FADE IN:EXT. BYU CAMPUS, JOSEPH F. SMITH BUILDING - DAYIt is late afternoon in Provo, Utah. Hundreds of people are scurrying, trying to find their classes during BYU's Campus Education Week — including a class titled \"Great Cinema for Families.\"INT. SMITH BUILDING ROOM B092 - DAYAt the front of a theater-like lecture hall, DENNIS J. PACKARD is working with his assistant for the class, LIAM BROWN, who is trying to get the projection system to work. Dennis is a professor of philosophy at BYU. He looks at his watch. It's time. He walks to the front center of the room. Liam continues working on the projection system computer. DENNISI'm always looking for great movies that will generate thoughtful discussion in my family. But I have to know where my kids are coming from — film is the language of youth today. But what types of movies do they like? What types of movies do my wife and I like? There has to be some way to bring those two worlds, kids and parents, together.Dennis nods towards Liam, who clicks his mouse on a few things and then glances up at the projection screen. DENNISThe first thing I'm going to do is show you a preview of films that are going to be shown at BYU's International Cinema.INT. PROJECTION SCREEN - DAYLiam succeeds. Short clips of various foreign films appear on the room's projection screen. The excerpts are rich in deep imagery and emotion. They pulsate to loud music and then stop. Silence.INT. SMITH BUILDING ROOM B092 - DAYDennis steps to the center of the room again. DENNISSo do you like these sorts of films? We need to learn how to speak intelligently about film and understand why some are better than others. We will talk tomorrow about an online class you can find at CampusStudios.com, that teaches how to understand and assess the plots of films, character development, themes and film style.A WOMAN in the class raised her hand. WOMAN 1I just think of movies as being like a babysitter. I sit down my kids and off I go. DENNISWe need to be careful in thinking about movies as essentially relaxation from a hard day's work. Movies are serious business. We can experience adventure. We can learn and grow and feel a depth of things that we haven't felt before. I think we need to take the high ground with respect to movies. MAN 1But my boys and girls like completely different films. I don't know if it is possible that they could enjoy watching the same things. DENNISWhat differences do you notice? MAN 1My boys like films about conquering and accomplishment. My girls like films about establishing relationships. DENNISWhen kids are healthy, they are watching movies because it will help them learn something about the things they are concerned about. For example, my 19-year old daughter watched the movie \"Hitch\" several times. It is a movie about a guy who is a dating coach. She also watched \"How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.\" I think it is healthy when girls are watching movies about these topics, especially if the parents are there to talk about what they are watching. MAN 1What would we say to them? DENNISYou can ask questions like, \"So what did you get from that part right there?\" or, \"Do you agree with that?\" or \"What did you get out of that movie?\" I always count it a success when I bring home a movie and there is that lively discussion — like the move \"Mean Girls\" about emotional bullying. WOMAN 1I guess that is hard to have a discussion if you leave the room — whether they are 6 or 16. DENNISWe need to get our mind on the level of where our kids are at and then show how the Gospel is relevant to them. You can learn what they are concerned about and then pick the best movies that will connect to them and say, \"Let's watch this together.\" Then, discuss it. MAN 1This seems like hard work. It seems like men and women and kids can't watch the same stuff without going crazy. DENNISThere are divisions in society. There is a greater and greater divide between the sexes in entertainment. Guys, you are going to have to get interested in good chick flicks. Girls, you are going to have to get interested in good action flicks. It is possible. You can help kids accomplish this. WOMAN 2You say \"good\" chick flicks and \"good\" action flicks. I'm not sure I would even know how to find what movies are \"good.\" DENNISMost of our young people want movies that will really get them thinking. We need to be on that same page and say, \"I don't want to watch a movie where I'm not going to learn something, experiencing something, feeling something that feels right and good and powerful — because I just don't have time. I expect my movies to be good.\" WOMAN 2And where do I find \"good\" movies?Dennis walks over to Liam, whispers something and points to the computer control screen. A few clicks later a large image of a Web site appears on the projection screen. DENNISThe first thing you need to do is become a film critic yourself. Several professors here at BYU created a Web site, CampusStudios.com, which has a list of films that have these qualities. Instead of saying we want action-driven films, plot-driven films, character-driven films and chick flicks and all that, we say we want it all. We want films that have a strong plot, strong character development, strong theme and it's got style in the filming.Liam scrolls through a list of films on CampusStudios.com that are projected on the screen. MAN 1Some of these films look questionable. DENNISIf you look closely, you'll see some we only recommend if you use a DVD filtering system like ClearPlay that cuts out the rough language, violence or sex. But you still have to make your own choices.As Dennis continues, Liam brings up different Web sites on the screen. DENNISThere are a couple of really good Web sites for criticism. One is MetaCritic.com, which compiles and assesses critics from multiple sources. Another site like this is called RottenTomatoes.com. We need to read film criticism, think about it and disagree with critics. A lot of critics don't ground their criticism in the fundamentals.Liam turns up the lights of the room. DENNISTo find good films for families we need to know our families, know what their needs are and match our movie choices to their needs. We should make an effort to find good films and become familiar with critics that share our values. We need to become familiar with what makes a good film and discuss them with our families. WOMAN 2And what make a good film again? DENNISI'm afraid were out of time for today. We'll go into more detail on that tomorrow. Thank you.The class applauds.FADE OUT
Writer's Disclaimer: This \"screenplay\" is based on actual events at a real class during the 2009 BYU Campus Education Week. In certain cases incidents, characters and timelines have been changed for dramatic purposes. Certain characters may be composites, or entirely fictitious. Most of the dialogue by Dennis Packard is accurate — although some has been altered for dramatic purposes. No animals were harmed in the writing of this article.E-mail: mdegroote@desnews.com