Fall 2021 Topics

 

If you’ve taken FLM 101, you can enroll in any of these 3-credit, 200 level courses:
 

FLM 215.01  SCRIPTWRITING: SBC: HFA+
Topic: TV Writing:The Spec Script, with Meryl Branch-McTiernan                            
Wed 4:25-7:15PM
This course will introduce you to the process of writing half-hour television comedies in both the single and multi-camera formats. It will explore story structure, character, plot, theme, genre and comedic dialog through lectures, readings, screenings, and analysis of scripts. The best way to learn to write television is to read other scripts to see how they work. We will read many. Most of the graded work will be writing assignments in various television comedy formats culminating in a complete "spec script.” A spec script is an idea you have for an episode of an existing show. You will learn sitcom story format, how to match the voice and tone of the show, how to give and take notes, and what the industry is looking for in a good spec. At the end of the class, you’ll have a revised draft. This course is designed for students interested in advancing their study of the craft of screenwriting and exploring career paths in writing for television.

FLM 215.02 SCRIPTWRITING:  SBC: HFA+
Topic: The Art of the Screenplay, with Will Chandler
TH 4:45-7:35PM
All great screenplays share a compelling, well-told story. In this course, students will analyze films and read contemporary screenplays, deconstructing them to learn why they work so well. Students will leave understanding the construction of story, the value of juxtaposing scenes, the power of the visual image, the importance of underlying theme, the need for conflict and the development of compelling, layered characters and their dialogue. Students will be guided through the process of developing their own stories and will leave with a screenplay outline, a three-act story arc and a completed first act of their own script.

FLM 215. 03 SCRIPTWRITING: SBC: HFA+
Topic: Screenwriting: What Makes a Great Movie, with Dave Chan
FRI 10:30AM-1:20PM
It all starts with the script. Do you have a story that you always thought would make a great movie? In this course, you will learn how to put your idea onto the page in a visual, compelling way using the fundamentals that make up a memorable script: character, story, dialogue, conflict, and theme. Through creative exercises, you will incorporate these elements into writing effective scenes – the building blocks of your script. We will also watch films and read screenplays to determine what makes them stand out from the rest and how they can serve as inspiration for your own stories. This class will be a supportive screenwriting workshop so active participation from everyone in a constructive and thoughtful way is expected. Upon successful completion of this course, you will have finished both an outline and a polished Act One of your script and learned the skills to continue telling your stories in a visual, compelling way.

**Students may repeat FLM 215 as topic changes to fulfill requirements with permission of the Director.

**FOR CREATIVE WRITING STUDENTS: FLM 215 is the equivalent of CWL315: Please email Liz McRae (elizabeth.mcrae@stonybrook.edu) for permission to enroll in FLM 215 without the FLM 101 requirement: provide ID and course section.

FLM 220.01: DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING   SBC: HFA+
Topic: Creating the Documentary, with Kate Levitt
TH 9:45AM-12:35PM
Eminent film critic John Grierson once said documentaries are “the creative treatment of actuality.” He was right; nonfiction, visual, narratives illuminate real-life so effectively they cause emotional and existential changes in viewers. We’ve all experienced this, for example, watched a mini-series about how aquariums treat dolphins and felt guilty for our love of SeaWorld. In this class, we will use readings and screenings to explore both why and how documentaries are so effective. We’ll discuss ethical considerations and production techniques. By the end of the semester, students will have produced and researched their own short-form documentary.

If you’ve taken FLM 102, you can enroll in this 3-credit, 300 level course:
 

FLM 301.01 THE FILMMAKERS TOOLBOX, SBC: TECH
Faculty Conor Demmett
TH 1:15 - 4:05PM
A hands-on course exploring the aural and visual choices available to the filmmaker. Students will explore the connections between technology and storytelling, examining and practicing with the tools and resources available to create compelling images and stories. Course explores the principals, tools and techniques of digital technologies: cinematography, art direction, sound design and editing in shaping a film, and how these choices interact with the art of visual storytelling.

If you’ve taken FLM 101, you can enroll in any of these 3-credit, 300 level courses:

 

FLM 302.01 PRODUCING PRACTICES FOR FILMMAKERS, SBC: TECH
Topic: Acting for Writers & Filmmakers; with Noelle Wilson
MON 2:40-5:30PM
Explores the connections between production and storytelling, and the real- world aspects of producing for film and television. From script development through pre-production and production, students will explore how filmmakers balance the technical, business and artistic elements necessary to produce for film and television. Topics of study include The Business of Producing, Pitching and Selling Ideas, Script Breakdown and Budgeting, Working in Television: Navigating the TV Workforce, Creating the Web Series. Repeatable to a maximum of 6 credits as the topic changes.

FLM 303.01: AUDIO STORYTELLING SKILLS FOR FILMMAKERS , SBC: SPK
WITH KATHLEEN RUSSO
MON 11:45AM-2:35PM
Podcasting is the next step in the technological liberation of storytelling via digital means. It is a companion and complement to video and filmmaking. In this introductory course, you will learn how to craft your own podcast--visualizing your stories with audio only--and present it to the world. You'll gain experience in writing for sound, interviewing styles and techniques, recording and editing basics, pitching ideas, marketing, branding, distribution, monetization and more. The focus is on learning and developing new storytelling and entrepreneurial skills, and strengthening oral communication and presenting skills by researching, writing and presenting proposals and pitches and participating in the evaluation of peer oral presentations of researched proposals and pitches.

If you’ve taken FLM 102 and one 200 or higher level film course, you can enroll in this 3-credit, 300 level course:

 

FLM 320.01 TOPICS IN FILM FOR FILMMAKERS,  SBC: HFA+
CULT CINEMA, with Kate Levitt
WED 2:40-5:30PM
In this class, we’ll explore the question “what even is cult cinema?” Surely you’ve heard the term “cult film” before, but the films attached to this vague epitaph are incredibly diverse — tonally and by genre. Even financially, they span from indies made in someone’s basement to movies like Fight Club which had a 63 million dollar budget. In this class, we’ll watch and discuss a survey of transgressive cinema — from surrealist classics like Un Chien Andalou to extreme horror flicks like David Lynchs’ Eraser Head and even YouTube micro-series such as Marble Hornets. We’ll attempt to reconcile what makes them “cult” favorites by considering factors such as theme, audience legacy, and the cultural climate in which they were filmed.

 

NO PRE-REQUISITES TO ENROLL IN THESE INTRODUCTORY FILM CLASSES: 

 

FLM 101 INTRODUCTION TO FILMMAKING: VISUAL STORYTELLING.  SBC: ART

This course will be a hands-on introduction to the craft of narrative filmmaking using the camera in your smartphone! You will learn the skills necessary to tell your story by studying selected films/readings, practicing the craft of screenwriting, and completing various directing/editing exercises. By the end of the semester you will experience the collaborative nature of film and begin cultivating your own creative process.

FLM 101.01 TU 6:30-9:20PM

FLM 101.02 TU/TH 4:45-6:05PM

FLM 101.03 TU/TH 6:30-7:50PM

FLM 101.04 TU 9:45AM-12:35PM

FLM 101.05 M/W 4:25–5:45PM

FLM 101.06 M/W 6:05-7:25PM

FLM 101.08 WED 6:05-8:55PM

FLM 101.09 MON 2:40-5:30PM

FLM 101.10 TU 3-5:50PM

  

FLM 102 INTRO TO FILM COMPOSITION: HOW FILMS SAY WHAT THEY MEAN SBC: HUM

Introduction to the nuts and bolts f filmmaking as viewed through the lens of the working filmmaker.  By examining the creative aspects of films, the tools, the language and the choices of filmmakers, participants learn to interpret the creative elements of a film from a practitioner’s perspective.

FLM 102.01 FRI 1-3:50PM

FLM 102.02 TU/TH 11:30AM-12:50PM

FLM 102.03 FRI 10:30AM-1:20PM