Dixie State University received approval last week from the Utah State Board of Regents to begin offering a Bachelor’s of Science degree in digital film this fall. Final approval is pending from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
The digital film program will provide advanced production training in cinema and the opportunity for students to work on commercial projects and documentary productions in real-world environments. In addition to learning operational aspects of digital film such as lighting, camera, and sound production requirements, students will receive hands-on training in pre- and post-production techniques. The program also will include academic coursework in film theory, history and criticism, screenwriting, editing, and documentary production.
“I’m excited about the future of the film program here at Dixie State University because it connects students to industry professionals,” Jeffery Jarvis, dean of the university’s newly renamed College of the Arts, said. “We’re taking a big, big step forward with the DSU film program.”
Students will be required to fulfill digital film internships and develop an electronic portfolio containing all their production experiences at DSU.
Additionally, the program is connected with DSU Films, an entity that allows students to work on commercial production projects alongside industry professionals. The program is also closely affiliated with DOCUTAH, DSU’s international documentary film festival.
“In the future, July 15, 2016, will be looked on as a seminal moment in the growth of the digital film program at Dixie State University,” Phil Tuckett, DSU assistant professor of communication, said. “This degree approval, our burgeoning DSU Films production unit and the continued growth of DOCUTAH give us the tools we need to achieve our goal to benefit our students by bringing the film industry back to southern Utah. At one time, this area was known as Little Hollywood. We believe that with this foundation, it can be again.”
Students in the program will be taught by faculty with extensive experience in the film industry, including Tuckett, an NFL Films veteran who has earned 30 Emmy Awards and has more than 30 years of experience.
DSU currently offers a digital film production program as an emphasis within the Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies degree. As part of expanding the program into a bachelor’s degree, the program will move to the College of the Arts.
“The best filmmakers in the world see themselves as artists and we are at the forefront of pairing the two together,” Jarvis said. “When you make films, you need musicians, you need actors, and you need costumes and sets. Those disciplines are housed in the College of the Arts, so moving the film program makes sense. Additionally, by housing the film program in the College of the Arts, students who are already studying the arts have another venue to explore their artistic expression. The possibility for collaboration between students is very exciting; it’s a synergy that excites me.”
For more information about DSU, visit dixie.edu, and to learn more about DOCUTAH, which is scheduled to take place this year from Sept. 6 to 10 on the DSU campus, visit docutah.com.
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