Film 1010 Fall 2008 Syllabus

8/4/2019 Film 1010 Fall 2008 Syllabus

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Film 1010: Film Aesthetics and Analysis (Fall 2008, CRN: 87792)TR 9:30am-10:45am, General Classroom Building 517

Drew Ayers Office: 840B, One Park Place

[email protected] Office Hours: M 2:30pm-4:30pm, T 11:00am-1:00pm,www.drewayers.net and by appt. (ALWAYS email first)Phone: (812) 202-0778 Mailbox: 6

thFloor, One Park Place

Note: The course website will reflect updates to the course, changes in syllabus, assignments,

etc. Be sure to check it regularly. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course;deviations may be necessary.

Course Description

Film 1010 is designed to build on the historical information you gain in Film 2700 by increasingattention paid to film terms and their use in filmmaking and criticism. The course also develops

student critical thinking and writing tools, with particular emphasis given to thinking and writingabout cinema. That is, the course will put the terms to analytical work. Film 1010 is a precursorto the more advanced work done in upper-level film courses.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to: define terms fundamental to cinema studies; employ these terms in classdiscussion; and, write analytical/critical essays that show understanding of, engagement with,

and thoughtful use of cinema studies vocabulary. The critical, argumentative, and written skillsgained in this course are those assumed to be used in upper-level film studies courses as well as

in other critical engagements with the world.

Required Texts1) Corrigan, Timothy and Patricia White. The Film Experience: An Introduction. New York:Bedford, 2004. (Available at the GSU bookstores)

2) Readings on uLearn3) Course films (Available on library reserve)

ScreeningsThroughout the semester, you will be required to view the five films listed on the syllabus. Since

we do not have a reserved screening time for the class, you will need to watch these films onyour own. The films (except forDie Hard) are available through the library media center (2

nd

Floor, Library South), and all of the films are available through Netflix or at local video stores

(e.g., Movies Worth Seeing and Videodrome). The films are a fundamental part of the courseand will comprise a large part of our discussions. Thus, even if you have already seen the films,you should plan view them again before the class in which we are discussing them.

Attendance and Participation

Attendance for this course is mandatory. My approach to this class will integrate lectures, classdiscussions, student presentations, and various exercises and activities in order to explore the


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principles discussed in the readings you cant participate if youre not there. Attendance willbe taken in each class by using a sign-in sheet.

Each student will have three personal days during the semester to cover absences from either

class or screenings. These days may be used for any reason you choose and should include time

out for illness, emergencies, and family obligations. For each absence after the initial three, youroverall attendance grade will be lowered by one letter grade. If you have an ongoing situationthat requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the course.

Group discussion of course material will comprise a large portion of our in-class activity. It is

essential that you have carefully read the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill yourresponsibilities as a member of the learning community of this class. Further, you are expected

to actively participate in class discussion. Attendance/Participation comprises 10% of the finalgrade, and your participation grade will be based on both the level and quality of your

participation.

Policies1) Late Assignments: If an assignment is turned in late, one full letter grade will bededucted for each day the assignment is late. Additionally, please remember that anassignment is considered late immediately following the class period in which it is due.

If you are unable to attend class on a day that an assignment is due, you must contact meprior to the class and make alternative arrangements. All assignments should be

submitted in hard-copy form.2) Academic Honesty: The universitys policy on academic honesty is published in On

Campus: The Undergraduate Co-Curricular Affairs Handbook, available online athttp://www.gsu.edu/~wwwcam. There is an addendum to that policy available here:

http://www2.gsu.edu/~joujhr/AcademicHonestyPolicyFA06.htm. The policy prohibitsplagiarism, cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification, and

multiple submissions. Violation of the policy may result in failing the class, in additionto disciplinary sanctions. The internet makes it easy to plagiarize, but also easy to track

down plagiarism. Bottom line: Dont plagiarize its not worth it. Theres always abetter way. Cite all your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, and clearly

note when you are paraphrasing other authors work.3) Class Etiquette: (1) I expect you to be in class on time and to stay for the entire class

session. Latecomers and early-leavers distract me and your student colleagues dont doit; (2) It is expected that each student will come to class prepared, having read the

required material and/or viewed the required film for the day. Additionally, students areexpected to participate in class discussions; (3) It should go without saying that I expect

you to treat the classroom space appropriately. Checking your Facebook profile and textmessaging are inappropriate activities. In general, simply be respectful and mindful of

others were all here to learn (even me J), so we should all try to make the classroomas conducive to learning and communicating as possible; (4) Make sure any email

correspondence clearly identifies both you and the course. I get tons of emails every day,and this ensures that I dont accidentally delete any of your emails.


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GradingFive Short Essays (5% each): 25%

Quizzes: 10%Film Clip Presentation: 10%

Midterm Exam: 20%

Final Paper: 25%Attendance/Participation: 10%

Grading BreakdownA (100-95); A- (94-90); B+ (89-87); B (86-84); B- (83-80); C+ (79-77); C (76-74); C- (73-70);

D+ (69-67); D (66-64); D- (63-60); F (59-0)

AssignmentsThere are five primary assignments for the semester. We will talk about each in more detail as

the due dates approach.1) Short Essays: There are five short writing assignments spaced throughout the semester.

Some are merely two paragraphs; some are up to three pages. All are designed todevelop your written organization and argumentative focus. Each will be graded

according to coherence, structure, grammar, syntax, diction, etc. based on the type ofassignment. These assignments must be submitted in hard-copy form. We will talk

about each as due dates near. Each short essay is worth 5% of your overall grade, and theessays together comprise 25% of your overall grade. All essays are due at the beginning

of class.2) Quizzes: At random times throughout the semester, I will distribute short quizzes to the

class. These quizzes are designed to test your comprehension of the assigned readingand/or film for the day. The quizzes are worth 10% of your overall grade.

3) Film Clip Presentation: Groups of two or three people will present and discuss thecinematic aspects of a film clip of their choosing. The presentations should focus on the

particular aspects of cinema we are studying (editing, cinematography, etc.). Thus, yourpresentation should (1) focus on a brief clip from a film of your choice clips should be

no more than two or three minutes; (2) provide a reading of the clip focusing on thetopic of the class discussion (editing, etc.); (3) draw summary conclusions as to how your

clip is representative of the larger issues we are discussing; and (4) provide furtherquestions for class discussion. Your group should meet with me at least a week prior to

your presentation to discuss what you are going to present. The presentation is worth10% of your overall grade.

4) Midterm Exam: You will be responsible for completing a take-home midterm exam, andthe exam is designed to test you on the material we have covered in class up to the

midpoint. You will respond to two questions/prompts of your choice, selected from a listof several questions/prompts that I will provide to you. Each response should be at least

750 words in length (roughly 3 double-spaced pages), resulting in a total ofapproximately 6 pages for the entire midterm. The midterm is due at the beginning of

class on Tuesday, October 21st, and it is worth 20% of your overall grade.

5) Final Paper: This assignment will be 8-10 pages in length, and it is meant to showcaseall you have learned this semester. The paper should make use of all of our discussionabout film essay construction, analysis, research, etc. I will provide several


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questions/prompts from which you may choose. You may also write on a topic of yourown, but you MUST approve the topic with me before you begin writing (failure to do so

will result in a required rewrite of the essay with a one letter grade deduction). You areencouraged to submit drafts before the paper is due. We will talk much more about the

paper throughout the summer. The final paper is due on the last day of class

(Thursday, December 4

th

), and it is worth 25% of your overall grade.6) All submitted materials should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch marginson all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the

page number in the upper right-hand corner. The upper left-hand corner of the first pageshould include your name, my name, the course name, and the date of submission. Use

MLA format for your citations and works cited page. Please remember to staple youressays.

Daily Schedule

8/19 Topic: Introduction to Course Syllabus, Objectives, andAssignments; Sign up for Presentations

Mise-en-Scene

8/21 Topic: Elements of Mise-en-Scene

Reading: pp. 41-64 (C&W)Smith, Its Just a Movie. (uLearn)

8/26 Topic: Values and Traditions of Mise-en-Scene

Reading: pp. 64-69, 72 (C&W)

8/28 Topic: Discussion ofBicycle ThievesReading: pp. 70-71 (C&W)

Screening: Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948), 93 min.

Types of Film Writing

9/2 Topic: Film Reviews

Reading: pp. 474-478 (C&W)Two reviews of a film of your choice

(http://www.rottentomatoes.com is a good startingpoint)

Assignment: Short Essay #1 Due

9/4 Topic: Critical/Analytic EssaysReading: pp. 479-487

Cinematography

9/9 Topic: Elements of CinematographyReading: pp. 75-97 (C&W)



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9/11 Topic: Values and Traditions of Cinematography

Reading: pp. 97-103, 107 (C&W)

9/16 Topic: Discussion ofM

Reading: pp. 104-106 (C&W)Screening: M(Lang, 1931), 110 min.

9/18 Topic: PresentationsAssignment: Short Essay #3 Due

Film Presentations from Group I (Mise-en-Scene

and/or Cinematography)

Writing Critical Essays

9/23 Topic: Critical Essay StructureReading: pp. 492-502 (C&W)

9/25 Topic: Writing Workshop

Reading: pp. 488-492 (C&W)

Editing

9/30 Topic: Elements of Editing


10/2 Topic: Values and Traditions of EditingReading: pp. 145-157

10/7 Topic: Discussion ofRequiem for a Dream

Screening: Requiem for a Dream (Aronofsky, 2000), 102 min.

Researching for a Film Paper

10/9 Topic: Intro to Researching Film

Reading: pp. 502-513 (C&W)Assignment: Short Essay #4 Due

10/14 Topic: Distribute and Discuss Midterm Exam

PresentationsAssignment: Film Presentations from Group II (Editing)

Sound

10/16 Topic: Elements of SoundReading: pp. 166-200 (C&W)

10/21 Topic: Values and Traditions of Sound

Reading: pp. 200-209 (C&W) (skip The Conversationsection)


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Assignment: Midterm Exam Due (bring to class)

10/23 NO CLASS

10/28 Topic: Discussion ofThe Conversation

Reading: pp. 207-209 (C&W)Screening: The Conversation (Coppola, 1974), 113 min.

Narrative and Ideology

10/30 Topic: Intro to Ideology

Reading: Comolli and Narboni, Cinema/Ideology/Criticism(uLearn)

Cahiersanalysis ofYoung Mr. Lincoln (skim)(uLearn)

11/4 Topic: Elements of Film Narrative


11/6 Topic: Values and Traditions of Film NarrativeReading: pp. 246-251 (C&W)


11/11 Topic: Classical Hollywood NarrationReading: Bordwell, Chapter 3, Classical Narration (uLearn)

11/13 Topic: Post-Classical Narration; Discussion ofDie Hard

Reading: Elsaesser and Buckland, Classical/Post-ClassicalNarrative (Die Hard) (uLearn)

Screening: Die Hard(McTiernan, 1988), 132 min.

Film Genre

11/18 Topic: Elements of Film Genre


11/20 Topic: Hollywood GenresReading: pp. 297-306 (C&W)

12/2 Topic: Hollywood Genres, continued


12/4 Topic: PresentationsReading: pp. 252-254 (C&W)

Assignment: Final Paper Due (bring to class)

Film Presentations from Group III (Narrative,

Ideology, and/or Genre)


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Short Essay Assignments

Short Essay #1 Write two paragraphs that you could add to the essay on Bicycle Thieves (pp.70-71), which analyze specific elements of mise-en-scene at work in the film. The essay

highlights specific elements like the apartment of The Santona and the characters dress. What

are two other such elements that are notable? How do they function within the rest of the filmsmise-en-scene? How do they help to create meaning and tell the films story? Remember, youshould focus on the visualaspects of the film (what you see) rather than on a summary or

explanation of the story/plot of the film.

Short Essay #2 Find two reviews of a film of your choice and write overviews of each,focusing on the goals of the reviewers and the types of arguments that they make. Consider what

sorts of objective verses subjective claims the authors make. How do the writers argue insupport of the claims? How is this type of writing different than the writing in a critical essay?

Short Essay #3 Write two paragraphs that you could add to the essay on M(pp. 104-106),

which analyze specific elements of cinematography at work in the film. The brief essay beginswith grand claims about the cinematography, noting that the objective and subjective viewspresented in the film often are blurred so that it is often difficult to tell from whose point of view

the story is being told. Read the second paragraph carefully, paying particular attention to thespecific reading it gives to the cinematic elements it is discussing. Notice that it does much more

than describe the cinematography: it makes readings and conclusions about it. The essay hintsat some of the many places you could pick as a point for your own investigation. Pick one such

place and strike off on your own analysis of a specific scene. Remember, you should focus onhow the cinematography helps to tell the story rather than providing a summary or interpretation

of the film.

Short Essay #4 After watchingRequiem for a Dream, select two scenes from the film andwrite a two-page paper in which you analyze the relationship between story and editing. That is,

make an introductory claim (a topic/thesis statement) as to how the editing relates to the story(of the scene or of the film as a whole) and then proceed to argue how exactly the scene/film

does this. Be very specific in how you pay attention to the editing practices.

Short Essay #5 Read pp. 252-254 (C&W), paying attention to how the essay sets up andfulfills a comparison and contrast. Write a three-page paper in which you briefly develop a

comparison and contrast between the two films you watch from the list provided below. You donot need to work on the fullest development possible, but provide a completely full introduction

as to how you could develop such a comparison/contrast. Be certain that you are attentive to the

specific demands of a comparison/contrast paper. Pick one pair of films to watch andcompare/contrast:

Fargo (Coen, 1996) and The Killing(Kubrick, 1956)Cleo from 5 to 7(Varda, 1962) and Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958)

The Untouchables (De Palma, 1987) and Goodfellas (Scorsese, 1990)

Film 1010 Fall 2008 Syllabus

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