Film history studies the development of film equipment and techniques, and compares them to modern films. Students will analyze the social commentary and subtext present in classic films like "The Battleship Potemkin" and "The Seventh Seal." Students will also learn about early equipment like the kinetoscope and the zoetrope and explore how film equipment has evolved over time.
Film theory explores the meanings in film. Students watch films from different eras to compare and contrast the meanings. Students learn how to convey a message through lighting, frame composition, editing and camera movement. For example, a film like "The Silence of the Lambs" may seem like a serial killer movie on the surface, but underneath is a message about the difficulties of females in male dominated workplaces.
In screenwriting, students learn to format stage direction and dialog on a page. Anything that cannot be displayed either visually or spoken by an actor -- like what a character is thinking -- shouldn't go in a screenplay. Students will also learn the basics of the three act structure, and how to build and maintain themes and subtext throughout the course of a script.
Film schools often teach film and video editing. The focus may be on non-linear digital video editing with Avid or Final Cut Pro, or may focus on physically cutting 16 or 35 millimeter film and syncing it with a sound track using pre-digital techniques. Edited films will then be critiqued, either by professors or classmates, to help students continue to learn techniques.