Hollywood.  It’s one of the most influential businesses since the Industrial Age.  It’s where the movies that change the world—for good and bad--are made.  It’s an epicenter for the formation of American popular culture and the port of departure from which this culture is exported to the world. 

For students at the L.A. Film Studies Center (LAFSC), Hollywood is a place to be explored, engaged and critiqued; as a city, an industry and a calling.  A semester at LAFSC is time and space reserved for academic and experiential inquiry, using the city as the primary text for research. 

Core Courses

HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION WORKSHOP (3 credits)
Students work collaboratively in groups to create a festival-ready piece, including all the legal documentation and rights to enable the finished production to qualify for festival submission.  The course offers students the opportunity to make a motion picture production using Hollywood locations, resources, and protocol.  Students participate in a competitive vetting process of scripts, pitches, and meetings much like the process of the professional industry. For, example, those who want to direct submit reels for review by a selection panel.  This course operates as a community-building experience in which all students participate in at least one key role in the production process.  The course also offers small group tutorials for each student’s production position.  The workshop environment is specifically designed to meet the needs of both novice and experienced students.  The major emphases of the course are the importance of each contribution to a production, the process of production, and effective production management.  This course compliments the more specialized, skill-focused elective courses and is taught by professional, experienced Christian filmmakers with credits in the Hollywood industry.

*Please Note: A $250.00 lab fee will go towards the production cost of the films, which may include, location fees, special equipment rental, film and/or video stock, lab processing and transfer, expendables, meals, etc.

Instructors: John K. Bucher Jr., MA Communication/Film, University of Colorado;  Jeremy Casper, MA Communication/Film: Directing & Cinematography, Regent University

Possible credits: Communication, Art, Business, English/Writing, Elective

 Hollywood Production Workshop Syllabus

THEOLOGY IN HOLLYWOOD (4 credits)
This course encourages the development of the necessary skills for analysis of the culture of Hollywood, its role in popular culture and the theological intersections therein.  The course seeks theological engagement with the culture of Hollywood and cinema by investigating some of the social, ethical, and psychological implications of film upon theology.  The course is presented in four modules, each building on the content of the previous module: 1) an analysis of the culture of Hollywood; 2) a study of theology/Bible and engagement with Hollywood and cinema; 3) Christian ethics and the culture of Hollywood; and 4) a capstone examination of Christian vocation in Hollywood. All students participate in a team-taught lecture seminar led by a professor of theology. Students also participate in small group tutorials, service learning, and discussions.

Instructor: Rebecca Ver Straten-McSparran, MDiv Philosophical Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary

Possible credits: Biblical Studies/Theology, Philosophy, Ethics, Sociology, Communication

 Theology in Hollywood Syllabus

INTERNSHIP: INSIDE HOLLYWOOD (6 credits)
Students participate in an internship experience in some aspect of the Hollywood entertainment industry. These are nonpaying positions primarily in an office setting such as development companies, agencies, management companies, post-production facilities, etc. Students work 20 to 24 hours a week, spread over a three day schedule and accumulate 200-250 hours for the semester.  Orientation to the internship includes an overview of the creative and operational aspects of the Hollywood entertainment business, including the Christian's role working therein.  The internships do not include positions on actual filmmaking locations. Instead, students work in offices as support personnel to producers, writers, directors, agents, post-production personnel, and others involved in the total process of producing and distributing a major motion picture. LAFSC provides interns to many of the major companies within Hollywood.

Supervisor: Christine Krebsbach, MA Communication/Film: Producing, Regent University  

Possible credits: Communication, Art, Business, English/Writing, Elective

 Internship: Inside Hollywood Syllabus

Elective Courses

MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION (3 credits)
This is an intense, hands-on course in short film production. Students individually write, shoot, direct and edit their own projects. Visual storytelling is achieved through developing skills in directing, cinematography and editing.  The course is designed to enable both novice and advanced students to develop their integration of story with technical skill.  The course is taught by professional, experienced Christian filmmakers with credits in the Hollywood industry. 

Instructors: John K. Bucher Jr., MA Communication/Film, University of Colorado;  Jeremy Casper, MA Communication/Film: Directing & Cinematography, Regent University

Possible credits: Communication, Art

 Motion Picture Production Syllabus

PROFESSIONAL SCREENWRITING (3 credits)
This is a course in contemporary screenwriting, including an understanding of dramatic structure, character and dialogue development, and the writing process.  Students complete a full-length screenplay for a feature film or "movie-of-the-week."  Whether novice or advanced, students are expected to develop and improve their skills. Emphasis is given to the role of Christian faith and values as they relate to script content. The course is taught by a working, credited Christian screenwriter.

Instructor: Kris Young, MFA Screenwriting, University of California at Los Angeles, Kris also teaches screenwriting at UCLA.

Possible credits: Communication, English/Writing, Elective

 Professional Screenwriting Syllabus

INDEPENDENT STUDY (3 credits)
This course may be setup by special request and arrangement.  In order to be considered students may submit a portfolio and a project proposal.  Students with approved projects will be appointed a mentor who is a professional in the Hollywood industry to supervise the project.  Projects could include further development of a portfolio or reel, critical research, or a senior thesis project. 

Please Note: The Independent study option is not guaranteed and is intended for students with experience in a specific area of cinema or those needing to complete a senior project for graduation.  The number of independent studies offered each semester will be determined by LAFSC faculty, the availability of a suitable mentor and approval from your school’s film/communications department head.