First-of-Its-Kind Curriculum Guide for the Study of Film, Television, and Animation from Early Elementary School through High School Graduation

New Blueprint is a Collaboration between the Department of Education, Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, and the Tribeca Film Institute

October 15, 2009 - Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today announced the publication of the Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts: The Moving Image, an innovative guide that outlines clear expectations for the study of film, television, and animation from early elementary school through high school graduation, and advances the Bloomberg Administration’s efforts to increase access to arts education in New York City public schools. Joining the previously released Blueprints for dance, music, theater, and visual art, this newest Blueprint provides a rigorous, standards-based approach to the study of the moving image. It was produced through a close collaboration between public school educators and New York City’s arts and cultural community. The Blueprint, which was made possible through generous support from Chase, encourages ongoing partnerships between schools and cultural organizations that will allow students access to studios, museums, and film and broadcast venues across the five boroughs. The new Blueprint was unveiled today at the Museum of Modern Art by Santiago Taveras, Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, Katherine Oliver, Commissioner of the New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, Beth Janson, Artistic Director, Tribeca Film Institute, and Kim Jasmin, Northeast Community Relations Manager for Chase.

The Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts: The Moving Image is the first-of-its-kind curriculum guide and another example of the Bloomberg Administration’s commitment to arts education, which has also included the ArtsCount initiative, the Annual Arts in Schools Report, and the four previous Blueprints.

“We are proud that New York City has again created a groundbreaking curriculum guide that will serve as a national model for quality instruction in an increasingly influential arts discipline,” Chancellor Klein said. “The media arts profoundly shape our culture and our daily lives, and we look forward to seeing New York City public school graduates lead the next generation of filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, editors, grips, broadcasters, and animators.”

“New York City’s production industry is a major economic engine, employing more than 100,000 New Yorkers in film, television and animation,” Commissioner Oliver said. “This Blueprint will give young New Yorkers tools they can use to apply what they learn in the classroom to a career in acting, broadcasting, animation, editing, producing, writing, or design. Fostering the development of career opportunities in these areas through the Blueprint will not only help strengthen New York City’s economy in years to come, but will help the industry more accurately reflect our diverse population.”

“It has been incredible to take part in a project that broadens access to the kind of educational work that Tribeca Film Institute does with New York City students,” Co-chairperson of the Tribeca Film Institute’s Board of Directors Jane Rosenthal said. “We can only hope the Blueprint will become a model for the creation and advancement of film education across the country.”

“At Chase, we believe it is important to support arts education programs because creativity is a critical component of quality learning,” Chase Northeast Community Relations Manager Kim Jasmin said. “Media arts is one of the largest influences on our culture and this program will give New York City students an opportunity to develop the skills needed to succeed in this ever-growing industry.”

Like the four previous Blueprints, the media arts curriculum guide lays out a sequential course of study from early elementary school through grade 12, building students’ knowledge and skills from one year to the next. Citywide professional development opportunities for teachers, administrators, and media arts partners will foster a common set of expectations for what children should be learning in each grade. The Blueprint also includes guidance to support the needs of English Language Learners and special education students. While delineating clear and concise learning expectations in the discipline, the Blueprint encourages the development of individualized instructional programs tailored to each participating school.

In addition to creating the Blueprints, the Bloomberg Administration has demonstrated its commitment to arts education by launching the ArtsCount initiative, the Annual Arts in Schools Report, and the Chancellor’s arts-endorsed diploma. The City developed ArtsCount in 2007 to provide greater accountability and transparency for arts education. As part of ArtsCount, schools are evaluated based on a series of arts education metrics, the results of which have an impact on schools’ Annual Arts in Schools Reports, Progress Reports, Quality Reviews, and principals’ performance evaluations. This summer, the first Chancellor’s arts-endorsed diplomas were awarded to more than 630 students from 15 high schools. To earn the designation, students had to successfully complete 10 semesters of study and demonstrate mastery in one of four art forms: dance, music, theater, or visual arts.

Following this morning’s announcement at MoMA, more than 100 educators participated in a professional development session about the Blueprint. As part of the training, educators viewed a special advance screening of New York, I Love You, which is distributed by Vivendi Entertainment. The “Made in NY” film was shot on location in New York City and features the work of directors Mira Nair, Brett Ratner, and Natalie Portman, among others. It opens in theaters on October 16.

The entertainment industry is a vital sector of New York City’s economy that has grown during the Bloomberg Administration. Since 2002, the number of location shooting days in the City has increased by 83 percent. Last year, more than 200 films were shot in the five boroughs, and 17 primetime episodic series will be based in New York City during the current television season. The lessons described in the new Blueprint will help students develop an understanding of career opportunities in the production industry.

The Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts: The Moving Image is now available for download as a PDF here.