New Class, Open to All DU Students, Will Teach Video Production for Social Media

Starting in Fall 2021, the Department of Media, Film & Journalism Studies is introducing a new class that will allow any DU student, regardless of major, to learn how to create video content for social media. The class will combine video production and storytelling skills with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Using mobile phones and other readily available technological tools, students will learn to create video content that can be shared across social media platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, among others. As they enrich their technical skills, students will also explore how video storytelling can be used in service of the public good.

“This sounds like a great class and I know a ton of students will be excited to see it listed,” said Haley Paez, who graduated from DU in 2021 with a double major in journalism studies and psychology and a minor in socio-legal studies. Paez should know. She manages the Denver food and drink site Mile High & Hungry with its nearly 43,000 followers on Instagram, which is a site started by DU students that leverages student and alumni video and communication expertise.

Students appreciate experiential learning opportunities that encourage them to work together on projects, said Lynn Schofield Clark, Chair of the Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies. “This course promises to bring together students from differing backgrounds who can share their expertise in the context of learning about the constraints and affordances of visual media, whether they want to build a business, support a not-for-profit, or become a social media influencer,” she said. Few classes like this exist, Clark noted, highlighting its unique combination of social media skill-building in the context of liberal arts reflection on visual representation.

As the use of video across media platforms continues to expand, video production and storytelling skills have become highly relevant in almost any career field. This innovative class will serve students across majors and disciplines who are new to video production and passionate about storytelling.

During each quarter in 2021–22, one undergraduate section of the class will be offered with the title MFJS 2001: Producing Video for Social Media. A unique graduate version, with course number MFJS 4001 and a focus on social media and advocacy, will be offered at least once per year, starting in Spring 2022. Contact MFJS@du.edu for more information.

This class is made possible in part by a grant from the LARRK Foundation, a private family foundation that supports the arts and cultural institutions that contribute to Colorado’s vibrancy. In particular, the Foundation seeks to partner with organizations serving young people from at-risk communities, providing educational opportunities that contribute to their success and well being. For this reason, the class seeks to offer experiential educational opportunities for students from a wide variety of backgrounds and from across the campus, and partners University of Denver students with community leaders to work on issues identified as important by those living in at-risk communities.

Read more about the LARRK Foundation.