Critical Film Production Minor

The minor in Critical Film Production provides undergraduate students with a rigorous introduction to core critical, formal, and technical aspects of filmmaking through the four required courses. The additional electives allow students to gain deeper theoretical, historical, and/or methodological knowledge to enrich their filmmaking practice.

The minor requires a minimum of 21 hours distributed over six courses as shown below. At least six hours of advanced-level (300 or 400) courses are included. A course cannot be used to satisfy more than one requirement within the minor.

Critical Film Production Requirements—21 Hours Required

Required Courses:

NOTE: MACS 370 and MACS 371 do not count toward elective credits in the minor.

Select ONE of the following foundational study electives (3 hours):

• MACS 261 Survey of World Cinema I*
• MACS 262 Survey of World Cinema II*
• MACS 361 Film Theory and Criticism*

Select TWO electives from the following list of film history, theory, and criticism courses (3 hours):
A course cannot be used toward more than one requirement in the minor.
At least one of the elective courses must be at the 300-level or above.
"Topics" courses are eligible when taught as film theory, history, and criticism courses.

• MACS 203 Contemporary Movies
• MACS 205 Introduction to Documentary
• MACS 261 Survey of World Cinema I
• MACS 262 Survey of World Cinema II
• MACS 282 A World of Death and Blood: The Horror Movie
• MACS 284 Animated Media from Mickey to GIFs
• MACS 301 Cinema Decades
• MACS 361 Film Theory and Criticism
• MACS 366 (previously MACS 464) Film Festivals 
• MACS 372 Screenwriting
• MACS 380 21st Century Documentaries
• MACS 395 Special Media/Cinema Topics
• MACS 485 Making Video Essays
• MACS 496 Advanced Media/Cinema Topics

For additional information about requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

Declare the Critical Film Production minor.

Questions? Contact Amy Wolff at aewolf@illinois.edu.