An Introduction to Film - 1st year
A cultural and artistic exploration of film genres. Students will critically analyze film as an art form as well as a reflector and instigator of cultural values. Questions considered will include: How does the visual language of film affect our perception? What innovative techniques are used to convey meaning? How does film fit into the twentieth century?
Objectives:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the role of film in culture and explore its relationship to the world around it;
2. Analyze film as an art form through an examination of aesthetics and the internal structure of the art;
3. Demonstrate ability to decode the language of film;
4. Analyze and critique film by studying film as a series of narratives;
5. Through critical writing, analyze plot, character development, and setting demonstrate how form function interact to tell a story;
6. Conduct library research on a topic, as appropriate;
7. Formulate a critical argument related to film issues.
Topics:
Course topics will include the following:
1. Learn basic film vocabulary such as montage, mise-en-scene etc.
2. Examine significant film genres
3. Explore film within a cultural context specifically in relationship to other media (the
novel, theater, and the visual arts)
4. Study the aesthetic eye: basic theory regarding the camera’s role in shaping the
viewer’s perception
5. Examine narration and sequence: storyboard
6. Analyze the purposes and functions of film: (its aesthetic, socio-political, spiritual,
economic, expressive aspects)
Method of Instruction:
1. Watch films and videos.
2. Lecture
3. Class Discussion
4. Small group work
5. Student presentations
6. Library work
Types of Assignments:
1. Short reaction papers to film questions
2. Student Presentations
3. Homework practicing various skills
4. Research assignments in library
5. Quizzes, Midterm and Final
Sample Text:
1. Key Concepts in Cinema Studies (Susan Hayward)
2. How to Read a Film: The Art, Technology, Language, History, and Theory of Film
and Media (James Monaco)
3. Myth and the Movies: Discovering Mythic Structures of Fifty Unforgettable Films
(Stuart Boytilla)
4. The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video (Tom Schroeppel)
