Film and Television
College of Communication
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Screen Language: The Aesthetics, Grammar, and Rhetoric of the Moving Image
COM FT 201
Students study and practice the art and craft of expressing themselves persuasively through audio-visual media. The aim is both to familiarize students with the conventions of screen language and to test the validity of those norms. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 2 (June 30-August 8)
B1 (IND) Tues./Thurs. 1-4:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Monday, June 30, 2025 Last day to add Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, July 24, 2025 Course End Date Friday, August 8, 2025 Location: COM 214 ... Open SeatsAaron Kopp -
Understanding Film
COM FT 250
Introduces students to key aesthetic aspects of film. Students study a variety of historical and contemporary examples of fiction and nonfiction films that illustrate the expressive possibilities of image and sound. Students learn to analyze, explain, and write about these formal elements. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Critical Thinking. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 1 (May 20-June 27)
A1 (IND) Tues./Thurs. 9 am-12:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Last day to add Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, June 12, 2025 Course End Date Friday, June 27, 2025 Location: COM B05 ... Open SeatsBruno Guarana -
Storytelling for Film and Television
COM FT 310
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - An introduction to the art and craft of storytelling through the moving image. Particular emphasis is given to writing short scripts. Topics covered include character development and narrative structure as it applies to shorts, features, and episodic television. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 1 (May 20-June 27)
A1 (IND) Tues./Wed./Thurs. 10 am-12:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Last day to add Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, June 12, 2025 Course End Date Friday, June 27, 2025 Location: COM 106 ... Open SeatsJustin ShatrawSummer 2 (June 30-August 8)
B1 (IND) Tues./Wed./Thurs. 10 am-12:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Monday, June 30, 2025 Last day to add Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, July 24, 2025 Course End Date Friday, August 8, 2025 Location: COM 106 ... Open SeatsJanice Pieroni -
Production I
COM FT 353
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMFT201) with a grade of B- or higher - An intensive course in all the fundamental aspects of motion picture production. Students learn to use cameras, sound recording equipment, and editing software and then apply these skills to several short productions. Emphasizes the language of visual storytelling and the creative interplay of sound and image. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 1 (May 20-June 27)
A1 (IND) Mon./Tues. 9 am-12:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Last day to add Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, June 12, 2025 Course End Date Friday, June 27, 2025 Location: COM B31 ... Open SeatsAbiodun Akinsehinwa -
Super Heroes in Film
COM FT 460
Online Offering. Focusing on films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), this course explores the thematic and aesthetic aspects that have made super hero films so popular. Students learn and utilize basic film studies terminology (the close-up, the long take, cross-cutting, etc.) in order to understand how filmmakers create meaning through the use of specific cinematic techniques. In addition, the course contextualizes MCU films by explaining how each has operated within Marvel's cinematic history and its competition with DC. Taking the films themselves and their historical context into consideration, students are introduced to a basic understanding of the field of film studies and the types of analyses those working in the field undertake. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 2 (June 30-August 8)
O2 (IND) Arranged Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Monday, June 30, 2025 Last day to add Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, July 24, 2025 Course End Date Friday, August 8, 2025 ... Open SeatsFrancis VanariaOnline Course: Meets online every Tues & Thurs 5-6 pm for a live classRead a BU Today article about this course: A Scholarly Take on Superheroes.For information about technology requirements for online courses at Boston University, see bu.edu/online/online-learning/technology. BU Virtual can be reached at buvirtual@bu.edu or 617-358-1960 for additional information. -
Promoting Your Content Online
COM FT 521
Teaches students how to market their creative works online. Students learn to identify targeted marketing and distribution platforms for new websites, pilots, video channels, series, and blogs. Explores how to use social media to find an audience, generate buzz, and identify potential funding sources. Students also learn practical entrepreneurial tools needed to organize their creative work as a business venture. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 1 (May 20-June 27)
A1 (IND) Mon./Wed. 1-4:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Last day to add Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, June 12, 2025 Course End Date Friday, June 27, 2025 Location: COM 213 ... Open SeatsMargaret WallaceMeets w/COM CM 502 -
Special Topics
COM FT 554
Topic for Summer 2025: The Horror Genre - Classic Creatures and Contemporary Scares. Do horror films tap into your inner anxieties? Audiences and scholars have grappled with the genre's fascination with the uncanny and the genre's deeper implications for years. In this course, we will touch on terrifying creatures--from vampires, monsters, zombies and demons--to the psychological realms of body horror and madness. Films may include foundational films like Nosferatu and The Bride of Frankenstein, to horror classics like The Exorcist and Alien, as well as the modern forms of Hereditary, Train to Busan and Get Out. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 2 (June 30-August 8)
B1 (IND) Mon./Wed. 1-4:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Monday, June 30, 2025 Last day to add Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, July 24, 2025 Course End Date Friday, August 8, 2025 Location: COM 213 ... Open SeatsJohn HallTopic: The Horror Genre - Classic Creatures and Contemporary Scares -
2D Animation Basics
COM FT 590
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMFT201) - From TV shows to feature films and webisodes, 2D animation is more popular than ever, but how is it created' This fun yet intensive hands-on beginner course teaches all the fundamental skills needed to create great 2D character animation--the way it's done in the industry, with Adobe Animate CC. Through progressive lessons, students learn basic drawing and character design, storytelling, and how to make characters walk, talk, and come to life. The course covers acting, timing, and facial expressions, drawing "keys and in-betweens," scene composition, color backgrounds, and more. The history of animation and industry trends are also discussed. Students complete numerous projects including a fully produced animated short film. Many of the skills covered in this class can also be applied to 3D and experimental animation, filmmaking, art, and broadcast design. 4 cr. Tuition: $3260
Summer 2 (June 30-August 8)
B1 (IND) Mon./Wed. 6-9:30 pm Add & Drop DatesCourse Start Date Monday, June 30, 2025 Last day to add Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop without "W" grade Monday, July 7, 2025 Last day to drop with "W" grade Thursday, July 24, 2025 Course End Date Friday, August 8, 2025 Location: COM 310 ... Open SeatsGabriel Polonsky