Department of Cinematic Arts

Dave DeBorde, Chair, Associate Professor of Film
Steve Taylor, Filmmaker in Residence
Stacia Watkins, Assistant Professor
Larry Brown, Professor of Theatre
Van Flesher, Adjunct
Mike Fernandez, Dean, College of Entertainment and the Arts

The mission of the Department of Cinematic Arts is to educate the next generation of artists to be independent, entrepreneurial filmmakers who graduate ready to create uplifting content for the digital entertainment marketplace.

B.F.A. in Film with Track Emphasis

This pre-professional degree allows the dedicated film student an opportunity to take classes geared toward a specific interest in film. This degree is appropriate for those who upon graduation wish to go directly into the field of professional filmmaking. It is also designed for those who wish to go to graduate school for an M.F.A.

B.F.A. Degree in Film Production

The general film production degree plan is an excellent choice for students who love film but also have other interests in the the Film/TV industry.

Distinctives of the Film Department

Internships

Students are encouraged each summer to participate in internships throughout the city and the country.

Los Angeles Trip

Film students have a unique opportunity to spend a week in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world. Tours of studios and famous landmarks will be arranged, with the week culminating in an internship with the Academy Awards® sponsored Sunscreen Film Festival in beautiful Hermosa Beach. Sunscreen provides numerous workshops and panels

featuring industry professionals and celebrities, as well as opportunities to network.

Sundance Film Festival

Working in collaboration with some other Christian universities, Lipscomb film majors will have the opportunity to attend the world famous Sundance Film Festival. As part of this special group, film students will be privy to premiere tickets and private lectures with festival filmmakers and actors. After many of the screenings, there will be private talk backs with the group in order to discuss ideas and issues raised.

Strong Professional Connections

Lipscomb is committed to bringing in visiting artists with strong professional credentials. Some recent and future guest speakers include Sean Covell (producer, Napoleon Dynamite), John Jackson (casting director, The Descendants, Sideways), Dean Batali (TV Writer/Producer, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, That 70’s Show), and many more.

Faculty are working professionals

Our faculty don’t just teach, they do! Steve Taylor is an internationally known musician as well as an accomplished filmmaker with two theatrical releases under his belt. Dave DeBorde is an accomplished filmmaker in his own right and produced a theatrically released film nationwide in 2015, Old Fashioned. DeBorde has also worked professionally with transmedia storytelling, including video games. Additionally, the rest of the faculty includes Emmy winners and other active film and television content creators.

5 Minute Film Festival

Now in its third year, Lipscomb’s 5 Minute Film Festival was created by the Cinematic Arts department as a way to encourage students from all across campus to use their God-given creativity and make a short film. A panel of entertainment industry professionals will review the submissions and award cash prizes to outstanding films from two categories-narrative (fiction) and documentary - and the Grand Prize winner will be screened at the Nashville Film Festival, which will make it eligible for Academy Awards® consideration. Prizes will also be awarded for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Original Music, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Design and Best Poster Design.

Film Screening Series

Throughout the year the Department of Cinematic Arts hosts a campus screening series that has included numerous sneak previews of movies prior to their theatrical release. These screenings are often followed by Q&As with the filmmaker.

Production Opportunities

Lipscomb’s Department of Cinematic Arts is committed to providing production opportunities for our students. In addition to film crew internships on Nashville-based productions, we also produce award-winning promos and will soon start work on a web series in partnership with the Theater Department.

Career Opportunities

• Actor

• Film Critic

• Arts Journalist

• Independent Filmmaker

• Videographer

• Press Agent

• Photographer

• Film Editor

• Studio Merchandising

• Film Distributor

• TV Distributor

• Story Editor

• Film archivist

• Researcher

• Casting Director

• Film Publicist

• Television Producer

• Camera Operator

• Digital Imaging Technician

• Colorist

• Shader

• Screenwriter

• Animator

• Script Supervisor

• Professional Personal Assistant to a Film Professional

• Talent Agent

• Talent Manager

• Film Professor

• Technicians

In addition to the fields listed above, there are other less obvious applications of the Film degree. Law schools, medical schools and the like are beginning to understand how powerfully the following skills, all integral to Film training, can equip one for “real life” working within a deadline, collaborative effort, stamina, conceptual skills, analytical thinking, fiscal responsibility, creativity, working successfully with people, communication skills, management skills, organizational ability, making an idea become tangible, creative research, taking direction, problem-solving and the confidence to embrace new ideas.

Program of Study Requirements

Major

Film Production Major (B.F.A)

Minor