The Digital Cinema major at Southern Oregon University offers the most career-oriented film and television production curriculum in the State of Oregon. Students learn visual storytelling, creative problem-solving, and professional collaboration using industry-standard production technologies, while developing essential cross-cutting skills in leadership, communication, adaptability, critical thinking, equitable and sustainable practices, teamwork, and conflict management. Our courses merge theory with practice through hands-on, experiential learning.
While rooted in the film school tradition, the Digital Cinema major embraces entrepreneurship and innovation to prepare students for dynamic careers in an expanding video arts and entertainment landscape that includes conventional motion pictures, documentary media, streaming television, web series, virtual reality, social and mobile media, live and interactive media experiences, film festivals, and cinematic platforms and technologies that have yet to be invented. Career pathways for the graduating Digital Cinema student include entry-level crew positions in film and video production or post-production services, creative development, or graduate study in film and video, as well as opportunities in video journalism, advertising and marketing, corporate and non-profit communications, event videography, and independent media production.
To earn a BA/BS degree in Digital Cinema, students must achieve a minimum major GPA of 2.75 and complete a capstone project in one of three identified areas: production thesis (filmmaking), screenwriting, or career track/film professional development. All courses must be taken for a letter grade unless instructor permission is obtained.
The Digital Cinema major is offered by the Communication, Media & Cinema program in the Division of Business, Communication, and the Environment.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of a BFA in Digital Cinema Production Arts, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate their fluency in professional pre-production, production, and post-production tools, including camera, lighting, grip, and audio equipment, and software used in story development, pre-production, production management, and post-production.
- Utilize the formal elements, principles, and structures of narrative to conceive and plan story ideas and translate those stories into compelling sounds and images, moving beyond technical competency into style, narrative logic, and aesthetic coherence.
- Adopt and adhere to ethical, equitable, and sustainable production practices that honor the dignity of individuals, respect public and personal property, and preserve and protect our natural world.
- Exhibit professional behaviors and dispositions, including responsible leadership, effective communication, time management, collaborative problem-solving, persistence, adaptability, and conflict management skills in all facets of their work. They will also learn to set career-oriented goals and develop a portfolio of professional work.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills and an understanding of cinema production as an interdisciplinary art and business, inform their creativity through research, situate their work and the work of others within historical and cultural cinematic traditions and genres, and ground their aesthetic, narrative, and technical aims in film and social theory.
Faculty
The Digital Cinema faculty includes filmmakers, writers, and scholars who produce works in narrative, documentary, commercial media, and critical media studies, integrating their own creative practice with a critically and historically grounded approach to teaching visual storytelling within the framework of a liberal arts education. We strive to connect our students to the local production community and build bridges to regional and national production centers such as Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, where students may find professional opportunities.
Facilities
The Digital Cinema program works closely with SOU’s Digital Media Center, where students have access to the wide range of production tools and resources, including cameras, lights, sound gear, audio booth, and grip equipment, as well as a 20-seat non-linear editing laboratory, a 1000 sq ft television studio, and centralized spaces for collaboration and networking for the Digital Cinema community.
Accelerated Baccalaureate Degree Program
Digital Cinema majors may participate in the Degree in Three Program (Acc Bacc). The Acc Bacc is a course reduction program that allows qualified students to waive up to 24 general education and 21 elective credits. As a result, these students are able to complete a Digital Cinema degree in three years. For more information see www.sou.edu/abp.
