Beginning with the fall 2009 semester, the Office of Special Programs at the Tisch School of the Arts is offering three arts minors-Documentary, Performance Studies, and Producing-to all New York University undergraduates. Each minor consists of 18 points.
Beginning with the fall 2009 semester, the Office of Special Programs at the Tisch School of the Arts is offering three arts minors-Documentary, Performance Studies, and Producing-to all New York University undergraduates. Each minor consists of 18 points.
“I believe access to a well-rounded education, regardless of discipline, includes a strong commitment to the arts and it is the goal of the Office of Special Programs to offer such an education to students throughout New York University. Students who graduate as artistic citizens of New York University later become successful citizens of the globe,” stated Vice Dean Pari Sara Shirazi of Tisch School of the Arts.
Minors at the Tisch School broaden students’ perspectives of the cinematic and performing arts. Interdisciplinary courses and internship opportunities in producing, documentary and performance studies bridge together the business, creative, cultural, and entertainment aspects in each of these art forms.
Minor in Documentary - is the first of its kind offering a structured curriculum that delves into the history, practices, and mechanics of production as well as explores the means in which to distribute a film. Designed for students who are interested in using compelling forms of media as a means of social change, the minor can increase a student’s means of storytelling by examining the world we live in utilizing the tools of the documentary filmmaker. Students will learn the history of documentary and non-fiction film and the many varied forms it now comes in. They will also consider the ethics and issues that arise when documenting actual instead of fictitious subjects. Students will be exposed to directors, cinematographers, editors, and producers of documentary films who will share their experiences on why they chose to tell the stories they did and how they went about it. Aviva Slesin, Academy-Award winning documentary filmmaker, serves as faculty advisor for the minor.
Minor in Performance Studies - is intended for students who are interested in delving into the impact that performance can have on culture. It will enable students to develop a greater understanding of how performance has meaning to daily life and how it can shape both a social and political landscape. Students will be able to strengthen their skills of analysis by investigating the performance practices and events of different cultures around the world, concentrating on everything from theatrical performances to cultural and religious rituals, to the use of performance as a means of political activism. Barbara Browning, associate professor of Performance Studies, whose concentrations include Brazil and the African Diaspora, serves as faculty advisor for the minor.
Minor in Producing - is a specialized track designed to provide students of any major with a framework for understanding the dynamics of producing as a business and an art form, as it is the producer’s vision that marks him or her as an artist. The minor explores the many facets that make up a producer’s role in the industry, from finding the material, gathering the talent, overseeing the fabrication of the work and steering it to the marketplace. Currently serving as faculty advisor is Tisch faculty member Sharon Badal, short film programmer of the Tribeca Film Festival.
For more information on the Open Arts Minors at the Tisch School and how to enroll, visit the website.