Digital Cinema and TV Production

Home , Digital cinema

Alabama Commission on Higher Education

NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL (NISP) FOR A NEW PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION

1. Institution: University of South Alabama

2. Date of NISP Submission: October 9, 2020

3. Institutional Contact Person: Richard Ward, Ph.D.

Telephone: (251)380-2819 Fax: (251)380-2500 E-mail: [email protected]

4. Program Identification:

Title: Digital Cinema and Television Production Award: Bachelor of Arts CIP Code: 50.0602

5. Proposed Program Implementation Date: Fall 2021

6. Statement of Program Objectives (Objectives should be precise and stated in such a way that later evaluation/assessment of program outcomes is facilitated.):

This proposal is to convert a fully formed track of study that currently exists within the Department of Communication into a B.A. program. The program will remain within the Department of Communication and no additional faculty or staff are anticipated. The courses required for this program already exist and are being taught.

The reasons we are seeking to change our offering from a track to a program are twofold. First, a student with a degree in Digital Cinema and Television Production has a more marketable degree than one simply in Communication. It will serve as confirmation of the high level of professional, technical and theoretical training the student has received. Just as it will be more marketable to potential employers, it will also be more marketable as a degree-path to potential students to whom “Communication” simply does not sound like a course of study in film and television production.

Second, so long as Digital Cinema and Television Production is a track within the Department of Communication, students must take five courses in common with students from other Communication tracks. This is a diverse student population pursuing Journalism, Speech and Rhetoric, and Advertising and Public Relations as well as Digital Cinema and Television Production. Trying to find even five courses that could speak to all Communication majors was a daunting task, but these courses crowd out any room for growth and the inclusion of more career-oriented courses within the individual tracks. We have additional courses on the books that we are unable to offer with any frequency because students do not have any room to fit them within the curriculum.

As it is, our students benefit from the education in Digital Cinema and Television Production

1 they receive at USA. Most are able to find employment in their field. By becoming a degree- granting program, we would enhance the value of their degree.

7. Relationship of program to other programs within the institution.

a. How will the program support or be supported by other programs within the institution?

We have certain limited interaction with other departments as it is, and those will continue. The considerable crossover within the Communication Department will be enhanced. For example, our current Advertising and Broadcast Journalism students would often benefit from taking a course in television production, but cannot because they are already at their limit of courses within Communication. If the courses were offered as part of a separate program with different prefixes, the students could pick up an additional course or two that would be beneficial and that would count toward graduation.

b. Will this program replace any existing program(s) or specialization(s), options or concentrations within existing programs? Yes: __X__ No: ____

If yes, please explain.

As noted above, this will replace the current Digital Cinema and Television Production track/concentration in Communication.

8. If this program is duplicative of any other programs in the state, please give your rationale for program duplication.

Once again, this proposal is primarily an effort to enhance and bring greater visibility to a course of study that already exists. It is not a proposal for a start-up program. That said there are currently programs at the University of Alabama, the University of Montevallo, Troy, University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of North Alabama that involve film and television production. All are excellent, but they appear to offer film and television as, at best, a concentration within a larger Communication or Journalism degree program, the same as the USA concentration at present.

The proposed degree program at USA will emphasize fiction filmmaking, hence USA’s program would be the only one in the state with a CIP Code of 50.0602 – Cinematography and Film/Video Production. It should also be noted that Mobile is nearly 200 miles away from the closest state university with similar offerings.

9. Do you plan to explore possible program collaboration with other institutions? Please explain.

We would certainly be open discussions regarding to program collaboration, but due to our geographical distance from other state universities with similar offerings, it is difficult to imagine how that would work.

10. Do you anticipate the use of distance education technology in the delivery of the program? Please explain.

2 We currently have two film studies courses and several support courses that are offered online. Courses teaching production skills will likely remain face to face for the near future.

11. What methodology will you use to determine the level of student demand for this program?

There is already demand, as our enrollments indicate. At the beginning of the fall 2019 semester, we had 60 declared majors. In the COVID-affected fall of 2020, we were down to 48. Going back to 2016, we have had fall major counts as high as 76 and never lower than 43. Our courses routinely cap out at the enrollment limit. We anticipate that demand for this field of study will grow when it becomes a stand-alone degree-granting program.

12. What methodology will you use to determine need for this program?

Despite the evident need demonstrated by the enrollment numbers and the successful employment rate of our graduates, we are going to seek opinions on our plan from leaders in the local film and television industry.

Certification

______Chief Academic Officer

______Graduate Dean (if this is a graduate program)

______10/09/2020 Date

3 *This form is intended to be used as a “soft copy” to gather requisite information related to new degree program applications. For programs to be included on Commission agendas from March 2021 onward, applications should be submitted through the Academic Program Review Portal (apr.ache.edu).

Alabama Commission on Higher Education

PROPOSAL FOR A NEW DEGREE PROGRAM

1. Date of Proposal Submission: March 2021 Full program name and level: Digital Film and Television Production, Bachelor of Arts CIP Code: 50.0602

2. Learning Outcomes and Program Review: Succinctly list at least four (4) but no more than seven (7) of the most prominent student learning outcomes of the program.

i. Work in the varying roles as part of film and TV crews: engaging in group problem solving, using industry-standard processes in film production equipment operation, meeting production deadlines, and developing industry contacts. (CA 241, 340, 341 and 440) ii. Understand film and TV production equipment, its use, and the cinematic language and aesthetics of moving image production: demonstrating knowledge of microphones, audio recorders, sound design, camera operation, lens properties, lighting instruments and dramatic use of lighting. (CA 241, 340, 341 and 440) iii. Understand the technology and art of film/video editing: learn editing software commonly used in industry and the foundations of pacing through editing exercises and editing short films made in class. (CA 340 and 440) iv. Understand the process of film/TV production scheduling and budgeting: use scheduling and budgeting software to put together a realistic shooting schedule and budget, including equipment rental and crew salaries. (CA 356) v. Understand the process of dramatic screenwriting/scriptwriting: analyze screenplay form and structure and write a screenplay. (CA 320) vi. Understand the historical development of film technique and genres: learn the artistic, technological and business evolution of the film industry as it has developed into the industry, practices and narrative techniques employed today. (CA 343, 344)

*This form is intended to be used as a “soft copy” to gather requisite information related to new degree program applications. For programs to be included on Commission agendas from March 2021 onward, applications should be submitted through the Academic Program Review Portal (apr.ache.edu).

3. Employment Outcomes and Program Demand Indicate the primary industry where graduates would seek employment using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): https://www.naics.com/search/

NAICS Code: 512110

Select at least one and up to three Standard Occupational Codes (SOCs) where graduates of the new program would seek employment: https://www.bls.gov/soc/2018/major_groups.htm

SOC 1 27-2012 SOC 2 27-4030 SOC 3 27-4010

Please explain whether further education/ training is required for graduates of the proposed program to gain entry-level employment in the occupations you have selected.

No additional training is required to gain entry-level employment.

Please describe how you will determine whether graduates are successful in obtaining relevant employment or pursuing further study.

We will keep in touch with our graduates personally and through Departmental outreach on our website.

Briefly describe how the program fulfills a specific industry or employment need for the State of Alabama. Please refer to the State’s “In-Demand Occupations List” (see ACHE’s Academic Program page for most recent list) or include local and statewide occupational projections, along with data sources as appropriate.

Alabama has long sought to encourage film production within the state. One of the difficulties in attracting out-of-state firms to Alabama is the lack of local “support” talent to fill the positions that are not covered by employees traveling with the company. Our program will help meet that demand.

Additionally, according to ACHE’s list of high-demand occupations, within the Audio/Video Technology & Communications field there are 60 openings per year for Producers & Directors, 60 openings per year for Writers & Authors, and 95 openings per year for Studio & Video Equipment Technicians. Job openings at this moment with the owners of local television stations in the Mobile/ Pensacola market are: Nextar –

674 nationally with 26 in Alabama, Sinclair – 490 nationally with 4 in its Mobile and Pensacola stations, and Meredith – 191 nationally with 2 in Mobile.

Generally speaking, students in this degree learn skills that enable them to take technical and managerial positions at any of Alabama’s 47 television stations (or any of the more than 1700 stations in the US). They also graduate qualified to work in the motion picture industry, both locally (two of our graduates have started production companies here in Mobile) and in the larger industry (we have graduates working in the film and television industries in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Atlanta and elsewhere).

There are many fine graduate programs in film and television in the United States, but entry into these programs is highly competitive. Having a degree specifically in Digital Film and Television Production will allow our students to be taken more seriously in the admissions process.

Briefly describe evidence of student demand for the program, including enrollments in related coursework at your institution if applicable. If a survey of student interest was conducted, please briefly describe the survey instrument, number and percentage of respondents, and summary of results.

As stated in our NISP, the current enrollment in the Digital Cinema and Television track, even in these times of COVID-19, is 48 students. Going back to 2016, we have had enrollments as high as 76 and never lower than 43. Those numbers are already at a level that should sustain a full-fledged degree program. We believe that the strong student interest in this field of study will only increase with the visibility and validation we will receive with a dedicated B.A. A survey of current Communication students confirms that our students share in this perception of the value of a dedicated degree in their field of study.

Additionally, having a B.A. degree in Digital Film and Television Production that is separate from the current tracks, and hopefully programs, in Journalism and Advertising/Public Relations means that a student could major in Digital Film and Television and minor in Broadcast Journalism or Advertising, picking up additional valuable skill sets for the job market. It is not possible to major and minor in this way as long as all of these are tracks leading to a single B.A. in Communication.

4. Curriculum and Prerequisites Program Completion Requirements: (Enter a credit hour value for all applicable components, write N/A if not applicable)

Credit hours required in program courses ___62____ Credit hours in general education or core curriculum ___58____ Credit hours required in support courses __N/A____ Credit hours in required or free electives ____0___ Credit hours in required research __N/A____ Total credit hours required for completion __120____

Please indicate the maximum number of credits that can be transferred in from another institution and applied to the program:

Students are required to take 30 Upper Division credits, including 15 UD credits in their major, in residence, and 9 credits in their minor in residence. The remainder could be transferred in PROVIDED they were the courses called for in the curriculum.

Please describe any work-based learning (WBL) activities that are required or recommended for program completion (including internships, practical/clinical experience, applied research, or other immersive experiences designed to prepare graduates for employment in the field). Definitions and examples of different types of WBL are available at https://www.alapprentice.org/.

Internships are encouraged and available, but not required.

Does the program include any options/concentrations? If so, please describe the purpose and rationale for the options, and list the courses for each in the table below.

N/A

Please complete the table below indicating all coursework for the proposed program, specifying any new courses developed for the program, along with courses associated with each option as applicable. Include the course number, and number of credits. Coursework listed should total the number of hours required to complete the program.

These courses all currently exist.

General Education Requirements

Course Number and Title Number of * If New Course Credit Hours

Freshman Seminar (2 hrs.)

CAS 100 2

I. Written Composition (6 hrs.)

EH 101 3

EH 102 3

II. Humanities and Fine Arts (21 hrs.)

CA 110 3

Foreign Language Sequence (2-course sequence) 6 LG 101 & 102; LG 111 & 112 or 113; LG 131 & 132 or 134; LG 151 & 152 or 153; LG 171 & 172 or 173; LGS 101 & 102; LGS 106 & 107; LGS 121 & 122; LGS 141 & 142 NO MORE THAN 6 HRS. FROM ONE DISCIPLINE FROM REMAINING REQUIREMENTS Choose one Fine Arts from ARH 100, 123, ARS 101, DRA 110, MUL 101 3

Choose one Literature from the following EH 215, 216, 225, 226, 235 or 3 236 Choose two courses (6 hrs.) from: AFR 101, AIS 105, ARH 100, 103, 6 123; ARS 101, 121, 123, 124; CA 222 DRA 110; EH 215, 216, 225, 226, 235, 236; MUL 101; PHL 110, 121, 131, 231, 240 or an intermediate foreign language III. Natural Sciences and Mathematics (17 hrs.)

Students must choose one from: MA 110, 112, 113, 115, 120, 125, 126, 3 227, 237, 238 3 from: AN 210; BLY 101 or 121, 102 orr122, CH 101, 103, 131 or 132; 11 GEO 101, 102, GY 111, PH 101, 104, 114 or 201 Ph 115 or 202, OR select two sciences from above and one MA from: ST 210, or Math above 112 (except 201 and 202) Technology Requirement CIS 150 3

IV. History, Social and Behavioral Sciences (12 hrs.)

Choose at least one HY. Courses must be chosen from at least one other 12 discipline. No more than 6 hrs. From one discipline Select from AIS 201; AN 100, 101; CA 100, 211; ECO 215, 216; GEO 114, 115; GS 101, HY 101, 102, 135, 136, IS 100 PSC 130, PSY 120, 121, 250; SY 109, 112

Major Requirements

CA 101 Intro to Communication 3 CA 220-W Writing for Communication Media 3 CA 240 Digital Cinema Production Basics 3

CA 241 Introduction to TV Studio Production 3 CA 320-W Film and TV Scriptwriting 3 CA 340 Video Field Production 3 CA 341 Intermediate TV Studio Production 3

CA 356 Digital Cinema Management 3 CA 440 Advanced Video Field Production 3

Choose 1 of the following: CA 343 Film History

CA 344 Film and TV Genres

Choose 4 of the following: (3 credits each)

CA 244 Radio Broadcasting, CA 275 Decision Making-Small 12 Groups, CA 283 Chinese Film, 288 History of the Mass Media, CA 343 Film History (if not chosen above), CA 344 Film and TV Genres (if not chosen above), CA 357 Basic Film Production, CA 358 Digital Compositing, Animation and Graphics, CA 382 Photojournalism, CA 383 Digital Photography, CA 424-W Rhetorical Criticism, CA 441 Advanced TV Studio Production, CA 452 The News Documentary, CA 487 Tideline Agency, CA 496 Internship Minor 18

Electives 3

Intended program duration in semesters for full-time students:

8 semesters at 15 credits/semester

Intended program duration in semesters for part-time students:

This depends completely on how many credits the hypothetical part-time student takes. It could be anywhere from 1 to 11 credits per semester. Assuming a minimal half-time student taking 6 credits per semester, it would take 20 semesters.

Please indicate any prior education or work experience required for acceptance into the program:

N/A

Describe any other special requirements for the program:

N/A

5. Specific Rationale (Strengths) for Program What is the specific rationale for recommending approval of this proposal? List 3- 5 potential program strengths.

i. This proposal is part of a unified effort to convert three, currently existing, fully formed tracks of study within the Department of Communication into separate B.A. programs. The three are Digital Cinema and Television, Journalism and Strategic Communication. Strategic Communication will be renamed Advertising/Public Relations. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication currently awarded by this department will be retained for our fourth track, Communication Studies. All four programs will enjoy higher visibility for students seeking training in these fields, and students will graduate with degrees affirming a higher level of professional training than suggested by the current and more generalist B.A. in Communication. This will also help students become more competitive when seeking employment as their degrees will better reflect their areas of specialization. The programs will remain within the Department of Communication and no additional faculty or staff are anticipated. This proposal only seeks to reorganize the existing tracks of study into more focused, separate degrees. The courses required for these programs currently exist and are being taught as part of the separate tracks currently being offered by the department.

ii. Student Demand - As stated in our NISP, the present enrollment in our current Digital Cinema and Television track, even in these times of COVID-19, is 48 students. Going back to 2016, we have had enrollments as high as 76 and never lower than 43. Those numbers are already at a level that should sustain a full- fledged degree program. We believe that the strong student interest in this field of study will only increase with the visibility and validation we will receive with a dedicated B.A. A survey of current Communication students confirms that our students share in this perception of the value of a dedicated degree in their field of study. This potential for student employment will be enhanced when students in Digital Film and Television Production are permitted to minor in Advertising or Broadcast Journalism, a major/minor combination not possible under the current configuration (and one for which there is great student interest, based on the number of inquiries we receive).

iii. Employment Opportunities - As a track within Communication, we have a good record of accomplishment when it comes to our graduates finding jobs. This should actually improve once we have the credibility of offering a B.A. in Film and Television.

Despite COVID, perhaps because of people’s need for escape during these times, the entertainment industry has never been healthier. In 2018, The Hollywood Reporter estimated there were 2.1 million jobs in film and television in the United States. Although the theatrical end of the industry has taken a pandemic-related hit, broadcast television, cable and streaming are seeing real increases. Job openings at this moment with the owners of local television stations in the Mobile/ Pensacola market are: Nextar – 674 nationally with 26 in Alabama, Sinclair – 490 nationally with 4 in its Mobile and Pensacola stations, and Meredith – 191 nationally with 2 in Mobile.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 4% national growth for the broadcast industry between 2019 and 2029, on par with the average growth of the economy. It forecasts the entertainment film and television industry as expanding at 7%, slightly better than the economy overall. iv. Need for the Program - Once again, this proposal is primarily an effort to enhance and bring greater visibility to a course of study that already exists. It is not a proposal for a start-up program. That said there are currently programs at Jacksonville State, the University of Alabama, the University of Montevallo, Troy, University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of North Alabama that involve film and television production. All are excellent, but all except Jacksonville State appear to offer film and television as, at best, a concentration within a larger Communication or Journalism degree program, the same as the USA concentration at present.

The proposed degree program at USA will emphasize fiction filmmaking, hence USA’s program would be only one of two in the state with a CIP Code of 50.0602 – Cinematography and Film/Video Production. The other school with a CIP 50.0602 program, Jacksonville State, is more than 300 miles away from Mobile. It should also be noted that Mobile is nearly 200 miles away from the closest state university with any offerings in television production.

Additionally, because the proposed program is merely a realignment of a program already in existence, no additional resources will be required beyond what the program currently utilizes.

Please list any external entities that have supplied letters of support attesting to the program’s strengths, and attach letters with the proposal.

Eva Golson, Director of the Mobile Film Office Patricia Connolly, VP Human Resources, Eternal Word Television Network Quintin Howard, Mobile County Public School System Tinashe Nyatanga, Former USA Student, Freelance Editor in Los Angeles Melissa Jansen, Former USA Student, Production Assistant at EWTN Thomas Smith, Former USA Student, Independent Film Producer, Mobile, AL

Additionally, Ms Eva Golson, the Film Commissioner for the City of Mobile, has such faith in our program that she has established an endowed fellowship in her name for our undergraduate students in Digital Cinema and Television Production. Similarly, the Alabama Broadcasters Association has set up an endowed fellowship that may either be awarded to Digital Cinema and Television students or to Broadcast Journalism students (who are under the current Journalism track).

6. Program Resource Requirements A. Faculty. Please provide or attach a brief summary of primary and support faculty that includes their qualifications specific to the program proposal. Note: Institutions must maintain and have current and additional primary and support faculty curriculum vitae available upon ACHE request for as long as the program is active, but you do not need to submit CVs with this proposal.

Please provide faculty counts for the proposed program:

Faculty Type Status Primary Support Current- Full Time 2 0 Current-Part Time 1 0 Additional-Full Time (to be hired) 0 0 Additional-Part Time (to be hired) 0 0 Note: Annual compensation costs for additional faculty to be hired should be included in the NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM SUMMARY table.

Briefly describe the qualifications of new faculty to be hired:

The faculty noted above are already teaching in the Digital Cinema and Television Production track in the Communication Department. No new faculty will be hired except to replace current faculty when positions come open.

These faculty are:

Richard Ward has a B.A. in Cinema Production from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. in Radio-Television Film from the University of Texas at Austin. He has worked in the motion picture industry at Universal Studios and in local television.

Steve Rockwell, earned his Master’s in Telecommunication and Film at the University of Alabama and his Ph.D. in Mass Communication at the University of Alabama. He has been actively involved in television and film production and has worked in the local television industry, served as a consultant for children's television programs and created both short and feature length films.

Thomas Lakeman is a part-time instructor teaching screenwriting. He graduated in English and Theatre, cum laude, from The University of the South and has an M.F.A in Playwriting from Carnegie Mellon University.

B. Staff. Will the program require dedicated staff? Yes X No

If so, indicate the number or percentage of FTEs. Salary/ benefits costs should be included in the program summary table below.

Note: Annual compensation costs for staff to be hired should be included in the NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM SUMMARY table.

C. Equipment. Will any special equipment be needed specifically for this program?

X Yes No

If yes, please list. Their cost should be included in the NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM SUMMARY table.

The equipment is already owned by the university and is being used for these courses. It will be replaced as needed due to age or condition.

D. Facilities. Will any new facilities be required specifically for the program?

Yes X No

If yes, please list. Only new facilities need be listed. Their cost should be included in the NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM SUMMARY table.

E. Library. Will additional library resources be required to support the program?

Yes X No

Please provide a brief description of the current status of the library collections supporting the proposed program.

Film Titles: 1659 print books, 1559 electronic books

Television Titles: 1504 print books, 2301 electronic books

Films and Television Programs: A collection of over 8,000 on DVD in the Marx Library and access to another 30,000 through the Kanopy streaming service.

If yes, please briefly describe how any deficiencies will be remedied, and include the cost in the NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM SUMMARY table.

F. Assistantships/Fellowships. Will you offer any assistantships specifically for this program?

Yes X No

If “Yes”, how many assistantships will be offered?

Their cost should be included in the NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM SUMMARY table.

NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM PROPOSAL SUMMARY

INSTITUTION:University of South Alabama

Select PROGRAM:Digital Film and Television Bachelor's Level: ESTIMATED *NEW* EXPENSES TO IMPLEMENT PROPOSED PROGRAM Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 TOTAL FACULTY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 STAFF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 EQUIPMENT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FACILITIES 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LIBRARY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ASSISTANTSHIPS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 OTHER 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *NEW* REVENUES AVAILABLE FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 TOTAL REALLOCATIONS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 EXTRAMURAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TUITION $199,374 $223,662 $282,282 $341,502 $341,502 $341,502 $341,502 2071326 TOTAL 199374 223662 282282 341502 341502 341502 341502 2071326 ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS Note: “New Enrollment Headcount” is defined as unduplicated counts across years.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 AVERAGE

Year 1 - No FULL-TIME data 45 50 55 60 55 55 52.5 HEADCOUNT reporting required

Year 1 - No PART-TIME data 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 HEADCOUNT reporting required

Year 1 - No TOTAL data 50 55 60 60 60 60 57.5 HEADCOUNT reporting required

Year 1 - No NEW data ENROLLMENT 9 10 10 10 10 11 10 reporting HEADCOUNT required

DEGREE COMPLETION PROJECTIONS Note: Do not count Lead “0”s and Lead 0 years in computing the average annual degree completions. Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 AVERAGE Year 1 - No DEGREE data COMPLETION 8 8 9 9 10 10 9 reporting PROJECTIONS required

LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR BA IN DIGITAL FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION

We have received letters of support from the following people. The first is from Eva Golson, the Director of the Mobile Film Office. Ms Golson is a longtime supporter of our program who has worked with and encouraged our students and us as she brings film and television production to Mobile. She has established an endowed scholarship in her name that is bestowed annually to one of our film and television production students: Dear Dr. Ward,

I am writing in support of the Department of Communication's plan to enhance its Digital Cinema and Television Production program by moving it from its current status as a concentration within Communication to a full degree-granting program. There are several reasons that I see this as a positive move.

First, I have worked with your students for years, and I know the depth of knowledge and technical skill they receive. I believe their receiving a B.A. in Digital Cinema and Television Production will better reflect the professional career training they get at USA than the more general B.A. in Communication.

Second, I understand that this change will permit you to remove four communication generalist courses from your students' curriculum and to replace them with specialized courses in cinematography, editing and special effects. This additional training will serve them well in the job market and will help promote Mobile's image as a filmmaking location with a strong local talent pool.

Third, you have told me that this change will permit film students to minor in related fields, like Advertising and Broadcast Journalism. This type of major/minor pairing is already possible at many of the top Communication universities in the United States. It will greatly enhance the students' skill set and should make them even more employable.

Lastly, I look forward to continuing my support to this wonderful program with the Eva Golson Film and Television Scholarship.

I wish you success in the pursuit of this endeavor.

Best,

Eva Golson Director Mobile Film Office

Here is a very brief note from Patricia Connolly of the Alabama-based EWTN television network that reinforces the idea that “targeted” programs in film and television are more appealing to prospective employers than programs with more generic names:

While I’m not an expert in that area, this seems to make sense. Candidates we have interviewed/hired have degrees in Film & Digital Media Production (Loyola), Digital Media, Digital Cinema, Media & Film Studies, Film & TV (SCAD), and Radio, TV & Film (Auburn). Those are obviously more targeted programs, which is attractive to us.

Thanks,

Patti Patricia Connolly Vice President of Human Resources

EWTN Global Catholic Network 5817 Old Leeds Road Irondale, Alabama 35210 Direct: 205-271-2932 Mobile: 205-420-3548

This is from Quintin Howard, a broadcast professional and studio manager of the Mobile County Public School System television network:

Hello, my name is Quintin Howard and I am the Studio Manager of the MCPSS TV Network. We are a local PEG Channel operated by the Mobile County Public Schools, in Mobile, AL. Prior to working for the county school district, I have worked with the local CBS affiliate in Mobile for 15 years, as a Videographer and Special Projects Producer. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with ESPN, for 20 years as a Freelance Videographer and Regional Segment Producer.

During this time, I have seen how technology has driven and changed the way Broadcasting / Communications is managed, produced and delivered to the general public. In short, I’ve seen how broadcasting has emerge from tube television to digital media content.

Because of these constant changes within the industry, I am in full support of the Digital Cinema TV Degree being offered by the University of South Alabama Department of Communication. I feel this degree would allow students to be much more competitive when competing for jobs in television, cable, online media, movie production, radio and related fields.

With a high rate of digital content being produced for the internet and for streaming services, a more modern – advanced approach to accommodate the unique demands for employment would definitely benefit the students receiving this degree from the USA Department of Communication.

Next are three letters from graduates of our program. Tinashe Nyatanga was able to make industry contacts while in school at USA, moved straight to Los Angeles upon graduation and has been employed in the film and television industry ever since:

I am a graduate from the University of South Alabama Communication program. I got my degree in the Radio, TV and Film track in the Spring of 2012. I currently work in Los Angeles as an editor. The world of cinema has changed as we have moved to a more digital world that is now constantly pushing content out. Having a degree in “Digital Film and Television Production” will be a very attractive degree and shows the recipient has been equipped with training for the current climate.

Another beneficial aspect is that students can Minor in Advertising/Public relations and Journalism. Filmmaking is about storytelling and having a minor in Advertising and Journalism helps as those all contain the basis of storytelling elements. Some well known directors came from advertising backgrounds eg Michael Cimino (directed The Deer Hunter which was nominated for 5 Oscars) and Ava DuVernay (13th, A Wrinkle in Time) started out in journalism and then moved to advertising/public relations before jumping into the director's seat.

From my own experience working with Universal Music Group, Apple Music, Jukin Media and others is that you have to have a wide array of skills and to be able to pull from those while editing for example to tell the director's vision for the client. Skills that can be learned from minoring in other subjects provided in the Communication Department. Tinashe Nyatanga Editor | Director whoistinashe.tumblr.com

Melissa Jansen is a graduate of our program whose internship at EWTN turned into a job:

As an alumnus of the University of South Alabama (USA) with a communications degree, I believe having a specialized B.A. in Digital Film and Television Production would be a great advantage to USA. The world of communication and technology broadens every year; it is a flourishing workforce. There are more students than ever before pursuing the art of film and television production to fill those roles. They need to be adequately equipped to make the jump into the fast-paced field of film and television. Students graduating with a B.A. in their field of expertise will make them more marketable post-college. The field of film and television is highly competitive, which makes it difficult for those with generic degrees to be noticed. Having digital film and television production under the umbrella of communication is causing potential students not to consider USA. When I was exploring colleges, I almost passed up on USA because they did not offer a Digital Film and Television Production degree. I met with a professor in the Communications department to find out more about the Communication degree with a focus in Digital Cinema and Television Production. I decided to attend USA once I realized that the school provided the education I was searching for. Other potential attendees may not consider USA because they do not offer a B.A. in Digital Film and Television Production. I believe giving students the option to have a major in Digital Film and Television Production and also minor in another area of communication would be a great benefit to USA. It would draw more people to the university to major in Digital Film and Television Production with more options to minor in Communications. I did not have the option when I was a student, and I may have chosen a different minor if I had the chance to learn more about communication. Overall, the University of South Alabama would have multiple benefits if a B.A. in Digital Film and Television Production was established. Sincerely, Melissa Jansen Production Assistant at the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN)

Finally, Thomas Smith is a graduate of our program who has produced several independent feature films in Mobile: I’m writing in full support of the Department of Communication’s plan to enhance its Digital Cinema and Television Production program by transitioning from its current status as a concentration within Communications to a full degree-granting program. I believe that this is a positive change that will better reflect the university and its students.

As an alumni who majored in Communications with a concentration in Film/Television Production, I understand the level of training, technical skill and the depth of knowledge they receive. I believe that students receiving a B.A. in Digital Cinema and Television Production, rather than a general B.A. in Communications, will better reflect the professional career training they receive at the University of South Alabama. Second, I understand that this change will permit the department to replace four communication generalist courses from the students’ curriculum with specialized courses already being offered in their field of specialization. This additional training will better serve them in the job market and will help promote the City of Mobile’s image as a filmmaking destination with a strong pool of local talent. Third, I understand that this revision will allow film students to minor in related fields, such as Advertising and Broadcast Journalism, thus expanding their skillset. This type of major/minor pairing is already available at many of the top Communication universities in the United States. This addition will not only provide students with a broader set of skills, it will make them more employable in their chosen field. By transitioning from a concentration to a full-degree program, I believe students will be able to better hone their skills, determine a clearer career path, and be more identifiable to potential employers. I wish you success in the pursuit of this endeavor.

Best,

Thomas Smith Producer, Fighting Owl Films