Filmmaking: Production and Dramatic Writing

Dramatic writing and film/video production remain essential elements of contemporary entertainment industry platforms that are rapidly expanding in every sphere of artistic production.  This cross-disciplinary certificate provides UK students with the opportunity to study and practice the art and craft of filmmaking by taking a sequence of courses offered in the Department of Theatre & Dance and the School of Art & Visual Studies in dramatic writing and film/video production leading to the capstone course in visual storytelling A-S 446.   Students completing the five-course, fifteen credit hour certificate program will have learned filmmaking skills from certificate faculty with training and experience in the field of video production, filmmaking and screenwriting, and will have written and produced their own short films. Successful completion of the certificate program will position students for careers in a variety of entertainment platforms and prepare students for entrance into graduate film schools.

• Freshman Admission: Applicants who have not attended a college or university upon completion of secondary school AND who have met all requirements including English proficiency as noted below.
• Transfer Admission : Applicants who have attended a college or university upon completion of secondary school AND met all requirements including English proficiency as noted below.
• Non-degree Admission: Applicants who are exchange or visiting students.

• Conditional Admission: Applicants who meet UK’s academic requirements for admission but do not meet the minimum language proficiency requirement or the departmental specific requirements (such as certain SAT/ACT math scores for Engineering and Nursing).
  • Students who are offered conditional admission because of English may either resubmit a higher TOEFL/IELTS score or enroll in UK's Center for English as a Second Language program. The duration of these courses will depend on placement test results and individual student progress. Upon successful completion of the English language course(s), the student will move seamlessly into a degree program at UK. This means no TOEFL/IELTS scores will be required if students complete CESL.
  • Students who require a higher math score for Engineering may submit a higher score or switch their intended major to a program that does not have specific requirements.
  • No additional application is required for Conditional Admission.

COURSES:

• A-S 285 LENS ARTS. (3) A-S 285 is an introductory course in digital image making that focuses on the still and moving image as an art practice. Students will learn the fundamentals of camera operation and still and moving image editing software in order to build an individualized portfolio. Students will be introduced to contemporary lens arts practice through research and assignments.
• *A-S 346 DIGITAL VIDEO. (3) An intermediate level course in which students learn video editing and compositing methods, color techniques, masking and key effects in the digital video application environment. Storyboarding, shot lists, and audio and sound design will be emphasized for all projects. Creative work may be collaborative and or individual. Prereq: A-S 285 or consent of instructor.
• A-S 446 DIGITAL VIDEO STORYTELLING (3) A digital video class with emphasis placed on use of camera and postproduction editing and keyframing skills for an advanced student. Curriculum will focus on the required creation of a series of short original video works. Industry practices of shot lists, color correction and post-production, such as AfterEffects will be explored in depth. Video works for this course can be 2-D animation, projection, installation or screen based.  Prereq: A-S 346.
• DRAMATIC WRITING: FUNDAMENTALS – TA 316 This course will introduce students to the art and craft of dramatic writing for stage and screen. Class work will involve required reading and discussion of playwriting and screenwriting texts and plays and screenplays by influential playwrights and screenwriters as well as writing exercises and workshops involving the reading of student-written assignments and discussion of the work. The semester will be dedicated to the fundamentals of dramatic writing: a review of Aristotle's Poetics including his Six Elements of Drama (Plot, Character, Theme, Language, Spectacle and Music) and the application of the elements via writing exercises that will introduce the students to a variety of styles and genres; the development of a 10 Minute play or screenplay by each student; and required reading of texts and plays and screenplays with a special emphasis on the craft of re-writing, the collaborative process and the life and work of contemporary playwrights and screenwriters.
• DRAMATIC WRITING: SCREENWRITING - TA 436 An advanced dramatic writing course in the art and craft of screenwriting. Students will learn advanced techniques in plot structure, dramatic narrative, character arcs, expressive dialogue and visual storytelling in order to draft and complete carefully crafted and polished short screenplays.

Any UK student with a demonstrated interest in film/video production and dramatic writing can apply to be admitted to the certificate program, by completing the following:

1. A written statement demonstrating an interest and commitment to film/video production and dramatic writing
2. A resume/Curriculum Vita
3. A 5-7 page creative writing sample
4. A sample short (3-5 minute) film/video
5. Submit all of these materials, together, via email, to: [email protected] and [email protected]

Once you have submitted the above, we will review your application. If you are approved, we email you and we will alert your academic advisor. Then you will need to submit a Major Change Request through myUK Degree Planning & Registration to add the Certificate to your transcript.