Film and Media Studies Commons^™

A Puff's Exploration Of Wayne Hopkins, Ethan G. Mullen, Leon Wiebers

Honors Thesis

This thesis is a synthesis of modalities I have studied during the course of my Theatre Arts degree, applied to the realization of the principal character, Wayne Hopkins in the award-winning play Puffs (Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic) a LMU Theatre Arts Department production. This work is divided into three major sections. First, I reflect on how I applied acting tools I have studied at LMU to the development of my character and performance. These include script analysis, story structure analysis, breath work, and Viewpoints training. Second, I share media displaying my …

Danger! Ai Art Directors Ahead: An Analysis Of Text-To-Image And Text-To-Video Ai Integrations In Production Design For Film And Television, Katherine Gaylord, Charles Howard, Richard Rohrer

Honors Thesis

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) boom in the last decade has sparked exponential excitement, especially in white collar industries, for the possibilities of cost-cutting and streamlining tasks across industries. However, creative industries which were historically driven by human artistry report majority fear regarding copyright/fair-use, legal protections, and job security.

Production Designs and Art Departments in particular question how, or even if, their talent and creativity will fit into an AI powered entertainment industry. Since the inception of filmmaking, Art Departments have brought fantastical visions to life through set design, props, art, costumes, and beyond. Yet, in the age of AI, Text-to-Image …

The Design Of Time: Envisioning The Future Through Science Fiction Production Design In The Alien Franchise, Josephine Spanier, Charles Howard

Honors Thesis

In filmmaking, the production designer works closely with the director and cinematographer to ensure cohesion and uniqueness in the film’s visual design. This collaboration often provides the designer with a strong degree of influence on the film’s final look, thus shaping the thematic and visual impact of a film on the audience. In highly stylized and fantastical genres, such as science fiction, production design plays an especially important role in creating worlds that may be entirely different from the one we currently live in, while still reflecting the real-world context in which the film was made. This phenomena can particularly …

Inpatient, Anna Schmalz, Rob Bragin, John Strauss

Honors Thesis

A suicide attempt lands a golden-boy tennis prodigy in an upscale Malibu rehab. There, he must survive the dysfunctional owner and his coke-snorting son, an eccentric mix of troubled teens, and a manipulative ex hellbent on sabotaging his last shot at recovery.

Robotic Rhythm: A Contemporary Look At Ai-Driven Editing Tools’ Efficacy In Understanding And Replicating Creative Rhythm Editing Techniques., Alexander Selby-Lara, Charles Howard

Honors Thesis

It is undeniable that artificial intelligence (AI) has made its way into the film world. From AI-generated imagery and sound design in two 2025 Oscar nominees — The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez (Pulver) — to weekly updates and monthly beta releases of existing and new generative image and video models, AI-driven filmmaking tools are here to stay. But what does this mean for the post-production workflow? Much like camera development, editing technology has come a long way from flatbed film editors to Adobe Premiere Pro v. 25.0. Yet, despite each technological leap from system to system, the delicate task of …

The Corps, Greta Zimmer, Daniel Rogers

Honors Thesis

When a rich, sheltered girl joins a ragtag community service team in Mississippi, she must learn who she is while dealing with her arrogant rival, manipulative boss, and the brutal challenges of serving the unhoused population.

Come To Jesus, Christopher Cunningham

LMU Theses and Dissertations

"Come to Jesus" is a comedy feature screenplay. With a tonal comp being "Superbad in sunday school", it follows a young evangelical boy named Toby, who attends his final Vacation Bible School camp at church before graduating high school. His lifelong dream of winning a bible college scholarship through his church is put in flux as his biggest rival, Shadrach, returns unexpectedly from his few years away in New York. Possessing all of the natural charisma and charm in the world, Toby sees the writing on the wall - he has no chance of winning this scholarship. That's when he …

Artificial Creativity: How Artificial Intelligence Will Impact Creativity Via Post-Production, Nicole Dwyer

Honors Thesis

My thesis lives in the world of Post-Production, and it contains both a creative and written component. I was the editor for four Undergraduate thesis projects. Seeking to gain experience in editing various genres, I worked in drama, sports, period piece, coming of age, and adventure. My biggest takeaways from these projects are the importance of organization, communication, time management, and editing with a sense of imagination. I became a more confident, resilient, and prepared editor through these experiences.

Along with the hands-on filmmaking element of my thesis, I also conducted research on how artificial intelligence will impact conceptions of …

Hobby Horse, Kaitlyn Liu

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Against the wishes of her domineering mother, a teen equestrian rides into the Finnish sport of hobby horsing in order to win enough money to buy her real horse back.

Clear Waters, Joseph Mueller

LMU Theses and Dissertations

While investigating the gruesome death of a marine biologist, a by-the-book biracial detective and a jaded Tribal officer uncover a conspiracy surrounding a sea cucumber poaching ring on the reservation. Inspired by actual events.

The Tale Of Bunny, The Lamb, Keith Currivean Jr.

LMU Theses and Dissertations

When a lamb named Bunny sees a young boy beaten by the sheep farm’s caretaker, he goes on a killing spree to stop the abuse. But as the body count rises, he grows a taste for human blood and is forced to confront the violence he’s brought into the world or feed on the young boy – the last source of human blood on the farm.

Smoke & Sons, Will Lebowitz

LMU Theses and Dissertations

A kindhearted sharpshooter and his father, a greedy wild west showman, conspire to rob Flagstaff’s first movie palace. But when the son falls for the owner’s daughter, more than just the heist goes awry.

Mko, Simon Luedtke

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Seeking vengeance for his mother’s murder, a young Native man becomes corrupted by a pelt that turns him into a bear at night.

Levee, Keya Vance

LMU Theses and Dissertations

When his absent father comes back into his life with a cancer diagnosis, an arrogant star high school linebacker, hellbent on a college football scholarship, must choose between caring for his dying father and following his dream.

Boat Dad, Scotty Villhard

LMU Theses and Dissertations

A divorced dad returns home to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter, but there’s one problem: she’s a serial killer who feeds tourists to the local lake monster.

Keep You Safe, Nana Okamoto

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Yui, a bright-eyed Japanese woman, moves to America and thinks she finds her Prince Charming in a small Iowa town. She falls in love and into a trap, staged by his white nationalist family who use her as a pawn in their terrorist plan.

Video Art In The Gallery Space, Juliet Wang, Matthew Thompson

Honors Thesis

The gallery space poses several challenges for incorporation of audiovisual or video elements, including offset entrances, lack of time investment, sound bleed, and light bleed. In order for an audiovisual work to be well optimized for the gallery space, ideally the artist should not only find ways around as many of these “challenges” as possible but also to embrace them and have the work be stronger because of these challenges.

Beyond Film School: A Producer's Guide To Navigating The Film Industry, Emily Kelly

Honors Thesis

This honors thesis serves as a roadmap for aspiring producers as they navigate the transition from film school to the film industry, pulling insights from seasoned producers in the industry. It breaks down a producer’s journey into four key steps: identifying producing preferences, mastering the concept of pitching, balancing work and personal life, and solving financial challenges. The paper concludes with an important reminder to stay true to yourself in this new phase of life.

The Ghost In The Image: Technology And Reality In The Horror Genre By Cecilia Sayad, Mikki Kressbach

Film, TV, and Media Studies Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Coming Of Age In The Multiverse What Japanese Anime Say About Growing Up Amidst The Chaos And The Illogical, Yukana Inoue, Kenneth Provencher

Honors Thesis

In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the interest in multiverse storylines in coming of age stories, with the popularity of works like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” — all narratives that deal with characters who are coming of age in an unnatural environment where multiple dimensions exist. Anime, as a medium, especially possesses the unique capability to convey multiverse narratives given its freeform and limitless nature. In my research, I focus on two coming-of-age anime series that feature multiverse narratives — “Sonny Boy” and “The Tatami Galaxy” — to explore what …

Off The Beaten Path - A Podcast Interview Series, Shaun Holmes, Jason D'Mello

Honors Thesis

For my Honors Senior Thesis, I created a short podcast series entitled "Off The Beaten Path". My podcast delves into the lives of individuals who have who have been unafraid to grab life by the horns and choose a less traditional path in pursuit of bringing their passion or their own new creation to life. My interest in interviewing these types of individuals stems from my own life story, as well as my own desire to learn from the insights of people who have succeeded in these types of endeavors before me.

Soothers, Everett Wall

LMU Theses and Dissertations

When a meticulous chef, who can't eat anything without throwing it up, discovers the cure for his ailment in a recalled antacid from the 1970s, he solicits the help of his in-house taster to hunt down more of the tablets and in the process discovers that she was the cure all along.

There Will Be A Tomorrow, Cameron Webb

LMU Theses and Dissertations

After her young daughter is killed in the aftermath of an apocalypse, a mother travels back in time to save her by stopping the apocalypse from ever happening.

Representations Of Time In Time-Based Media: An Exploration Of The Human Experience Of Temporality In Film And Tv, Nelea Fong

Honors Thesis

Time is an aspect of the human experience that fascinates us but eludes our understanding. Humans have turned to science, philosophy, and theology in our endeavor to understand time, but our shared love and history of storytelling drives us to explore temporality through visual medias that have a structural foundation in time. Expanding our understanding of the human experience of time through time-based media such as movies and TV can point us toward comprehending various forms of time and how each person can perceive said time differently. Using film and TV theory, informed by scientific and philosophical explorations in the …

Momim, Christopher Halligan

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Alex, an intersex 19 year old, decides that the only way he can be a complete man is to have penis resection surgery, but when the only job available to him is job on the river, he must face his extreme aquaphobia and fear of the feminine and learn to follow the true flow of his nature.

Women’S Voices From History: Gond Rani Durgawati And Rani Lakshmibhai, Nandini Sengupta, Moupia Basu

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Two strong women are compared and contrasted in this article. Gond Rani Durgawati (1524-1564) led a resistance movement in Jabalpur against the Mughal rule of Akbar. Rani Lakshmibai (1828-1858) organized the people of Jhansi against Sir Hugh Rose, an officer defending the interests of the British East India Company. Both women continue to be remembered for their bravery and their loyalty to the people they ruled.

Identities Of Women In Indian Art And History, Nalini Rao

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The stereotypical image of Indian women portrayed in the art of stone sculpture is often interpreted as images of beauty that are sensuous, religious as well depict social life. There are historical reasons for depicting her as such. This paper inquires into the changing depiction and social forces that influenced feminine imagery. This paper examines the portrayal of beauty through idealization of female body which has evolved over the centuries in India. It also aims to understand their changing status and explores issues of feminine identity, status, and empowerment largely in ancient and medieval India. It also provides a brief …

Editor’S Note, Deepak Shimkhada

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This special issue of Monsoon is dedicated to the studies honoring the goddess traditions in South Asia. The onset of the Monsoon Season in South Asia typically commences in June and continues until late August and early September. The publication of this issue, therefore, has been strategically timed to coincide with that season, which is a vital source of sustenance for millions of individuals in this part of the world. This anthology consisting of five papers—written by scholars with expertise in the field of goddess and women studies—speak unequivocally about the goddesses or women for their strength, beauty, wisdom, and …

Indigenous Stitch-Arts Of India: Tradition And Revival In A Global Age, Punam Madhok

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Stitch art allows for the creative expression and economic support of countless women throughout India. This article examines four notable styles: chikankari, flora and fauna stitched in white thread on fine white cotton, rabari, the stitching of mirrors into colorful cloth, phulkari, resplendent flowery motifs sewn into shawls in Punjab, and kantha, Bengali patch work yielding quilts and seating mats. In addition to describing each technique, this article discusses how women have been economically empowered through this art by such organizations as Self-Help Enterprise (SHE) in Kolkata and Adithi, a women’s cooperative, in Bihar.

Mai Bhago And Amrita Devi Bishnoi: Women Of Strength, Sowmya Ayyar

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Mai Bhago (1670-1720), also known as Bhag Kaur, distinguished herself on the battlefield to defend the Sikh faith. Amrita Devi Bishnoi (d. 1730) is said to have sacrificed her life with 362 others to protect the Khejari trees in the Rajasthan desert. Both women continue to inspire social justice and ecological activism.