2025 - Fall

MEDIA STUDIES COURSES

RTF 385L           ITALIAN FILM, AMERICAN AUDIENCES • PAOLA BONIFAZIO

In 1912, American producer and distributor George Kleine, one of the nine members in the Motion Picture Patents Company, made a deal with the Società Italiana Cines to import and distribute their films in the United States; Cines big historical epics would buoy the company until the outbreak of War World I. In 1948, American producer David O. Selznick struggled to work with director Vittorio De Sica and writer Cesare Zavattini, after their film Bicycle Thieves (1948) mesmerized viewers across the Atlantic. Forty years later, Martin Scorsese released the documentary My Voyage to Italy (1999), in which he recollects all the Italian films that made an impression on him since his youth and explains how they defined his own work, particularly those directed by Roberto Rossellini.  Another Italian American director, Quentin Tarantino was patron and presenter at the 61st Venice Film Festival in 2004 of “Italian Kings of the B’,” a retrospective including many of his favorite 1970s cop movies that are so inspirational to his own work. 

These are just some of many examples that trace the longstanding impact of Italian films on American audiences, including filmmakers. In this course, students will explore the history of Italian cinema through the lens of its distribution, reception, and appropriation in the United States, from the silent era to today. Some of the topics discussed during the course are: the network of distribution of Italian companies in the US in the silent era; historical epics and the discourse of national identity in early twentieth century Italian immigrant communities; branding and reception of Neorealism and Italian auteurs in the American press; cultural negotiations between Italian artists and American producers; Italian genre films and their influence on American cinema, including western, horror, and cop movies. During the semester, students will visit the Harry Ransom Center and conduct research on the David O. Selznick Collection.

The course is taught in English. Readings will be in English and available on Canvas or in electronic format through the UT Library. Sound films are in Italian with English subtitles.

RTF 386C           COMEDY IN FILM AND MEDIA • KATHY FULLER SEELEY

This course explores theories of humor and comedy and applies them to media and performance from the early 20th century US to the present. Readings draw broadly from philosophy, cultural studies, cinema and TV studies, race, gender, sexuality, politics, psychology. We will examine producers, texts, performers and audiences across a wide variety of media -- television and film, literature, comics, radio, internet, live performance and other forms. The seminar will be focused on student group discussion and presentation of theories, texts, specific examples of applications, and findings. Students will develop research/and/or create projects.

RTF 395           THEORY AND LITERATURE (MA) • MIRASOL ENRÍQUEZ

This course provides an introduction to the broad range of theoretical scholarship that informs contemporary media studies in the humanities. It is required for all Master’s students in the RTF Department’s Media Studies graduate program, and is also open to other graduate students interested in media-focused scholarship, with the permission of the instructor. We will review the primary theories and work of scholars who have contributed to media studies, with an emphasis on the development of the discipline and its varied trajectories. The course will be conducted as a seminar, with in-depth discussions of the readings and authors we encounter. 

RTF 395           THEORY AND LITERATURE (PHD) • SHANTI KUMAR

Drawing on literature from a rangy archive in the interdisciplinary field of media studies, this course aims to (re-)familiarize students with the established “canon,” while also broadening its horizons into dynamic and overlooked “elsewheres.” Charting significant developments in media theory, across differences in methodology, platform, representation and beyond, students will participate in debate, thought experiments, writing projects and rigorous discussion filtered through class readings and images. Within this framework of thoughtful engagement, students will explore how these texts can be activated, applied and reimagined. This course is required for all new PhD students in the RTF Department and is also open to PhD students from other departments interested in media-focused scholarship, with the permission of the instructor.

RTF 398T           SUPERVISED TEACHING IN RTF • CAROLINE FRICK

This is a course on methods and practices of teaching communication area college courses.  It is designed to introduce you to some of the philosophies behind different ways of teaching, as well as to assist you in your teaching experience at UT Austin.  We will thus be dealing both with theoretical material as well as more basic, “how to” information and skills.  The goal of the course is to make you more comfortable in the classroom, to better your pedagogical skills, and to improve your understanding of your own teaching.  The course plan moves you from “how to teach at this particular institution” (i.e., the syllabus assignments) through “thinking about the theory and practice of teaching” (i.e., the research paper, observations, discussions of ethics, practicums) to evaluating your own teaching and preparing to sell it on the job market (i.e., teaching philosophy and portfolio). You are expected to keep up with the reading, meet all course deadlines, and fulfill your responsibilities as a member of an academic community. Class time will be reserved every week for the discussion of issues, problems, and positive experiences in your individual classrooms.

RTF 384I         INTERNSHIP IN MEDIA INDUSTRIES • CINDY McCREERY 

MFA SCREENWRITING COURSES

RTF 380J          FIRST-YEAR SCREENWRITING • STUART KELBAN 

The gateway course for entering MFA Screenwriters, this class focuses on writing the feature-length screenplay, which means delving into the three primary elements of screenwriting: story, character and structure. Students discuss and evaluate each other's work on a weekly basis, developing their critical skills as screenwriters. By the end of the semester, each student will have a completed treatment, step-outline, and Act I of a feature-length screenplay. RTF Screenwriters will complete-and-revise their screenplay during the Spring, in the 380J companion course.

RTF 380M        ADVANCED SCREENWRITING I • RICHARD LEWIS 

The goals of this course: 1) That you complete a feature script or television pilot(s) suitable for submission to agents, production companies and/or contests. 2) That you leave this course a better writer than when you entered. 3) That you help your fellow classmates achieve the above two goals and vice-versa. *This course fulfills the second year, first semester writing requirement for all MFA screenwriting majors. Other qualified students will be admitted as space permits, by instructor permission.

RTF 380N         WRITERS ROOM WORKSHOP • KATHERINE CRAFT 

Students will work as a writers’ room run where they will create an original pilot as well as the entire season of a television series. 

RTF 380N         WRITING FOR SERIES TV • CINDY McCREERY 

Introduction to the fundamentals of writing for television where students will learn structure for both half hour and hour long series, the fundamentals of pilot development and will develop and write either a one-hour and half-hour television ‘spec' based on an existing series.

RTF 384I         INTERNSHIP IN MEDIA INDUSTRIES • CINDY McCREERY 

MFA PRODUCTION COURSES

RTF 380C            SCREENWRITING FOR DIRECTORS • RICHARD LEWIS

While focusing on fictional shorts, 380C explores basic dramatic elements – story, character, structure, and conflict – that are applicable to all forms of storytelling. Students apply these narrative principles to the development of their own original short scripts, with an emphasis on the writing process: from the initial premise, through character exploration and outlining, to drafting and revision. Toward the end of the semester, attention is given to non-fiction storytelling, with students researching and writing short documentary treatments.

RTF 388F/344M        POST PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES • DAN STUYCK 
Flag/s: Independent Inquiry  

This course involves intensive hands-on work in digital color grading. It is designed to familiarize students with the entire digital image-making process, whether you are a director or a cinematographer who wants to understand how picture finishing works, to more advanced students who wish to specialize in post production or color correction.

RTF 388F/340D    PRODUCTION DESIGN BASICS • ADRIANA SERRANO

Understand the role of production design and how the creation and selection of sets, locations and environments contribute to the visual language of film. Explore fundamental elements of story, production, critical analysis, and the collaborative process of film making from the design perspective.

RTF 388P               ADVANCED DIRECTING  • ANDREW SHEA 

This course is designed to bring together advanced directing students and Austin-based actors in an environment that will foster mutual growth and understanding of the director/actor dynamic in the filmmaking process. Each student will direct or co-direct a Dogme-style film. Each director or directing team will cast two actors who will play the leading roles in the film and who will participate in our in-class workshops during the middle part of the semester. We will adhere to a production code that is a modified version of the Dogme 95 Vow of Cinematic Chastity. The goal will be to create collaborative, performance-based works that emphasize simplicity and ingenuity in image and sound choices.

RTF 388M        PRE-THESIS PRODUCTION • YA’KE SMITH 

This class focuses on the development and production of the MFA pre-thesis project. Production must be completed prior to the end of the semester. Students are not required to write or produce this project, only to direct and edit. The pre-thesis must be a complete, stand-alone project, and not an excerpt from a larger work. Pre-thesis fiction projects shall be under 12 minutes in length, and documentary projects shall not exceed 30 minutes.

RTF 388P/343      CINEMA LABORATORY •  DEBORAH EVE LEWIS 

Limited to 20 participants. In Cinema Laboratory, you will make ten short films – some during class and some outside of class – with an emphasis on taking risks and exploring the cinematic form on an elemental level.

Cinema Laboratory’s practice of consistent moviemaking aims to create a space and time where filmmaking efforts are not expensive and precious, but intuitive, brief, engaging, and challenging in a fast-paced workshop setting. Motivated, hard-working, curious and highly creative students are sought to participate.

Cinema Laboratory seeks self-driven MFA students, RTF undergraduates (especially those in their last few semesters), Photojournalism students, Theatre Directors and students from the School of Architecture and the Art School. The T.A. will help non-RTF students learn RTF protocol and basic editing, camera and sound work, if necessary.

Undergraduates registering for this class should be seniors near graduation. Undergraduates: If you’re not a senior, please get permission of the instructor. If you have questions regarding Cinema Laboratory, don’t hesitate to contact the instructor: deb.lewis@utexas.edu.  

RTF 388P         CINEMATOGRAPHY • DEBORAH EVE LEWIS

This course explores visual storytelling and the art of cinematography through practice in a workshop environment. We will explore visual expression through a variety of cinema tools including camera and lighting. Students are encouraged to think cinematically in both fiction and non-fiction approaches. A number of readings and exercises are assigned to also increase a student's technical knowledge and understanding of one's tools, leading to greater creative and personal visual expression.

RTF 388P/366S    EARS ONLY: AUDIO STORYTELLING • TODD THOMPSON 

Audio production and post for storytelling using voice, actuality, music, ambiences and sound effects. Structuring stories for audio only, plus microphone and recorder techniques, mono, stereo, and binaural recording, field mixers, basic Pro Tools, signal processing, and noise reduction, applicable to sound for picture as well. Students will make a variety of small projects leading up to a longer, final project of their choice.

RTF 390C        EDITING FOR DIRECTORS • ANNE LEWIS

Required for first-year MFA production students. This is an introductory course in which we will build the foundation for later postproduction practice within the MFA program. It will incorporate technical, aesthetic, and practical considerations into an overall view of editing as a process, and we will use class discussion, written assignments, and (provided) editing exercises toward that end. The final third of the class will workshop your documentary film at various stages of postproduction.

RTF 488M        THESIS PRODUCTION • PJ RAVAL 

This course is designed to aid students in the planning, production and completion of "short project" film/video projects required as partial fulfillment of the MFA degree; Students involved in pre-production must complete a story synopsis, treatment and/or shooting script (if the latter is already under way), plus a production budget and date for production start and completion; a student must have script, production plan, budget, and equipment list approved by his/her MFA committee before shooting can begin; and each project in post-production must have a budget and picture delivery date set by the student producer's MFA committee and course instructor.

RTF 881KA     PRINCIPLES OF FILM AND TV PRODUCTION: DIRECTING DOCUMENTARY • ILIANA SOSA

RTF 384I         INTERNSHIP IN MEDIA INDUSTRIES • CINDY McCREERY 

SPECIALTY COURSES

RTF 388C         RESEARCH PROBLEMS: DOCTORAL EXAM PREP   

RTF 388D         RESEARCH PROBLEM IN SPECIAL FIELD OF RTF   

RTF 388E         RESEARCH PROBLEM IN SPECIAL FIELD OF RTF 

RTF 388S         RESEARCH PROBLEMS SPECIAL FIELD RTF: PRODUCTION

RTF 398M        MASTERS RESEARCH/WRITING

RTF 398R         MASTER'S REPORT

RTF 399W        DISSERTATION

RTF 698A        THESIS

RTF 698B        THESIS

RTF 699W       DISSERTATION

RTF 999W       DISSERTATION