Course Information

 

How do you decide if Film Study is going to be an interesting course
for you?
 

 
FIRST,  In this course, we will be guided by the following QUESTIONS:
·    Why is an understanding of film and moving images so important?
·    How and why do visual images impact people differently than
text?
·    What steps do filmmakers follow to create a successful movie?
·    How do films reflect the societies that produce them?
·    What makes a film successful commercially and/or artistically?

SECOND,  In this course, you will learn:
·    Basic film terminology, including film technology, production
elements and roles (i.e. gaffer, key grip, sound editor, stuntmen,
etc.) (see ONLINE for examples of lists)
·    Film history, including important people, technological
advances, themes, genres and influential films

And you will understand:
·    How film and culture are connected, including how society
influences the making of the film
·    How film has evolved as an art form, including genres and
techniques used
·    How film and literature are connected, specifically through the
literary elements they have in common
·    How film is used for propagandist and promotional manipulation?
·    How and why filmmakers make the choices they make for a
particular effect?
·    How politics and economics play a role in the inception and
conception of films (corporate influence, the star system, marketing,
distribution, film festivals and awards)
·    The difference between independent and mass-
marketed/”blockbuster” films

THIRD, after you have taken this course, you will be able to:
·    Determine how film is connected to the historical period in
which it was created and, in turn, how it later influences society
·    Compare film and text
·    Analyze different interpretations of the same text by different
filmmakers
·    Analyze visual storytelling techniques for their effectiveness
·    Determine what makes a film successful artistically and/or
commercially

     
FOURTH, it’s great fun!!