Hey, Freshie! Coasting Undecided into the College of Letters & Science? Feeling intimidated by all the hip art kids talking about how their favorite films relate to some abstract cultural-media analysis concept you’ve never heard of? Want to watch movies & learn how to geek out about watching movies using fancy words?
Take CA 350 with Professor Belodubrovskaya
If you’re considering dabbling in Communication Arts, which is a great program with awesome career resources that prepare you for a future in a wide variety of fields, be sure to take CA 350: Introduction to film.
I came across this awesome class somewhat by accident. As a Comm Arts major in the Rhetorical Science track, it’s required to take one course in the TV and Broadcasting track. Introduction to Film sounded enjoyable and relatively easy– We would spend each week in Lab watching critically acclaimed movies like Citizen Kane, Do The Right Thing and even The Matrix, then talk about them in Lecture and Discussion. All for three credit hours. Simple enough.
It ended up being a pretty big lecture, with close to 100 students. Professor Belodubrovskaya is a great and engaging lecturer, which makes the 50 minutes go by fast. She peppers your attention with interesting clips demonstrating the concepts we’re learning from some of the greatest movies, familiar and new. Her passion for cinema really shines through. Also, get ready to bring on the waterworks! (Do The Right Thing is the greatest movie you’ll watch in CA 350. ‘Nuff said.)
A newly converted cinephile
I did not expect that opening up to the whole new world of Cinematography would ignite a newfound passion for media creation within me. Learning how to analyze film as a medium made me appreciate good movies so much more. Plus, I soon felt like I had the vocabulary I needed to be up-to-par with explaining exactly why a movie is so good. In other words, I could confidently participate in pretentious conversations about movies with the other hipsters in my college.
For that reason, I say definitely take this class if you have the opportunity to! Soon you’ll be saying to yourself . . .