The program does not stress one particular genre or style, but allows students to pursue their own interests which have included: narrative, experimental, animation, and documentary.
DIGITAL CINEMA
The Digital Cinema major at NMU
The School of Art and Design's B.F.A. in Digital Cinema includes 20 credit hours of digital cinema courses, while the B.A. and B.S. degrees require 16 credit hours, with the option to pursue a minor.
Courses explore various aspects of digital cinema, including history, theory, and production. Upper-level courses emphasize individual filmmaking, requiring students to develop proficiency across multiple production skills rather than specializing in a single area such as editing, cinematography, or directing. The program encourages exploration across genres and styles, including narrative, experimental, and documentary filmmaking.
All projects are produced in digital video using professional equipment and facilities. Resources include 4K+ cameras, professional sound and lighting equipment, a Mac Pro editing studio, a DaVinci color studio, and a chromakey/lighting studio. Studios are supervised and accessible for over 80 hours a week. Students also use their University-issued MacBook Pros for post-production work.
Beyond an initial investment in media storage, students typically spend less than $100 per semester on course supplies, depending on project scope.
Graduates have pursued careers in feature film and television production, marketing and advertising, broadcasting, event documentation, education, and independent filmmaking.
The Digital Cinema Majors Utilize Multiple Video Formats to Explore Many Types of Communication
Click to Learn MoreDigital Cinema Studio
Digital Cinema Students utilize the shared Art & Design Computer Studio. The studio has four labs, one designed for laptop use, and the other three are equipped with Apple Mac Studio computers, 27" displays, Wacom drawing tablets, and scanners. Software includes Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, and Apple Final Cut Pro, and many others. The facility provides digital video cameras, tripods, lighting equipment, and microphones for overnight checkout. Network storage is available for moving projects from one workstation to another and as temporary backup storage. Digital Cinema students also have access to the greenscreen lighting studio, outfitted with a Knioflow light system and upperclassman access to the Red Scarlet camera. The studio is open approximately 80 hours outside of class times for student use. In addition, the Digital Cinema program utilizes a state of the art theatre style classrom for both lecture, screenings, and critique of student work.
The Digital Cinema Studio is Equipped with a Wide Range of Software and High End Workstations
Click to Learn MoreDigital Cinema Faculty
click to open/close
Gabrielle McNally
Associate Professor
BA Luther College
MFA University of Iowa
A practicing artist, Gabrielle McNally works in experimental autobiographical and essayistic nonfiction exploring the notions of documentation, family history, genealogy, inherited memory, place, fragmentation, ritual, and performance. Gabrielle executes all aspects of her works including the conception, cinematography, editing, sound design, and musical composition. Gabrielle graduated with an MFA in Film and Video Production in 2014 from University of Iowa. In her time at Iowa, she also completed certification in Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies. Gabrielle collaborated on feature films in Iowa before attending graduate school. She received her B.A. in with honors in art from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in 2009 focusing her work on video, performance, and installation. She also studied vocal music performance, theatre, and dance, participating extensively in all three. She continues to include these techniques in her video work. Her personal work has screened internationally at several film festivals and galleries.
WEBSITE
gabriellemcnally.com
Digital Cinema Courses
click to open/closeAD 212 Digital Cinema: Foundations
4 credit hours
Offered: Fall, Winter
Introduction to the concepts and practices of digital filmmaking exploring fiction, documentary, and experimental video production. Focuses on foundational approaches to filming and editing short-form cinematic works.
AD 312 Digital Cinema: Advanced Production
4 credit hours
Offered: Winter
Prerequisite: AD 212 or BC 250, or instructor permission.
Development of the concepts and practices of digital filmmaking exploring fiction, documentary, and experimental video production. Focuses on advanced approaches to filming and editing short-form cinematic works emphasizing cinematography, post-production, and collaboration.
AD 448A Digital Cinema: Documentary Filmmaking
4 credit hours
Offered: Fall, odd-numbered years
Prerequisite: AD 312 or instructor permission.
Continued development of the concepts and practices of digital filmmaking emphasizing documentary film production. Focuses on producing short-form cinematic works exploring various documentary modes, historical approaches, and ethics of representation.
AD 448B Digital Cinema: Fiction Filmmaking
4 credit hours
Offered: Fall, even numbered years
Prerequisite: AD 312 or instructor permission.
Continued development of the concepts and practices of digital filmmaking emphasizing fiction film production. Focuses on producing short-form cinematic works exploring narrative structure, character development, and visual storytelling.
AD 449 Digital Cinema: Professional Practice
4 credit hours
Offered: Winter
Prerequisite: AD 303 and either AD 448A or 448B, or instructor permission.
Continued development of the concepts and practices of digital filmmaking emphasizing the development, production, and realization of a capstone project. Focuses on professional production practices and career development.
Digital Cinema FAQ
click to open/closeWhat is the difference between a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Cinema and a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science?
The BFA is our professional studio degree, as it has more credits in the Digital Cinema concentration and more specific requirements in other studios, such as Graphic Design and Computer Art. The BFA also has more art history requirements and does not allow a minor. The BA and BS degrees provide students with the option to pursue a minor such as a major in Digital Cinema and a minor in Music (20 credit hours). The BA also has a language requirement.
Does the school require a portfolio review before you are accepted into our programs?
If you are accepted into the university, you are able to pursue a degree within the school. Although there is no required portfolio review to enter the program, Art and Design majors must participate and complete a faculty review of their portfolios (Individual Art Review AD 303). This review occurs after students have completed the required prerequisites in foundation courses and at least three Digital Cinema courses.
Are there scholarships for incoming Art and Design majors at the Freshman level?
The school offers the High School Freshman Scholarship (four $1000 awards) that is available each year with applications due in April.
See the web for details
Scholarship Information
What equipment is required for Digital Cinema majors??
Students do not need to have access to their own personal cameras or filmmaking equipment to complete their Digital Cinema coursework. All Art and Design majors are provided with an Apple MacBook and the Adobe Suite of software that will allow students to edit videos on their laptops. Digital Cinema students also have access to high-specification digital cameras, lighting and sound equipment, camera rigging and accessories, and high-end computer workstations that offer the latest digital applications to facilitate sophisticated post-production, editing, and color processing. A state-of-the-art lighting studio with a green screen stage and additional studios for screenings, animation, and sound production are open for individual student use with supervision outside of class time.
What are the prospects for employment with a degree in Digital Cinema?
Although Digital Cinema is a very competitive field, the employment outlook is very optimistic. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the number of jobs in the U.S. motion picture and video industries increased by over 100,000 jobs from 1994 to 2004. The bureau estimates that the number will grow by 31 percent in the next eight years. According to the Chicago Tribune, “that is roughly double the 16 percent growth projected by the bureau for other U.S. industries in the same time....these are jobs primarily with the major U.S. studios and smaller independent motion picture companies; the statistics do not include jobs with companies that make documentary and industrial films and videos, and those that create visual material for computer games, cell phones and other new media”. Requirements for the BFA degree in Digital Cinema include Graphic Communication, Photography and 12 credit hours in Computer Art. These requirements expand the professional skills and knowledge of Digital Cinema graduates, who are currently employed in a range of occupations that include television producers, independent filmmakers and Internet animators.
What emphasis will I find in the Digital Cinema program?
The Digital Cinema program presents a curriculum that exposes students to a broad experience that includes pre-production (storyboarding, scriptwriting, art direction), production (directing, cinematography, sound design, special effects), and post-production (editing, sound mixing, color grading, visual effects). Although technical competency is required, the emphasis of all projects is to develop understandable concepts with the original intention realized in the final video production.
Currently, AD112 Digital Cinema: Foundations develops the basic skills required to successfully work with video across multiple formats. AD212 Digital Cinema: Image Design delves deeper into both cinematography and post-production visual effects. In the 300-level courses (AD312A and AD312B) students focus on two distinct modes of making: nonfiction and experimental forms. At the 400-level students take 412A: Production and 412B: Editing, working both collaboratively and individually on portfolio projects and professional development materials.
Do most of your majors find employment?
The majority of students who continue to pursue work in Digital Cinema find employment in the industry. Graduates are currently working throughout the United States from Los Angeles to New York City. Internship opportunities in Marquette continue to expand and the completion of an internship before graduation does increase students’ chances of employment upon graduation. Students are also encouraged to join the 4Reels Digital Cinema student organization to further their network outside of the classroom. Advanced Digital Cinema courses include a component of resume and portfolio development so students are prepared before they graduate to begin a job search. A number of our graduates also choose to pursue graduate studies.
May I enroll in other Art and Design classes?
Yes - there are Art and Design elective credits designed into the curriculum. You should consult with your advisor or faculty mentor for specific details. All 100-level Art and Design studio classes have no prerequisites and can be taken by anyone.
More Questions?
Please write Professor Gabby McNally gmcnally@nmu.edu
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