Photography and Cinema

The Photography and Cinema concentration gives students the conceptual framework, historical context, and technical skills necessary to produce creative lens-based artworks. This concentration prepares students to work across photo and video to enable employment in traditional industries and the fine arts arena that increasingly requires knowledge of a full range of lens-based skills. Courses in digital and analog imaging, lighting, camera management, pre-production, production, and post-production lay the foundation for more advanced conceptual, technical, and aesthetic issues. An emphasis on increasing the students’ visual literacy within our highly mediated visual environment is central to developing their creative works. At all levels of coursework, students are encouraged to explore areas of personally generated subject matter to engage the camera, self, and environment. Students complete their studies in Photography and Cinema with a capstone project that includes a portfolio/demo reel/website and a resume and cover letter to gain presentation and marketing skills for future employment.

The Production Center

The Production Center (The Cage) provides production and post-production equipment, supplies, maintenance and support for currently enrolled Visual Arts students, graduate students, faculty and staff. The student staff members track over 600 checkout items, serve approximately 200 people, and perform over 2000 checkouts per year. The center provides 24-hour access to post-production facilities and 30 hours a week it is open for purchasing supplies and for checking-in/out equipment. This facility is an integral part of the Department of Visual Arts and the Imaging and Digital Arts graduate program. As developing artists expressing their personal vision and ideas, students are encouraged to explore the mediums of time-based digital media.

Facility & Equipment Highlights:

• • 24 hour access to editing suites
  • (2) Blackmagic Design 4K Production Packages
  • (3) Panasonic GH4 Production Packages
  • (3) Panasonic HVX 200 HD Production Packages
  • (16) Canon 80D DSLR HD Production Packages
  • (12) Canon T2i DSLR HD Production Packages
  • (2) Éclair NPR Super 16mm Sync Sound Camera Packages.
  • Manfrotto Fluid Head tripods, Stabilizers and Jib arms
  • Omni, Tota, Soft Box, DP Light Kit, and LED portable kits.
  • Private Sound 5.1 Recording and Mixing Suite
  • (2) Sound Devices 722 Hard Disk recorders
  • (8) Zoom H6 Sound Recorders
  • (16) Zoom H4N Sound Recorders
  • (6) Fostex FR-2LE Sound Recorders
  • Multi-Pattern High-End Microphones
  • Portable Video & Data Projectors
  • (11) Portable Light boxes

Other extra-curricular activities include a student-run Cinematic Arts club, FILMMAKERS ANONYMOUS; student films are screened for the public annually, LIGHTSTRUCK; guest speakers visit the department regularly.

Photography and Cinema Courses

Photography and Cinema Faculty