Cinematic Arts - Zaki Gordon Center
Stephan Schultze, B.S., M.Adm., M.F.A.
Executive Director, Cinematic Arts – Zaki Gordon Center
Purpose
Cinema is a broad-reaching form of communication, and the purpose of the Cinematic Arts – Zaki Gordon Center is to glorify God by reflecting the truths of Scripture through cinema. The Cinematic Arts – Zaki Gordon Center at Liberty University is distinctive because of its approach in training the next generation of filmmakers in a Christ-focused environment. Dr. Jerry Falwell coined “Saturation Evangelism” as the ability to reach every available person through every available means. Liberty University’s Cinematic Arts – Zaki Gordon Center supports the scope of that mission.
The cinematic arts have a colorful history and a body of criticism and theory that has been developed regarding the production and viewing of films. Through the viewing and analysis of selected films the student will be introduced to the major theories and history of the art form.
Offered: Resident
Continue your journey in Cinematic Arts Appreciation by experiencing a hybrid blend of theoretical and practical learning that investigates the visual, aural, and written cinematic arts forms.
Offered: Resident
This is a methods course intended to provide instruction in the fundamentals of screenwriting. Basic three-act structure, writing techniques, character development, and screenwriting software will be covered. This class may be used as part of the required CORE curriculum needed for students to apply and enter into the residential Center for Cinematic Arts cohort their Junior year.
Offered: Resident and Online
This is a methods course intended to provide instruction in the fundamentals of motion picture directing. Analyzing scripts, adjusting actor performance and director responsibility in the workplace will be discussed.
Offered: Resident
This is a methods course intended to provide instruction in the fundamentals of visual and auditory storytelling.
Offered: Resident
Students will learn the concepts of producing low-budget professional independent films from license and rights to distribution.
Offered: Resident
This course provides instruction in the fundamentals of documentary producing and directing by analyzing documentaries, finding the story and the producer/director's responsibility in the workplace will be explored.
Offered: Resident
This course covers basic Pro Tools principles. It provides everything you need to complete a Pro Tools project from initial setup to final mix-down. The course focuses on Pro Tools software and covers a multitude of new functions and feature enhancements. Whether your project involves recording live instruments, MIDI sequencing of software synthesizers, or audio editing or region looping, this course will give you the basic skills to succeed.
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: CINE 271
CINE 272 - Pro Tools Fundamentals II (3 hours)
Offered: Resident
Media Composer Fundamentals I (CINE 281) is the first course of study for pursuing Media Composer user certification. You will learn the basic principles you need to know to be successful with Media Composer. This course will familiarize you with the practices and processes you will use to complete a Media Composer project. Lessons and exercises focus on a phase of the editing process, starting with organizing media, assembling a sequence, refining a sequence, creating titles and effects, and finally outputting your program so others can view it.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
Media Composer Fundamentals II (CINE 282) deepens the skills taught in Media Composer Fundamentals I (CINE 281) and will teach you what you need to know to be successful with Media Composer at a higher level. This course will familiarize you with the practices and processes you will use to complete a Media Composer project. Lessons and exercises will focus on a phase of the editing process, and will take you from syncing dailies, through editing and revision, and finally into sound mixing, effects, and title creation. You will learn the tools required to successfully deliver a project from beginning to end.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
Offered: Resident
The course is designed to increase the understanding of the American legal system and those legal principles that apply to the business environment. Business organizations, torts, contracts, intellectual property, and employment relationships and issues are among the topics discussed.
Offered: Resident
An intensive study of film theory, focusing both on international cinema and classic Hollywood Films, the course includes analysis and application. Topics covered include story structure, montage, and the development of visual and narrative techniques.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
A practical study of the various theories and methodologies of Cinema direction and producing using application, classroom examination and exercises.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
A study of the theory and practice in planning, execution of various digital cinema productions with emphasis on skill development and production techniques.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
Study techniques and aesthetics of storytelling through Post-production. These techniques will address both the visual and audio process, as well as the tools that make it possible.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
The study of the profession of film acting and the film industry's expectations of the actor and director.
Offered: Resident
This course examines all of the people and processes involved in feature film production in all phases of production.
Offered: Resident
In this condensed exploration of filmmaking, students learn the process of developing a low-budget film. Translating a minimum budget into the maximum quality on screen is the main focus of this course. Topics include: setting up a production company, financing and development, pre-production planning, production techniques, post-production workflow, and distribution. Students will prepare a producer's breakdown and production budget for a micro-budget screenplay.
Offered: Online
This course explores the use of theology in cinema. As an introductory course, it seeks to answer the questions that many Christians face about movies as an artistic medium. Namely, "How should Christians view cinematic arts?" This course will also focus on helping students approach movies with the eyes of a theologian. Specifically, it will instruct students to evaluate and interpret movies from a theological/philosophical perspective. Part of this will involve viewing specific movies and exegeting them to see what they reveal about culture and truth.
Offered: Online
Study techniques to translate written scripts into visual storytelling by making a short film using High Definition equipment. Storytelling techniques employed will encompass the fundamental technical understanding of working with digital camera, lenses, lighting, sound, hair/make up, wardrobe, and production design.
Offered: Resident
Retell the story in the post-production process by evaluating the potential of an entertainment property of a film within a market in order to ensure maximum exposure. (Formerly CINE 451)
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: COMS 323 and CINE 202 and CINE 203 and CINE 305 and CINE 352 and THEA 320 and COMS 333 and HUMN 301
Write character-driven plots, while insuring that what is written translates to the screen as intended. Students will understand the business of writing while learning to write, edit, develop characters, and pitch the resulting screenplay.
Offered: Resident
Audio production for Cinematic Arts is the study of how sound is captured, manipulated and presented in the world of on-screen storytelling. Students will learn and experience proper sound theory and engineering by creating and polishing sound design in a thesis film project.
Offered: Resident
This course is designed for students interested in developing documentary non-fiction pieces. The course is oriented toward field production, exploring various approaches to audio documentary work, from the journalistic to the personal. Students will learn and experience proper sound theory and engineering by creating and polishing sound design in several short documentary film projects.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
The Pro Tools Production II course covers the core concepts and skills needed to operate an Avid Pro Tools | Ultimate system with HD-series hardware in a professional studio environment. This course builds on the Pro Tools Fundamentals I and II series of courses, providing intermediate and advanced-level Pro Tools concepts and techniques.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
Advanced Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro prepares students for a future career in post-production by covering in-depth technical aspects of Adobe Premiere Pro - including, but not limited to, project creation, bin and sequence structuring, manipulating the timeline, effects and compositing controls, exporting for delivery, project management utilities, and all other tools and settings available to the Adobe Premiere editor.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
This workshop is for the aspiring stunt person and future action filmmaker interested in learning how to film action scenes for the camera. Students will have the opportunity to learn and practice movie stunts in front of the camera while also learning camera techniques used to capture the action.
Offered: Resident
This course will cover the design and execution of camera movement using Steadicam, Ronin, Jibs, dollies, handheld. The student will have the classroom and hands on instruction time that leads to the Cinematic Arts certification for Steadicam, Ronin, and Pee Wee Dolly.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
The student will learn advanced techniques in lighting, develop skills using light meters, HMIs, distribution equipment and various grip tools. The course will involve design as well as application resulting in further mastery of the tools.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
A practical study of the computerized budgeting process as applied to the motion picture industry. Emphasizes techniques and styles of efficient budgeting by completing research into building a line item production budget. Includes techniques to account for fringes, union and non-union scales and foreign currency.
Registration Restrictions: Junior/Senior status
Offered: Resident
A practical study of the computerized scheduling process as applied to the motion picture industry. Emphasizes techniques and styles of efficient scheduling by completing a script breakdown, breakdown sheets, production strip board, production schedule, shooting schedule and one-liner.
Registration Restrictions: Junior/Senior status
Offered: Resident
This course familiarizes students with the basic principles of Visual Effects processes and production. Skills learned in the course may be applied to programs such as Autodesk Maya, Cinema 4D, 3D Studio Max, and Adobe After Effects and will facilitate the digital creation of both 2D and 3D objects and effects to be used in motion video.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor Approval Required
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: COMS 323 and CINE 202 and CINE 203 and CINE 305 and CINE 350 and CINE 352 and CINE 353 and THEA 320 and COMS 333 and COMS 345 and HUMN 301 and BUSI 301
Students will produce a long-format movie as a class by first gaining the understanding about how departments interface within their respective duties in order to bring the project to the production phase of moviemaking.
Offered: Resident
A practical study in the dynamics of establishing, funding, and managing a small new enterprise, or acquiring an existing business using case studies, practical exercises, and class instruction.
Registration Restrictions: Junior/Senior status.
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: COMS 323 and CINE 202 and CINE 203 and CINE 305 and CINE 350 and CINE 352 and CINE 353 and THEA 320 and COMS 333 and COMS 345 and HUMN 301 and BUSI 301
Through the production of a long-format film, students, working on a class project will be immersed in the understanding of leading and crewing narratives and documentaries, as these films incorporate increasingly advanced technical demands, and sophisticated production.
Offered: Resident
A practical study in the dynamics of marketing and distributing of film, using case studies, practical exercises, and class instruction. The class covers strategies and thought processes behind planning release schedules, designing movie posters, setting up co-branded marketing efforts, estimating budgets, maximizing/leveraging publicity from film festivals. In addition, the class will focus on the marketing/distribution of a variety of films including tent-pole blockbusters, and small independent personal art house films. Distribution modalities for theatrical, direct to DVD, TV, VOD, and SVOD will be explored. Students will implement a grass roots marketing campaign through the various mediums of social media to market their thesis film or feature length screenplay. (Formerly CINE 352)
Offered: Resident
Advanced post-production focuses on completing a student's senior thesis project. It involves learning and using finishing tools such as color correction and basis effects. Students go through the final post production process of taking the film from raw footage (4k) to final deliverables.
Offered: Resident
The screenplay rewrite is the mature subjective examination of one's work. In this course, students will learn how to evaluate a script based on specific principles of dramatic writing. The script will be analyzed and observations made by asking: Does the script maintain the stated theme? Are character arcs fully realized? Is the story structure well defined? Is there a clear hero objective throughout the story? Does the action of the story proceed with conflict and direction? "Rewriting is where the game is won or lost; rewriting is the essence of writing." William Zinsser, On Writing Well.
Offered: Resident
Advanced audio production for Cinematic Arts further explores the creative and technical field of sound design. The course will develop student's abilities in spotting music, placing and editing sound effects, and multi-format surround sound deliverables. This course builds on the knowledge and experience developed in the Audio Production (CINE 354) class. Students will polish their thesis film projects in 5.1 and/or 7.1 surround sound formats and develop specific international deliverables, such as an M&E mix.
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: CINE 201 and CINE 202 and CINE 203 and (RSCH 201 or Inquiry Research with a score of 80 or Research with a score of 80 or Research (prior to 2017-2018) with a score of 80)
The study, analysis and practice of argument, rhetoric used to change attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of targeted audiences in cinematic art.
Offered: Resident
Workshops in digital film production processes and techniques. Analysis of successful and unsuccessful production methods. Professional relationships and networking.
Offered: Resident
Supervised field experience within the Film Industry, corporations, government agencies, schools and community organizations to expand career interests and apply subject knowledge relevant to the workplace. Individualized internship placements to develop personal and professional skills, including professional ethics, leadership, and civic responsibility.
Registration Restrictions: Student must have a GPA of 3.00; have completed specific degree requirements as required by the program, have completed the internship application process and have prior approval from the Program Executive Director
Note: Applications are processed through the department Faculty Intern Advisor. Applicants must apply the semester prior to starting the internship.
Offered: Resident