Cinema-Television

The Cinema-Television program of study offers tracks in Film Production and Television Production. This program of study and its tracks provide a first-class training from a Christian perspective in the effective and dynamic communication of messages through the various professions in the entertainment media of motion pictures and television.

Given the enormous power of the mass media to define public debate, impact cultural and social change, and influence personal behavior, our vision is to empower aspiring Christian media professionals to make a positive contribution to society. In the area of the entertainment media, our program of study equips students to communicate redemptive messages, particularly through parabolic storytelling. This preparation will allow graduates to pursue careers in the television and feature film sectors of the entertainment industry, as well as in audio-visual production in corporate, governmental, civic, church and para-church organizations.

Admission Requirements

In addition to University application procedures, prospective students seeking to pursue the Cinema-Television major must file an application with the School of Communication and Media. All applicants must submit a personal statement of approximately 750 words, the first two-thirds of which should state in detail why the candidate believes he or she is called to a career in the entertainment industry. The applicant should use the final third of the personal statement to outline his/her history of creative accomplishments.

The Cinema-Television faculty requires candidates for admission to the Film Production and Television Production tracks to submit a portfolio of their creative film or video work. We accept such video portfolios on the DVD format only. Candidates who do not have a body of previously completed film or video work may submit an alternative portfolio of creative material, including such items as screenplays, stage plays, photographic work, etc. However, depending upon the strength of the alternative portfolio, such candidates may receive provisional admittance to either the Film Production or Television Production tracks.

Applications are available in the Office of the Dean of the School of Communication and Media.

Most students are admitted into the Cinema-Television program at the beginning of their freshman year. Students already studying at Palm Beach Atlantic University, either in another program of study or as an undeclared major, may not gain acceptance into the Cinema-Television program with only a Change of Major form. Rather, such students must follow the process outlined above for admittance into the major.

Students changing majors or those transferring into Palm Beach Atlantic University should be advised that the sequence of courses for the program requires a minimum of five semesters of study to complete.

Software

The Cinema-Television major requires all script submissions to conform to professional formatting standards. Therefore, we recommend students in the Film Production and Television Production tracks consider purchasing screenwriting software that will produce scripts in proper format. Students may obtain a list of acceptable software brands from their academic advisor.

Review of Satisfactory Progress

All students in the Cinema-Television program will have their progress in all work in the major area of study reviewed annually. This review will include both in-class scholarship and performance on productions. Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all courses in their major in order to continue in good standing. Admission to upper-level study is determined on the basis of the student’s cumulative GPA in Cinema-Television courses completed by the end of the fourth semester, the recommendation of the student’s advisor, and the satisfactory completion of an interview with the program faculty. The faculty reserves the right to dismiss any student from a major if he or she fails to meet program standards. An executive committee of the School of Communication and Media will automatically review a decision to dismiss a student from a major, and a student may make an appeal to the Dean. Cinema-Television faculty will make every attempt to counsel a student into a more suitable major in the event he or she is unable to meet the standards of the program.

Cinema-Television Production Lab

All Cinema-Television majors must enroll in and successfully complete JEM 3021 - Cinema-Television Production Lab in each semester beginning upon declaration of their major. This course provides majors with an opportunity to hone their technical skills in a workshop environment and apply them on productions for Sailfish Television and PBA Films.

Culminating Project

Each track has a corresponding capstone course in which majors will create or participate in a culminating project. Television Production students must serve as a department head on a major television program created for Sailfish Television. Likewise, Film Production students must serve as a department head on a film project shot for PBA Films.

Programs

Cinema-Television, B.A.