Students anticipate launch of Film Studies major

Tufts is not traditionally thought of as a school with a strong emphasis on film, and perhaps rightly so. Until this semester, Tufts lacked a film major, only offering a minor in Film Studies that allowed students to choose between two tracks: film production and film analysis. Despite this prior dearth of academic options for students interested in film, Tufts still enjoys a vibrant filmmaking scene, with groups like the decades-old Tufts University Television (TUTV) producing content ranging from music videos to scripted web series. Episodes of TUTV’s web series “Wave Jacked” (2015) generate hundreds of views on YouTube, and a new web series, “High Spirits” (2015), is due to premiere on Sept. 7.Tufts’ sketch comedy groups also produce short films -- both Major Undecided and The Institute create sketches specifically for film as well as record their live performances.

So far, the Film and Media Studies major has already generated excitement. Sophomore Ray Bernoff plans to declare a film major, having been inspired by an ExCollege film class he took during his first year at Tufts. 

“I’m excited to be one of the first ever film majors at Tufts,” Bernoff said via Facebook messenge.

Though excited, Bernoff admits the information he has received about the major to date has been “super vague.”

Despite student involvement in film both inside and outside the classroom, Bernoff was not sure that most students on campus consider film to be a high art form worthy of academic study. He hopes the new major will help change that attitude.

With the addition of a film major, the diversity of film related offerings at Tufts is only going to expand. There has never been a better time to get involved in film at Tufts.