New Major in Cinematic Arts Premieres

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• Erika Johnson- [email protected]

Topics covered:

• School of Arts and Humanities
• Institute of Arts and Humanities
• Cinematic arts
• Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts
• Media

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A new major in cinematic arts has launched at the University of California San Diego. The interdisciplinary program, which blends the theory and production of film, became available to current students last year and is now open to all prospective students this fall. Students can choose from more than 90 courses spanning visual arts, communication, literature, ethnic studies, sociology, history and theatre and dance.

UC San Diego's study and creation of moving-image arts has been steadily growing for years, building on the success of its film studies minor and the long history of film scholarship in the Department of Visual Arts, the Department of Communication and the Department of Literature. The major introduces new courses, several of which will be taught by the Department of Visual Arts' recently hired inaugural endowed chair in cinematic arts-artist and filmmaker Alison O'Daniel.

"We are thrilled to launch a new major in cinematic arts, housed within the Institute of Arts and Humanities-a hub for cross-disciplinary research and cultural understanding," said Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities Cristina Della Coletta. "This experiential program prepares students to become poignant storytellers, equipped with technical mastery and ready to enter a range of fields."

Students with a passion for filmmaking have access to numerous resources at UC San Diego. The School of Arts and Humanities' Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts offers fellowship opportunities, equipment rentals, public film screenings and panels as well as a forthcoming 3,000-square-foot production studio. Additionally, the campus's Media Teaching Lab houses a wide range of professional film equipment, studio spaces and editing suites for student use. And there are abundant social and educational opportunities through student organizations like Triton Television as well as film festivals led by or hosted at the university throughout the year.

Lights, camera, action!

Junior Isabelle Liang has her heart set on a career in entertainment. She was drawn to the cinematic arts major because she wanted to experience the entire process of making a film. Thus far, Liang has completed courses in directing, cinematography, non-linear sound editing and screenwriting.

"I especially love the studio classes, which allow me to not only learn filmmaking skills but also immediately put them into practice by creating my own projects," said Liang. "That mix of learning and doing is what makes the major so valuable. I'm coming out with skills and projects that are helping me build a portfolio of my work."

While gaining insights about what it means to write screenplays and direct productions, Liang has also starred in her own films and acted in her peers' projects. Each creative project has helped refine her vision for the type of stories she wants to tell.

"Being able to explore both sides of the camera has made me more confident and well-rounded as I prepare for a career in film," said Liang. "I really want to work in the entertainment industry and tell the stories that matter to me - stories that reflect my own authentic voice."

Scripting an interdisciplinary major

Guiding students to discover who they are as filmmakers is a primary objective of the program. "You will learn what kinds of films you want to make, but more importantly, you will learn who you are," explained Michael Trigilio, a faculty member in the Department of Visual Arts and inaugural director of the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts. "The goal is for students to produce projects that are important to them, to learn how to contribute to our collective cultural understanding of each other."

Isabelle Liang with a peer working on three point lighting technique in a course on cinematography.

Mony Park believes everyone has a story to tell. An alumna of the Department of Visual Arts' media program, Park has come full circle and is now teaching a new course, "Fundamentals of Cinematography." The lecture and lab class invites students into the studio to hone their style and voice, each producing their own film by the end of the quarter.

On day one, she tells her students, "You need to find your voice and style; nobody can decide for you." Her own voice was inspired by Visual Arts faculty (now emeriti) Babette Mangolte and Laida Lertxundi, whom she studied with when she first enrolled in 2006. "I didn't know what I wanted to do until I met these feminist, experimental, radical filmmakers. It was very intimidating to learn from one of the greatest cinematographers (Mangolte); she was always pushing me to experiment and grow."

Drawing on her career as a narrative filmmaker, Park channels her diverse experience into teaching, passing on key lessons to her students. She encourages them to be authentic storytellers and teaches them the importance of collaboration in achieving their creative vision. She also compels them to take chances.

"I tell my students to take risks now, because later you're not granted the luxury of making mistakes on set," she said. "Filming something you don't like is just as important as filming something you do like. It's all about discovering your story and how to tell it."