Dr. Michael Gose is working on a new program to educate students using multi-media learning tools and raise awareness of film opportunities.
By Joann Groff
Assistant News Editor
Movies are often a staple when it comes to entertainment value for college students. The introduction of the Pepperdine Film Study Initiative is one step toward spreading the idea that movies can offer even more.
The new program encourages the incorporation of film as an educational genre at Pepperdine. A special interest group embodying the objectives of the initiative will be established with the Inter-Club Council this week.
Dr. Michael Gose, professor of Humanities and Education, is on the road to building the initiative into something that all students across campus are involved in.
“To use the Pepperdine metaphor,” Gose said. “We are trying to catch that wave and ride it.”
Gose mentions Eliot Eisner as an inspiration. He said: “Schools have too few real and imaginary experiences at which to test educational concepts.” The renowned professor of education at Stanford encourages the use of art in teaching curriculum, rebelling against the traditional forms of lecturing and testing.
Gose and Melissa Abreu, a Great Books student to whom Gose gives much credit of the development of the idea, have developed a list of objectives that will push the introduction of film into all levels of student life at Pepperdine. The initiative lists improving the film collection on campus, promoting the use of film in curriculum and attracting distinguished films and guests to campus as some of their main goals.
“Institutions who do not integrate multimedia learning tools into the educational experience are increasingly considered archaic and deficient,” Abreu said. “We are so enthusiastic about beginning this group to aid in placing a stronger focus on the educational purpose of film at Pepperdine and also to raise more awareness about our community’s amazing film opportunities for the students.”
Abreu said the group has received $10,000 from President Andy Benton to purchase new DVDs for the Payson library, and they hope to make them available to students for free rentals.
During the spring, Gose screened the major motion picture, “To End All Wars,” starring Kiefer Sutherland and Robert Carlyle, in his Sunday night film class. This opportunity is available to students again Oct. 19, for no cost.
“In my 24 years at Pepperdine, I have never seen an event have such an impact upon a Pepperdine audience,” Gose said. “Based upon the student response to this film last year, I am extremely confident in saying that if you are a student who loves film and/or a Great Books student and/or a Christian, you will not want to miss this opportunity.”
Producer and director Jack Hafer will be available to answer questions after the 5:30 p.m. showing (there will also be one at 8 p.m.).
Focus is also being placed on supporting The Malibu Film Festival, the Pepperdine Film Festival, and the upcoming City of Angels Film Festival, which Pepperdine co-sponsors. The CAFF, which runs Oct. 23 through Oct. 26, will features films such as: “Metropolis,” “The Graduate,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Star Wars, Episode IV” and “Moulin Rouge.” The festival, which turns 10 years old this year, explores a theme of revolutions in cinema style and revelations in movie themes.
“Resistance,” with Bill Paxton and Julia Ormand, will premiere at the festival, and Director Todd Komarnicki will be present to discuss the film afterwards.
Another opportunity for students to embrace the knowledge that is available through film is to join one of the film classes now offered at Pepperdine. In the spring, Provost Dr. Darryl Tippens and visiting professor of religion Dr. Carl Flynn will lead a class focusing on the actor Jeff Bridges’ works, such as “Seabiscuit” and “The Big Lebowski.” Other film classes include: African American Films (AAS431), A Social Science Perspective on Film (GSGS 111, 311, 421) and Film is Art (ART315). GSGS 111, 311 and 421 begins this month.
Gose will be speaking at Convocation Oct. 15 on “What is a good film” and more about the Film Study Initiative.
October 02, 2003