Department of Cinematic Arts2023-10-25T15:51:46-04:00

Department of

CINEMATIC ARTS

ABOUT

The Department of Cinematic Arts (CCA) prepares a new generation of innovators, storytellers, and leaders to succeed in film, television, and digital emergent technologies. We are proud to be ranked by The Wrap as a top 25 film school in the country.

Undergraduate Degree:

Undergraduates earning the Bachelor of Science in Communication (B.S.C) in Motion Pictures may select from the following tracks: General, Production, Screenwriting, Television Writing, Business, or Critical Studies. A Motion Pictures minor is available.

Graduate Degrees:

Graduate students in the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Motion Pictures Program specialize in production, screenwriting, or producing with the goal of mastering innovative work rooted in collaboration. The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Documentary Program offers a unique curriculum with combined focus on cinematic arts and journalism and provides students with immersive learning opportunities in international documentary production.

State-of-the-Art Facilities:

Our campus boasts cutting-edge facilities that mirror the professional environments our students will encounter in their future careers. The School of Communication equipment room is fully stocked with mics, lights, tripods, VR headsets, and top-of-the-line of cameras including R3D, Blackmagic and Arri Alexa. With a 40’ x 40’ film studio, foley rooms, post-production and editing suites to media labs, you’ll have access to the tools and resources you need to bring your vision to life.

Global Connections:

Cinema is a universal language, and we encourage our students to explore its nuances around the world. Through study abroad programs in Guatemala, Japan, Czech Republic, and Greece, you can gain a global perspective of motion pictures under the guidance of film professionals.

Distinguished Faculty:

Our faculty includes award-winning filmmakers, screenwriters, and scholars who are passionate about nurturing the next generation of cinematic talent. They are not just instructors; they’re mentors and collaborators.

Trailblazing Graduates:

Our alumni have found success across the motion picture industry working for companies such as Apple, Warner Bros, Amazon Studios, Disney, Paramount, Netflix, Lightstorm Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, HBO, CNN Films, 20th Century Fox, NBCUniversal, ABC, PBS, NPR, UTA, CCA, WME as well as for several leading independent media companies around the world. 

The Miami Advantage:

Study in the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic and culturally diverse cities. Here, you’ll find inspiration at every corner – from the vibrant Art Deco architecture of South Beach to the rich cultural heritage of Little Havana. Miami’s unique blend of cultures and influences provides an unmatched backdrop for cinematic exploration.

SPECIAL TOPICS COURSES

Please consider the following Special Topics course offerings from the Department of Cinematic Arts. Consult Canelink, the instructor of record, and/or your academic advisor for more information.

Spring 2024 Special Topics

CCA 404 + JMM 592 section 5TAspects of Contemporary Cinema: The Scariest Decade: The Horror and Science Fiction Films of the 1980s. This course will explore the explosion of the horror and sci-fi movie genres in the 1980s and how they reflected the fears and mores of that era. Each class session will consist of a lecture, screening and post-film discussion. Grades will be based on three exams and three written assignments over the course of the semester.

CCA 431/795 + COM 609 section 1TCritical Studies in American Television: Blackness on American Television: Blackness on American Televisionexamines the sites of production, reception, representation and industry as related to black televisual images from the 1950s to today. While this course focuses on television and blackness, we will also be concerned with black intersectionality including class, gender and sexuality.

CCA 494/750 section 4G From Script to Screen: Advanced production concepts and techniques explored in a variety of media. Students will produce an approved film or script. The class will explore the language of motion picture and how this language is utilized in the story telling process.

CCA 494/795 section SAdvanced Cinematic Lighting: An in-depth and hands-on production course where students get introduced to, utilize and design advanced lighting setups that could help frame the state of mind, evolving emotions, and underlying motivations of the characters, and set nuanced mood, ambience, and visual impact in a narrative film.

CCA 494/795 section SAPDocumentary in Guatemala: This graduate and upper-level undergraduate course focuses on the production of short social impact documentary films. Students work in groups and spend the first half of the semester pre-planning their film in collaboration with grassroots organizations in and around Antigua, Guatemala. The class travels to Antigua over spring break to film their projects that focus on the work of organizations that are dedicated to Environmental Sustainability and Governance (ESG) goals. The second half of the semester focuses on editing and completing the short films.

CCA 494/795 + LAW 950 section 1RProducing the Art Documentary: Taught by the former President and CEO of Oolite Arts, Dennis Scholl, this course will guide students through the production of short documentaries focused on art/artists.

CCA 494/795 + COM 609 section 1JGlobal Black Film: This course explores the international history of film, centered on the pioneering innovations by people of African descent from 1898 to the present.

CCA 494/795 + JMM 356/656 section 2TPodcasting: Podcast Storytelling affords students the opportunity to develop a new wave of audio content, create virtual gathering spaces and has the potential to create new audiences. Students will produce projects as either stand-alone or episodic and will publish their projects on a hosting site.

CCA 494/795 + JMM 356/656 section 5RPodcasting: Podcast Storytelling affords students the opportunity to develop a new wave of audio content, create virtual gathering spaces and has the potential to create new audiences. Students will produce projects as either stand-alone or episodic and will publish their projects on a hosting site.

CCA 795 + COM 609 section 1PMedia Reception Studies: This graduate-level course covers a broad range of approaches to qualitative media reception studies. Focused on the ways “real people” interact with and use media, this course covers both “classic” and contemporary considerations of media reception. Course topics include discussions of methodologies for gathering information about reception, the importance of identities to reception, and fans and fan behaviors. This course is not for people who hold the text, and its alleged meanings sacred. We will focus on what people do with media, not necessarily what academic scholars might think they ought to do.

LATEST NEWS

Free Screening and Book Signing with Author Marsha Gordon

February 23, 2024|

By Karina Valdes Marsha Gordon, author of “BECOMING THE EX-WIFE: The Unconventional Life and Forgotten Writings of Ursula Parrott,” will be at the Bill Cosford Cinema on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. for a book signing and screening of the film, “There’s Always Tomorrow,” based on a story by Ursula Parrott. "For any movie-lover seeking an introduction to Ursula Parrott, [...]

Follow our Instagram account for the latest Cinematic Arts news and updates.

Featured Projects

A few of our motion pictures projects, all done by our very own students and faculty.

Faculty

Anthony
Allegro

aallegro@miami.edu
(305) 284-2202
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Grace
Barnes

gbarnes@miami.edu
(305) 284-3860
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Margaret
Cardillo

m.cardillo@umiami.edu
(305) 284-9722
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Sanjeev
Chatterjee

sanjeev@miami.edu
(305) 284-2234
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Ali
Habashi

ahabashi@miami.edu
(305) 284-8051
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sana-haq

Sana
Haq

sanahaq@miami.edu
(305) 284-3575
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Shane Kinsler

Shane
Kinsler

s.kinsler@miami.edu
305-284-9755
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Konstantia Kontaxis

Konstantia
Kontaxis

kkontaxis@miami.edu
(305) 284-6382
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Christina
Lane

clane@miami.edu
(305) 284-3657
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Barbara
Leibell

dleibell@miami.edu
(305) 284-4890
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Alfred
Martin

almartin@miami.edu
(305) 284-5012
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Betsy Mateu

Betsy Helf
Mateu

e.mateu@miami.edu
(305) 284-6902
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William
Rothman

rothman@miami.edu
(305) 284-4539
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John
Soliday

jsoliday@miami.edu
(305) 284-2219
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Ed Talavera

Ed
Talavera

etalavera@miami.edu
(305) 284-4167
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Rechna
Varma

rxv310@miami.edu
(305) 284-3153
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Jim Virga

Jim
Virga

jvirga@miami.edu
(305) 284-2759
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