Film as Literature Fall 2014

Film as Literature Fall 2014 Description: This course is designed to provide you with an opportunity to become active readers of film as a literature of our culture; the course may also serve as a foundation experience for those of you who are interested in further film study. During this the semester, we will examine both original works and films adapted from novels or plays. Although our focus will be on the narrative itself, because it is through the director that we see a compelling vision, a groundbreaking style, or a personal stamp that cuts across films, genres, and time, we will approach these films by director. Directors may include Capra, Chaplin, Cukor, DeMille, Ford, Hitchcock, Huston, Kubrik, Lee, Lucas, Scott, Spielberg, Weir, Wells, Wilder, and Zemeckis, among others. We will be looking at films that are considered to be outstanding examples of film styles, movements, and/or genres. As part of our reading of films, you will critique a director s choices involving characterization, setting, plot, and the technology of cinema to mediate a narrative. You will keep viewing notes/critiques for several of the films for class discussion [part of your participation points]. Other assessments will include chapter quizzes, a written film review of a movie currently being screened in theatres, and a final analysis project presented to the class. Objectives: At the end of the semester, the successful student will be able to: Use the language of filmmaking in discussions and written work; Explain the unique qualities of film as a collaborative form whose relationship to its content is central to its existence; Classify cinema into four broad types: narrative, nonfiction, animated, and Experimental films; Define: movie, form, content, verisimilitude, genre, narrative, story, plot, diegesis, nondiegesis, mise-en-scène, composition, framing, kinesis, cinematography, editing, and auteurism; Identify genre films based upon their stylized conventions and archetypal story patterns; Relate a film to its cultural and historical contexts; Appraise a director s use of photography, mise-en-scène, movement, editing, sound, casting, costuming, or make-up as an identifying element; Evaluate a director s use of specific techniques to create subtle meaning in a film; Assess the aesthetic effects of the practical choices made in film construction; Gauge the impact of a studio s operations on a director s finished film; Understand the ideology which informs a director s work; Access film information using traditional sources and electronic databases; Collect, evaluate, and organize film information; 1

Create a written analysis of a film based on the technical choices available to the filmmaker; and, Analyze a film based on conventions of genre, prepare a recipe project for a film genre, and present this project to the class. Texts Barsam, Richard. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. 2 nd edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007. Textbook website: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/film/movies/ Gocsik, Karen, and Richard Barsam. Writing About Movies. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007. Proposed Schedule Week 1 August 27 th and 29 th [A week] Introduction Textbooks and DVDs Chapter 1: What is a Movie? Movies depend upon photography and thus upon light Movies manipulate space and time in ways that no other art form can. Movies provide an illusion of movement. Looking at Animation: Spirited Away [Hayao Miyazaki, 2001, 125 Week 2 September 3 rd and 5 th [A week] Film Review assignment due October 29 th Chapter 1: What is a Movie? Form and Content Form and Expectations Patterns Principles of Film Form o Movies manipulate space and time in unique ways o Movies depend upon light Photography Series Photography Motion Picture Photography o Movies provide an illusion of movement Realism and Antirealism 2

o Realism o Antirealism o Verisimilitude Cinematic Language Looking at Narrative: Jurassic Park [Steven Spielberg, 1993, 127 Week 3 September 8 th and 10 th [B week] Chapter 1: What is a Movie? Types of Movies o Narrative Films Genre o Action [or Adventure] o Biography o Comedy o Fantasy o Film Noir o Gangster o Horror o Melodrama o Musical o Mystery o Romance o Science Fiction o Thriller o War o Western Generic Transformation o Nonfiction Films Factual Instructional Documentary Propaganda o Animated Films Drawing Puppet Animation Clay Animation Pixilation Computer Animation o Experimental Films Looking at Narrative: Stagecoach [John Ford, 1939, 96 The Wizard of Oz [Victor Fleming, 1939, 103 3

Week 4 September 15 th, 17 th, and 19 th [A week] Chapter 1 Quiz Wednesday the 17 th Chapter 2: Narrative What is Narrative? The Screenwriter o Evolution of a Typical Screenplay Treatment/Synopsis Rough Draft/Scenario Storyboard Shooting Script Elements of Narrative o Equilibrium o Exposition o Rising Action o Climax o Falling Action o Denouément Story and Plot o Story Diegesis/Diegetic Elements Nondiegetic Elements Plot Backstory o Order o Events: Hubs and Satellites o Duration o Suspense versus Surprise o Repetition Characters and Characterization o Round Characters o Flat Characters o Major Characters Protagonists Antagonists o Minor Characters o Marginal Characters Setting Scope Narration and Narrators o Omniscient or Restricted o First Person Narration or Voice Over Narration Looking at Narrative: Pride and Prejudice [Joe Wright, 2005, 129 4

Week 5 September 22 nd and 24 th [B week] Chapter 3: Mise-en-Scène Design o Production Designer o Elements of Design Setting, Décor, and Properties Lighting Costumes, Makeup, and Hairstyles o International Styles of Design Realistic Fantastic Composition o Figures o Framing: What We See on the Screen Onscreen and Offscreen Space Open and Closed Framing o Kinesis: What Moves on the Screen Movement of Figures Within the Frame Looking at Mise-en-Scène: Pride and Prejudice [Joe Wright, 2005, 129 continued Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [Peter Weir, 2003, 138 Week 6 September 29 th, October 1 st and 3 rd [A week] Chapter 2 Quiz Wednesday, October 1 st Looking at Mise-en-Scène: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [Peter Weir, 2003, 138 continued 2001: A Space Odyssey [Stanley Kubrick, 1968, 148 Week 7 October 6 th and 8 th [B week] Chapter 3 Quiz Wednesday the 8 th Chapter 4: Cinematography What is Cinematography? The Director of Photography o Shot o Take care, Setup o Camera Crew Camera Operator Assistant Camerapersons [AC] 5

Gaffer Best Boy Grips Cinematographic Properties of the Shot o Film Stock Black & White Color o Lighting Source Quality Direction Three-Point System Key Light Fill Light Backlight o Ratio Low-Key Lighting High-Key Lighting o Style Production Values o Lenses Short-Focal-Length/Wide-Angle Lens Long-Focal-Length/Telephoto Lens Middle-Focal-Length Lens Variable-Focal-Length/Zoom Lens Looking at Cinematography: 2001: A Space Odyssey [Stanley Kubrick, 1968, 148 continued Dr. Zhivago [David Lean, 1965, 200 Week 8 October 13 th and 17 th [A week US testing on Wednesday morning] Chapter 4: Cinematography Framing of the Shot o Aspect Ratio o Mask o Implied Proximity to the Camera Extreme Long Shot/Establishing Shot [XLS or ELS] Long Shot/Full-Body Shot [LS] Medium Long Shot/Two-Shot/American Shot [MLS] Medium Shot [MS] Medium Close-up [MCU] Close-up [CU] 6

Extreme Close-up [XCU or ECU] o Depth Deep-Space Composition Deep-Focus Cinematography Rule of Thirds o Camera Angle and Height Shooting Angle Eye Level High Angle/Down Shot Low Angle/Low Shot Dutch Angle/Oblique Angle Shot Aerial View/Bird s Eye View Shot Scale o Camera Movement Pan Shot Tilt Shot Dolly Shot Tracking Shot Zoom Crane Shot Handheld Camera Stedicam o Framing and Point of View Omniscient POV Single Character s POV Group POV Speed and Length of the Shot o Slow Motion o Fast Motion o Long Take Special Effects o In-Camera Effects Fade Wipe Dissolve Montage Split-Screen Superimposition Models and Miniatures Glass Shots Matte Paintings In-Camera Matte Shots Process Shots 7

o Mechanical Effects o Laboratory Effects Contact Printing Bipack Blow-Ups Cropping Pan and Scan Flip Shots Split-Screen Shots Day-for-Night Shooting o Computer-Generated Imagery [CGI] Process Shot The Uncanny Valley Looking at Cinematography: Dr. Zhivago [David Lean, 1965, 200 continued Week 9 October 20 th and 22 nd [B week] Final Project Assignment Recipe for a Film handout [due January 12 th ] Looking at Cinematography: Lawrence of Arabia [David Lean, 1962, 216 Week 10 October 27 th and 29 th [no classes on Friday the 31st Teacher Work Day] Film Review Due Wednesday the 29 th Chapter 5: Acting What is Acting? o Movie Actors Persona Performance The Evolution of Screen Acting o Early Screen Acting Styles o D.W. Griffith and Lillian Gish o The Influence of Sound o Acting in the Classical Studio era o Method Acting o Screen Acting Today Casting Actors o Screen Tests o Factors Involved in Casting Aspects of Performance 8

o Types of Roles Major Roles Stand-Ins Stunt-Persons Minor Roles [Supporting Roles] Character Roles Bit Players Extras Cameos Walk-Ons o Preparing for Roles o Naturalistic and Non-Naturalistic Styles o Improvisational Acting o Directors and Actors How Filmmaking Affects Acting o Framing, Composition, Lighting, and the Long Take Ensemble Acting o The Camera and the Close-Up o Acting and Editing Looking at Acting o Appropriateness o Inherent Thoughtfulness or Emotionality o Expressive Coherence o Wholeness and Unity Looking at Acting: Edward Scissorhands [Tim Burton, 1990, 105 Week 11 November 3 rd, 5 th, and 7 th [A week] Chapter 4 Quiz Wednesday the 5 th Looking at Acting: Finding Neverland [Marc Foster, 2004, 101 Fiddler on the Roof [Norman Jewison, 1971, 181 Week 12 November 10 th and 12 th [B week] Chapter 5 Quiz Wednesday the 12 th Chapter 6: Editing What is Editing? o Cutting or Splicing o Shot Cut The Film Editor 9

o The Editor s Responsibilities Spatial Relationships Between Shots Temporal Relationships Between Shots Flashback Flashforward Ellipsis Montage Rhythm Major Approaches to Editing: Continuity and Discontinuity o Conventions of Continuity Editing Master Shot Screen Direction The 180-Degree Rule o Reverse-Angle Shot The Axis of Action Imaginary Line Line of Action o Editing Techniques That Maintain Continuity Shot/Reverse Shot Match Cuts Match-on-Action Cut Graphic Match Cut Eyeline Match Cut Parallel editing Crosscutting Intercutting Point-of-View Editing Other Transitions Between Shots Jump Cut Fade Dissolve Wipe Iris Shot Freeze-Frame Split Screen Looking at Editing: Fiddler on the Roof [Norman Jewison, 1971, 181 continued Vertigo [Alfred Hitchcock, 1958, 128 Week 13 November 17 th, 19 th, and 21 st [A week] Chapter 6 Quiz Wednesday the 19 th Looking at Editing: Vertigo [Alfred Hitchcock, 1958. 128 continued 10

Final Project Discussion remember, this is due January 12 th Chapter 7: Sound What is Sound? Sound Production o Design Sound Track o Recording o Editing o Mixing Describing Film Sound o Pitch o Loudness o Quality o Fidelity Sources of Film Sound o Diegetic versus Nondiegetic o Onscreen versus Offscreen o Internal versus External Types of Film Sound o Vocal Sounds Dialogue Narration o Environmental Sounds Ambient Sound Sound Effects Foley Sounds o Music o Silence o Types of Sound in Steven Spielberg s War of the Worlds Analyzing Sound: North by Northwest [Alfred Hitchcock, 1959, 136 Week 14 November 24 th [Thanksgiving break Wednesday Sunday] Analyzing Sound: Strictly Ballroom [Baz Luhrmann, 1992, 94 Week 15 December 1 st and 3 rd [B week] Chapter 7: Sound Functions of Film Sound o Audience Awareness o Audience Expectations 11

o Expression of Point of View o Rhythm Montage o Characterization o Continuity Overlapping Sound o Emphasis Sound in Orson Welles Citizen Kane o Sources and Types o Functions o Characterization Analyzing Sound: Moulin Rouge [Baz Luhrmann, 2001, 128 Week 16 December 8 th, 10 th, and 12 th [A week] 1 Chapter 7 Quiz Wednesday the 10 th Chapter 8: Thinking About Movies, Theory, and Meaning Movies and Meanings Film Theory and Film Criticism Explicit, Implicit, and Ideological Meanings o Themes Critical Approaches o Interpretive Frameworks Mimesis and Catharsis Binary oppositions [Dualism] o Major Film Theories Auteurism Psychological Theories Freudianism Cognitive Psychology Ideological Theories Marxism Feminism Cultural Studies Applied Readings o Mimesis and Catharsis: Die Hard o Binary Oppositions: Die Hard o Freudianism: Wall Street o Cognitive Psychology: Vertigo o Auteurism: Rear Window o Marxism: Metropolis o Feminism: Thelma and Louise o Cultural Studies: Repo Man 12

Other Forms of Film Analysis o Genre Study o Film History Study Types of Historical Writing About the Movies The Aesthetic Approach [aka The Masterpiece Approach or Great Man Approach] The Technological Perspective The Economic Approach The Social History Approach Thinking About Movies: Citizen Kane [Orson Welles, 1941, 119 Some Like It Hot [Billy Wilder, 1959, 122 Week 17 December 15 th and 17 th [noon dismissal FRIDAY for the holidays] Thinking About Movies: It s a Wonderful Life [Frank Capra, 1947, 130 Week 18 January 5 th, 7 th, and 9 th [A week] Thinking About Movies: Schindler's List [Steven Spielberg, 1993, 195 Week 19 January 12 th and 14 th [B week] Final Project Presentations due the 12 th ; presented on the 12 th and 14 th We may shift movies from week to week based on time constraints, but quiz and assignment dates will not change unless we need to move a quiz date back to a later date... Grading: Grades will be based on points earned as follows: Component Percent Daily Participation 10 Chapter/Film Responses [6] 15 Chapter Quizzes [6] 30 Film Review 20 Film Analysis Project 25 100 13

Policies and Recommendations I love teaching film, and I love watching films however, just because I like to have fun in class, that does NOT mean that we do not have any rules. You may have a beverage in class, but YOU are responsible for cleaning up any spills. Unless we have specifically planned it, food/eating is not allowed. You may chew gum; however, if I find gum on the undersides of tables or on the carpet, or any place other than in your mouth or in the trash, I will reconsider this policy. No cell phones, ipods, MP3s, etc should be used in class; it s hard to learn anything when you are engaged elsewhere Yes, I am old-fashioned. NO HATS, NO HOODIES, NO SUNGLASSES in class. Also, please, no crack should be displayed, and no under wear should be seen as outer wear. Please pick up after yourself and push in your chair when leaving class; I am neither your maid nor your mother. I take attendance at the beginning of class. As per school policy, three tardy arrivals will be considered one absence, and five absences per quarter will result in a technical failure of the class. [Please note: absences are not automatically considered excused, even with a note.] If you exceed the number of absences allowed per quarter, you will need to file an attendance waiver request with the Head of School or the Assistant Head of School who will determine whether the absences may be excused. Participation is based on the 4 points per day that you are given for attending class. I will subtract from those 4 points one point for each of the following: Arriving late to class for any reason; Not bringing your needed supplies to class [your textbook, a notebook, and pen/pencil] or not having read the chapter assigned; Leaving class for any reason [empty/fill whatever you need to empty/fill before arriving to class]; Disruptive and disrespectful behavior after having been notified of such. Serious disruptions will lead to a loss of more points or removal from class; and, by the way, Sleeping in class will result in the loss of all participation points for the class, as it is impossible to participate if you have checked out on us. 8. Be prepared for class! The textbook is a crucial component of this course. Set aside time BEFORE the lecture and discussion days to read the assigned chapter. During the lectures, you should be taking notes and be prepared to answer questions on the readings. 14

9. Quizzes will take 20-30 minutes and be given at the beginning of our second class of the week usually Wednesdays. There are NO make-ups for missed quizzes, regardless of the reason. I do, however, drop the lowest grade, even if that grade is an A as that is the fairest way to handle grades for everyone. 10. The Film Review [due October 29 th ] and the Final Project the Recipe [due January 12 th ] must be typed/printed out, double spaced, in a 12-point font [Ariel, Courier, Tahoma, or Times New Roman are all good everyday fonts]. Late work will be penalized a letter grade for each class day it is not turned in. Weekends count for two days. Computer and printer problems are not an excuse plan ahead and back-up your work! If you are late turning in the final project, there will not be any time to make this up as the semester ends the following week. 11. Any plagiarized review or final project, whether copied or paraphrased from a published article or another person s work, will result in an F for the course. My office hours are on Fridays, from 4:00 5:00 and occasionally I will screen additional films on Wednesday afternoons that may be of interest to you, and you are welcome to join me! I look forward to a great semester with you! Teacher Barb :) tbarb@friends-school.org 15