Bachelor of Arts Program
Program Code: BA-AS
Major Code: TFA

Television and Film Arts
Buckham B119
(716) 878-3180
tvfilm.buffalostate.edu/

The Television and Film Arts major (TFA) at Buffalo State—an interdepartmental program encompassing the Communication, English, and Theater departments—prepares students for a variety of careers in the entertainment industry. The goal of the major is to teach the TFA student to hone their vision and storytelling skills, thus facilitating pursuits in such dynamic fields as screenwriting, producing, and directing.

The TFA program recognizes that creative content is paramount in today’s age of multi-media and to that end, encourages its students to tell stories across all media. The program is dedicated to excellence in teaching and scholarship, cultural enrichment, and service, providing TFA majors with an appropriate mix of criticism, theory, practical application, and real-life internship opportunities passionately designed to help them succeed.

Required TFA Courses

This series of courses provides students with the foundational skills needed for success in the TFA major. The lower-division courses emphasize the history of storytelling, writing fundamentals, an understanding of the actor, and basic television/film production. The upper-division courses emphasize film criticism; collaboration across production roles; working independently as an ’auteur’; and writing, producing, directing, and editing professionally produced stories exhibited in a public forum.

In addition to required courses, TFA offers electives in storytelling, producing, directing, and post-production.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the television and film arts program is very competitive (approximately 15 students admitted each year) and based upon an application, letter of recommendation, and submission of creative work (including screenplays, short stories, and/or videos/films). All submitted materials are reviewed by the Television and Film Arts Advisory Committee.

Program Requirements

Students will:

1. demonstrate a knowledge of pre/post-production including all roles responsibilities for single camera productions shot on digital media
2. evaluate films and television programs with an understanding of structure and a historical context of media
3. understand and create a classical, three-act structure as it relates to writing scripts for television, film, and various new media
4. understand the business of tv, film, & other media-related industries and be able to create a Personalized Marketing Plan to help obtain a job