MICHAEL LITLE
SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
Communication Studies Department

Michael Litle sees his job as first, to assist students in becoming media-smart, active citizens. Second, to prepare students for influential positions in the field of communications. And third, to share the pleasure of practicing the media crafts. "The rest will come from your passion, your classmates, and the mistakes you make."

In critical classes, he examines the way images and sounds, myths and role models conveyed through the media affect eyes and ears, heart and mind. Students take apart billboards, newscasts, feature films, rock videos, talk shows, soap operas, commercials, sitcoms, dramas, print ads, newspaper headlines, and magazine articles. Methods range from the close-up description of signs to the wide-angle analysis of culture.

In production classes, Michael supports playful experiments, heartfelt expressions, and synergistic collaborations. He agrees with the television engineer who said, "An ounce of application is worth a ton of abstraction." This means a student in his classes will frequently put hands on computers, cameras, audio and video recorders-with the aim of developing practical skills and disciplined work habits. Michael adds that no amount of technique will replace guts, compassion, and clear thinking.

Receiving his M.A. in Communications from Stanford in 1969, Michael taught at Dartmouth, Ohio State, Humboldt and San Francisco State University. He wrote and directed seven dramatic short films, winning national awards, including the Houston International Film Festival's top award in the Social Issues category. He published articles on Jean Renoir and how to teach filmmaking.

Between semesters, he pursues his freelance crafts of writing and editing by working in feature film, documentary, and TV news. His company, Industrial Strength, produces training and industrial videos.

Michael is married and has two grown sons. Joshua works in San Francisco on movies and television, James teaches in Vancouver.