Film/Video Production Concentration, Communications Media, BS

Major
On Campus, Day
Communications Media
Students and actors filming in office

In Short

The Film/Video Production Concentration is a hands-on environment to learn all aspects of media creation both technical and aesthetic for film and digital media.

Projects We've Worked On

Autumn Olson directs the script she wrote “Mom’s Coming Home.” This short comedy won “Best New England Short” in the Shawna Shea Film Festival in 2020
Autumn Olson directs the script she wrote, “Mom’s Coming Home.” This short comedy won “Best New England Short” in the Shawna Shea Film Festival in 2020.
My Friend the Collector student production
“My Friend the Collector” is an advanced video project directed by Sophia Ciampaglia, Alex O’Donnell, and Kat Doyle. Delayed because of COVID-19, the cast and crew took careful on-set precautions to produce this short film set during World War II. Photograph by Megan Ptak. To watch videos about this film and follow their production progress, check out the page: https://www.facebook.com/myfriendthecollector.
Edgar Mutebi directs a scene for his short horror film “Crickets.”
Edgar Mutebi directs a scene for his short horror film “Crickets.”
Scene from documentary Irene Clark: Master Navajo Weaver
A still from the documentary “Irene H. Clark: Master Navajo Weaver” directed by Dan Harris. The student production team raised funds and applied for grants in order to film on location in New Mexico. This was featured in the 2020 Online New England Film Festival.
Still of student doing interview for documentary on DACA
Eduardo Freitas interviews Tereza Lee for the documentary he directed, “DACA: The Story of Dreamers.”

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The job growth outlook for film and video editors through 2030 is 33%, with 18,300 new jobs in the field. This comes with a median annual wage of $76,000.*

Program Overview

The Film and Video Production concentration allows students to work in both film and digital media. You'll study both narrative fiction and documentary filmmaking. Beginning in the first year, you're given hands-on instruction that is deeply immersive and stresses the technical and aesthetic aspects of media creation.

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All students have access to a wide range of industry standard cameras, lights, audio gear and post-production facilities. Within the concentration, students work both collaboratively and individually on a multitude of projects. In their final semester, all eligible students gain professional industry experience in a full-time internship. This can be locally, in Los Angeles, New York or elsewhere.

Check out TJ Saccoccio's '22 documentary an emotional call to action from Generation Z pleading for those in power to act on Climate Change. It received an Outstanding Achievement award for “Best Web/New Media Short” from Indie Short Fest, a film festival based in Los Angeles. 

Watch a TikTok video from Isaiah Manual an undergraduate student in our Film/Video program. He is a student in Kyle Moody's social media class.

*View the Bureau of Labor Statistics,U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Film and Video Editors(visited May 20, 2022).

The film equipment and editing labs were very easily accessible to students, which wasn’t the case at the first university I attended. This was a major factor in my decision to transfer. Also, smaller class sizes allowed me to have better relationships with my professors, which is extremely important in something like film/video.

Michael Labrecque, '22

Experiential Opportunities and a Look Inside the Courses

Film students with teacher in the studio
Communications Media Internships

Internships

Internships are a great opportunity to get valuable, real-world experiences before entering a competitive job market.
Read more about: Internships
Three photos of a woman's face behind a sheer fabric

Visions

Each year students are given the opportunity to submit original work to be juried and possibly selected for our honors art exhibition, VISIONS. This is a showcase of the year's best student work. VISIONS involves a gallery exhibition and a film/video screening.
Read more about: Visions
Group of game design students in Japan at team lab planets

Study Abroad

Take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad with short-term faculty-led programs, exchange/direct enroll programs, or outside provider-led programs.
Read more about: Study Abroad
Film and Video students with instructor looking through camera with microphone

Intro to Film and Video

Intro to Film and Video class working on their projects at various places on campus.
Read more about: Intro to Film and Video
Female behind the camera with all film containers behind her

Film Styles

Film Styles, Genres and Movements class set up and begin recording a session for their Film School Confidential: Stories of Fitchburg State Communications Department Past and Present.
Read more about: Film Styles
Film video student Isaiah Manuel

Multi-Camera Television Production

Students working at FATV on a production that encompasses all of the multi-camera studio skills they learned throughout the semester.
Read more about: Multi-Camera Television Production

Curriculum and Other Information

B.S. in Communications Media

  • Students should demonstrate proficiency in the core tools and skills of their discipline.
  • Students should be able to apply aesthetic principles to their work by developing and defending a portfolio that demonstrates craftship and meets professional standards for their discipline.
  • Students should be able to explain how their work fits in the historical and theoretical context of their discipline.
  • Students should apply core theoretical principles to the analysis and critique of media.
  • Students should recognize and apply ethical perspectives to their work.
  • Cinematographer
  • Director
  • Editor
  • Film/Video Critic
  • Grip
  • Lighting Director
  • Producer
  • Videographer

Undergraduate Day Tuition and Fees