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COURSE DESCRIPTION AND SYLLABUS
Course Description: This course introduces the basic
elements of film as an art form, including cinematography, mise
en scene, movement, editing, and sound. The historical development
and social impact of film will also be considered. Through screening,
discussion and critical evaluation of selected films, students
will develop their knowledge of film as an art form. Attendance
at outside events may be required in addition to viewing of films
in theaters and home video context.
General Objectives:
1. To engage student interest in film and develop understanding
and enjoyment of this art form.
2. To introduce students to various film types and genres.
3. To train students in the techniques of close viewing of film.
4. To train students to analyze the elements of film.
5. To introduce students to major critical and historical writing
about film.
6. To introduce students to the social impact of film.
7. To introduce students to the historical development of film.
8. To introduce students to various methods of interpreting and
writing about film.
Objectives -- Additional note:
This section of English 135 (Film as Art) is encountered
in the context of interdisciplinary study of Sociology 220 (Sex,
Marriage, and Family) and Humanities 102 (Ideas and Values).
Interdisciplinary studies view issues and themes from a variety
of perspectives developed by selected academic disciplines in
order to achieve certain goals:
a. To identify commonalties and differences in the academic
perspectives;
b. To identify possibilities and limitations of single perspective
processing;
c. To synthesize the contributions of multi-disciplines to the
individual's understanding of issues personal, societal and global.
d. To develop skills of thoughtful processing of information
and experience through identifying and understanding, analysis,
comparison/contrast, critique, and synthesis in order to make
more meaningful applications to personal philosophy and life
choices.
Course Topics :
To achieve these objectives, course topics will include the following
listed below. The topics will be presented formally through class
presentation and discussion and will be developed throughout
the course.
Weekend 1: Visual Art-Making (Film
Unit 1: Response)
Chapter 1: Photography
Chapter 2: Mise en Scene
Chapter 8: Story (skim according to assignment sheet)
Weekend 2: Idea Infusion ( Film Unit
2: Response)
Chapter 3: Movement
Chapter 4: Editing
Chapter10: Ideology
Weekend 3: Vicarious Involvement (Film
Unit 3: Response)
Chapter 5: Sound
Chapter 6: Acting
Chapter 7: Drama
Weekend 4: Theoretical Analysis (Film
Unit 4: Response)
Chapter 8: Story
Chapter 9: Literature
Chapter 11: Theory
Weekend 5: Winding Up (Film Unit 5:
Response)
Chapter 12: Synthesis: Citizen Kane
Text: Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies,
8th ed.
Course Requirements and Procedures:
Requirements:
1. Read all assigned reading material from text and handouts.
2. Complete all writing assignments and hand in to instructor.
3. Watch assigned films. Turn in response form for each film
viewed.
Procedures:
1. Students will receive materials during each weekend session
that will describe homework and activities due by Saturday morning,
9 a.m. the next appointed weekend meeting date. Any assigned
Essay will be due the not later than 10 a.m. on the Thursday
morning before the class weekend. Film and Humanities
essays will be combined and are due Weeks 1 and 3.
2. After reading homework, students will fill out one
text response form for each chapter read.
2. As homework for each class weekend, students will view
one foreign film and one domestic one from the list on the Assignment
Sheet for that weekend. Fill out one analysis and response
form for each film viewed (2 for each weekend class). The
response forms will be based upon text information in that Weekend's
reading plus material covered previously.
3. A final project will be presented on Weekend 5.
A statement of guidelines will be handed out by Weekend One.
Grading:
Grades will be based on a point system that will be translated
into letter grades according to the 10% method: A = 90%-100%;
B = 80%-89%; C = 70%-79%; C = 60%-69%; F = 0%-59%. Marginal accumulations
(such as 89.3%, etc.) will be translated according to instructor
discretion. Revisions of the essays due on Weekends One and Three
are possible. Instructions will be given with comments on your
papers and/or during class when papers are returned.
On time Late Maximum
Attendance 14 13-0 70
Film Responses 10ea (20tot) 9-0ea 100
Film Text Response 5ea 4-0 55
Essays 10 9-0 30*
Final Project 50 49-0 50
300+
In-class responses may be additional
Points 5 each
* Essays and points subject to adjustment. There are no tests
or exams.
Academic Standards:
Students are expected to act in accord with "Student
Rights and Responsibilities" as specified in Board of Trustees
Procedure 5715 and printed in the college's Catalog or separate
publications. Students are expected to act in an academically
honest fashion. Copying from others, using unauthorized support
(crib notes, etc.) or misrepresenting work or ideas as one's
own is a violation of this acedemic standard. Further, when it
is appropriate to cite others' work, students are expected to
give appropriate attribution to the sources and not to make use
of the work or ideas of others in academically dishonest ways.
Violation of these standards may result in assignment of a Failure
grade to the work or the course and cancellation of your option
to withdraw from the course.
Incomplete Grades: Incompletes are not recommended
since most students have a harder time completing course requirements
after the actual course has finished meeting. I will consider
granting requests for incompletes only if unusual and extreme
life and work circumstances beyond the student's control have
arisen unexpectedly during the quarter. Students must have been
keeping me informed of the general nature of the problem when
the problem arises and/or when the first need to submit work
late is encountered. General lack of personal discipline is not
a sufficient excuse for late work or for an "I" grade.
The following conditions must be met for all students seeking
an incomplete:
1. The student requests an "I" before the
end of the quarter, meaning prior to the week before Weekend
Five. Emergencies during that final week should be discussed
with instructor.
2. A written agreement is completed and signed indicating the
work to be completed and the required completion dates for that
work.
3. All incomplete work must be finished and submitted by the
contracted date and not later than the end of the following quarter.
4. Exception to the above may be made by special arrangement
and agreement with the instructor.
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