MU considers film studies major
A major in film studies could create options in the Midwest.
Published Aug. 28, 2009
MU is in the process of approving a new film studies major that should arrive early next semester, Film Studies Director Roger Cook said.
"The reality of a film studies major looks very solid," Cook said.
Students can only minor in film studies, or take film classes, such as film production, but Cook said a lot of interest in pursuing film studies as a major has been expressed to him for the past five or six years.
"The interest was really strong," Cook said.
In fall 2005, a group appeared on Facebook called Mizzou Students For Film. Clayton Kreisel, an alumnus who minored in film studies, created the Facebook group.
"My main goal was to get a film studies major on campus," Kreisel said. "What I tried to do was take classes from as many different departments and mix them all together to say, 'Hey, look, you don't really have to add anything specific for a film major here. We have everything, it's just a matter of organizing it.'"
Kreisel explored several different classes, from film studies to editing to special effects.
"I tried to show that I was able to graduate with something that would very loosely translate into a film studies degree somewhere else," Kreisel said. "I didn't have to take outside classes, I did it right here, and it worked. That was my goal with the administration -- to show them that we can do this."
Aaron Schultz, a secondary education major in his final year, said he wanted a film studies major.
"When we first formed the group, we really didn't expect it to go anywhere," Schultz said. "Then there was faculty interest and student interest. Things took off."
Schultz said the Mizzou Students For Film group accumulated about 70 members overnight.
"So we decided, since all these people are interested, let's hold a meeting," Schultz said. "A lot of people showed."
Schultz said Cook also showed his support and helped the students in their efforts, dealing with the university.
"It was a right time, right place kind of thing," Schultz said. "Cook took the list of names, showed it to higher-ups, and said, 'See, student interest.'"
Cook said computer science associate professor Jeffrey Uhlmann, who has shot three movies on campus, played a key role in building the student interest.
Uhlmann said in the past students studied where they could to help pursue their interest in the film industry.
"Students interested in the history of film, film appreciation or the art of film take the film studies program," Uhlmann said. "Students interested in the artistic side, such as set design, pursue a major in art."
Schultz said MU has the potential to be a major film studies school.
"Something we all thought about when we first formed the group was that people in the Midwest are interested in studying film," Schultz said. "But only big schools that are on the coast have the major. People can come to MU and be able to study film."
Uhlmann said he expected the major to be attractive to students.
"It's one of those things that can only happen on a university the size of MU," Uhlmann said. "Because of the diversity of experience and the diversity of people from different backgrounds, to be involved in the making of a film and to be able to show children and grandchildren 20 or 30 years later, there are very few places you can go to get that kind of experience."