Buffalo State Home : Academics : Undergraduate Catalog 2016-2017 : Undergraduate Major and Minor Programs : Television and Film Arts (B.A.)

Television and Film Arts (B.A.)

BA-AH TFA

Television and Film Arts

Bachelor of Arts (HEGIS: 0603)

Bishop Hall 210 (716) 878-3180

The Television and Film Arts major (TFA) at Buffalo State—an interdepartmental program encompassing the Communication, English, and Theater departments—prepares students for a variety of careers in the entertainment industry. The goal of the major is to teach the TFA student to hone his/her vision and storytelling skills, thus facilitating pursuits in such dynamic fields as screenwriting, producing, and directing.

The TFA program recognizes that creative content is paramount in today’s age of multi-media and to that end, encourages its students to tell stories across all media. The program is dedicated to excellence in teaching and scholarship, cultural enrichment, and service, providing TFA majors with an appropriate mix of criticism, theory, practical application, and real-life internship opportunities passionately designed to help them succeed.

Required TFA Courses: This series of eight courses provides students with the foundational skills needed for success in the TFA major. The lower-division courses emphasize the history of storytelling, writing fundamentals, film as a vehicle for literature, and basic television production. The upper-division courses emphasize film criticism; collaboration across production roles; working independently as an "auteur"; and writing, producing, directing, and editing professionally produced stories exhibited in a public forum.

In addition to required courses, TFA offers electives related to two professional tracks: (1) writing and storytelling, and (2) directing and producing. Students may take all their major electives from a single track, or they can blend courses from both tracks.

Writing and Storytelling Track: This track is designed for the TFA major who wishes to pursue a career as a screenwriter. Students will write a full-length feature screenplay, and immerse themselves in the history of motion pictures and theater.

Directing and Producing Track: This track is designed for the TFA major who wishes to pursue a career as a director or producer. Students will write, produce, direct, and edit advanced video projects, and be introduced to set design and the business of performing arts.

Admission Requirements: Admission to the television and film arts program is very competitive (15 students admitted each year) and based upon an application, letter of recommendation, and submission of creative work (including screenplays, short stories, poetry, and/or videos/films). All submitted materials are reviewed by the Television and Film Arts Advisory Committee.

Intellectual Foundations General Education Requirements	33-39 cr
Total Required Credits Hours in TFA	42 cr

COM 312	Basic Media Production
ENG 303	Literature in Film
TFA 201	Introduction to Television and Film Arts
TFA 301	Story I: Analyzing Great Stories
TFA 304	Writing for Television and Film Arts
TFA 401	Story II: Producing Great Stories
TFA 420	Senior Project I
TFA 450	Senior Project II

ENG 205	History of Cinema I
ENG 206	History of Cinema II
ENG 305	Creative Writing: Narrative*
ENG 350	Twentieth-Century Drama I
ENG 351	Twentieth-Century Drama II
ENG 402	Advanced Creative Writing*
TFA 460	Adaptation
THA 340	Playwriting


COM 432	Advanced Postproduction
COM 329	Intermediate Video Production
TFA 480	Advanced Directing/Producing I
TFA 481	Advanced Directing/Producing II
THA 200	Voice and Diction
THA 226	Acting I
THA 325	Business of Performing Arts
THA 337	Set Design**
All College Electives		39-45 cr
Total Required Credits		120 cr

Buffalo State

Television and Film Arts (B.A.)

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