During the Fall Quarter, Film and Media Studies Major Faith Lam participated in an Independent Study 199 with Professor Krapp. Her research project allowed her to dive deeper into an FMS topic she was deeply interested in under the guidance of a professor who is extremely knowledgeable.
- What was your research project topic? What research questions did you explore?
- “My research topic was on Film Music, a topic that both Professor Krapp and I felt was often neglected in favor of the visual medium in the study of film. We explored questions such as, what is considered film music, how does it function in the cinematic language, within film history, and in different genres.”
- What sparked your interest in your chosen academic research area?
- “I grew up playing the violin and in high school, we were given the opportunity to experience what it was like to be a part of a film-scoring orchestra. FMS classes have provided me with tools to analyze the visual medium and appreciate how cinematography affects audiences’ understanding. Yet, I’ve always felt connected to film music and wanted to continue understanding its function in the film. Knowing that Professor Krapp had done extensive research on this topic gave me the chance to pursue this passion of mine.”
- How was it working with your faculty supervisor?
- “It was great! It never felt like a class, it felt more like one long office hour where we can veer off-topic such as discussing different aspects of media and its relationship with music scoring or talking more about the topics I was most interested in. Even when we had to transition into Zoom meetings to accommodate different schedules, it still felt simply like a meeting where I got to talk to someone incredibly knowledgeable in the field and absorb the information he has studied and discovered. One of the best parts of the program was how flexible it could be, especially with meeting times and what topics we explored during the class.”