If you are the type to want to look at things with an artistic approach or want to take a new kind of course for a change of scenery, these two courses are for you! Especially when deciding what electives to take can be a challenge. Even overwhelming at times. It can become confusing because some courses do not fulfill Florida’s General Education requirements, and some do. Rest assured though! Both courses we will talk about today fulfill the General Education Visual & Performing Arts electives requirement!
So what Visual & Performing Arts electives should you take?
Understanding Theatre (THE2000) and Survey of Film (THE2071) are courses taught by Professor Hank Rion. In addition to these two courses, he teaches an array of courses under the umbrella of Visual & Performing Arts. Professor Rion has directed and assisted in many theatre productions here at Gulf Coast State College and it certainly shows his passion for the classes he teaches.
One thing that Professor Rion made clear is that these classes are very fun. They are not the stereotypical academic-focused classes — an exact reason as to why many students love them.
Understanding Theatre
An introduction to theatre in its simplest form is Understanding Theatre (THE2000). From the history of theatre starting with the Greeks to modern times, to set construction, directing, acting, and understanding genres like drama and comedy, Professor Rion says, “It’s almost like an overview of everything that is theatre.”
Many students are surprised with how fun the course is and how close and bonded they get with their classmates. Throughout the semester students grow closer by working together to have a greater appreciation for the art of theatre. In the past Fall semester, it was difficult to create the bond due to being strictly online. Regarding teaching the class online, Professor Rion says, “It was very hard to bond with the students because usually in that class (Understanding Theatre) we all bond together as a group.”
When asked about the projects in the course, Professor Rion says, “At the end, you do a creative project where they (students) all work together to create a piece of theatre or film and they have so much fun with that.” There are many different jobs that students take on like directing, screenwriting, acting, and more. The freedom is limitless. Groups come together to perform the piece of art and have made lasting friendships.
It’s my favorite class to teach.
From stage to job interview
When first hearing about Understanding Theatre, you may be a little scared about getting on stage in front of others. Do not fret, most of your classmates probably feel the same. Ironically enough, Professor Rion says by the end of the course he sees the shyest ones be the most vocal towards the end. This course helps you take on a new challenge and Professor Rion says, “It’s a no-pressure class and we only go with what you’re comfortable with.”
Despite that, breaking out of your comfort zone just a little can make a big impact. Many may think an art class would not apply as well to the real world; however, it helps immensely. In ways, you may have never thought of! The main skill being communication: Professor Rion says, “Communication skills, observation skills, learning non-verbal behavior cues, I mean I think it helps them inordinately when they leave… I have had a lot of students say, ‘Oh my gosh thank you for your class, I had a job interview and it really helped me not be afraid to speak.’”
Survey of Film
Calling all film fanatics and movie lovers, Survey of Film is the perfect elective for you. Throughout the semester you will watch movies, short films, and even become a student movie critic. Students are said to go into the course without realizing how intensive filmmaking is and Professor Rion says, “You learn every component of what it takes to put together a film… it’s about cinematography, editing, lighting, music scoring, scriptwriting…”
Many topics of the class revolve around discussing and analyzing the things you watch with classmates. Professor Rion enjoys seeing students engage with the course and says, “I’ve noticed there’s a lot of debate in the discussion posts about what movies they like and movies they don’t like.” He goes onto say that reading the back and forth between students is amusing.
Students who are not in Visual & Performing Arts can have fun in the class too. If you are wanting to explore new ideas and have a greater appreciation for film, this is the course to take. Professor Rion sees many students from different majors take the course and says, “I think that having a class like this opens up something that you might not of thought of you would’ve gone into before.”
Learn and apply
One main takeaway for students is the critical thinking skills that develop, then further applying them to real-world scenarios. There are many nuances and small details within film-making that students learn to observe, and Professor Rion says, “The powers of observation–how much you take for granted that you don’t see but informs you subconsciously. I think it makes you reevaluate, maybe listen, and watch a little bit more clearly. Even like camera angle, how people set things up, or how people are acting—those little subtle that we’re not used to seeing that we all take for granted are opened up.”
Course Options
Understanding Theatre
With this course meeting general education requirements, it is available year-round. All Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters are available. This includes some half-semester terms as well. Also, Understanding Theatre has both in-person and online sections. As a note though, Professor Rion says, “it’s significantly better in person… It’s a fun class. It’s very collaborative.”
Survey of Film
Like Understanding Theatre, this course is also available year-round. Currently, the only option is online; however, Professor Rion is trying to establish an in-person option. He says that “Film needs to be seen with people… it’s a totally different experience when you’re experiencing it with an audience.” Mini semesters are available, but all course sections often fill quickly because of popularity.
No matter the career path you are in, both courses can provide you with great “real-world” skills. If you are unsure of what you want to study these courses are great options for you. Many students not in the Visual & Performing Arts department take these courses and end up changing their major because they loved the courses so much. A special experience combined with skills to take with you for the rest of your life are hard to pass up with Visual & Performing Arts electives!
Choosing elective classes as a student can be quite a chore. To see a complete listing guide to all Gulf Coast State College classes, go to https://www.gulfcoast.edu/catalog/current/courses/index.html.
The GCSC’s cheap and low-cost textbook listing here: https://www.gulfcoast.edu/academics/library/aim.html.
Interested in Digital Media? Get involved! https://www.commodorewaves.com/2020/09/28/digital-media-at-gcsc/.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sophie Theiss
Student Author - Spring 2021
Sophie is a Digital Media B.A.S. student at Gulf Coast State College. She is the Student Government Internal Affairs Liaison and 21-22 President-Elect. Sophie is an active supporter of getting students involved with campus and student life.
