Al Pacino stars in Scarface, Brian DePalma's remake of the 1930s gangster classic of the same title.

Photo- 1983 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

This barrage of cyber images and sounds will be part of "The Language of Cinema: An Introduction to Your Critical and Creative Voice," the first distance-learning course offered by IMLearn - a new unit of USC's Annenberg Center for Communication that develops, markets and manages computer-based distance-learning programs.

Taught by noted film historian and School of Cinema-Television associate professor Drew Casper, "The Language of Cinema" is a cyberspace introduction to cinematic techniques and to the critical analysis of film as an entertainment medium, art form, cultural product, business and technology.

IMLearn officials expect the course to appeal especially to alumni from other USC programs.

"For those who never got to go to the film school, it's a chance to take a course in our program," said Jerry Isenberg, president of IMLearn and a professor in the School of Cinema-Television. "For those who've never seen Drew Casper, it's a chance to take a course with one of the greatest teachers this university has ever had. For those who want to get some experience of USC, this class is a great way to do it."

Each week, students from all over the world will see and hear a multimedia lecture over their computers - enhanced with video, sound and stills from such films as Goodfellas, North by Northwest, Scarface and Hud.

Through lectures, study groups, e-mail communications with Casper and teaching assistants, and screenings of 16 films during the semester, the students will experiment with their creative abilities in fundamental areas of filmmaking. Besides presenting an overview of cinematic communication, the course evaluates each student's potential and interests with regard to future study and employment in the film industry.

"Students need to feel that they can interact with material rather than sit passively and watch," Isenberg said. "We're going to make the interaction with the teacher and teaching assistants as immediate and simple and human as possible, so you can feel that you are dealing with people - not just a computer - at the other end."

Lectures, analyses and interactive workshops on CD-ROM will test students' critical and creative talents in the areas of screenwriting; film performance and acting styles; production design and art direction; cinematography, lighting and visual composition; production process and personnel; editing; sound design; special effects; film criticism; and film genres, with an emphasis on the gangster film.

Isenberg sees distance-learning as the next wave in film study. "We recognize that education is getting too costly," he said. "For many people, the highest quality education is not locally available. New technology is going to solve these problems if it's used properly."

"The Language of Cinema" will fully exploit the capabilities of the Information Superhighway.

"We're using computer programs to enable sound communications through the Internet," Isenberg said. "It isn't just typing. You can listen to voices. You can talk to people. We've structured it using an IRC [Internet Relay Chat] format," similar to a regular bulletin board chat systems such as AOL, but transmitted over the Internet.

"You'll get to know all the other people in your group as human beings," he said. "You'll hear your teaching assistant speaking to you in real time over your computer speakers and see pictures of him or her over the Internet. Unless you don't want it to, your own picture will also be going out to the people in your section."

As elaborate as this sounds, students won't have to make a major investment in computer hardware to participate - all they will need is a multimedia PC or MacIntosh computer and a VHS video player. Once a week, participants will watch seminars on the computer in real time. Other coursework includes participation in interactive workshops and live group discussions, correspondence by e-mail and monitoring a computer message board.

IMLearn will offer technical support if necessary, but Isenberg doesn't expect too much demand in that area.

"We're going to make the course enjoyable and hands-on," Isenberg said. "If you know how to start your computer and run word processing, you can run this course."

The cost for the fall 1996 course is $650 ($500 for non-credit students), plus $85 for materials and Internet access. The first term's enrollment will be capped at 400 students, with USC alumni receiving priority at registration.

In theory, though, enrollment could go as high as 5,000, or as low as 50. However, unlike students in a large lecture course, no one will have the sensation of sitting in the back row. Participants will be divided into small, 20-person sections. "They'll know the other 19 people and their teaching assistant," Isenberg said.

It makes perfect sense to teach a class in cinema over the Internet, Isenberg said.

"Film gives us the ability to deal with sound files and visual files. The cinema school is unique. It's the number-one program on the planet. There's a great demand for what we have to offer, and a lot of schools can't offer it. They don't have the experience or the wealth of contacts. In a far-removed place, you can't get the up-to-date thinking and technology we're able to deliver right here at USC."

Students can sign up for the class by calling IMLearn at (800) 806-4719 nationally, or at 743-2519 in Los Angeles."

Cybercinema

For more information on IMLearn, send email to

marketing@imlearn.com

or browse the Web site at

http://www.imlearn.com/