A career in Hollywood may very well begin at your local community college. With an array of Film Studies programs, community colleges have trained many industry professionals in bringing a story to life on the silver screen. Designed to teach students about the history of film or the production of modern entertainment mediums, Film Studies programs allow students to pursue an exciting career pathway.
Understanding the History of Bluegrass Film
Students enrolled in Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) discover new skills and perspectives in entertainment courses offered at several BCTC campus locations in Kentucky. As BCTC explains, the Film Studies programs and classes are designed to promote the history and significance of film in America.
Offering classes that provide students with unique perspectives from around the world, students taking Film Studies courses discover how the film has been used to shape our world, providing each of us with our own set of cultural meanings and understandings. As BCTC further explains, “Any student entering the workforce today will encounter people, ideas and cultural habits from multiple cultures around the world; having an awareness of these different values is a valuable skill in all professions.” With the various Film Study courses, BCTC strives to teach students the necessary skills to recognize and decipher these many cultural meanings. As the film has become a strong media that influences and reflects the world’s unique cultural values, learning how to recognize these global differences can help students gain greater knowledge to excel in an array of academic courses and professional pathways.
To prepare students with unique skills for comprehension and analysis, BCTC students can take advantage of Film Studies classes such as Introduction to Film, International Film Studies, and additional English-based film analysis courses. Adding to these opportunities, BCTC students can also participate in the extra-curricular opportunities offered by the Bluegrass Film Society.
Attending One of the Top 25 Film Programs
In addition to Film Studies opportunities offered at BCTC, students attending Maryland’s Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) can also engage in Film Studies courses to pursue an array of unique interests and focus areas. Notably, AACC’s Film Study Program has been recognized as one of the top 25 “Stellar Programs” by MovieMaker Magazine.
AACC’s curriculum aims to meet the rising demand for directors, cinematographers, sound technicians, editors, screenwriters, and other cinematic professionals. Subsequently, AACC strives to teach and prepare students with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in the competitive entertainment industry. AACC argues that “American colleges need academics who understand and can assimilate the many and varied forms of moving visual images.”
Beginning in the program, students can enroll in programs of Film Study or Film Analysis, as each pathway provides students with introductory and subsequent courses. For example, a focus area of AACC’s Film Study Program prepares students for digital video production and aesthetics. Or, an academic pathway focusing on Film Analysis surveys the narrative and aesthetic study of film. With either major / concentration, AACC asserts that graduates from the Film programs are regularly accepted by an array of top-flight four-year universities. In fact, AACC asserts that many of the schools attended by AACC graduates include premier film universities such as USC, NYU, FSU, American University, and a list of other renowned programs.
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Choosing Film Courses as a Graduation Elective
In addition to specific Film Studies majors, many community colleges offer Film Studies courses that can meet graduation requirements. For example, Highline Community College (HCC) in Des Moines, Washington, allows students to participate in two different Film Studies elective courses to complete graduation requirements. Specifically, HCC students can enroll in Film Appreciation to encounter an introduction to the interpretation of films. Students are taught to analyze cinematography, narration, special effects, soundtracks, and other film-based focus areas. Additionally, HCC students can enroll in Global Cinema, where students study international documentaries and feature films to discuss and interpret various global issues.
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Whether students desire to pursue a career in film or in a non-entertainment industry, community college Film Studies programs can provide anyone with an opportunity to expand their cinematic knowledge and critical analysis skills.
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