ABSTRACT
This chapter will discuss how the preproduction, production, and postproduction stages of the filmmaking process can be considered as original contributions within the discipline of film, and therefore as valuable as peer-reviewed publications in other disciplines. In this discussion, particular attention is paid to the writing of film students’ artistic statements as a way to reflect upon their creative and technical decisions during the filmmaking process. It is by becoming aware of their creative vision and stylistic choices that film students can rightfully make the case that they are artists, not just craftsmen learning a trade. Overall, the purpose of this chapter is to investigate the criteria for assessing the strength of a film project, what kind of background research needs to be performed, and how to document such a process. A variety of 84filmmaking artistic statements in the realm of film are included to act as a springboard for critical and creative inquiry by undergraduate film majors.
