The recently approved program offers a view of film through religious, sociological lenses.
JULIS NAVARRO
Staff Writer
The ancient Greek word “kairos” means “the right or opportune moment.” This is exactly how Michael Gose said he feels about the new film studies major that will be offered by the Humanities Division in fall 2007.
“The time has come for film studies to take off at Pepperdine,” Gose said.
Gose has been working to create a greater appreciation for film studies at Pepperdine University since 1999, when he began teaching his first film studies course on campus. In 2001, Gose contributed again by devising a long-awaited film studies minor. Now, by the efforts of assistant professor of English Dr. Joi Carr, Pepperdine students can look forward to a new film studies major next fall.
Carr said she is excited for the new major.
“It is a great fit for Pepperdine,” said Carr, who said she believes Pepperdine can offer something new and exciting to film studies. As an actress herself, Carr perceives film as one of the most important art forms of the last century.
The film studies major will require 38 to 40 units, and Carr will direct the program. The program will include courses such as Introduction to Film Studies, Film Theory, Film History, Religion in Film and Social Science Perspective on Film.
Although Carr gives much recognition to Gose for laying the foundation for film studies at Pepperdine, it was Carr who wrote the proposal for the new program. The proposal was then brought before the Humanities Division to be approved. Head of Humanities Division Dr. Maire Mullins proposed the film studies program to the Seaver Academic Council for approval. The final step is approval from the University Council. Once a new program is approved by the Seaver Council, approval from the University Council is very likely, according to Gose.
According to Gose, Pepperdine students have always been interested in film studies.
“It took a whole batch of younger professors who are oriented in film to make it happen,” Gose said. He explained that the younger generation of professors has a greater orientation to teach film.
In addition to the expected film studies major, Pepperdine University will also be hosting and co-sponsoring the first annual Malibu Celebration of Film Festival, October 4 to 8. The festival will include a special tribute to Robert Altman and will feature films that have won at other major film festivals. Gose is involved with festivals such as these that are associated with the program.
Dr. Mike Sugimoto, who teaches a Japanese and Asian Film course, said he hopes the new program will give students exposure to culture and history that they would normally not receive. Sugimoto emphasizes the academic study of film.
“It would be nice, as it gets integrated, for film studies to eventually be taken seriously in its own right,” he said. “Anything is good in improving the status of film.”
Sugimoto said he is generally impressed with the positive response from students.
“It seems to have caught on. They’re hungry for something new,” he said.
Junior Ashley Steele, a telecommunications major with a minor in film studies, regrets that Pepperdine had not already implemented a film studies major when he was a freshman, but he remains hopeful that the new program will earn a good reputation. Steele reasons that if Pepperdine becomes well-known for its film department, his Bachelor’s degree will become more valuable.
“Pepperdine has needed this for a long time,” Steele said. “When people think of Malibu, they think of film. It’s almost ironic that Pepperdine didn’t have this major earlier.”
Steele is participating in an internship at New Line Cinema. He also works with Pepperdine University’s Admission Office and Web and Media Services to create promotional films for the university.
Clint Loveness, a senior majoring in telecommunications and a contributor to the DVD yearbook, said the film studies major is a great step for Pepperdine. Loveness began a film club on campus and hopes that the progressing appreciation for film will eventually lead to a more “hands-on” major for film production. Loveness said that students interested in film must learn how to discern what kind of story to tell and how to tell it well. He thinks that a film studies major and a film production major would complement each other well.
Loveness said that he has noticed a big movement in Hollywood with Christian films and movies with good values. “Pepperdine can promote students to be good filmmakers as Christians. I want to make good films,” he said. “Pepperdine can jump on that train.”
09-28-2006