Course Syllabus

THEA 1023 Introduction to Film

Course Description

An introduction to the elements of film, this course is designed to develop an appreciation and understanding of film as an art form. The class explores film criticism, film history, and film-making techniques through discussion and examination of historical and contemporary film.

Justification

This course satisfies a lower-division core requirement for undergraduate theatre performance majors with equivalent courses at all four-year institutions in Utah and elsewhere. It fills a major requirement for theatre arts majors, meets the theoretical and performance content expectations for FA experiential General Education courses and otherwise satisfies elective credit criteria. Courses to be designated as a Fine Arts (FA) General Education experience are expected to provide students with an understanding of the basic conceptual frameworks, historical and cultural contexts of artistic works, and be instilled with a sensibility of the creative process. Assessment will occur through the student's ability to critically evaluate creative works using the language and methodology appropriate to the disciplines of dance, music, theater, and/or the visual arts.Theatre is the art and craft of play production. It includes the study of dramatic literature and theory, theatre history, acting, set design, lighting design, costume design and film. In addition to the scholarly exploration of these subjects, the theatre program emphasizes the practical application of knowledge gained and skills learned through annual performances before live audiences.Theatre also explores the historical, cultural and social milieu that produced significant works of dramatic literature.

General Education Outcomes

1. A student who completes the GE curriculum has a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world. A goal of THEA 1023 is to increase appreciation of film as an art form rather than simply as entertainment. They will thereby gain insight that film is not only a unique form of art but also the coordinated amalgamation of many other artistic fields, including photography, music, theatre, fashion, architecture, and the written word. Students will better understand how the arts interact, how they can be put to practical use, and how they can impact society. Through lectures, presentations, quizzes, exams, and written projects, students will become enlightened filmgoers able to understand, interpret, and critique moviemaking.
2. A student who completes the GE curriculum can read and research effectively within disciplines. Students will write ten reviews on the week's film and topic of discussion, which will be returned with written feedback that makes suggestions for improving student writing. Feedback will focus on students' effective and clear writing, evaluation and interpretation of the topic, and critical analysis. Through a final in-depth analysis (which serves as a cumulative written project), students will synthesize a structured argument regarding a film of their choice, thereby demonstrating knowledge and facility of all topics covered.
3. A student who completes the GE curriculum can draw from multiple disciplines to address complex problems. Student will demonstrate their ability to draw from different disciplines through film critiques, in-depth reviews, and the short film project, as film is an collaborative art form with contributing artists and craftspeople of many different fields (visual and performing artists, composers, directors, writers, researchers, etc.). Student will demonstrate their understanding of these differing fields, roles, and responsibilities through readings, discussion, and quizzes and exams.
4. A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively. Evaluation and appreciation of the artistic merits of film, based on the elements of film, is a central theme of this course. Students will also create and present to the class a short film or full-length analysis of a work of cinema after critically analyzing prominent films in scaffolded quizzes and written assignments and analyzing and practicing the production techniques and elements of film discussed and studied in the class.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to critically analyze film and effectively apply the terms of film criticism and film production. They will also gain an appreciation and the skill to evaluate the artistic merits of film based on sound knowledge of the elements of the medium. Through class lecture and discussion, weekly examinations, written responses, and a final film critique, students will demonstrate knowledge of how a film is written, directed, performed, edited, and critiqued. Student work will require them to critically analyze the many aspects of film and synthesize this knowledge using formal writing structure which applies appropriate terminology and incorporates their own perspective. Students will demonstrate the ability to critically analyze film and effectively apply the terms of film criticism and film production. They will also gain an appreciation and the skill to evaluate the artistic merits of film based on sound knowledge of the elements of the medium. Through class lecture and discussion, weekly examinations, written responses, and a final film critique, students will demonstrate knowledge of how a film is written, directed, performed, edited, and critiqued. Student work will require them to critically analyze the many aspects of film and synthesize this knowledge using formal writing structure which applies appropriate terminology and incorporates their own perspective.
2. Provide an informed synopsis of the performing and/or visual arts in the contexts of culture and history through reading and interpreting pertinent information using a variety of traditional and electronic media. Students will watch, interpret, analyze, and discuss a selection of films representative of major eras, genres, styles, and directors of film. They will also be able to discuss these works in comparison to contemporary films. Through class discussion, quizzes, and written reviews, students will demonstrate comprehension of the weekly topic (e.g., cinematography, editing, sound, narratology) and corresponding reading and their understanding of pertinent terminology. Class lecture and reading will emphasize the historical context of film, the forces behind its innovation and restriction, and its wider cultural impact.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the conceptual and elemental principles fundamental to the creation of various forms of artistic expression. Students will read from the selected text before viewing and discussing the weekly film, which is selected as an exemplar of the assigned topical reading. Students will demonstrate their understanding through regular quizzes, class discussion, and written evaluations comparing films viewed in class to the relevant topic discussed. This process will allow students to demonstrate that they understand, can articulate, and apply fundamental principles of filmmaking and production to the related movie. A culminating film analysis will allow them to demonstrate knowledge and application of all topics discussed as well as the skill of articulating their purposeful use in a single movie of their choice.
4. Exhibit an ability to critically analyze artistic works using appropriate techniques, vocabulary, and methodologies. Students will write a series of film reviews of films selected for class viewing and one culminating analysis on a film of their choice. These reviews will critically analyze how and why a director used the elements and principles of film to achieve an experience for the audience. Students' written work will demonstrate their understanding of the historical and cultural context of a film and their ability to articulate ways in which a director uses various elements and techniques and to interpret how their use affects contemporary and modern viewers.

Course Content

THEA 1023 is an introduction to the art of film as a complex and coordinated art that has influenced history, culture, and the way America consumes art. Covering the topic such as:- A brief history of motion pictures- Photography and composition- Mise en scene: creating the image in the frame - Movement in film- The art of editing- The importance of sound- Acting for the camera- Screen writing- Narratology and film- The documentary film- Film genres- Film theory (Realism, Formalism, Auteurism, etc.) - Film criticism: Writing and responding to movies - Film production: A film from beginning to completion Exemplar films are selected to provide students varied examples in time period, style, and also different voices and perspectives, both in terms of who is in front of and behind the camera. The primary text of this class specifically highlights cinema's ability to reach the full-breadth of the human experience, and this is an ongoing discussion point for the whole semester.