| Courses toward a minor, second major or electives | 9 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 17 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CINE 201 | Cinema Form and Concept II | 2 |
| Courses toward a minor, second major or electives | 9 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| CINE 390 | Digital Cinema Production Intensive I | 15 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CINE 300 | Cinema Form and Concept III | 2 |
| Courses toward a minor, second major or electives | 12 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 17 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CINE 301 | Cinema Form and Concept IV | 2 |
| Courses toward a minor, second major or electives | 12 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| CINE 490 | Digital Cinema Production Intensive II (capstone) | 15 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
The minimum total of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
CINE 100. Visual Storytelling. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1 lecture and 2 studio hours. 2 credits. Screenplay and mise en scene course examines the relationship of the performer and narrative to the cinematic frame without the use of an edit to disrupt the time/space relations in the shot. The student will write seven short scripts to explore the classical mise en scene concept and then produce, shoot or direct a final scene as part of a production team.
CINE 101. Visual Storytelling. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1 lecture and 2 studio hours. 2 credits. Screenplay and mise en scene course examines the relationship of the performer and narrative to the cinematic frame with the use of linkage editing. The student will write a new script based on a classic scene and, working with performers, will block, shoot and edit their scene. The editing will consist of no more than four cuts.
CINE 200. Cinema Form and Concept I. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture and 2 studio hours. 2 credits. Open only to B.A. in Cinema majors or with permission of instructor. Concepts, issues and processes involved in feature and short-form narrative filmmaking.
CINE 201. Cinema Form and Concept II. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture and 2 studio hours. 2 credits. Open only to B.A. in Cinema majors or with permission of instructor. Concepts, issues and processes involved in feature and short-form narrative screenwriting and filmmaking.
CINE 217. Mechanics of Screenwriting. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students who have permission of the instructor. Introductory course focused on building an in-depth and logistical understanding of how a screenplay informs and prescribes the movie-making process. The course will cover common story structures, standard script formatting and abbreviations, script analysis for production, and creating shot-by-shot shooting lists.
CINE 300. Cinema Form and Concept III. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture and 1 studio hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: UNIV 200 or HONR 200. Open only to B.A. in Cinema majors or with permission of instructor. Concepts, issues and processes involved in feature and short-form narrative filmmaking including screenplay treatments and storyboards.
CINE 301. Cinema Form and Concept IV. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture and 1 studio hours. 2 credits. Open only to B.A. in Cinema majors or with permission of instructor. Concepts, issues and processes involved in feature and short-form narrative filmmaking including the roles of dialogue and light.
CINE 390. Digital Cinema Production Intensive I. 15 Hours.
Semester course; 1 lecture and 28 studio hours (additional evening and weekend hours for location filming and postproduction). 15 credits. Prerequisites: CINE 100 and CINE 101, or permission of instructor. Enrollment is restricted to B.A. in Cinema majors or by permission of instructor. Production and postproduction of narrative short films using digital technology for camera, editing and sound, with an emphasis on the relationships among production crew roles and departments.
CINE 392. Independent Study in Film. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; variable hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum total of 6 credits. Prerequisites: junior standing as a major in cinema and approval of department chair and instructor. Individual instruction and supervision of a special project.
CINE 401. Advanced Cinema Production. 4 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture and 4 studio hours. 4 credits. Prerequisite: CINE 390 or permission of instructor. Open to junior and senior B.A. in Cinema majors. Lecture and workshop in the production, theory, business and historical context of film.
CINE 490. Digital Cinema Production Intensive II. 15 Hours.
Semester course; 1 lecture and 28 studio hours (additional evening and weekend hours for location filming and postproduction). 15 credits. Prerequisites: CINE 200, CINE 201 and CINE 390, or permission of instructor. Enrollment is restricted to B.A. in Cinema majors or by permission of instructor. Advanced production and postproduction of narrative short films using digital technology for camera, editing and sound, with the development of budgets, production schedules and rehearsals with performers.
CINE 491. Special Topics in Cinema. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for six credits. An in-depth examination of selected topics. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
CINE 493. Film Internship. 3 Hours.
Semester course; variable hours. 3 credits. May be repeated up to a maximum of 6 credits. Open only to B.A. in Cinema majors or with permission of instructor. Supervised work experience related to the film industry.
CINE 495. Cinema as Art. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: ARTH 270 and 271 or permission of instructor. An analysis of cinema as art, image, narrative and philosophy.
CINE 496. Advanced Screenwriting Seminar. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CINE 390. Open to junior and senior B.A. in Cinema majors. A study of the screenwriting process and writers on the subject including Aristotle, Joseph Campbell, David Mamet and Lajos Egri.
CINE 497. Expanded Cinema. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to juniors and seniors in the B.A. in Cinema program or by permission of the instructor. A lecture and workshop exploring film techniques that push the boundaries of conventional narratives through structure, content and ideas. Students examine filmmakers as film theorists and multimedia artists as filmmakers. Films studied range from feature narratives to short experimental films of all styles and genres.