On Tuesday, November 1, 2022 the new Digital Media and Film (DMF) department held an informal event to celebrate the launch of its new major now available at St. Lawrence University. Finger foods of various kinds and Coffee, Tea, and Lemonade were provided, bringing back a Dining Services tradition from pre-pandemic events. The event took place in the spacious Launders Underground room downstairs in the Noble Building.
Beginning with an informal round table introduction between professors and students the discussion focused on the details of the new major and its unique interdepartmental nature. Over 19 professors and 8 academic departments will be involved in teaching for the new DMF major. Sarah Knobel, Co-Chair of Digital Media and Film, stressed the importance of planning out coursework for each academic year to insure it will meet the requirements of the new DMF Major, faculty advising is key. Brook Henkel is the other Co-Chair of the new DMF department.
After discussion of the Major, Film Director Loch Phillipps and his Producer, David Chanatry, on the film "UTICA: The Last Refuge" talked about documentary film making and the specifics of making their film. They showed a few clips from the film including some scenes that were cut and took questions from those attending. Loch Phillipps expressed his personal philosophy about documentary film making stressing his belief that a film must provide answers for an issue, not just present the issue as unsolvable.
The Digital Media and Film major is meant to provide hands-on experience in such areas as Filmmaking, Graphic Design, Audio Production, Podcasting, Set Design, Journalism, and Photography. A total of 12 courses are needed for a Major concentration with three foundational courses in the areas of Film & Media Action, Core Film Studies, and DMF in Relation to Contemporary Society. For full details please see the Course Requirements. At the time of this writing, the Film and Representation Studies Minor is planned to be converted to a DMF Minor.
