Cinema Arts

The Cinema Arts program of study offers a first-class training from a Christian perspective in the effective and dynamic communication of messages in dramatic form 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 storytelling in parables. 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 Arts 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 Arts faculty requires candidates for admission to the program 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 the Cinema Arts program.

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

Most students are admitted into the Cinema Arts 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 Arts program with only a Change of Major form. Rather, such students must follow the process outlined above for admittance into the major.

Students in the Cinema Arts major who later withdraw from PBA or after suspension or dismissal from the University must apply for readmission to the program of study.

Software

The Cinema Arts major requires all script submissions to conform to professional formatting standards. Therefore, we recommend students in the program to 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 Arts major will have their progress in all work within the program of study reviewed at the end of the second semester of their sophomore and senior years. 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 Arts 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 Arts 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.

Residency Requirement

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. Students admitted to the Cinema Arts major after the start of the first semester of their sophomore year may encounter difficulties with the sequencing of courses in the major. The Cinema Arts major is a rigorous program of study designed to progress students to a high level of professional competency. The students must matriculate through the program of study in a specific order to produce increasing technical complexity and sophistication of professional skills. Faculty will not waive prerequisites or course sequencing to accommodate students admitted to the program after the first semester of their sophomore year. All majors must complete the final five semesters in full-time residence at PBA, including their senior year. Students may not use transient study to fulfill courses in the Cinema Arts core or major requirements.

Cinema Arts Production Lab

All Cinema Arts majors must enroll in and successfully complete CIN 3021 - Cinema-Television Production Lab in each semester their freshman year through their junior year. Students admitted to the Cinema Arts major after the start of the first semester of their freshman year must enroll in and successfully complete this lab in each subsequent semester upon declaration of their major through their junior year. This lab may be repeated for 6 credit hours.

Culminating Project

The Cinema Arts major has a set of capstone courses in which all majors will create a culminating project. Graduating from the Cinema Arts major is contingent upon the successful completion of this culminating project in CIN 4483 - Advanced Film & Television Production and CIN 4593 - Advanced Postproduction .

Programs

Cinema Arts, B.A.

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