Serious study of Film means that you’ll have to understand the medium’s history, critical patterns, social context, technological developments, and creative methodologies. As you go through our program, you will learn to understand and appreciate the aesthetic qualities intrinsic to the medium, the technical skills to express your ideas, and a work ethic that will help you excel in your career.
Keene State College is the only public institution in New Hampshire where you can major in Film Studies. The program is housed in the Media Arts Center. That’s where you’ll attend classes, visit with your professors, and have use of the television studio, green screen, equipment rental, editing and animation labs.
A rich film culture is thriving at Keene State. Here are just a few examples that illustrate the vibrancy of film productions, screenings, and discussions outside the classroom:
Film Society: A student organization that organizes nightly screenings of films in the Putnam Auditorium. Students program and promote the schedule, and also manage theater operations.
Keene State Media Productions: A student organization that hosts technical workshops, completes client projects, and facilitates the 7-day Film Competition, in which students create, shoot, and edit a five-minute film—in one week!
Visiting filmmakers: Each semester, faculty invite a diverse group of visiting filmmakers. Recent guests include Penny Lane (Filmmaker Magazine named Lane one of “25 New Faces of Independent Film”) and Jennifer Latham (producer, Capitalism: A Love Story and Sicko by Michael Moore).
KSC Student Film Festival: This event, held at the beautiful Colonial Theater on Main Street, shows off the work made in our Capstone classes. It is a joyous event where students, faculty, staff, families, and the Keene community come together to celebrate film.
Critical Studies Conference: Student scholars celebrate intellectual engagement with the critical and historical study of film – presenting papers, screening films, and participating in collegial discourse.
The Monadnock International Film Festival: MONIFF brings world-class film and filmmakers to Keene, combining the area’s twin traditions of great art and social awareness. The festival offers screenings and panel discussions with filmmakers, actors and directors. Each year, KSC Film students get a front row seat, working as interns and volunteers at the festival.
Internships: Locally, students have interned at Ken Burns’ Florentine Films, Glass and Gear, and Yankee Magazine. Nationally, our students have traveled to participate in internships at the Sundance and Telluride Film Festivals, through opportunities provided by the Creative Mind Group.
Scholarships and Grants: Film Studies majors are eligible for the Freshman Talent Scholarship (awarded to incoming Freshmen) and the Benequist Award (awarded to graduating Seniors). In addition, students can apply for funds from the Center for Creative Inquiry to help finance film projects.
If you’d like to visit our department, come to one of our tours, or attend our annual Film Festival and Critical Studies Conference held yearly in late April, contact us, and we will be happy to welcome you!
To read all about our Film Studies faculty, click here!