Motion Pictures

Will Akers, Director

Vision:

Story is the basis for all filmmaking, either documentary or narrative.   Belmont Motion Pictures majors will leave Belmont with a solid grasp of writing, editing, directing, sound, producing, and cinematography -- and the ability to tell stories that matter -- to them and to the world.

Purpose:

Belmont Motion Pictures will graduate career-ready filmmakers with a wide range of filmmaking knowledge and a clear plan of what they want to pursue next. 

Goals:

Students will have an in-depth knowledge of story structure, character, dialogue and screenplay format.  They will be adept at creating the building blocks for telling a visual story.

Majors will have a clear understanding of producing -- putting the elements together from script through production, to distribution.

Editing is a linchpin of writing and filmmaking.  Students will understand the importance of rewriting -- both in words and pictures.

Actors are critical to the filmmaking process.  Motion Pictures students will leave Belmont comfortable casting, rehearsing, and directing actors.

Our students will be able to get clean production sound and will know how design post sound to tell their story at a professional level.

Every student will get a from-the-ground-up cinematography education in storytelling with image:  lighting, camera, and movement of actors and camera.
  

Motion Pictures Courses (MOT)

MOT 1010, Cinematic Storytelling (3). Introduce basic grammar of Filmmaking - both visual and aural. Short, simple projects will explore how camera, sound, and editing convey story and emotion.

MOT 2010, Film History I - Lumiere to Cassavetes (3). Through screenings, readings, lecture and class discussion, students will get an in-depth introduction to the history of feature films and documentaries, including international cinema.

MOT 2020, Film History II - Cassavetes to Now (3). Through screenings, readings, lecture and class discussion, students will get an in-depth introuction to the history of feature films and documentaries, including international cinema. Course will also include history of production and distribution of Small Screen Media.

MOT 2110, Short Film Analysis & Writing (3). Study construction of short films. Emphasis on character and story structure. Students write and rewrite a short script, which can go into an online "library" for use by other Belmont filmmakers in future semesters.

MOT 2150, Feature Screenplay Analysis (3). Before writing a script, students must understand how screenplays are constructed. Rigorous analysis of screenplay structure and storytelling techniques. Breakdown films by acts, sequences, and scenes. Scene and character analysis. Readings, screenings, class discussion and lecture.