Filmmaking MFA Annual Report

Filmmaking MFA Annual Report

The following Student Learning Objectives and assessment information is for Master of Fine Arts graduate programs in the School of Filmmaking. Concentrations are offered in Film Music Composition, Creative Producing and Screenwriting. (Data reported here is for the Film Music Composition concentration only. Creative Producing and Screenwriting programs began in Fall 2016.) 

Program Mission

The mission of the School of Filmmaking is to prepare our graduate students for careers in the extremely competitive world of Film Music Composition, by exposing them to an educational environment that mirrors the professional world’s collaborative process between filmmakers and composers.

Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)


SLO 1. Professional Readiness

By Spring Semester of their final year, graduate students will demonstrate an ability to create effective, aesthetically pleasing, professional film scores in a variety of musical genres and styles that complement the narrative, thematic, and emotional needs of a film’s story, as well as an ability to communicate effectively with industry professionals.

Assessment Plans and Activities

Evidence of Student Learning

As our Portfolio Review Assessment Form template delineates, there are six criteria by which we gauge Professional Readiness for our Film Music Composition graduate students. All G2 students were assessed via portfolio review on a 4-point scale (with 4 indicating consistently clear and strong demonstration of the relevant skill-set). The numbers that follow each criterion listed below indicate the average scores of this student population:

  1. Attitude/work ethic/honesty: 3.8
  2. Collaborative skills in dealing with peers, faculty and staff: 4.0
  3. Organizational skills: 3.8
  4. Time management/ability to meet deadlines: 3.4
  5. Ability to communicate clearly using industry terms: 3.8
  6. Ability to receive constructive criticism and adjust accordingly: 3.8

Overall average Professional Readiness score for across these students: 3.77

Further, responses from questions relevant to Professional Readiness on our Spring 2016 Capstone Course Evaluation data reveal the following averages (on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating “Strongly Agree”):

  • Course fulfills the goals/learning outcomes as stated on the syllabus: 5
  • Course encouraged and enabled me to develop as an artist: 4.5
  • My commitment to this subject has grown significantly as a result of this course: 4
  • I have a greater command of the subject matter than I did before taking this course: 4.5 

Interpretation
The Capstone Course Evaluation data reported above in Findings are strong, with an overall Professional Readiness score of a 4.5 average on our 5-point scale.

The results of the Portfolio Assessment data with regard to Professional Readiness also indicate to us that we are achieving this learning outcome. Areas of strength include our students’ attitude, work ethic, and honesty; their collaborative and organizational skills; and their ability to receive constructive criticism and adjust accordingly.

At the same time, we note that the score on the Professional Readiness criterion of time- management and ability to meet deadlines is slightly lower than we’d like, at 3.4 (on a 4-point scale, with 4 indicating consistently clear and strong demonstration of the relevant skill-set), although we do see a slight increase between this year’s data and last year’s on these two skill- sets:

AY 2014-2015:

  • Time management/ability to meet deadlines: 3.17

AY 2015-2016:

  • Time management/ability to meet deadlines: 3.4 

Use of Student Learning Evidence

Our Film Music Composition graduate students’ thesis projects are to create the scores for our undergraduate seniors’ film projects. In order to improve our graduate students’ ability to better manage their time and meet deadlines, in the Fall of 2016 the Dean, the Head of the Film Music Composition concentration, and the undergraduate Department Chairs will meet to discuss integrating the film music composers more efficiently into the post-production calendar.

Also starting in Fall 2016, the Faculty of the Film Music Composition program will be sure to coordinate between the undergraduate post-production calendar and the composers’ weekly private lessons, in order to ensure the students are on track.

Lastly, we will begin including additional faculty in review screenings of the films with work-in-progress scores, which will help the composers hear the filmmakers’ perspective in addition to the musical perspective. Having the composers attend these weekly review screenings will also be a means for the composers to stay on course to deliver a completed score on time. 

 

SLO 2. Critical Analysis Skills

By Spring Semester of their final year, graduate students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of film history and aesthetics, as well as the ability to analyze how film music creates mood and supports emotional tone.

Assessment Plans and Activities

Evidence of Student Learning

As our Portfolio Review Assessment Form template delineates, there are three criteria by which we gauge Critical Analysis skills for our Film Music Composition graduate students. All G2 students were assessed via portfolio review on a 4-point scale (with 4 indicating consistently clear and strong demonstration of the relevant skill-set). The numbers that follow each criterion listed below indicate the average scores of this student population:

  1. Broad understanding of film history and aesthetics: 4
  2. Ability to analyze how film music creates mood and supports emotional tone: 3.6
  3. Ability to give constructive critique of others’ work: 3.8

Overall average Critical Analysis score for across these students: 3.8

Further, responses from questions relevant to Critical Analysis skills on our Spring 2016 Capstone Course Evaluation data reveal the following averages (on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating “Strongly Agree”):

  • Includes assignments/readings/screenings that enhance my understanding of the subject matter: 5
  • Reading assignments/research/screenings helped me to consider my work in an artistic context: 5
  • Includes written work that covers the material and fairly gauges my comprehension of the material: 5

Interpretation
The Capstone Course Evaluation data reported above in Findings are strong, with an overall Critical Analysis average of 5 on our 5-point scale.

The results of the Portfolio Assessment data (on our 4-point scale) with regard to Critical Analysis also indicate to us that we are achieving this learning outcome. A comparison of the numbers gleaned from last year’s with this year’s data is informative:

AY 2014-2015:

  • Broad understanding of film history and aesthetics: 3.83
  • Ability to analyze how film music creates mood and supports emotional tone: 4.0
  • Ability to give constructive critique of other’s work: 3.5

AY 2015-2016:

  • Broad understanding of film history and aesthetics: 4
  • Ability to analyze how film music creates mood and supports emotional tone: 3.6
  • Ability to give constructive critique of other’s work: 3.8

We therefore see an uptick in the areas of broad understanding of film history and aesthetics, as well as our students’ ability to constructively critique each other’s work. Where we note a need for improvement is in our students’ ability to analyze how film music creates mood and supports emotional tone.

Use of Student Learning Evidence

There are four required courses in the Film Music Composition curriculum that cover the subject of how film music creates mood and supports emotional tone. Therefore, in the Fall of 2016, the Head of the Film Music Composition concentration and the Dean will meet to review the syllabi for these classes, in order to find ways to integrate more lectures, exercises, and analysis assignments, and thereby give our students more practice in honing their critical analytical skills. These adjustments will then be implemented starting in the Spring of 2017.

 

SLO 3. Technical Skills

By Spring Semester of their final year, graduate students will be able to demonstrate mastery of state-of-the-art composition, recording, and editing software.

Assessment Plans and Activities

Evidence of Student Learning

As our Portfolio Review Assessment Form template delineates, there are three criteria by which we gauge Technical Skills for our Film Music Composition graduate students. All G2 students were assessed via portfolio review on a 4-point scale (with 4 indicating consistently clear and strong demonstration of the relevant skill-set). The numbers that follow each criterion listed below indicate the average scores of this student population:

  • Knowledge of workflow from development through post: 4
  • Proficiency with relevant hardware and software: 4
  • Ability to troubleshoot technical malfunctions: 4

Overall average Technical Skills score for across these students: 4

Further, responses from questions relevant to Technical Skills on our Spring 2016 Capstone Course Evaluation data reveal the following averages (on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating “Strongly Agree”):

  • Course fulfills the goals/learning outcomes as stated on the syllabus: 5
  • Incorporates sufficient facilities and equipment in order for me to learn designated subject matter: 5

Interpretation
The Capstone Course Evaluation data reported above in Findings are very strong, with an overall Technical Skills average of 5 on our 5-point scale.

The results of the Portfolio Assessment data with regard to Technical Skills also indicate to us that we are achieving this learning outcome. A comparison of the numbers (on a 4-point scale, with 4 indicating consistently clear and strong demonstration of the relevant skill-set) gleaned from this year and last’s year’s data is clearly indicative of improvement in this area:

AY 2014-2015:

  • Knowledge of workflow from development through post: 3.83
  • Proficiency with relevant hardware and software: 3.33
  • Ability to troubleshoot technical malfunctions: 3.17

AY 2015-2016:

  • Knowledge of workflow from development through post: 4
  • Proficiency with relevant hardware and software: 4
  • Ability to troubleshoot technical malfunctions: 4

Use of Student Learning Evidence

Given the data reported above, we feel that we are achieving this Student Learning Outcome, but we will of course continue to update subject matter taught across the Film Music Composition curriculum as advancements occur in composing and recording music, thereby ensuring that our students continue to receive a state-of-the-art education.