Motion Pictures
William M. Akers, Chair
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.
| Major in Motion Pictures (B.A.) | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Core Requirements | 61-62 | |
| Technical Requirement (Hours Counted in Gen Ed): | ||
| MOT 4015, Motion Pictures Senior Capstone (3) | ||
| Major Requirements | 42 | |
| Required Motion Pictures Foundations Courses | 39 | |
| MOT 1110, Film History - Lumiere to Now | 3 | |
| MOT 1115 The Art of Storytelling | 3 | |
| MOT 1010, Cinematic Storytelling | 3 | |
| MOT 2110, Screenplay Fundamentals | 3 | |
| MOT 2230, Editing I | 3 | |
| MOT 2250, Cinematography I | 3 | |
| MOT 2710, Production and Set Management | 3 | |
| MOT 2200, Directing I | 3 | |
| MOT 2310, Location and Post Production Sound | 3 | |
| MOT 3520, Production I | 3 | |
| MOT 3530, Production II | 3 | |
| MOT 4150 Motion Picture and Television Industry Practices | 3 | |
| MOT 4010, Capstone Preproduction | 3 | |
| Motion Pictures Electives (select one): | 3 | |
|
MOT 1170, The Media Makers (3) |
||
| Minor Requirements (Outside of Motion Pictures) | 18 | |
| Electives | 6-7 | |
| Total | 128 | |
| Major in Motion Pictures (B.F.A.) | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Core Requirements | 44 | |
| Technical Requirement (Hours Counted in Gen Ed): | ||
| MOT 4015, Motion Pictures Senior Capstone (3) | ||
| Major Requirements | 48 | |
| MOT 1110, Film History - Lumiere to Now | 3 | |
| MOT 1115, The Art of Storytelling | 3 | |
| MOT 1010, Cinematic Storytelling | 3 | |
| MOT 1500, History of Television and Digital Media | 3 | |
| MOT 2110, Screenplay Fundamentals | 3 | |
| MOT 2230, Editing I | 3 | |
| MOT 2250, Cinematography I | 3 | |
| MOT 2710, Production and Set Management | 3 | |
| MOT 2200, Directing I | 3 | |
| MOT 2310, Location and Post Production Sound | 3 | |
| MOT 3520, Production I | 3 | |
| MOT 3460, Crafts Special Topics | 3 | |
| MOT 3530, Production II | 3 | |
| MOT 4150, Motion Picture and Television Industry Practices | 3 | |
| MOT 4010, Capstone Preproduction | 3 | |
| MOT XXXX, Capstone Post Production (if necessary) | 3 | |
| Motion Pictures Electives and Emphasis courses(1) | 30 | |
| General Electives | 6 | |
| Total | 128 | |
(1) Students will complete 12 hours in one of the following emphases: Post Production, Screenwriting, Producing, Directing/Cinematography, or Film Studies. Please see the department for specific emphasis courses.
Motion Pictures Courses (MOT)
MOT 1010. Cinematic Storytelling (3). Co-requisite with MOT 1110 and MOT 1115. Introduce basic grammar of Filmmaking - both visual and aural. Short, simple projects will explore how camera, sound, and editing convey story and emotion.
MOT 1110. Film History - Lumiere to Now (3). Co-requisite with MOT 1010 and MOT 1115. The course will provide an historical survey of American and international film industries, covering such areas as film styles, genres, national cinemas, major directors and film theory from 1895 through 2015.
MOT 1115. Art of Storytelling (3). Co-requisite with MOT 1010, MOT 1110). The course is a basic survey course in the fundamentals of effective storytelling. Although the ultimate focus is storytelling in motion pictures, the course examines the principles of storytelling through several perspectives, and includes every aspects of storytelling and all elements –sound, music, lighting, editing, performance-used in film.
MOT 1170. The Media Makers (3).
MOT 1500. History of Television and Digital Media (3). Through lecture, reading and discussion, students will learn about the evolution of visual media, from the origins of broadcast network television to today's digital multi-platforms of cable, pay per view, reality, YouTube channels, etc. The focus is on the aesthetics of small screen and episodic storytelling, audience expectations and participation, and on whether media is an agent and a reflector of social and cultural change.
MOT 2110. Screenwriting Fundamentals (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 2120. Film Genre: Cinema Studies (3). Pre-requisites MOT 1115, 1110. All aspects of a specific genre will be examined. Each class will consist of lecture, screenings and discussion. Readings will accompany each film. Coursework will include investigating aspects of the topic in a research paper, keeping a film journal about all screenings, writing exams, and participating in a group project to create your own short film in the style of the topic.
MOT 2200. Directing (3). Prerequisite MOT 1010/1110 or MOT 1500.
MOT 2230. Editing I (3). This course provides technical (learning HOW to edit) and esthetic tools (learning WHY and WHEN to edit) to help motion picture artists effectively communicate with their audiences by practice editing on footage ranging from amateur to professional Hollywood studio footage.
MOT 2250. Cinematography I (3). Explores the creative and technical role of the cinematographer from pre-production to post-production. Basics principles of cinematography are examined including filtration, balancing light and color, lens selection, and metering techniques. We will engage in equipment instruction, review of photographic principles, lighting design exercises, and examine the role of the cinematographer and the camera department in the production process.
MOT 2310. Location and Post-Production Sound (3). Prerequisites: MOT 1010/1110 or MOT 1500. Introduction to Sound Recording and Sound Post Production for Film, Television and Digital Media, including basic instruction in ProTools, ADR and Foley, Music and Effects. (Required for MOT majors). Does not conflict with AET courses as the approach is aesthetic rather than technical.
MOT 2710. Production and Set Management (3). Analysis of procedures and problems in preparing a project for film or television production. Emphasis on the role of the producer, production manager and assistant directors in breaking down scripts, setting up shooting schedules, preparing budgets, and planning post-production, including all the roles and functions of the entire production team hierarchy.
MOT 3000. Motion Pictures Internship (1-4). Prerequisites: MOT 1010, junior standing, a minimum of 2.0 Belmont cumulative G.P.A. This formal career education experience enables students to intern at entertainment business organizations for a selected period of time. Grade is pass/fail. (May be repeated up to a maximum of 4 credit hours.) Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (I - Internships, Clinicals, Practica).
MOT 3150. 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.
MOT 3160. Screenwriting I (3).
MOT 3170. Screenwriting II (3).
MOT 3460. The Crafts, Special Topics (3). Addresses specific areas of the filmmaking process. The 15 week semester is broken into three 5 week sections (or topics). The student has the option to take 1 or all three topics. Each five week topic would give the student the opportunity to either experience more advanced specialized training in a specific discipline that is taught in the major, OR receive immersive training in an area that may not warrant a full semester, OR take advantage of a five week series of “master classes” and workshops overseen by a faculty member but led by industry professionals or guest Filmmakers in Residence.
MOT 3520. Production I (3). Prerequisites: MOT 1010/1110 or 1500, and MOT 2110, MOT 2710, MOT 2200, MOT 2230, MOT 2250, MOT 2310. This course affords students their first opportunity to direct and produce their first substantive narrative Film.
MOT 3530. Production II (3). Prerequisite: MOT 3520. Students will serve in a key crew and creative capacity on a short film, honing the skills they have developed in their fundamental crafts and creative courses. They will collaborate in the production of a short film, developing the story, creating a production plan, shooting and finishing the film in the course of the semester.
MOT 4010. Capstone Pre-Production (3). Co-requisite with MOT 3530. The semester before their Senior Capstone class, students complete development on their Capstone screenplays and create a production plan for the Senior Capstone film project.
MOT 4015. Senior Capstone Seminar (3). Prerequisite: MOT 4010. Students will write/produce and direct a 10-20 minute narrative film project, overseeing every phase of production from inception to completion. Students' Capstone Projects will reflect an individual student's perspective on all they have learned both as filmmakers and as people in their time at Belmont University and will reflect their growth both creatively and personally.
MOT 4110. Creative Producing (3). Prerequisites: MOT 2110 and MOT 2710. An advanced creative story development course that traces the "real life" path of an idea from script to screen.
MOT 4150 Motion Picture and Television Industry Practices (3). Prerequisites: MOT 1010, MOT 1110, MOT 1115, MOT 2710, and MOT 3520. An overview of Film, Television and Digital Media businesses from concept to marketing and distribution. Some of the areas covered will be: rights and clearances, finding, developing and optioning material, financing, how studios and independent companies function, agents, managers, film festivals, multi-platform distribution and exhibition-everything from idea to screen.