April 28, 2005
By Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@hqpublications.com
Education Factor Columnist
Film and cinema studies degrees are no longer limited to aspiring filmmakers or film scholars. A growing number of students are entering cinema studies programs to acquire solid skills that can be applied in many jobs outside of television and film.
In recent years, film studies programs have attracted larger numbers of students seeking an education that equips them with strong critical thinking and visual communication skills. Much of this growth is attributed to the increasing accessibility of film production capabilities ushered in by the digital video revolution.
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The Value of Visual Communication Skills
Some academics and students regard a degree in cinema studies similar to a degree in English; both offer rigorous study of important modes of communication. Peter Pampusch, Academic Adviser at the University of Southern California School of Film and Television, notes that cinema studies provide a way for students to think critically about how visual information is communicated. Film studies also focus on how ideological values are conveyed and can be influenced through image and sound.
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Mr. Pampusch observes that a growing number of students are recognizing the value of a film studies education. He cites increases in the number of students entering USC's critical studies film school during the last 15 years. Many of these students, Mr. Pampusch notes, have no intention of entering the field of film and television. In fact, some of his students have gone on to pursue law degrees while others have joined the Peace Corps. What they all have in common, however, is a shared desire to become proficient in the language of visual communication.
To serve that end, universities and colleges are offering minors in cinemas studies and allowing students from other disciplines to take elective courses in film. For example, the University of Pennsylvania offers a minor in cinema studies that is designed to prepare students for careers outside of film and television, such as journalism, entertainment law, and arts management. At USC, the Introduction to Cinema Studies course is one of the 10 most popular courses on campus and students from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to take at least one film-related course.
Multiple Professional Paths
Jim Collins, Associate Professor of Film and Television at the University of Notre Dame, explains that film students traditionally have entered film school with the hope of becoming a filmmaker, viewing jobs in advertising or public relations as positions to "fall back" on. That's changed, Mr. Collins notes, adding that many film students regard a degree in visual communications as something that's marketable in many directions.
In fact, some film school graduates are using their filmic skills to promote equity and social justice, such as those who work for Witness, a nonprofit human rights organization that uses digital video images to raise awareness of human rights abuses.
Others apply critical thinking and visual communication skills acquired in film school to jobs in communications, including corporate communications, political consulting, and media campaigns. In fields such as these, where visual communication is an important tool, having the ability to think in images, to understand their power and their relationship to values and feelings, is potentially a very strong asset.
About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Virginia.
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