The Division of Film and Television Production of the School of Cinema-Television offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Fine Arts degrees.

The primary goals of the degree programs in film and television production are to develop the student’s ability to express original ideas on film or video and to instill a thorough understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of motion pictures and television. Courses in production provide individual and group filmmaking experiences and the opportunity to learn all aspects of filmmaking in a collaborative environment.

The Bachelor of Arts in Cinema-Television with a track in production is granted through the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the School of Cinema-Television. Students study within a framework which combines a broad liberal arts background with specialization in a profession. Bachelor of Arts students are enrolled in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, where they take their pre-professional courses, including the general education requirements. Major courses are selected from the curriculum of the School of Cinema-Television. The degree requires 128 units including 16 lower division units and 24 upper division units in Cinema-Television. A maximum of 40 CNTV upper division units will apply to the B.A. degree.

Applications for the undergraduate production program are accepted for both fall and spring semesters. See a current “Application to the University of Southern California” for deadlines. Applicants must submit a supplemental application and materials to the Undergraduate Production Program. For specific instructions, contact the Cinema-Television Office of Admission, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211, (213) 740-2911 or online at www-cntv.usc.edu.

The university’s general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This program requires 6 courses in different categories, plus writing, foreign language and diversity requirements, which are described in detail on General Education.

Undergraduates admitted to the Film and Television Production Program are required to take CTPR 241 Fundamentals of Cinema Technique, CTPR 242 Fundamentals of Cinematic Sound and CTPR 290 Cinematic Communication. CTPR 241, CTPR 242 and CTPR 290 are introductory production courses taken either in the second semester of the sophomore year or the first semester of the junior year after a student has completed the minimum required units and requirements toward his or her USC degree. CTWR 413 Writing the Short Script I is taken concurrently with CTPR 241, CTPR 242 and CTPR 290, and these four courses are prerequisites for the next production sequence, CTPR 310 and CTPR 376.

CTPR 241 is an experiential course dealing with the technical and aesthetic principles of directing, cinematography, editing, sound and the development of ideas through a cinematic vocabulary.

CTPR 242 introduces cinematic sound design, recording, editing, mixing and finishing through lectures, demonstrations and exercises.

In CTPR 290 students are taught the principles of film making through demonstrations, hands-on production and critical analysis. Each student makes five digital video non-dialogue movies using equipment supplied by the school. Approximately $1,200 should be budgeted for miscellaneous expenses, lab and insurance fees.

CTPR 310 Intermediate Film Production and CTPR 376 Intermediate Cinematography is the second production sequence required for the B.A., Film and Television Production track. These courses are also taken concurrently. In these workshops students work in teams of two, learning to collaborate and explore the expressive potential of sound and image through the production of two 16mm black and white films. Both are non-dialogue projects. Each student directs and prepares the soundtrack for the project he or she has written and is cinematographer and editor for his or her partner’s project. Most equipment and materials are provided by the school. However, approximately $2,000 should be budgeted for miscellaneous expenses, lab and insurance fees.

To qualify for enrollment in CTPR 310 and CTPR 376, students must fulfill all requirements outlined in the CTPR 310/376 guidelines distributed in CTPR 242. Students are required to form their own partnerships and will not be allowed to register and participate without having a qualified partner.

Because CTPR 310 and CTPR 376 are interrelated courses, they cannot be taken separately. Therefore, should a student fail to achieve a minimum grade of C (2.0) in either CTPR 310 or CTPR 376 (see the section on grade requirements) both courses must be retaken the subsequent semester.

Following CTPR 310 and CTPR 376, students can take one or more of the following courses: CTAN 448; CTPR 480; CTPR 484.

CTAN 448 Introduction to Film Graphics-Animation is a practical course in concepts, media and techniques related to the graphic film.

In CTPR 480 Production Work I, production majors form crews of eight to 10 persons to produce a synchronous sound project in one semester. Each student is responsible for a specific aspect of the production: director, line producer, assistant director, cinematographer, editor or sound.

Film/video stock, processing, equipment and facilities are provided by the school. There are extra personal expenses associated with all production workshops.

The selection of scripts and directors for the advanced production workshop (CTPR 480) is made by the production faculty. Note: To qualify to direct an advanced production workshop, a student must complete CTPR 480 (non-directing position) and take a specified directing class.

CTPR 484 Advanced Multi-Camera Television Workshop is a class in which students will produce a half-hour situation comedy pilot in one semester.

CTPR 241, CTPR 242, CTPR 290, CTPR 310, CTPR 376 and CTPR 480 cannot be waived or substituted with another course or transfer credit under any circumstances.

*Note that enrollment in CTPR 310/376 requires meeting specific guidelines.

A minimum grade of C, 2.0 (A = 4.0), must be earned in all required and prerequisite courses. A grade of C- (1.7) or lower will not fulfill a major requirement.

Students who do not earn the minimum grade of C (2.0) in CTPR 241, 242, 290, 310 and 376 after repeating these requirements will be disqualified from the program.

No more than 40 upper-division units can be taken in the major without approval of the Dean, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Registration in graduate level courses (numbered 500) for undergraduate credit requires prior approval of the School of Cinema-Television.

Cinema-Television majors are expected to meet with an advisor every semester to review their progress. Contact the Student Affairs Office (Carson Television Center, Garden Level G-130), (213) 740-8358, for appointments.

The Master of Fine Arts degree with a Film and Television Production track requires a minimum of 40 units in cinema-television at the 400 or 500 level. A thesis is not required for the M.F.A. degree.

Applications for the graduate production program are accepted for both fall and spring semesters. See a current Graduate Study Application for deadlines. Applicants must submit supplemental applications and materials to the Graduate Production Program. For specific instructions, contact the Cinema-Television Office of Admission, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211, (213) 740-2911 or online at www-cntv.usc.edu.

In addition to the 40 units, students are required to take 12 units of prerequisite courses (CTPR 507x Production I and CTPR 508x Production II) in their first year. These courses provide intensive preparation considered necessary for graduate studies in production at USC and cannot be waived or substituted with transfer credit.

CTPR 507x Production I (6 units) is designed to introduce the fundamental principles of motion picture production, emphasizing visual and auditory communication. The course is organized in correlated production, acting and sound sections. Each student makes five non-dialogue projects, serving as writer, producer, director, cinematographer, sound designer and editor. Projects are shot using digital cameras and edited on non-linear systems. Approximately $1,200 should be budgeted for miscellaneous expenses, lab and insurance fees. CTPR 507x is taken concurrently with CTCS 501 or CTCS 502 or CTCS 503 or CTCS 504 or CTCS 505 and CTWR 528 in the first semester.

In CTPR 508x Production II, students working in crews of two produce two non-dialogue projects. The primary goal is to communicate effectively through sound/image relationships. Each student directs and prepares the soundtrack for the project he or she has written and is cinematographer and editor for his or her partner’s project. Students must form their own partnerships and will not be allowed to register or participate without having a qualified partner. Most equipment and materials are provided by the school, but approximately $2,000 should be budgeted for miscellaneous expenses, lab and insurance fees. CTPR 508x is taken concurrently with CTWR 529 and CTCS 501 or CTCS 502 or CTCS 503 or CTCS 504 or CTCS 505.

CTPR 507x and CTPR 508x are preparatory courses and do not count toward the total 40 units required for the degree. A minimum grade of C (2.0) in CTPR 507x and CTPR 508x is required in order to continue in the Master of Fine Arts program. Students earning lower than a C (2.0) in a preparatory or core production course may repeat the requirement on a one time only basis upon approval of the division chair.

Students who do not earn the minimum grade in CTPR 507x and CTPR 508x or satisfy the degree requirements after repeating a required course will be disqualified from the program.

CTIN 584, CTPR 507x, CTPR 508x, CTPR 546L, CTPR 581abcz, CTPR 583, CTPR 586ab and CTPR 587abcz cannot be waived or substituted with transfer credit under any circumstances.

*Students must complete the prerequisites and follow the guidelines for CTIN 584, CTPR 581abcz, CTPR 582abz, CTPR 583, CTPR 586ab and CTPR 587abcz.

A minimum of two units of Cinema-Television electives at the 400 and 500 level is required.

**Four units of Cinema-Television electives at the 400 or 500 level if CTWR 553 is chosen.

A grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) must be maintained in all USC course work toward the master’s degree. Courses in which a grade of C- (1.7) or lower is earned will not apply toward a graduate degree.

Students must maintain satisfactory progress toward their master’s degree at all times. The time limit to complete all requirements is three years from the first course at USC applied toward the Master of Fine Arts degree. Course work more than seven years old is invalidated and will not be applied toward the degree.

One year prior to graduation, students are required to file M.F.A. forms for a curriculum and graduation review. Contact the Production Faculty Office for forms (213) 740-3317.