Associate Professor of Film Department of Theatre, Film and Communication Arts pmccarth@whittier.edu
M.F.A., Film Production, University of Southern California Ph.D., Critical Studies (Cinematic Arts), University of Southern California
Patti McCarthy has experience teaching classes in film production, screenwriting, creative producing, film history, film aesthetics, and writing. Prior to teaching in the Film Studies program and developing a film major at the University of the Pacific, McCarthy worked as Head of Development at Rastar Productions at Sony Pictures Entertainment and was involved in the production of many well-known major motion pictures, including: Random Hearts (Harrison Ford), Harriet the Spy (Rosie O’Donnell), To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (Michelle Pfeiffer), American History X (Edward Norton) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt).
Recently, she co-produced a documentary film, Clint Eastwood presents Dave Brubeck: In His Own Sweet Way and a series of short, biographical documentary films about George Lucas which were based on her book, The Lucas Effect: George Lucas and the New Hollywood. Her current research focuses on “The Heroine’s Journey” as a feminist post-structuralist reimagining of Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” model for theoreticians, screenwriters, and filmmakers. A frequent panelist at the University Film & Video Association, she has presented papers and published several essays on the topic (McFarland). She is also the producer of the new indie feature film, Carlos Through the Tall Grass.
