Making a College Professor Film: A Case Study

摘要

Investigations on cinematic representations of higher education have sought to provide a deeper understanding of popular culture images and how they intersect with real-life academia. Moreover, such projects have examined how such mass communication texts may influence popular opinion surrounding colleges and universities. The existing literature on specific depictions of college professors in American films has explored a number of themes from various perspectives. Many scholars claim that such cinematic representations of higher education and faculty are negative and reinforce cultural stereotypes. Yet, little has been written about how filmmakers create such images. This article examines cinematic college professors from the viewpoint of the filmmaker by completing a case study of a recently produced college professor film and members of its creative team. Interviews with the screenwriter/director, production designer, and costume designer of a pseudonymously titled film investigates how the work of these film professionals was influenced by a number of factors, including their own experiences in higher education, their personal conceptions of college professors, previously viewed college-themed films, and existing stereotypes about professors.