■ Film and Video Studies

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Performing Arts Building, Room A407
Phone: 703-993-3287
Web: favs.gmu.edu

Faculty

Giovanna Chesler, Director

Faculty: Britt, Charles, Chesler, Constantine, Fuchs, Hinton, Kehoe, Kraus, Mcdonald, Miller, Steger, Wood

Courses

The Film and Video Studies Program offers all courses designated FAVS in the Courses section of this catalog.

Undergraduate Program

The Film and Video Studies Program offers a 120-credit multidisciplinary BA degree, which spans many units including Art and Visual Technology, Communication, Computer Game Design, English, History and Art History, Modern and Classical Languages, New Century College, and Theater. Students study film and video production, film theory and criticism, emerging technologies in film, ethics, screenwriting, and business practices in the film industry.

The vocabulary of film (broadly defined) pervades the intellectual, cultural, political, and social landscape. The craft of film-making includes fictional storytelling through genre, documentary and nonfiction, collaborative production with community organizations, the application of academic research, engagement with sound theory and design, and personal and poetic expression. Emerging technologies and mobile viewing change both the means of production and reception. This combination of factors makes film an important area for academic inquiry and professional and artistic training.

Portfolio Requirement

All students are admitted to the Film and Video Studies (FAVS) program of study separately from their admission to the university and only by portfolio review. Admission to the university is determined by the Admissions Office.

New students at Mason may apply to the BA program upon admission to the university through a portfolio review. The portfolio must include the following:

Part I:

250-300 word essay describing the student’s interest in film and video

Part 2:

One of the following:

500 word treatment for an original fictional film
500 word proposal for a potential documentary film (i.e. story involving participants and that represents real life)
500 word analysis of the business aspects of a film, or the film and video industry

Part 3: (OPTIONAL):

A video, demo reel, or evidence of business-related work in film and video as a web link

Detailed information about the above requirements and the portfolio process, including dates and submission guidelines, can be found on the FAVS web site, favs.gmu.edu

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated “writing-intensive” in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students seeking a BA in film and video studies fulfill this requirement by completing FAVS 470 , FAVS 498 or THR 482 .

Upper-Level Credits

All undergraduate students are required to complete a minimum of 45 credits of upper-division courses at the 300-499 level.

Graduate Program affiliated with Film and Video Studies

The Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) with a concentration in Film and Video Studies (MAIS in Film and Video Studies) in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences is designed for students who seek a degree that integrates knowledge from several disciplines in the area of film and video. This MAIS program addresses a rapidly evolving demand for specialized and individualized graduate study.

The degree requires course work with FAVS program and faculty and selected courses from other disciplines including Art and Visual Technology, Communication, Educational Instructional Technology, English, and History. Students complete their degree with a project or thesis. For additional information, please refer to the MAIS in Film and Video Studies in the catalog.

Academic Policies

Please see College of Visual and Performing Arts for college academic policies.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree(s)

Film and Video Studies, BA