Great teacher I learned a lot about film with him. His class is tuff because there's a lot to know but he makes it very clear and understandable. Very focused curriculum.

Great teacher, shows you everything you need. He's patient, covers everything for the tests. It's not an easy class, but he's good at keeping it interesting.

Swelstad is so cool! Very hot as well! He makes masterfaders and preambulatory booms interesting! Props to Eric for his fun classes, don't go for a giggle though, you have to pay attention and stay caught up, but if you do all that he is the best.

Too many notes.Too much work.Although I cannot critize Swelstad that much because he is working under the influence of the Nazi, Dacurso, his class is still too much.I'll sum it up very quickly for you.We started off w/85 students...three weeks later 25

I learned a lot in this class. Very interesting, but be ready to take a ton of notes. Tests are pretty easy and he's a very fun guy. A great class to get that humanities requirement out of the way.

A good class overall but very hard. I learned a lot but the tests were very difficult.

Just about the nicest guy that teaches at LAVC. Eric is great and though he scrambles at times (while lecturing I mean) he is very helpful. He makes you feel like he is your friend. I got an F once (equipment malfunction) but I got an A when I retook it.

Great teacher, you just learn so much, and although there is alot of work, the material is so interesting you just want to learn. Give him a chance although Dacurso overseas the class, the heart of it belongs to swelstad.

I have had Eric for several different classes, and I must say that he is truly the best teacher that I have ever had. Knowledgeable, funny, creative, and caring. If you get the chance to take one of his classes, I would highly recommend it!

No Comments

Swelsted rocks. Very cool guy, and he knows his stuff. If you need to take cinema, take it with swelsted. He looks like a cross between John Cusack and Kevin Smith. Haha! Super cool teacher. Oh ya, one other thing: Dont be late. I was the latest person in the history of the cinema department. Peace out swelflex!

WARNING!! his classes are not a piece of cake. Eventhrough cinema 101 and MA 101 say "beggining" they are hard and time consuming. Aside that if you succedd in the class you are bound to be a great filmmaker. The class is not easy but his teaching style is. Trust me this guy is the real deal, Dont take A. Rodriguez

He is cool, nice and funny at times. I really enjoyed my self in his class. I looked forward to comming to his class. Learned alot from him and the course was very intersting. Take him, u won't b-dissapointed.

No Comments

Great professor. He cares about what he does.

He's a great teacher, but only take the class if you're ready for a challenge. His lectures are very interesting and you'll learn a lot.

Very hard. I took it during the summer session, and there's no way I could have handled it if I were taking any other class. What you learn sticks with you and I am very glad to have taken it. Very interesting and fun, but HARD. Swelstad is nice and helpful. I would recommend him, but don't underestimate the workload!

Great teacher, passionate about what he does. Since he also makes his living writing, he gives personal accounts of what it's like. Funny guy, really likeable. You do have to work in his class and there is some memorization, but it's quite enjoyable because of his style.

This class is so interesting if you're willing to learn! I took his class for winter session and there is reading but thats how you pass his exams! And his exams are easy if you read and pay attention to his lecture. Overall, TAKE THIS CLASS! You'll learn a lot about the history of film and get to watch plenty of movies!65

Awesome class. You have to read the book, but it's so damn entertaining that why wouldn't you want too? Highly recommended.

Prof Swelstad is the reason why Valley turns out so many good film makers. The classes are challenging but offer University level education. He doesn't pull any punches but he isn't made of stone either. Just don't think you know everything and be open to learn.

Okay teacher, no nonsense style of teaching that works. Pretty easy and interesting class overall.

Took him for winter session. We watched movies and had interesting lectures about old classic movies! Needed book to study and memorize pictures/titles/year. Tests were easy if you know your stuff. If you've got an interest in films, you'll love his class!

Eric is amazing, passionate, realistic, and very wise. He is the teacher to take if you want to study film at LAVC. I can listen to him lecture all day :-) what can I say the ladies love him.

he is a SCHMUCK with a capital S. Just kidding. he is actually pretty funny and interesting. I'm a better writer/student for having taken his class.

Excellent speaker, gives energy and enthusiasm to anything he says. He may stay a little close to the book, but he has lectures prepared that are just fascinating to listen to him deliver. Very motivational. Highly Recommended.

Excellent speaker, gives energy and enthusiasm to anything he says. He may stay a little close to the book, but he has lectures prepared that are just fascinating to listen to him deliver. Very motivational. Take this professor.

TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. "the greatest man I have ever chanced to meet in my entire 21 almost 22 years of existence." He makes me fall in love with life all over again- in a wholly inspirational way. This man can inspire you to no end and will utterly change your life ; )

I took his Cinema 107 class & got an "A". It was overall a very fun and easy class. For the tests you just have to know the lecture notes. Movies that we watched were interesting. Take this professor for an easy "A". Stay away from Daccurso, almost everyone fails him. I will be taking his CINEMA 105 class as well!!! The Best!!!

If you're looking for a guru, a yoda, he's the teacher you want to take. there's a reason no one has given him a bad rating...

i really enjoyed this class. took it during summer, it was a really fast paced class but it was fun as well showed pretty good movies and the test weren't to hard if you study.

I have taken Swelstad in the spring and all I can say is that he is a really good inspiration. His class is straight forward and if you show up and take notes you will definately get at least a B but then if you study you without a doubt would get an A. Take him he is the bomb

He is super easy! I did not even buy the textbook and passed with an A. Take Him! But attendance is mandatory

He is not as bad as I thought he was going to be on the first day. Cool easy going guy who cares about his students. I am getting a B in the class now but I have not done any studying for the tests. Tests are the majority of the grade in his class. He is a director and loves to talk about his stories. Take him for Cinema! He will teach you a lot!

One of the best professors I've had! He will say "Write this down. You have to know this for the test." So write it down! He has a really nice sense of humor and is always willing to take extra questions after class.

I agree with the comment before mine. He is always willing to help his students out and is very passionate about the subject. Tests are difficult but he tells you exactly what you need to know. If, you study what he tells you to then you will definately succeed. No doubt! If you are looking for an A, you are going to have to study from the book!

His class is super easy as well as super informative. You cannot get anything less than a B because he will guide us through the tests. Super friendly and helpful man who wants to see his students succeed and get A's in Cinema. If, you get a C, D, F than something is wrong with you. I opened the book twice and I am getting a 93% and am almost done.

By far the most easiest and most informative Professor out there. WAY BETTER THAN DACCURSO. Makes class easy and gets to the point-unlike Dzccurso! I got an "F" in Daccurso's course and got an "A" in Swelstads course and did no work. Extremely Passionate and easy! Take Him!

He is the best Professor at Valley! Seriously, he makes the class fun and screens great films and also talks about his film experiences. If you are looking for an easy A than this is not the Professor for you. Although, most of the class has A's we had to study! He is awesome. I am so happy that I took this Professor and got an A! TAKE HIM!!!

Great Professor and very helpful towards his students. Very easy course and great lecturer. Must take for art. Thanks E.J. Swelstad!

I am taking Swelstad for winter session and man is he super easy. He is helpful and kind towards his students. Tries to help us out as much as possible and it seems that most students are Acing his course. THE GREATEST CLASS TO TAKE FOR A SHORT TERM!

Pro.Swelstad was AMAZING! I took him for winter and even though we were going at a quick pace I lerned a lot. He is really kind and doesn't make class boring. take him!

Take this Professor if you want to learn a lot and get an easy A. Little if no thought is involved in his class but you will learn tons. Really relaxed atmosphere and Professor S. makes class enjoyable to come to. I got an "A" in the winter session. Great Class!

Let's just say that I ended up getting a 97% at the end with little effort. This Professor is amazing at what he does and if you listen to his lectures his tests are common sense. Screens amazing films and has a talent to discuss these films. Easy A if you show up to class. Attendance ACTUALLY COUNTS! He was always in a good mood! Great Instructor!

By far the best teacher at Valley. He cares! If you love cinema and want to work in the industry, then take his classes. He gives great insight to the creative process, which if you listen clearly to, you will be able to apply to your projects. Do yourself a favor and take this teacher. He's witty, and articulate with complex matters. A+

he's freakin amazing! best professor ever. i seriously fell in love with cinematography after this class. i took it over the winter session and it went by really fast. you have to study and keep up with the work, but he gives you answers and extra credit. he's so fantastic! TAKE HIM!!

He is the easiest Professor at LAVC. Loves teaching the material and gets all the information across to students with relative ease. Definitely worth taking and he will even give you extra credit which is worth a lot! Also, he gives you the test answers before hand and to be honest the tests are pretty easy. Very Easy A and Very Good Professor! A+

Swelstad is so inspirational and adorable! He is a great Professor and wants to see all his students get A's. I love him and will take him for Cinema 107 online in the fall; he is amazing.

Very knowledgeable. Excellent lectures. Very interesting. Easy to get along with. Easy workload. MUST attend lectures to pass. Wanders a little with personal experience stories, but they are entertaining, and mostly relevant.Really seems to enjoy teaching. A HUGE plus!I would take a class with him again.

Very knowledgeable. Excellent lectures. Very interesting. Easy to get along with. Easy workload. MUST attend lectures to pass- textbook reading not tested but useful. Wanders a little with personal experience stories, but they are entertaining, and mostly relevant. Really seems to enjoy teaching. A HUGE plus! I would take a class with him again.

Took the final examination today and boy was it easy because he gave us all the answers before hand. I love this Professor and he is absolutely passionate BUT as stated on the comment before mine do yourself a favor and do not miss class.

Call him Swelstaff, he will know what your taking about

when you call him swelstaff, don't forget to mention dirty heads :D

OMG they werent kidding when they said LOTS OF WORK! the tests are very long but get easier as the semester progresses. READ the book!!! and SAVE all of you paper work!!! but in the end seeing your movie screened, and your friends cheering you on is well worth the effort. =] fun class. plus the proffessor makes funny jokes if you have a dirty mind

What a great Professor with a heart of gold! He loves filmaking and knows what he is talking about. However, you cannot disrespect him and trust me you wont because he is such a good instructor. Easy A and great instructor at Los Angeles Valley College. Although, he talks a lot during the films. I did not buy the book and still got an A.

What a laid back man. Really relaxed atmosphere and has great stories to tell every single class. You actually want to go to class. Extremely easy if you know what you are doing. He will be hinting you towards test questions and will provide interactive techniques that will actually make it virtually impossible to get anything less than a B.

Easy A! His class is informative and easy both at the same time! He is so passionate about the subject. I do not think one student got anything less than a "C" in the class! He is really cool and you will love his class, it is too bad that he only teaches production and understanding motion pictures. I would take him again in a heartbeat.

Love him, miss him, and I wish that he would teach more on campus classes. I took him for production and understand films and got A's in both of them with ease. You have to show up, as attendance is mandatory. Do your work and you will end up getting an A. Very easy class! This Professor always stayed after class to help. Thanks Swelstad.

His class is one of the firsts that I have ever taken and the best that I have ever taken. He is really easy if you know what you are doing. LOL- he gives you tons and tons of extra points for coming to class. I got C's and D's on the exams and ended up with an A. The tests can be a little bit too tough but he is a great instructor.

If you are going to take this Professor then you are in for a wild ride. Do not take Joe Daccruso, he is the worst. This dude has a true passion for film and he is simple. Coming to the class, screen the films (no sleeping), write the notes, and then you will get an A. He is an incredible Professor! If you take him you will end up with an A.

Great class if you're interested in the subject! I love that he points out the important things for the test. He knows that you can't possibly memorize everything (and will end up forgetting it by the next semester) The important things he tells you, and you'll remember them forever!

Tests do not count much for his class but he does care about the supplemental assignments. If you get anything less than a B in his class then you are an idiot as he tells us every question that will be on the test before he administers them. Moreover, he offers you points for showing up and showing interest. It is a great subject!

what an easy-going guy! the class was almost 4 hours long but it goes by quick and smooth because of his awesome personality. the paperwork behind the movie is kind annoying but he def prepares u for the future. take him, you'll love him! and the class

Online class = Easiest class ever. View the films, participate in the discussions, do the quizzes, do 2 HW assignments & you'll pass, I'll recommend this professor to anyone taking an online course. It only takes 2 hours of your time once a week, LOVE HIM :)

Best teacher at Valley! Very smart! He loves teaching but also has a lot going on with his own writing career so his knowledge of the industry is up-to-date. Great sense of humor, laid back, but his lectures are extremely informative. Great class for anybody looking to get into screenwriting. PS Buy final draft for the 25 Page Script- It's worth it

One of the best at valley. Extremely helpful and informative and the assignments are a lot of fun to do. If you're interested in writing, definitely take this class.

Took it online and it was not too bad. It’s time consuming so be sure you have the time to complete all discussions on time and read the book. 1-2 discussions a week + a film and a 12 question timed quiz. It’s a useful class if you’re a film major, and the professor was good as well (just not always easy to get a hold of).

Swelstad is probably the best professor in the media arts department - if not the entire school. His knowledge on the subject and the industry is super helpful, and his passion for it is so influencial. If you love story telling at all, YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS CLASS!

Great class, and the Professor encourages you to look deeper at the films we watch as part of this learning to understand films.

Very enthusiastic teacher. He knows what he's doing/what he's talking about. He does mainly base his tests on whats in the book, but gives more insight through his powerpoints. If you dont have a friend in the class that can give you the notes when youre absent -- MAKE A FRIEND. The notes are summaries of the book which are very helpful.

Easy class, just show up take good notes, basically copy his powerpoint slides, and you'll get an A! You do need the textbook to do some cheat sheet assignment which is also part of the test-visual test. But the written test is solely based on his lecture notes. It won't hurt to read the book, it'll just go in more detail than his lecture.

Interesting Course, Interesting Lectures, Interesting Professor, You'll get to analyze movies the second half of class. Overwhelming amount of course related work, (3) 150 Question Exams Totals Consisting of True/False, Multiple Choice, Matching, And Fill In Answer. (3) 250+ Film Titles, Directors, and Information Captions to memorize for each test

Great teacher. Funny. Makes class go by rather quick. Book is necessary to memorize tons of movie names, directors, and movie info for second part of every very long very detailed test. Over 100 questions on each first half of test. 3 unit class felt more like a 5 unit class. Lots of ppl were struggling on tests.

Def need the book. Lots of busy work. Tests are very long. Memorization of lots of movie pictures, names, directors, actors, and movie related info for memorization part of the test. Struggled to maintain a "C", probably cause I had 3 other classes to focus on and a weekend job as well.

Glad I took this class! He's really funny and helpful. You do have to do a lot of reading if you want an A and fill out that sheet he gives you but I learned a lot in his class and I"m not even a film major. Would definitely take more classes with him!

Took online Cinema 107, Understanding Motion Pictures, great class! NEED text, watch movies on list, lots of fun discussions, not too much work. Found class "easy" b/c I have strong foundation in writing & psychology, so understood much prior to class. Great prof, very creative, fun class, & an "A" is do-able. From an "A" student. Happiness :-)

Be prepared for fill in the blank tests, which means you have to pay attention to lectures and notes. However the reviews a week before testing will get you perfectly ready. Lectures are great, especially when class participation happens. Don't wait until the last minute for any of the papers, they are short, but you can quickly fall behind.

One of my top three favorite classes I have taken at LAVC. Lectures are awesome and run the gambit from King Arthur to Fairy Tales to Greek Mythology to Star Wars and to today's current films, such as Batman. Papers are frequent but easy, and you can turn in late if needed, but communication with the professor is key. Only offered in the Fall term!

A great overview of writing in the three act structure. Eric's one of the brave few willing to read 20 to 40+ student scripts and send feedback to Valley's... unpredictable... Media Arts students. After some outlining, you're expected to write ten pages of your script each week and share them with a small group without micromanaging you or them.

The class consisted of a quite a few online discussions and a weeksly quiz. We also had to read the text and watch a film every week. We had to write a 10 page final paper that showed our use of all the information from the semester applied to one film. I liked the class and learned a lot. He was a good professor.

I took Swelstad for Cinema 107 and loved it! It was a 3hr class (which I usually try to avoid) but he was funny and the class was interesting that I didn't mind the length of the class. There was a lot of note taking but if you take good notes and go over the terms you'll get a good grade. Also, start on the film list he hands out early on!

I cannot recommend Swelstad enough. MArts 130 is for the serious screenwriting student, if you want to dabble, stick to Broadcasting 25, and if you are looking for an amazing "story telling class" take Meda Arts 129, which he offers once a year. Make sure you show up for the review before exams, he gives you everything you need to study. Awesome!

Besides being a cinema instructor Prof. Swelstad works in the business too. I enjoyed his class very much and I would take him again. He gives you the opportunity to raise your grade by doing a title answer key which you get to us in answering the visual part of his tests. Attendance not mandatory but if you don't attend you miss information.

Took Mythology and was surprised at how good the class was. Covered alot of ground in a short amount of time. Good resources including Tami Cowden and Joseph Cambell. Loved the Star Wars Documentary. So much good information presented in a clear manner. Well worth taking.

Broadcasting 82 is an "independent field study" class, so with that said there were only two class meetings throughout the semester, and the work you do you have to put in yourself. With that said, Swelstad sent out clear email reminders and helpful leads for internships, and followed up questions throughout the semester via email.

Cinema 101 is the class you want on your transcript - it goes everywhere and is part of CSUNS matriculation agreement. Prof Swelstad is demanding and rigorous. Requires more then the other teachers to ensure that you are prepared for when you reach university. Well worth the time spent. Would take again!

Eric is awesome! You won't need to buy the text books to be honest because he gives you everything in notes but the books are just great to have for reference b/c they're great book choices. Everything in notes is on the test, he tells you. If you show up & take notes every class there's no way you can't pass his tests. Head of the dept. Great guy!

Good class, second time I actually took a Swelstad class, first time was mythology. I enjoyed it. Very positive, creative and collaborative. Having taken almost every media arts class at Valley, I felt it was one of the few classes where I was learning industry skills. Would take again.

This class was taken as an independent field study class. As such, I say attendance is mandatory, because you have to commit to yourself, and the project that you decide to work on over the semester. Swelstad was easy to get a hold of through email, and responded within 24 hrs every time I had a question. Excellent professor!

Prof Swelstad is a professional screenwriter and this comes across in his lectures - fun, informative and strong knowledge of the industry. Book for all Cinema 107 classes is $100, so make sure you work this out with the bookstore ahead of time because you use it extensively. A lot of studying, but definitely worth it!

Ok so this is my second class with Swelstad and I have definitely gained a mentor in the industry. His lectures are amazing and funny and as for the class: don't let the factor of the teacher come into play (you won't regret Swelstad) it is a great class to discover what field you want in film making. Editing, filming, sound-you do it all! take it!

Prof. Swelstad is extremely knowledgeable (AND well read in general) and passionate about film. I was drawn to this class having studied Joseph Campbell and was not disappointed. This was a wonderful overview of archetypes and the lectures are well thought out and interesting. Few short papers and makes sure you study!! Will be taking him again :)

Great teacher! Very straight forward. Knowledgeable. His assignments are fun! He really guides you through the whole filming process. Lectures are note heavy but he always adds some relief by telling jokes or a story. HE DOES REPEAT HIMSELF A LOT THOUGH. If you have taken 2 classes with him, you've heard all of his jokes. Overall a solid teacher.

I took one of his online courses, and let me tell you that it was the best blow-off class that I have ever taken. I'm pretty sure that as long as you participate he'll give you full credit. Some of the responses to the weekly essays didn't even grasp the basic concepts of what we were discussing but still received full credit.

He is a good guy, lots of knowledge about the industry, he does use the same jokes over and over again. But the tests are pretty easy, if you take notes and READ THE CHAPTERS! also, he has a section of each exam where you have to know the movie title and a fact about it from a single flash of a picture. Not sure when I will ever use that info..

Ive taken four classes with Swelstad now. Hes extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and always covers whatll be on the tests. (pay attention, take notes, and you wont fk up). Personally find his jokes very funny, even when he repeats himself. Highly recommend.

Aside from Professor Swelstad's fun and often comic lectures, he also gives extra credit for showing up to tutoring. He does what he can to relieve the pressure of a challenging class from his students.

Eric is a great teacher! He's clearly passionate about Cinema, respects students and has an enthusiasm for what he does and who he's teaching. The class was excellent

Best professor ever.

I've take 4 classes from Professor Swelstad and am taking another one next semester. He is passionate and committed, which means being in his teaching environment is exciting. If you want to learn he will teach you; however, you must be an adult. Read the syllabus, come to class and participate - turn your assignments in on time - grown folk stuff.

This professor knows a lot about cinema. He answers your questions promptly. He is pretty punctual and organized when it comes to the syllabus. Clear grading criteria.

As someone who wants to learn and it's important to understand the fundamentals, I highly recommend Professor Swelstad. He expects you to do the work - understandably. And he has specific requirements but they are communicated. If you really want to learn the fundamentals of writing a screenplay, take this class.

I was a student from the class just this Spring. I only attended in person for a month or two because of COVID unfortunately, but those two months were great, I made a few friends IRL and honestly, learned more than I did from Cinema 107. The rest of the class was online, and quite honestly was much harder than the first 2 months due to that shift.

I had the opportunity to take Professor Swelstad in the Fall for Cinema 107. While completely online, Professor Swelstad did a good job of ensuring the class participated in discussions related to the weekly lessons - with two responses required for each discussion. If you read the book the modules, and PARTICIPATE (!!!), you will do well.

I took his 5 week winter cinema 107 class. He crams an entire semester into 5 weeks. From Monday through Thursday, everyday you will have to watch an assigned film, 1 or 2 discussions, and 2 responses to each, and take a quiz(not very hard). The work isn't hard, just a lot of it. The class is interesting and you watch some good films. Good elective

Professor Swelstad, I enjoyed taking his cinema class because he teaches his students so much about the cinema industry. If you follow his criteria, watch the movies that he provides in his course, and participate in the discussion questions you'll do fine. The book Understanding Movies is so helpful in regard to his syllabus structure.

- HIGHLY recommend if you have questions about getting into the industry - super helpful, accommodating, and supportive - his tests often have a few errors when you take them, but he'll fix it after review - tight deadlines for assignments (as if you were in the industry) - often wanders off-topic during lectures, but that's what the book is for

Professor Swelstad is a great professor and a great guy in general too. He always says there's no such thing as a dumb question and answers any questions you have until you are able to understand it properly. His class definitely requires a lot of work and dedication, but keep up with assignments and pay attention, and you'll do great and enjoy it!

Professor E was the best I will always be thankful for what I've learned. Great job.

Professor Swelstad was very helpful when it came to any questions regarding discussions, quizzes, and essays. You pretty much have to watch a new film every week and read the chapters in the textbook but it's still relatively fun and easy! His modules/lectures were laid out and explained very nicely. Would definitely take him again!

Swelstad is a great professor. I had him for Cin 101, 105, and 107 and I learned so much. He is an easy grader but participation is crucial. When it comes to assignments, he is pretty adamant about getting things in on time but he also is extremely understanding and gives people many chances and opportunities to catch up. He wants you to succeed.

Very great professor! Only thing to beware of is that this class is HEAVY on notes. Trust me you need the notes! The midterm and final is fairly easy if you STUDY STUDY STUDY. Other than that, he is very entertaining and funny! This class is intro to screenwriting so be aware of the writing you'll have to do but if you ever get stuck, he is there!

Professor Swelstad is engaging and makes the material enjoyable. His lectures are worth attending, and the textbook is helpful. Using resources like unstuck ai and staying on top of assignments are key to doing well in this class.

This class consists of lecture for first half and writers group for second half. You have to write a full feature or pilot throughout the semester. The lectures are great and having to read other people's script while also getting feedback on yours is awesome. Lectures can go long but Prof Swelstad is helpful and very entertaining! Would recommend!