5 Reasons to Take CTCS-466
By Ellice Ellis ‘20
Los Angeles is known for film. Hopeful actresses and actors flock to the city in hopes of making it big and seeing their name in bright lights. Not only is it home to historic sets and studios- it also lays claim to one of the most highly ranked and prestigious film schools in the world, USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA).
Here at USC not only do we have an amazing film school but classes and programs at the school which are open to more than just SCA students. If you’re a journalism major like myself who watches movies to stay sane or a fan of the Spike Lees, Tarintinos, and Kubricks of the world; you can live out your wildest dreams at SCA.
I had the pleasure of taking the famous class CTCS-466: Theatrical Film Symposium on Thursday nights from 7:00pm to 11:00pm (sometimes later). The 4-unit class is one of the longest running classes at USC and is taught by legendary film critic Leonard Maltin.
To warn you fairly, the class doesn’t have the greatest of reviews on websites such as Rate My Professor. Students have complained about the TAs and complexity of the grading.
Nevertheless, below are five reasons you should squeeze CTCS-466 into your schedule.
1. You Get To Watch Movies
One might think this is a given. Naturally, in a film class, you would watch some type of movie or television show. What’s different about CTCS-466, is that the class features advanced screenings where students watch anywhere from the newest indie film to a potential blockbuster hit. As mentioned before, the movie selections are very diverse and cater to people with different film preferences and of all backgrounds. I took the class in fall of 2016 and we screened The Birth of a Nation, Doctor Strange, and La La Land.
What added great depth to the movies and the class was the discussions had the next class, where students and Leonard Maltin would share their opinions of the film. It was great hearing not only from SCA students, but biology, history and architecture majors alike.
2. You Get A Peek Into the Industry
The film industry is notoriously known as one of the hardest industries to break into- but taking CTCS 466 can give you insight into the industry. After the screenings, special guest speakers, including directors, writers, actors, producers and more. For all my Marvel friends, after our screening of Doctor Strange, producer and president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, came to talk to the class.
The first day of class Leonard Maltin also gave students insight into his rise to notoriety. Fun fact: Maltin started writing for the newspaper Classic Images at 15 and then started his own fanzine, Film Fan Monthly.
3. There’s a Focus On Film History
Just like Maltin himself, there are lots of students at USC who are invested and love the ‘Golden Age’ of film. This class caters to that. At the beginning of every class, Maltin lectures about anything from silent films, to the history of animation to the importance of westerns.
I myself, although not very knowledgeable regarding film history, found this portion of the class fascinating. My favorite lecture was when Maltin talked about the integration of sound into films. We watched the short The Sex Life of the Polyp by Robert Benchley. The short is famous for its comedic value and taboo talk on sex in the 1920s
4. Challenges You To Think Outside The Box
The only assignment in the class is to write a paper on a movie show an ‘Outside the Box Office’ screening. These are advanced weekly screenings that feature a variety of works. I chose to watch a documentary of Ferguson, excessive force in policing and the militarization of the police. The film allowed me to watch a work of art I probably would have never watched on my own.
When watching the documentary I noticed that I picked up on the cinematography, diversity of the interviews, music, and b-roll used. I analysed all these elements in the paper to critique the film.
What I learned in the class allowed me to expand my film vocabulary and to think very differently when watching movies. I now ask myself “why did they shoot it that way?” or “what mood was is the film trying to evoke by having the lighting this color?”
All in all, this film turned me from a movie watching couch potato to an invested amateur film critique.
5. There’s A Sense of Community.
At the heart of it, the chance to interact with fellow students and cinephiles attracted me to the class. As a non-film student, I was scared that I would fail or be completely lost taking CTCS-466.
Everyone in the class was very friendly and I constantly exchanged notes and studying tips with my classmates.
During the discussions in the class, students were open and nonjudgemental. As I mentioned above, It was great to hear diverse perspectives and learn from film students in the class.
One may be scared to take a film class, especially having no knowledge of technical terms or not knowing famous directors and cinematographers. Don’t be scared. The lectures are not dosed in jargon and The TAs are very effective during office hours.
Whether you’re a burgeoning film addict who regularly watches all of their recommended films on Netflix, or someone who thinks they already know all there is to discover regarding the film industry: you won’t regret taking CTCS-466.
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