CAT 100. Elements of Cinematic Arts and Theatre I. (3 Credits)

Elements of Cinematic Arts and Theatre (EOCAT) exists to introduce students to the basic elements of stagecraft and/or Cinematic Arts and Theatre (CAT) production, and to gain hands-on experience in the various aspects of a CAT production. There are specific tasks associated with each CAT production that must be completed for the production to succeed. The completion of those tasks is the primary goal of EOCAT. The by-product of those projects is the ability for the EOT student to obtain work hours that are applied toward determining a final grade. (Fall, Spring, Summer on sufficient demand)

Course Fees: $30

CAT 133. Cinema Appreciation. (3 Credits)

A study of movie production as a technical and dramatic artform, illustrated by means of screenings, readings, and discussions. (Fall, Spring, Summer on sufficient demand)

Course Fees: $50

CAT 200. Voice and Movement I. (3 Credits)

Combining vocal clarity and body movement work, the class provides warm-up exercises, "balance" and "centering" exercises, and spatial awareness exercises to students studying the art of acting. The exercises are designed to build the actor’s instrument (the self). Students will demonstrate the endurance, physical ability, and coordination to execute smooth, accurate, and controlled vocal and physical motor responses during an extended voice and movement exhibition. (Odd-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 201. Stagecraft. (3 Credits)

This course will give the student a basic understanding and appreciation of the technical side of theatre. It will provide a knowledge of the safe and proper way to handle scene shop equipment. Stagecraft is a foundation course that creates a solid basis for further study in all technical disciplines of theatre. The objective is to acquaint students with the methods, practices and materials used in theatrical design and production. Basic skills and nomenclature of design, drafting, construction, lighting, sound and introductory rigging will be introduced. All theses skills will be practiced during lab hours in the scene shop. (Fall, Spring)

CAT 210. Theatre Appreciation. (3 Credits)

Theatre Appreciation is an introductory class that surveys the basic elements and theories of theatrical production. In addition, it will cover a brief overview of theatre from its theorized beginning to modern times, with special attention on how theatre has evolved as an artistic expression and experience. The class will provide students multiple opportunities to examine and discuss plays and performances from major theatre eras. (Fall, Spring, Summer on sufficient demand)

CAT 220. Beginning Acting. (3 Credits)

This class is designed to help students understand the basics of giving a credible acting performance. It will build understanding, respect, and admiration of the acting process for aspiring actors. We will discuss and practice methods and techniques, which will enrich your knowledge and experience of creating believable characters in a theatrical performance. We will dissect, rehearse, and perform our various acting projects. These will be opened to the class and the instructor for positive and negative feedback. (Fall)

CAT 250. Rendering. (3 Credits)

This course provides advanced instruction on techniques that will help students improve their skills at creating finished renderings of designs for theater. The course will cover the process of developing renderings through methods & techniques including traditional mediums (drawing, painting, illustration, collage, model building) as well as contemporary digital tools (Photoshop, Vectorworks, 3D printing, etc.). Students will explore various ideation and presentation styles to develop their own characteristic form of visual communication of original design ideas. (Even-numbered years, Fall)

CAT 251. Cinematic Language. (3 Credits)

Exploration of the fundamental facets of filmmaking. Students are exposed to the many systems and techniques filmmakers use to communicate with the audience and develop their ability to recognize and define the various cinematic tools used in the service of telling stories, eliciting emotion, and conveying information. Prerequisite: CAT 133 Cinema Appreciation. (Fall, Spring)

CAT 253. Intro to Film Production. (3 Credits)

An intensive, hands-on introductory digital film production skills course focused on aesthetics professional standards, and the technical tools of creations used in capturing and processing digital audio and video assets. (Fall, Spring)

Course Fees: $50

CAT 280. Drafting for Theatre. (3 Credits)

Students will be introduced to the fundamental elements of producing technical drafting for the stage. Digital and hand drafting methods will be utilized to create ground plans, sections, front elevations, rear elevations, and details. (Odd-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 293W. Screenwriting Fundamentals. (3 Credits)

An introduction to foundational screenwriting techniques and elemental storytelling concepts as a strategy for crafting professional and engaging screenplays. Emphasis is placed on action, character, and theme. (Fall)

Course Fees: $50

CAT 300. Intermediate Acting. (3 Credits)

Provides introduction to American Method Acting styles. The class focuses on achieving realism in performance, differing from classical acting styles, which have traditionally featured exaggerated emotions much bigger than life. The goal will be to capture verisimilitude in the acting performances. Prerequisite: CAT 220. (Even-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 301. Elements of Cinematic Arts and Theatre II. (3 Credits)

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to take on a leadership role within the context of Cinematic Arts and Theatre (CAT) production by filling vital production staff positions. Responsibility goes beyond that of just participating as a performer or working construction hours in the shops. Leadership responsibilities may include single or multiple responsibilities such as the following; leading physical and vocal warm ups, serve as a designer (scene, costume, makeup, lighting or sound), dramaturge/research assistant, stasge director or assistant director, fight captain, publicity director, house manager, stage manager, screenwriter, cinematographer, film director, leading role in acting, or any other position as defined by the director/ CAT faculty. (Fall, Spring, Summer on sufficient demand)

Course Fees: $30

CAT 310. Script Analysis. (3 Credits)

This class will introduce students to a formalist approach to play script analysis. We will study the standard system of classifications used to study the written part of a play. When developing a concept or artistic approach as a screenwriter, playwright, director, actor, and/or a designer, the blueprint of that theatrical creation is the play script. The class will help students develop a system for analyzing and evaluating a wide variety of scripts in terms of production requirements and aesthetic qualities. This class should also help student support critical viewpoints found in their play analysis orally as well as in writing. The nature of the classroom will be lecture, class discussion, reading and analysis of play scripts. Students will be expected to read plays and textbook materials, participate in class discussions, and provide an oral and written analysis of the required reading. (Even-numbered years, Fall)

CAT 320. Voice and Movement II. (3 Credits)

The class is designed for theatre practitioners wishing to develop greater physical and vocal awareness and a more focused understanding of physical and vocal movement in time and space. Physically the class will focus on the movement philosophy/technique known as viewpoints and composition. Viewpoints and composition is a philosophy translated into a technique for (1) training actors (2) building ensemble and (3) creating movement for the stage. In addition to viewpoints and composition students will be introduced to the Feldenkrais technique for actors, basic hand-to-hand and weapon-based combat, basic dance for the stage, stylized movement, and physical endurance training. Vocally, the course aims develop in the student a flexible vocal and articulation mechanism that can be applied to conversation, sight and prepared reading, acting, radio\television, public speaking, and other presentational skills. Students will learn to identify the symbols associated with the International Phonetic Alphabet and how to accurately produce the sounds associated with those IPA symbols. Students are expected to learn and produce standard America speech and use the IPA to identify and reproduce sounds, cadences and rhythms associated with accents and dialects. Prerequisite: CAT 200. (Even-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 335. Acting for the Camera. (3 Credits)

This class focuses on acting for commercial, film, television, and other digital media and mediums. Through simulated professional production students will experiment with being on set or in the studio for commercial work, film/television, radio advertisement, audio books, and animated voice over work. Prerequisite: CAT 220. (Even-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 340. Scenography. (3 Credits)

An exploration of the creative impulse through parallel branches of production design (costumes, lighting, sound, projections, etc.), or Scenography. Students will develop mechanisms and techniques to unlock their creative process in order to communicate their vision. These may include: visual research, conceptualization, characterization, and script analysis. (Odd-numbered years, Spring)

Course Fees: $30

CAT 350. Design for the Stage. (3 Credits)

Application of principles of design to stage, with emphasis on analysis, characterization, conceptualization, sketching, models, and finished rendering. This course will focus on the creation of designs for fictional & realized productions within the context of collaborations with directors, choreographers, set, costume, lighting, and sound designers. Provides the student with a series of design projects with an emphasis on portfolio preparation. Prerequisite: CAT 340. (Fall, Odd-numbered years)

Course Fees: $30

CAT 360. Advanced Design Techniques. (3 Credits)

A detailed experiential examination of the process of participating in the creation of designs for the main stage and major commercial theater venues. Students will receive credit for their role as lead designer for a UNA mainstage or other fully-realized theatrical production approved by instructors. Students are expected to participate independently in the collaborative process from concept/ideation phases through to final execution of the project. Deadlines and deliverables will be developed based on production schedules, and will be evaluated with respect to professional industry-standard guidelines and expectations. (Even-numbered years, Spring)

Course Fees: $30

CAT 370. Directing I. (3 Credits)

The nature of stage direction; a study of basic directorial concepts and their application to short scenes and plays. (Even-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 380. Stage Management. (3 Credits)

This course will expose students to the multi-faceted job of the stage manager in theatrical productions with an emphasis on his/her role in the collaborative process. Students will learn to perform the duties, responsibilities and procedures of stage managers from pre- to post- production, as well as industry-standard vocabulary, proficiently.

CAT 383. Film Practicum Pre-Production. (3 Credits)

An advanced pre-production workshop focused on the competent development of a creatively authentic and professionally realized narrative short film project in an academic setting. Prerequisite: CAT 323 & CAT 393W. (Fall)

CAT 393W. Short Screenplay Writing. (3 Credits)

Workshops in the craft’s most effective conventions and an introduction to constructing affective short visual narratives. Exercises guide to mastery of essentials, which culminate in conceptualizing and composing an authentic work. (Fall)

Course Fees: $50

CAT 400. Advanced Acting. (3 Credits)

Provides advanced technical actor training in classical acting styles based on the expression of the body, voice, imagination, personalizing, improvisation, external stimuli, and script analysis. (Odd-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 401. Design History: Period Styles. (3 Credits)

Period Styles will provide students with a survey of research techniques in history, the arts, and period “style” from Antiquity to the present in Western Civilizations for the purpose of theatrical production. The course will cover the social and political dynamics of cultures throughout history, and discuss ways in which these characteristics affect visual trends in architecture, costumes, and furnishings of the time. Students will also learn how advancements in technology influenced design, lighting, and music presented on the stage. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

CAT 402. Survey of Dramatic Literature and Criticism I. (3 Credits)

The reading and discussion of the classics of dramatic literature and criticism are a basic expectation and responsibility of every subfield of the theatre arts. (Fall, Odd-numbered years)

CAT 405. Survey of Dramatic Literature and Criticism II. (3 Credits)

The reading and discussion of the classics of dramatic literature and criticism are a basic expectation and responsibility of every subfield of the theatre arts. (Even-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 420. Portfolio Prep. (3 Credits)

Designed to assist students in clarifying career, personal, and educational goals with emphasis on documenting college-level learning experience while compiling production process & theater performance photos to use in the development of a digital portfolio and other hiring material. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

CAT 423. Intermediate Film Production. (3 Credits)

The continued study of dramatic narrative production with each student writing, directing, and editing a series of exploratory/elemental exercises with the goal of creating compelling characters and engaging stories through basic cinematography, lighting, editing, and sound. Prerequisite: CAT 253 . (Fall)

Course Fees: $75

CAT 430. History of Theatre I. (3 Credits)

To help you gain a better understanding and appreciation for the art and craft of theatre through the study of its origins and development. Primary emphasis will be placed on the relationships between theatre architecture, technology, acting style, dramatic literature and criticism, and the socio-cultural forces that shape theatre practice, from the Greeks to Ibsen. The course provides an in-depth study of the plays, playwrights, physical theatre, social structure, and theatre criticism, surveying the social, political, religious, and theatrical aspects of the various periods to better acquaint you with these areas and their place in the development of modern drama. You will also have the opportunity to develop your research and reporting skills by working with some of the techniques and resources available to theatre historians, and by struggling with some of the problems we face in our study of theatre history. (Even-numbered years, Fall)

CAT 440. History of Theatre II. (3 Credits)

To help you gain a better understanding and appreciation for the art and craft of theatre through the study of its origins and development. Primary emphasis will be placed on the relationships between theatre architecture, technology, acting style, dramatic literature and criticism, and the socio-cultural forces that shape theatre practice. You will also have the opportunity to develop your research and reporting skills by working with some of the techniques and resources available to theatre historians, and by struggling with some of the problems we face in our study of theatre history. (Odd-numbered years, Spring)

CAT 443. Advanced Film Production. (3 Credits)

An advanced digital film production course focused on the competent and consistent application of theoretical concept comprehension and principles of professional standards to the individual elements of all three phases of production through utilization of current tools in projects. Prerequisites: CAT 253 and CAT 323. (Spring)

Course Fees: $50

CAT 453W. Screenwriting Artistry. (3 Credits)

In a symposium atmosphere, students will practice core processes in developing and refining screenplays. This methodical process, requires diligence, but leads to successful stories. On completion of this course, the student will have completed one feature length screenplay, will be able to apply skilled screenwriting techniques to modify their own interoceptive values into aesthetic and emotive threads for audiences. The student will learn to consistently demonstrate advanced levels of visual storytelling standards and evolved endurance throughout the screenwriting process. In writing, they will develop their own unique voice. Prerequisite: CAT 253 & CAT 393W. (Spring)

Course Fees: $50

CAT 470. Directing II. (3 Credits)

An exploration into the means of eliciting performance from actors as well as the technical tools utilized in the process of directing. Work includes screenplay analysis from an actor and director’s point of view with students directing scenes in class. Prerequisite: CAT 370. (Spring)

CAT 480. Topics in Cinematic Arts and Theatre. (3 Credits)

This course will examine the unique and shared aspects of theatre performance by viewing film versions of theatre plays. By comparing this “translation” or “cross-medium” process, students should have a better understanding of the following: 1) The role and contribution of the various artists; 2) The special features of the medium (theatre& film); and 3) The ways in which the work of one medium is translated into another. To reach this goal, classes will rely upon lectures, class discussion, play reading and the viewing of films. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

Course Fees: $30

CAT 493. Film Production Practicum. (3 Credits)

The culmination of a student’s filmic studies at UNA, and the follow-up to Practicum Pre-Production wherein each student executes their proposal and performs in either a key creative or supportive crew position for the purpose of completing a professional caliber motion picture, which is to be viewed at a public, year-end screening. Prerequisite: CAT 443. (Spring)

Course Fees: $25

CAT 495. The Business of Acting and Auditioning. (3 Credits)

The details of the business of acting are covered: headshots, resumes, casting notices, mailing lists, networking, acting reels, acting websites, contracts and union memberships. Also, how to develop business relationships with agents, casting directors, directors, and artistic directors. Prerequisites: CAT 220 and CAT 335. (Fall, Odd-numbered years)

CAT 499. Independent Study-Internship. (3 Credits)

Independent study and research under departmental supervision or special field experience under departmental determination and evaluation. Requires written permission of the department chair prior to registration. (Fall, Spring)