2007 THR 334W -- Movies and Films (3 credits) * Writing Intensive
... Bordwell TextBook [ webpages ] : 1 : 2 : 3

... filmplus.org/classes/334 (archive)

2010 Addis, Ethiopia

My textbook : 2008 CD/DVD

sellassie.vtheatre.net/film


* 2007 THR334 Film & Movies

THR 334-F71 Movies & FILM (H) (W)
Theatre UAF
Fall'07 wed 3:30 - 6:30 Office Hours: by appointment
Theatre 104
Anatoly Antohin, 5253 (o), 455-6149 (h)
Film Website filmplus.org

WebPages : your main directory -- film.vtheatre.net

Summary

There are many "Film & Moves" pages (and archives); read them in addition to your textbook!

History of this course:

When I came to UAF, the place has no Film Studies and this class was to help build a film minor, at least.

The title "Film and Drama" -- because the theatre department was the originator of the film studies ("Drama program" at the time). Theatre UAF is still a coordinator of "film minor" and we have BA with the emphasis in video directing.

Now this course has the name "Film and Movies" and, if you read my webpage, you understand why? Films are the movies which advance the language of cinema... and this is what we study in this class.

Anatoly Antohin *

aantohin.pageout.net

Notes :

Fall'07 -- new textbook : film art, an Introduction by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, 7th ed. 0-07-248455-1 www.mhhe.com [ textbook has ite own website + CD/DVD ]

astore.amazon.com/film600

2007 -- Fall : google.com/group/filmstudy class list : subscribe! * see calendar

mirror page @ film-north [my film webpages ]

* films are the same, movies assinged could be different from year to year.

** almost every title has a page @ film.vtheatre.net/doc

*** my general mailing list : anatoly.org


GRADING POLICY:

Final Paper 40%
Midterm Paper 20%
Two (2) subject Papers (10% each) 20%
Two (2) Tests (5% each) 10%
Attendance 10%
Missed classes and late papers -- reduced grade!

Other Film Courses at UAF:
English 217 Introduction to the Study of Film, JB 308 Film and TV Criticism, THR 380 Film and Video Directing, JB 105 History of Cinema and THR 215 Dramatic Literature


Comprehensive overview of film process to introduce non-theatre students to theoretical and critical frameworks of film-making, acting and directing. Lectures with film viewings will focus on screen performance as the means of dramatic communication. Fundamentals of Film Theory will be introduced. Papers: midterm, final and two "subject" papers. (Film Minor requirement.)

Topics: 20th century: Post-Gutenberg Visual Universe. Global Village and film language. Performance -- nonverbal communications. Performance and Audience; Social Art and Audience Society. Film Actor: Story through the Character. Acting on Camera, for the Camera, Screen Performance. Method Acting and Cinema. Acting Styles and Stars. Social models and the cult of celebrities. Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller.

FILM ART, an Introduction by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, 7th ed. 0-07-248455-1

Film Art (textbook)

Films:

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
A Streetcar Named Desire
The Godfather
Dreams
Potemkin
Wild Strawberries
Romeo & Juliet (1996)
Amadeus
8 1/2
Pulp Fiction
Rublev by Tarkovsky

COURSE REQUIREMENT:
* CLASS PARTICIPATION IN DISCUSSION, DEBATE, AND CLASS ACTIVITY
* PERSONAL CONFERENCES (2)
* COMPLETION OF READING ASSIGNMENTS PRIOR TO CLASS
* REQUIRED ATTENDANCE AT ALL CLASS FILM SCREENING
* COMPLETION OF FOUR (4) PAPERS
* TWO TESTS

SCHEDULE:

Part I. FILM, CINEMA, MOVIES
Class One[1] (210 min)
* Intro. Film: Short History of New Medium -- Seven Ages of Film. Cinema and Other Arts. Bordwell Ch. 1 - Film Production, Distribution, and Exhibition : web -- FILM ANALYSIS (The Art of Watching Films) CHAPLIN (in class)

Films and/or Movies. Concept: Dramatic Structure into Film Language. Storytelling in Film. Dramatic composition. Exposition-Climax-Resolution. Segmentation. Scenes and episodes. _One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest_.

Part II. FILM FORM
Class Two[2]
* Aristotle at the movies: Idea, Plot and Character. Conflict and Action. Themes. Bordwell Ch.2 - Ch. 2. Thr Significance of Film From. THEME AND FOCUS

Script and Screen. [Eisenstein: _Through Theatre to Cinema_.] Scenes and Plot. Primary Motion. _A Streetcar Named Desire_*: Williams and Brando.

Class Three[3]
* Images and Symbols. Pictures in Motion. Bordwell Ch.3 -- Narrative as a Formal System. Fictional & Dramatic Elements

[Eisenstein] Time-space in film. _The Godfather_. FIRST TEST (Home-take).

Part III. TYPE OF FILMS
Class Four[4]
* Secondary Motion? Camera acts. Bordwell Ch. 4 -- Film Genres. Visual Elements

Conflict. Shots and Cuts. Directing and Editing. _Terminator_* FIRST SUBJECT PAPER DUE (3 pp. min).

Read textbook chapters before your class!
Class Five[5]
* Bordwell Ch.5 -- Documentary, Experimental, and Animated Film. Four Dimensional World. Visual Composition.

Framing, camerawork, cinematography. _Wild Strawberries_* Individual Conferences. RESEARCH PAPER TOPIC ASSIGNED.

Part IV. FILM STYLE
Class Six[6]
* Bordwell Ch. 6 -- The Shot: Mise-en-scene Director, Camera, Actors. Sound, contra-point.

[Eisenstein : Methods of Montage] _Pulp Fiction_* MIDTERM PAPER DUE (6 pp. min).

Class Seven[7]
* Bordwell Ch. 7 -- The Shot : Cinematography.

Camera Pages [ selection from the class project list "Movies and Politics" 2008 ]

Class Eight[8]
* Bordwell Ch. 8 -- The Relation of Shot to Shot : Editing. Director: color, drama, composition, style and etc. The Director's Concept.

[Eisenstein _The Structure of the Film_] _8 1/2_ Light and Shadows: Physical Reality as a Material.

Watch Films: Use Your Weekends!
Class Nine[9]
* Bordwell Ch. 9 -- Sound in the Cinema. Visible & Invisible Sound * Objective POV in Sound * Subjective POV and CU * Distortions * Slow-Motion Sound * Dead Screen * Silence as a Sound Effect * Juxtaposition of Sound and Image * Sound Effects * Ambient Sounds * Sound as a Plot Device * Sound as a Transitional Element * Sound Links * Voice-Over * Dialogue * Rhythm -- (Amadeus)

SECOND SUBJECT PAPER DUE (3 pp. min).

Class Ten[10]
* Bordwell Ch.10 -- Style as a Formal System.

[Eisenstein _Film Language_] Story-boarding: _Battleship Potemkin_ SECOND TEST (open-book, 30 min. in class).

Final paper outline due. Discussion in class. Conferences.

Part V. CRITICAL ANALYSIS of FILMS
Class Eleven[11]
* Bordwell Ch. 11 -- Film Criticism: Sample Analysis. Universal language and Movies.

Society and Films. Dreams* by Kurosawa. FINAL PAPER CONSULTING.

Part VI. History
Class Twelve[12]
* Bordwell Ch.12 -- Film form and Film History. [ Basics of Semiology. Signs and meaning. How to "read" film. ]

Film Poetics. Art Films. Tarkovsky _Andrey Rublev_

Film, Video, Television. Digital Age.

Paper presentation in class. Final Paper (10-15 pp.)

Final Test in Class
[ "class project" to be discussed ]
This page is updated throughout the entire semester!
supporting pages from film directing class:

directing.filmplus.org
HOW TO WORK ON YOUR PAPER