Film, Video, and Photography

Visual artists at Hampshire explore film, video, and photography primarily through independent experimentation with many forms of analog, digital, and electronic media, as well as installation and performance.

This individualized process of creation, along with our internationally recognized faculty, excellent technical facilities, and staff support, ensures that Hampshire students can develop their fullest artistic visions along with the tools to produce them.

Students are given the necessary foundations in form, technique, and production skills, while being encouraged to examine the theoretical and critical contexts and the current practices and debates that will inform their artistic expression.

• Hand Made Films
• Advanced Photography: Sequence/Structure/Juxtaposition
• Advanced Screenwriting Workshop
• Breaking the Frame: European New Wave Cinemas of the 1960s and1970s
• Computer Animation I, II, and III
• The Cultured Camera
• Documentary Practice: The Archive
• Exploring Photography in the Digital Realm
• Film Workshop I and II
• Hand Made Films
• Intro to Film Studies: History and Theory, 1895-1960
• Intro to Media Arts in Film, Photography, and Video: Cuba
• Intro to Media Production: Images of War
• Japanese Cinema
• Literature, Opera, Film
• Mapping Time: Histories and Practices of Film/Video Installation Art
• Performance and Directing for Film, Video, and Installation
• Performing the Image
• Photography and the East
• Recycled Images
• Still Photography I and II
• Video I and II
• Women in Animation
• British Film and Television (SC)
• Film Authorship: Hitchcock and After (MHC)
• Film Theory (SC)
• History of World Cinema (MHC)
• India in Film: Hollywood, Bollywood, Mollywood (AC)

Requirements

• Common Application
• An academic paper in English
• Supplemental essay responses
• Current transcripts
• School report, including guidance counselor recommendation
• At least one letter of recommendation from a teacher
• Certification of Finances form
• TOEFL or IELTS score (Minimum TOEFL score of 91 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. Predicted grades for IB English A1 or A2, or for A-level English, will also be considered.
• Additional letters of recommendation, up to three

Scholarships

• MacArthur Foundation Grant Making Programs
• American Association of University Women
• Fulbright International Scholarship Program for non-US students

The Film, Video, and Photography program at Hampshire College offers students a comprehensive and experimental approach to visual storytelling and media arts. The program emphasizes the development of individual artistic voice, technical proficiency, and critical understanding of the history and theory of film, video, and photography. Students have the opportunity to explore traditional techniques as well as emerging digital technologies, allowing for a diverse range of creative expression. The curriculum typically includes courses in film and video production, digital media, sound design, editing, and color grading, along with classes in visual culture, media theory, and history. Students are encouraged to collaborate across disciplines and engage in innovative projects that push the boundaries of conventional media practices.

Hampshire College’s flexible, student-centered approach enables learners to tailor their education to their evolving interests, often designing their own projects and research paths. The program supports various forms of media arts, including experimental film, documentary, animation, installation, and interactive media. Facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art cameras, editing suites, and digital labs to facilitate hands-on learning and production. Faculty members are experienced artists, filmmakers, and media scholars who mentor students through individualized advisement and critique sessions.

Beyond technical skills, the program fosters critical analysis and comprehensive understanding of the cultural and political contexts of media. Students participate in exhibitions, screenings, and festivals that showcase their work and connect them with professional communities. The program prepares graduates for careers in independent filmmaking, media production, arts administration, education, or further academic study. Overall, Hampshire’s Film, Video, and Photography program aims to cultivate innovative media artists who can critically engage with the medium and contribute meaningfully to contemporary visual culture.