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 (textbook)

Films:

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
A Streetcar Named Desire *
The Godfather
Dreams
Potemkin/Vertov : Man with a Movie Camera
Wild Strawberries
Romeo & Juliet * (1996)
Amadeus (Forman)
8 1/2
Pulp Fiction
Rublev by Tarkovsky *

* could be replaced with Pan's Labyrinth [2007], Into the West [ see pages at google.com/group/filmstudy ] and more.

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 Form. 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

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. (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

UAF Core Curriculum Boilerplate: “This course is designated as Writing-Intensive (W)…The designation applies to upper-division courses and means that a majority of the graded work in the course will be derived from writing activities. Here are the general guidelines for the writing expected in this course:
· Students will complete an ungraded writing sample on or near the first day of class to help the teacher assess writing ability and general competence.
· Students will receive comments from the teacher and/or peers on drafts of written work. In other words, students will work through a draft-and-redraft process so that they can apply feedback and become more effective writers. If students complete a major research project, the teacher will supervise the students’ writing in stages. · Students will meet individually with the teacher at least once during the term to discuss their writing.”

Support Services: UAF Student Support Services office is located in 508 Gruening Building Phone: (907) 474 6844 Fax: (907) 474 7480 and further information may be obtained at www.uaf.edu/sssp or by E-mail: fysssp@uaf.edu The UAF Writing Center is in 801 Gruening Bldg. 474.5314 house listed on their website: www.uaf.edu/english/writingcenter Both these offices can assist you with writing problems and one on one tutoring.

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