Courses
CTVA 100. Introduction to Mass Communication Arts (3)
Not open to students with credit in JOUR 100. Survey of the fields of radio, television and film as they relate to other mass media. Comparative analysis and evaluation, including historical, societal, legal and individual considerations. (Available for General Education, Lifelong Learning.) (IC)
CTVA 210. Television-Film Aesthetics (3)
TV and film communicative art forms. Representative films and television programs are exhibited and analyzed. (Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities.) (IC)
CTVA 220. Foundations of Media Writing (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of Lower Division writing requirement. Required of all pre-majors. Basic introductory course in writing for the film and electronic media, with emphasis on preparing scripts in proper formats. Includes a writing evaluation component as part of the course requirement.
CTVA 230. Fundamentals of Audio Production (3)
Introductory course in audio production. Training in digital production, audio console operation, use of tape recorders and microphones, tape editing, program formats and announcing. Lab with accompanying lecture, 4 hours per week.
CTVA 240. Fundamentals of Video Production (3)
Basic introduction to all aspects of television studio production, audio and video; microphones, audio recorders, cameras, lenses, switching and lighting equipment. Principles of graphics and scenery. Lab with accompanying lecture, 6 hours per week.
CTVA 250. Fundamentals of Film Production (3)
Prerequisite: ART 250. Introductory course in Television-Film Production. Use of film as a creative medium and art form in mass communication, using 16mm production techniques. 6 hours lab per week.
CTVA 301. Design of the Media Message (3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 100, CTVA 210 and CTVA 220. Fundamentals of researching and designing the informational media program. Principles of determining audience needs, research, analysis and design, and program structure as they apply to documentaries, motivational programs and other educational and propaganda messages. Regular written assignments required.
CTVA 305. History of Broadcasting (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 230 or CTVA 240 or CTVA 250. Radio and television broadcasting: beginnings, development, commercial and noncommercial support, regulations, impact on society, programming and future of telecommunications.
CTVA 309. Film as Literature (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Survey of the art of the cinema in order to establish a unique visual literature with its own critical standards. Feature films of various types and from diverse sources are screened. (Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities.)
CTVA 310. History of American Cinema (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210; Lower Division writing requirement. History of the development of American cinema: formats, film aesthetics, societal impact, evolution as an entertainment medium. Screening and evaluation of representative films.
CTVA 315. New Directions in Electronic Media Systems (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210. Examination of electronic media systems for program production and dissemination, as well as implications for producers, regulators and society as a whole.
CTVA 319. Criticism in Cinema and Television Arts (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210; Lower Division writing requirement. Analysis of social, cultural, literary and moral aspects of radio, television and film. Examination of media as distributors of information, propaganda and entertainment. Regular written assignments required, including the writing of critical analyses.
CTVA 320. Writing for Film and Television (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 240 or CTVA 250. Basic dramatic screenwriting techniques for television and film. Disciplines of plot construction, characterization and dialogue are examined.
CTVA 327. Writing for Industrial Media (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 220. Theory, history and principles of writing industrial film and television programs for business, government and other organized groups.
CTVA 329ABC. Program Production (1-3)
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. CTVA 230 is required for all students working at KCSN. Principles of management, programming and production with practical application. Students must work at least 3 hours a week for 1 unit. Maximum of 6 units allowable. (Credit/No Credit only)
CTVA 330. Advanced Audio Production (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 230. Techniques of studio and remote audio production. Creation of radio magazine features. Training in use of sound effects, dramatic production, multi-track recording, digital production and mixing. Lab with accompanying lecture, 4 hours per week.
CTVA 340. Advanced Video Production and Editing (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 240. Advanced course in the creative use of television studio cameras, lighting, sound, computer graphics and editing principles in television productions, including interview and dramatic formats. Both group and individual projects are structured around theory and practice. Lab with accompanying lecture, 6 hours per week.
CTVA 341. Single-Camera Video Production and Editing (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 340. Overview of the theory and practice of electronic field production. Examines the technical and aesthetic requirements of single-camera video production and editing. 6 hours of lecture and lab activity per week.
CTVA 342. Digital Cinematography (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 355 (for film production option); grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 240 (for television production option). Advanced course with a specialized foundation in digital cinematography. The course will explore the theory and professional practice of digital cinematography for television and film. Topics include history, theory, composition, visual design, lighting and special effects. Dual emphasis on individual creativity and production group dynamics. 3 hours lecture; 3 hours lab per week.
CTVA 350. Film Directing (3)
Prerequisites: Film Portfolio acceptance (for film production option); grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 250 (for screenwriting option). Examination of basic creative elements and technical approaches necessary to achieve professional excellence in film direction. 6 lab hours per week.
CTVA 351. Anatomy of Film Producing (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 240 or CTVA 250. Organization and management for both independent and studio film production. Basic business procedures, financing, budgeting, distribution, exhibition, legal matters, the development of entrepreneurial skills and structure, practices and current trends of the industry.
CTVA 352. Nonlinear Digital Editing (3)
Prerequisites: Film Portfolio acceptance (for film production option); grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 240 (for television production option). Overview of the theory and practice of nonlinear editing for video and film utilizing nonlinear digital editing work stations. Examines the technical and aesthetic requirements of editing through the use of professional film and video dailies. Gives the student fundamental knowledge and experience the Editor and Assistant Editor must have to run a digital editing system. 3 hours of lecture; 3 hours of lab activity per week.
CTVA 355. Intermediate Film Production (3)
Prerequisite: Film Portfolio acceptance. Intermediate course in 16mm film production, with emphasis on story and the creative use of the motion picture camera, sound, editing and other aesthetic elements. 6 hours of lab per week.
CTVA 356. Advanced Film Editing (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 355. Advanced course in post-production film technique and aesthetics, including the analysis, application and mastery of editing styles. 6 hours of lab per week.
CTVA 357. Advanced Cinematography (3)
Corequisite: CTVA 355. Advanced course in film production techniques and aesthetics, including detailed examination of film grammar as it is created in the camera, lighting technology and practice, camera technology, optics of lenses and their effect on aesthetics, principles of composition, new technologies, computerized application and special cinematic situations (e.g., infrared, underwater and macro-cine). 6 hours of lab per week.
CTVA 358. Advanced Film Sound (3)
Corequisite: CTVA 355 (for film production option). Prerequisite: grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 240 (for television production option). Advanced course in the theory and practice of sound gathering and mixing for motion picture production, including technical and aesthetic requirements. Use of various technologies and microphones. Presents the mix and post production sound editing. 3 hours lecture; 3 hours lab per week.
CTVA 359. Post Production Sound Design for Film and Electronic Media (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 355 or CTVA 340. Advanced course with a specialized foundation in post production sound recording and mixing. The course will explore the theory and professional practice of sound design for film and electronic media. Topics include history, theory, dialogue editing, sound effects, Foley, ADR and surround sound. Dual emphasis on individual creativity and production group dynamics. 3 hours lecture; 3 hours lab per week.
CTVA 361. Computer Fundamentals for Multimedia (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 230 or CTVA 240 or CTVA 250. General introduction to computers and their use in multimedia design, production, distribution and in desktop video. Covers computer fundamentals, the use of the graphic user interface, provides an overview of the use of computers in multimedia and familiarizes students with appropriate software. 6 hours per week.
CTVA 362. Corporate and Instructional Media (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220 and CTVA 230 or CTVA 240 or CTVA 250. Study of contemporary practices in corporate, school, medical and civic media as they relate to educational, training and motivational purposes. Examination of audience needs, objectives, design and writing, production, distribution, utilization and evaluation.
CTVA 384. Electronic Media Advertising (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Advertising as economic support for broadcast media. Audience, market surveys, network, affiliate rate structures. Impact of Radio-TV advertising on local and national economy.
CTVA 395. Independent Senior Projects (3)
Prerequisites: Senior status; approval of project by a faculty advisor in that option. Independent work with faculty supervision in Cinema and Television Arts.
CTVA 400. Media and Society (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210. Examination of contemporary views of media and societal effects. Analysis of McLuhan, Meyrowitz, Postman and other theorists. Effects of TV violence.
CTVA 401. Mass Communications Research (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210. Inquiry into research methodology in mass communication. Emphasis on solution of research problems in areas relating to the mass media.
CTVA 405. International Broadcasting (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Comparative examination of broadcasting in foreign nations. Analysis of how radio and television reflect the social and political life of each country.
CTVA 410. Advanced Film Theory: Studies in Film Style (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210; Lower Division writing requirement. Study of realistic and expressive elements as reflected in selected film and literary references. Emphasis on aesthetic implications and significance of directorial, thematic, cinematographic approaches and techniques in the film medium. Regular written assignments required.
CTVA 412. Analysis of Classic Filmmakers (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210; Lower Division writing requirement. In-depth analysis of the unique personal visions and creative accomplishments of specially selected film artists, studied from the point of view of technique, visual style, content and sociological implications. Regular written assignments required.
CTVA 413. Women as Filmmakers (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210; Lower Division writing requirement. Examination of the careers and film productions of various internationally recognized women filmmakers (e.g., directors, writer/directors, etc.), focusing on their unique contributions in content and style. Emphasis on the present-day scene with films or video from France, Germany, Italy, Australia and the U.S. Regular written assignments required.
CTVA 415A-Z. International Cinema (3-3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210; Lower division writing requirement. In-depth analysis of the creative accomplishments of the aesthetic and socioeconomic influences on the cinematic art of a single nation or geographic region other than the U.S. Specific nations or regions will vary from semester to semester. Regular written assignments required. Up to two different sections of this course may be taken for credit in the following areas:
| Course | Title |
| CTVA 415A | Australia |
| CTVA 415B | Britain |
| CTVA 415C | China |
| CTVA 415D | Canada |
| CTVA 415E | Eastern Europe |
| CTVA 415F | France |
| CTVA 415G | Germany |
| CTVA 415H | Hispanic |
| CTVA 415I | Italy |
| CTVA 415J | Japan |
| CTVA 415S | Survey of a variety of countries |
CTVA 416. The Documentary Tradition in Film and Video (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210. Examination of the history, functions, ethics and aesthetics of the documentary in both theatrical and television formats. Screening of works from U.S. and international sources, including those that represent the documentary purposes of observation, analysis, persuasion and aesthetic expression. Regular critical writing assignments required.
CTVA 420. Screenplay Adaptation (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 320. Advanced development of student skills and techniques, with emphasis on the adaptation of a published literary work. Available for graduate credit.
CTVA 421. Writing the Short Film (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 320 and instructor consent (for screenwriting option); grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 355 and instructor consent (for film production option). Must be taken prior to submission of the senior film proposal. For those who intend to write short film screenplays to be used for senior film productions. Via lectures, discussions and readings, provides dramatic principles pertinent to the writing of a short film script. Students are guided incrementally in a workshop setting through the development of several drafts of the screenplay. Final outcome is a 10-15 page, production-ready shooting script. Available for graduate credit.
CTVA 422. Writing the Episodic Series (3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 220 and CTVA 240. Corequisite: CTVA 341. Intensive writing workshop in which students examine components of successful episodic series. Final project is comprised of an original, short-form pilot script and the outline for six subsequent episodes.
CTVA 425. Advanced Screenwriting (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 420. Advanced problems in writing drama, program specials. Available for graduate credit.
CTVA 428. Writing Screenplay Comedy (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 320. An examination of the theory, spectrum and structures of comedy, as well as the writing of comedy scenes and screenplays. Available for graduate credit.
CTVA 440. Theory and Techniques of TV Directing (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100, CTVA 210, CTVA 220, CTVA 240 (for television production option); grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 320 (for screenwriting option). Theories and techniques of TV directing. Unique characteristics of video as they affect the art of directing. Screening and critique of representative TV programs.
CTVA 441. Directing the TV Documentary (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 341. Advanced television directing course emphasizing educational and documentary formats. Both studio and remote production assignments. Lab with accompanying lecture, 6 hours per week.
CTVA 442. Directing the TV Drama/Comedy (3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 341; CTVA 440. Advanced television directing course emphasizing dramatic formats. Producing and directing live and recorded studio situation comedy and drama programs. 6 hours lab per week.
CTVA 443. Magazine Format Video Production (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 341. Examines the methods and equipment that are utilized in the design and production of “magazine format” video production. Such programs combine scripted information, spontaneous discussion and pre-edited videotape segments. 6 hours per week.
CTVA 452. Senior Film Project (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 355 and the following: CTVA 356 or CTVA 357, or both CTVA 358 and CTVA 359, and Senior Status. Capstone course using applied theories and techniques of film production. Approval of instructor required. Lab with accompanying lecture, 9 hours per week.
CTVA 455. Principles of Production Management (3)
Corequisites: For Television Production majors, CTVA 340; for Film Production majors, CTVA 355. This course explores the theory and practice of managing live-action media productions. Students will study the most efficient and economic ways to schedule shoots, negotiate business deals for crews, locations and technical equipment, and make day-to-day production decisions to ensure that productions proceed safely and professionally. At the end of the course, each student will have completed a script breakdown, production schedule and budget.
CTVA 461. Interactive Multimedia Development (3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 361; Completion of Lower Division writing requirement. Development, creation and integration of multimedia elements for entertainment, consumer and corporate products. Introduction to design parameters, pre-production (design documents, budgets, schedules), production, post-production (testing plans) and implementation. Regular computer assignments required. Lab, 6 hours.
CTVA 464. Multimedia Design (3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 361; completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Study the basic theories and techniques of multimedia production. Covers establishment of goals and objectives, program design and production practices, project validation and utilization. Lab, 6 hours.
CTVA 467. The Management of Post Production for Television and Film (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Advanced course on the management processes involved in post production, including scheduling and budgeting, setting up and managing an edit room and planning and carrying out cost-effective on-line, sound mixing, color correction and titling sessions for accurate and on-time project delivery.
CTVA 468. Multimedia Production (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 361. Production of a multimedia program. Lab with accompanying lectures, 6 hours per week.
CTVA 475. Audience Analysis (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Lecture/discussion of mass audiences and the techniques used to study their wants, needs, motives, attitudes, opinions and behavior. Survey of audience measurement techniques.
CTVA 480. Electronic Media Management (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Study of business problems of station operations. Stress placed on case studies of stations.
CTVA 481. Network Practices (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Network as unique development in broadcasting, its role in distribution of information and the national economy.
CTVA 482. Network Program Development (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Theoretical and practical problems in producing current network television programs.
CTVA 487. Social Controls and Regulation of Electronic Media (3)
Prerequisite: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 305. Legal and social controls in the regulation of electronic media, including broadcasting, cable television, common carriers and communication satellites. Regulatory efforts of federal agencies, such as the FCC, and controlling influences of public interest groups and the electronic media industry itself.
CTVA 494A-F. Internship (1-6)
Prerequisite: CTVA majors who are seniors in good academic standing only—approval through application and instructor consent. Extensive on-the-job training in specific areas of Radio, TV or Film production or administration. Maximum 6 units. Academic Internship Course. (Credit/No Credit only)
CTVA 495A-Z. Current Trends in Television and Film (3)
Prerequisites: Grade of “C” or higher in CTVA 100 and CTVA 210; Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Investigation of selected contemporary issues and practices in television and film. Emphasis on analysis of current trends, ethical issues and specialized operations in the entertainment business. These courses utilize industry professionals sharing their expertise in focused areas such as agency management and postproduction operations. Regular written assignments and examinations required.
CTVA 496A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses (3)
Prerequisite: One year of appropriate Lower Division courses in CTVA. Course content to be determined.
CTVA 499A-C. Independent Study (1-3)
Only courses at the 400-, 500- or 600-level carry credit toward the master’s degree in Screenwriting.
CTVA 500. Theory and History of Cinema and Electronic Media (3)
Prerequisite: Graduate status. Survey of the history of cinema/electronic media, as well as cinema and electronic media theory and criticism, from the silent era through the 1950s.
CTVA 501. Theory and History of Cinema and Electronic Media II (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 500. Survey of the history of cinema/electronic media, as well as cinema and electronic media theory and criticism, from the 1950s to the present.
CTVA 505. Contemporary Film Analysis (3)
Prerequisite: Graduate status. Exploration of screen story structure and the screenwriting tools of dramaturgy used in contemporary motion pictures to impact audiences emotionally and intellectually. Effective story outlining paradigms are investigated, and story strengths and weaknesses are analyzed. Written film analysis assignments are required.
CTVA 510. Screenplay Scene Writing (3-3)
Prerequisite: Graduate status. Investigates the techniques and dramatic tools used to write powerful scenes for the screen. Emphasis on the creation of fully dimensional characters, use of visual elements, tempo, timing, descriptive style, and dialogue. This workshop course is product-oriented and students complete a screenplay project. May be repeated once for credit.
CTVA 512. Seminar in Cinema and Contemporary Media Theory (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 500. Seminar in specific cinema and/or electronic media theory. Includes analysis and evaluation of the works of major cinema and media theorists.
CTVA 525. Seminar in Screenwriting (3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 425, CTVA 501. Identification and analysis of the student writer’s creative strengths and weaknesses. Format includes exercises and original screenplay material specifically designed to strengthen narrative skills.
CTVA 595A-I. Studies in Mass Communication (3)
Prerequisite: Graduate status. Graduate studies in Cinema and Television Arts Mass Communication. Faculty members will lead a small group of students in the study of the following general areas with exact content to be determined.
| Course | Title |
| CTVA 595A | Advanced Research |
| CTVA 595B | History |
| CTVA 595C | Theory |
| CTVA 595D | Writing Episodic Television |
| CTVA 595E | TV Production |
| CTVA 595F | Film Practicum: The Business of Film and TV |
| CTVA 595G | Educational Media |
| CTVA 595H | Management |
| CTVA 595I | International Communication |
CTVA 622. Department Colloquium (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 500. Intensive study of contemporary issues in Screenwriting by Graduate Faculty on a rotating basis.
CTVA 625. Writing the Feature-Length Screenplay (3-3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 505, CTVA 525. In this course, screen story structure creation undertaken in CTVA 525 will be continued to the completion of a feature-length screenplay. This is a product-oriented course. May be repeated once for credit.
CTVA 692. Thesis Script Preparation (3)
Prerequisite: CTVA 525. Instruction in the steps of thesis publication and individual guidance in developing original story ideas into full outlines for thesis screenplays. The first act of a feature-length thesis script is also written as preparation for final thesis completion and publication in CTVA 698C. This is a product-oriented course.
CTVA 694A-F. Internship (1-6)
Prerequisites: CTVA 602; Approval of graduate advisor. Intensive on-the-job training beyond the entry level in radio, television and allied industries.
CTVA 696. Directed Graduate Research (3)
Directed Graduate Research
CTVA 698A-F. Thesis or Graduate Project (1-6)
Prerequisites: CTVA 501, CTVA 602; Approval of graduate advisor.
CTVA 699A-C. Independent Study (1-3)
Prerequisites: CTVA 500, CTVA 602; Approval of sponsoring faculty member.