Documentary Film

The power of real-life stories come alive in this certificate program. We’ll provide you with foundational practical filmmaking skills (both visual and aural), as well as historical and theoretical knowledge for telling non-fictional narratives. You’ll acquire a foundational knowledge of essential techniques in cinematography, editing and sound-mixing, and will apply these skills in journalistic and artistic ways.

Meet your faculty:

Mark Shogren, Professor

Michael R. Murphy, Professor

Tobin Addington, Adjunct Assistant Professor

See All SVMA Faculty

About Certificates:

Certificates are a collection of complimentary courses focused on a theme, skill or technology. These programs provide specific expertise which expand a student’s education.

Relevant for:

Undergraduates and graduate students are welcome to apply from a diverse academic disciplines and professional fields. No experience necessary.

Nonprofits
Advertisers
Businesses building reports
Faculty creating course-content
Students adding video components to research

Course of Study

JRNL 257Aor MART 251
Beginning Visual Journalism or Digital Video Production

JRNL 350
Intermediate Video Photography

JRNL 488 or MART 455
Student Documentary Unit or Visions of Documentary Film

JRNL 491
Documentary Film History

MART 345
Sound for Film

Our Programs in Action

Find u on Instagram @UMT_SVMA

or on Facebook @ UMTsvma

umt_svma

All Studio and Media Arts students – BA. BFA MA,

All Studio and Media Arts students – BA. BFA MA, & MFA students – don’t forget to apply for
scholarships! Deadline March 31. To connect to UM scholarship website see linktr.ee and in the bio.
Don’t forget – if you don’t apply, you can’t get any scholarships! #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #money #scholarship
#applytoscholarship #UMscholarships

Here are two examples of the Self Portrait Project

Here are two examples of the Self Portrait Project from the GDSN 149 Digital Imaging course. #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #mediaatstudents
#digitaliimaging

Fall semester Sculpture 2 was focused on soft scul

Fall semester Sculpture 2 was focused on soft sculpture and working with fibers. They did an excellent
project titled ‘Camouflage”. Students were challenged to create an environment and insert their body as
part of the camouflage. This two-week project was part installation, part performance and part
photography. #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #mediaatstudents
#fibersculpture #artinstallation #fiberinstallationsculpture

Here are some students work from MART 330 Principl

Here are some students work from MART 330 Principles of Sound Design taught by Jesse
Blumenthal. The course is an introduction to fundamental concepts, principles and practices of
digital sound recording and editing in order to establish a common aesthetic and technical
language necessary to develop quality audio design – Woo! Cool!
Here the students are exploring electrical and sound in physical space. This project involved
wiring an amplifier module to a speaker and sound source. The resulting system then needed to
be included in a sculpture that complimented the audio selection made by the student.
Students were encouraged to explore a variety of materials to begin understanding the
resonant qualities. @umontana
@umartsandmedia #svma #mediaart #studioart #emergingartist #principlesofsounddesign #soundart #makeitloud
#what #makeitquiet #makeithappen #mediaartssound #mediasound #visualamplifer

Painting Class, 4th floor of the Fine Art Building

Painting Class, 4th floor of the Fine Art Building – Great vibes in the studio! @umontana
@umartsandmedia #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #artvibe #paintingstudentvibe
#goodvibrations

Not only is the University of Montana a great plac

Not only is the University of Montana a great place to study art, it’s also in Montana! This photo of
Cracker Lake in Glacier National Park was taken by Jaimie Davis from the Photo-II course. #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #photography
#glaciernationalpark #crackerlake #montanaisbeautiful #landscapephotography

Here are some students work from MART 330 Principl

Here are some students work from MART 330 Principles of Sound Design taught by Jesse
Blumenthal. The course is an introduction to fundamental concepts, principles and practices of
digital sound recording and editing in order to establish a common aesthetic and technical
language necessary to develop quality audio design – Woo! Cool!
Here the students are exploring electrical and sound in physical space. This project involved
wiring an amplifier module to a speaker and sound source. The resulting system then needed to
be included in a sculpture that complimented the audio selection made by the student.
Students were encouraged to explore a variety of materials to begin understanding the
resonant qualities. @umontana
@umartsandmedia #svma #mediaart #studioart #emergingartist #principlesofsounddesign #soundart #makeitloud
#what #makeitquiet #makeithappen #mediaartssound #mediasound #visualamplifer

All Studio and Media Arts students – BA. BFA MA,

All Studio and Media Arts students – BA. BFA MA, & MFA students – don’t forget to apply for scholarships! Deadline March 31. To connect to UM scholarship website, see link in the bio. Don’t forget – if you don’t apply, you can’t get any scholarships! #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #money #scholarship
#applytoscholarship #UMscholarships

Collaborative collage Installation in the light sh

Collaborative collage Installation in the light shaft – an exciting and ambitious project in
Foundation Drawing! #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #colabcollage
#drawinginstallation #studentinstallation #installationart #drawingstudentsshowustheworld

Painting One Students hard at work – excellent c

Painting One Students hard at work – excellent colors – great job! #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #paintingone
#paintingonestudents @studentshardatwork

3D design students were hard at work on a project

3D design students were hard at work on a project called ‘Re-defining Form’. The assignment was to create a piece that used plane (via cut cardboard) to describe an object's mass and form. Looks great – excellent detail! #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #cardboardsculpture
#3DDesign #sculptureprojects

Studio Art Majors – consider applying for the BF

Studio Art Majors – consider applying for the BFA degree! Deadline for application is March 31,
2023. BFA Studio Art application is online this year.
The BFA Degree in Art is a focused professional degree. It is considered an advanced undergraduate degree and has 18 more dedicated art credits. The BFA is the only degree in Art
that allows a student to select an area of concentration. In addition, students have an assigned studio space for their senior year and show their work in our professional gallery exhibition at the end of their senior year as part of the thesis course that is unique to the BFA experience. The BFA degree may make a student a more competitive candidate when applying
to a graduate program. Students working towards a BA in Art degree do not have to apply once they are accepted into the University. Students interested in the BFA degree can apply for the spring semester of their sophomore or junior year. See the link in the bio to find out about how to apply. #svma #mediaart #studioart #missoulaartscene #emergingartist #BFA #BFAreview
#upandcomingartist #artisttooday #makeyourmark

Check out the exhibition of the Studio based Gradu

Check out the exhibition of the Studio based Graduate students Artwork in the Knowels Gallery! #svma #mediaarts #studioart #studentschangetheworld #artstudents #MFA #MFAstudents
#MFAARTWORK #sculpture #ceramics #MFAexhibition #MFApainting #MFAprintmaking

Here is some student work from MART 330 Principles

Here is some student work from MART 330 Principles of Sound Design taught by Jesse Blumenthal. The course is an introduction to fundamental concepts, principles and practices of digital sound recording and editing in order to establish a common aesthetic and technical language necessary to develop quality audio design. Here the students are exploring electrical and sound in physical space. This project involved wiring an amplifier module to a speaker and sound source. The resulting system then needed to be included in a sculpture that complimented the audio selection made by the student. Students were encouraged to explore a variety of materials to begin understanding their resonant qualities. @umontana
@umartsandmedia #svma #mediaart #studioart #emergingartist #principlesofsounddesign #soundart #makeitloud #what #makeitquiet #makeithappen #mediaartssound #mediasound #visualamplifer

In Ceramics 1, in teams of three, students built a

In Ceramics 1, in teams of three, students built a sculptural vessel six feet tall. By building large vessels students learn just about everything they need to know to work in clay – how quickly or slowly to build, how clay dries, working on surface and working together. This project speeds up the learning process significantly, and afterwards these students have the skills to make art and express their ideas. At the end of the project – the students break down these big vessels and remake the remnants back into good working clay for the next project. #svma #mediaart #studioart #emergingartist #clayclass #ceramicsvessels #bigbig #bigceramics #bigclay

Today’s the day! Link is in our bio! Any amount

Today’s the day! Link is in our bio! Any amount helps our artists!

MFA candidates Kate Lloyd and Shanel Locke were se

MFA candidates Kate Lloyd and Shanel Locke were selected to represent the University of Montana at the 9th annual a2ru Emerging Creatives Student Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio this last week. The theme was The Future: By Design. This process was difficult and taught the participants that the idea process needs to be discussed, revamped, and modified again. If you are currently working on research, don't give up...try again! #svma #mediaart #mediaarts #mfa
#music #sound #fineart #gamedesign #gamedesigners #a2ru #cincinnatiuniversity #universityofcincinnati #universityofrochester #pennsylvaniastateuniversity #unlv #statistics

MFA Thesis Exhibition Opening this week! This Thur

MFA Thesis Exhibition Opening this week! This Thursday, March 9! Openings in both campus
galleries: the Gallery of Visual Art is displaying paintings by Eric Jensen paintings and sculpture
by Shannon Webb’s sculpture, and in the UC Gallery, prints by Dagny Walton. Opening
receptions are from 4:00 – 6:00 in both galleries. Big night for Art Exhibitions –come see the shows! #svma #mediaart #studioart #missoulaartscene #MFAart #mfaartexhibitions #dontmissit
#mfathesis #mfapaintings #mfaprintmaking #mfasculpture #mfaceramics

MFA candidates Kate Lloyd and Shanel Locke were se

MFA candidates Kate Lloyd and Shanel Locke were selected to represent the University of Montana at the 9th annual a2ru Emerging Creatives Student Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio this last week. The theme was The Future: By Design. Digital Futures is a community of experts who partner with government, industry, and the community to deliver reliable and lasting solutions to the real problems impacting people’s lives. These students experienced Digital Future’s cutting-edge labs and facilities and learned from Digital Futures faculty and staff about their innovative research. They worked in interdisciplinary teams with fellow students from across the a2ru network to create arts-integrative projects responding to the conference theme. Participants also received training from a2ru staff on best practices for interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as mentorship and feedback from Digital Futures and a2ru staff on their projects in progress. This four-day summit concluded with presentations of each team’s project for their peers and mentors. This week I hope to tell you more about this once in a lifetime experience. #svma #mediaart #mediaarts #mfa #music #sound #fineart #gamedesign #gamedesigners #a2ru #cincinnatiuniversity #universityofcincinnati #universityofrochester #pennsylvaniastateuniversity #unlv #statistics

In The School of Visual and Media Arts, our studen

In The School of Visual and Media Arts, our students are doing amazing, beautiful things everyday. Please help us spread the word! The Big Give is this Wednesday! From noon on March 8 to noon on March 9, UM’s fourth annual giving day is taking place. Please click the link in our bio for more information! Your gift of any amount during #umbiggive supports our students as they continue to grow, learn, make, and create. This year, you can even choose the program or school that you would like to help. 🤍 Every gift, of any amount, makes a difference. One day. One UM. @umontana @umartsandmedia

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