Film Studies Minor

Film, along with other visual media such as television, is a part of our everyday lives. It is also arguably the least understood aspect of our everyday lives, and yet one of the most powerful forces around us. Gettysburg College offers a minor in Film Studies in order to provide a deeper understanding of film, which can be applied to other visual media as well.

A wide array of film courses is now being offered to provide a deeper understanding of both the films as films - i.e. how they actually work - and of the context in which films are made and seen. A course's focus may be:

• the construction of films;
• how films are produced in/affect a larger context;
• or the exploration of key questions about films, often relying on theories derived from other areas of study, including philosophy and psychology.

In short, the minor will not only introduce you to the major issues that cinema raises, it will also give you some grounding in the aesthetics of film, the history of film, the production of films, and theories of how and why films affect us so much. The overall goal is to provide a set of critical skills to make you aware of something most people consume without reflection. These skills can be used for particular careers in media and broadcasting, yet they can also be utilized in all walks of life.

Requirements and Recommendations: Film 101 and either Film 250 or Film 251 are required. In addition four other courses approved for the minor are needed for completion.* It is strongly recommended that one of these be Film 220, Introduction to Video Production. Having hands-on experience like this is invaluable even for those who do not go into the field. Film 252, Film Aesthetics and Analysis, will also provide a wide range of critical skills, and will touch on film theory as well.

*Other than Film courses, electives may include: Anth 215, AS 220, Eng 303 or 413, Fren 332, 333, IDS 217, Phil 335, Soc 204, Span 353, WS 220, one FYS film course, one Individualized Study or Internship.

For further information please contact Jim Udden.