A good story is a story well told. In this class, we will look at how design, camera, sound, editing and performance create the meaning and the emotional impact of a good movie. We will look at classic films, old and new, to develop a deeper appreciation for how a movie works and why, in the end, our affection for it endures.

Students will be assigned one film per week to watch before class. These movies will be available to rent through a variety of streaming platforms (Amazon Prime, Netflix, Max, AppleTV, YouTube, etc.) or through local libraries on DVD.

In advance of the last class, we will be invited to purchase discount tickets for a screening at the FilmColumbia Festival on October 24 at the Crandall Theater in Chatham, NY.

Deborah Reinisch has produced and directed award-winning movies and series for network, cable and public television, including the Emmy Award and National Board of Review winner Andre's Mother. Her recent network credits include Bull, Madam Secretary and NCIS: New Orleans for CBS. Her short film Sure Thing has screened at 27 film festivals including the Palm Springs ShortFest, the Cannes Short Film Corner, FilmColumbia and the Hamptons, Bermuda, Mill Valley, Woodstock and Napa Valley Film Festivals.
Prior to her work in television, Deborah worked as first assistant director on many feature films, including Blood Simple and Raising Arizona for Joel and Ethan Coen.

Deborah founded the Sundance/Silverman Fellowship for New Producers which became the basis for the current Sundance Creative Producing Initiative of which it remains a part. Deborah has taught directing, production and film history at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Brooklyn College/Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema and Columbia University.

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