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!!