Fantasy films have been a part of cinema since the very beginnings of the medium. Although fantasy films can be found in every decade of the last century, the genre only became persistently successful from the late 1970s onwards. Perhaps the relatively recent prominence of fantasy goes some way to explain why the genre lacks the academic discourse that other film genres have encouraged. Another reason why fantasy has evaded considerable discussion as a genre could be because of the difficulty in defining it. Fantasy can encompass numerous types of films, and features an array of different thematic and visual styles. Previous studies examining fantasy either fail to consider the mode as a genre, or only consider a limited array of films. Using Tzvetan Todorov’s assessment of The Fantastic as a framework, this thesis examines fantasy films from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. I reassert fantasy’s position as a genre rather than a mode or impulse. Analysing a wide range of films from this period, this thesis outlines the preoccupations of the genre and identifies the various cycles and sub-genres encompassed by the term ‘fantasy’. These categories include those that concern the style of film and those that concern the intended audience. Deconstructing the fantasy genre in these sub-genres makes it more manageable to appraise the genre as a whole. Consistent patterns emerge in the examination of these films, ranging from archetypal characters to a fixation with subversion. The 1980s was a critical time for fantasy cinema as it was the first sustained period of frequent successful films. Fantasy was the most commercially successful genre of the decade; Hollywood’s output in this period still reverberates in today’s industry. Thus, the fantasy genre is most worthy of the critical discussion afforded to other genres.

For the majority of cinema history, the film industry has treated sound as a less Integral ingredient In the filmmaking process. This has translated into working practices that have marginalised sound's contribution and have divided personnel. Joel and Ethan Coen's mode of production stands in contrast to a majority of those currently working in the film industry. They foreground sound's contribution by priming their scripts for sound, involving their sound personnel sooner and by encouraging close collaboration between those responsible for the soundtrack. The Coens' model serves as a way of highlighting sound's Importance and as way of generating more integrated soundtracks. As such, filmmakers should build upon their mode of production; a notion supported by other professionals and educational Institutions. By advocating this alternative way of working, future filmmakers can be encouraged to reassess sound's role in film construction.

This research develops an understanding of the ‘view’ as a historicised and contemporary socio‐political mediation. What is posited as a view, and its signification, as a view, is how we experience, understand and relate to others and the world around us. The thesis offers a re‐interpretation of accepted modes of viewing, what is viewed, and a re­‐presentation of viewed imagery, in order to question and propose how might we better relate to, and function in, the production of social space. The premise of the enquiry is that the ‘view’, is a visual, spatial, and conceptual ideologically political position that shapes our relationship as citizens societally and to public space. The ‘image’ of, and as, a view, and point of view, permeates society. In our contemporary times of socio‐political instability, it becomes prescient to question the ‘view’, how it is constructed, and how it operates. The approach of this enquiry is interdisciplinary using a dialectic process of theoretical and practical sources. It draws on theories of space exploration, film studies, religion, photography, popular culture, geography, politics, contemporary visual culture, historical painting, architecture, and urban regeneration. The practice of lens‐based moving and still image, and the contexts within which the works have been created as research, are temporal and spatial. Journeys have been undertaken to acquire ‘views’ by hot-air balloon, by cable car, up tall buildings, by train, and by foot as a key method of investigation. The rhythm of the text in the thesis reflects this method of temporality, and spatiality. With the practice interlinked throughout, and with the text, in the guise of image inserts, the structure of each of the three chapters enacts a positionality from the perspective of a visual, spatial, and conceptual vantage point as a means of guiding the reader/viewer through the research.

This report follows an internship, of 480 hours in length, completed at The New Orleans Film Festival, located in The Downtown Development District in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans Film Festival is a non-profit (501 c-3) cultural organization serving the New Orleans area, the southeast region, and the film industry. The New Orleans Film Festival strives to provide quality alternative local, national, and international films to the New Orleans community.

This paper comes from 180 hours of internship with the New Orleans Film Festival in Orleans Parish, New Orleans, Louisiana. During those hours of involvement with this organization, I focused on the competitive division of the festival that was then known as Cinema 16. In the course of events, questions arose concerning the issue of board involvement in the Cinema 16 jury process and the board's administrative responsibilities. As it is with all human enterprise, there also is a continuously evolving attempt to improve methods. In the NOFF's case there is an attempt to improve the judging of the entries. What should be the board's role in that process? Cinema 16 should breathe life into the creative aspirations of fledgling filmmaker's near and far. Does the New Orleans Fum Festival do all it can to make this a reality by vigorously marketing the selected films? Memberships became a focus when the disparity between the number of members in prior years and the number in 2001 appeared large. There were approximately 350 memberships in August of 2001, compared to 600 in 1999. There appeared to be a direct correlation between the number of memberships and mail-outs to the public. What other methods could be utilized to increase their numbers? Information is power. Answers to such questions would put the festival in the position of being proactive by giving them opportunity to further fulfill their mission as well as the capability to bring in more funds to continue their work. Time was given to exploring a university population as a viable market for new memberships. The staff shed light on the need for more services to offer prospective members. These major issues served to fulfill the purpose of the internship by opening up opportunities for experience in a nonprofit arts organization. The experience in its entirety brought to light the film festival's impact on the concept that film is a credible art form celebrated by individuals everywhere. This paper should highlight the importance of the various processes, not only in giving that organization credibility but also in aiding it in making the impact it wishes to on its immediate and global community.

This thesis illustrates the production of the narrative short film Neil and the Nun. The various chapters included in this written work delineate the development, preproduction, production, and post-productions stages of this thesis film. In supplement to these four larger chapters, the script, shot list, budget, and script breakdown are included. Neil and the Nun, written, directed, produced, and edited by me, articulates life through the perceptions of a child. The story centers on the volatile relationship of two fourth graders and their teacher, a possibly closeted lesbian nun. Because they are children, they have different notions than adults of priority, relevance, and the meaning of life's events. The intention of this film is to authentically delve into this child worldview, revealing their shift towards wisdom and compassion. The film took twelve shooting days and involved five primary locations. My larger goal was to create a film that exemplifies my capacity as a filmmaker, thus, steering me towards the next step of my career.

This thesis book details the conception and production of The Taxidermist, a narrative short film shot on 16mm color film. It tells the story of a loving father and his daughter who live in an isolated rural area. The over protective taxidermist tries to protect his daughter from all the ills of the world, but this also keeps her from experiencing the wider world. All aspects of the production from writing through post-production are covered within the thesis. In particular the challenges and advantages of location shooting are covered. Postproduction issues in the digital age are also covered in some detail.

This thesis documents the production of a seventeen-minute narrative film production, Submit. It includes chapters outlining the development, pre-production, production and post-production stages. In addition, the script, shot lists, equipment request form, budget, and camera reports are included. Written, produced, and directed by the author, Submit is the story about a man's desire to right his life by winning back a former love. The story involves deceit and plays with notions of identity and place. The film was shot in seven days throughout the City of New Orleans. The goal of this project was to create a short piece that in turn would be employed to garner further resources to shoot a feature length film.

This thesis delves into three categories of femmes fatales: the ones of hard-boiled fiction/classic noir and contemporary noir. Moreover, it generates several comparisons among those aforementioned categories, and extrapolates on them. Third wave feminism and how it draws relevance/is significant to the Bound and The Last Seduction films is additionally explored in this thesis. This thesis will discuss the similarities of the femmes fatales of the '30s/1940s-50s and contemporary noir (1980s-90s), while delving into differences between them.

The following work is a feature length screenplay about Anna Morris, an 18-year-old girl who finds herself faced with a moral dilemma when her estranged father, Robert, contacts her on her 18th birthday. When she learns about Robert’s past involvement in an online child pornography ring Anna must decide if she can forgive him, or -- more importantly -- if he is worthy of forgiveness. However, as the story unfolds we find that it is not just Anna who needs to forgive. This story approaches issues of repentance, growth, and the journey into adulthood as Anna takes on each new challenge.