the class

learning to see

We are all lazy.  And there's nothing better than to sit on the couch and kick our feet up and watch the next episode of America's Next Top Model.  Or maybe you have a little more of an adventurous side, and you throw on No Country for Old Men.  Whatever you watch, undoubtedly you drift off into a state, floating along with Tyra's words or Lyewelyn's adventures.  And that's all well and good.  But, film, like any art form, is a massively complex and sophisticated medium, more so than most of us are aware.  That's what Film Studies is all about.  And when you become aware of all of the elements that make up a great film, then you will truly see a film for the first time.

One important element of this class and how it will operate (and have an impact on your final grade), is our discussion in and out of class.  This is a discussion-based class, and we will discuss most of every class.  Your participation is expected.  For more information on this, read In class discussion participation.  Also, look at this rubric to see how your grade is figured.  

Read more about the class

 

some things to consider

Missed classes
If you are absent for any class, of course you need to make up the missed work.  Since we are watching all films in class, this will be doubly important.  If you miss a portion of film, you'll need to watch that portion and take notes; if you miss a graded discussion, you'll need to make that up by writing a make-up assignment.  For work in class that needs to be completed, you can find that here. 
Noir essay
This is your fourth quarter project, and therefore your fourth grade.  Work hard and it will show.  I'm happy to give feedback on drafts if you give them to me ahead of time.  You can find the assignment here.
what is horror?
Is Eraserhead a horror movie?  I'm asking you to think about this because this will force you to decide what, ultimately, you think makes a horror film.  For this, you will need to define "horror" and then explain whether Eraserhead fits that definition.  In doing this refer to, in detail, at least two moments in the film.
Write for a minimum of one page.  This must be word-processed.
Please don't explain that Eraserhead is strange.  Believe me, I know that.  And, don't tell me that some of the scenes are disgusting, as I know that too.  Instead, think about what makes horror. 
Shot by Shot analysis
This assignment will constitute 90%of your quarter three grade.  Given that, I would recommend spending some time on it.  It states this on the assignment sheet, but it's hugely important so I will repeat: film vocabulary is important: most important, though, is that you explain why the director has made the decisions that he has.  It's not enough to identify non-diegetic sound.  Tell me why the director uses it.
Due March 16th.
Parent/guardian consent
Because several of the films we will study in Film Studies are rated-R, all students are required to have a signed consent form.  This form is required even if you are eighteen.  You are all mature enough, I don't question that, but I do want to make sure everyone is aware of the films we will watch.  If you or your parent/guardian has any questions, please feel free to contact me.

 

 

cool links

These are all to further advance ideas we may be talking about in class

As you well know, the internet is packed full of amazing amounts of information, much of it completely worthless.  The links below are items that I have found that seem to connect with ideas we're are pondering in class.  Some of them might simply be interesting, and have very little to do with our focus.  Whatever the case, the more that you can see how the ideas we discuss in class spread through many different spheres, the more you'll begin to truly understand what this is all about.  With that in mind, if you find any sites that seem relevant to our discussions, please let me know and I'll post them.

  • Film School Rejects is an impressive selection of blogs, reviews, goofy essays, and film theory.  It's one of, if not the best, collection of short films around, and it's updated everyday.  And, these people are the best of the best, so don't let the title fool you.
  • 10 movie poster cliches this is really quite unbelievable when you see it.  It's a remarkable example of how similiar the average Hollywood movie is, which is maybe not so surprising afterall.
  • Internet Movie Database massive encyclopedia of films and film information.
  • Lightcone is an encyclopedia of experimental film.  While it's focused on France, it's a great resource for anyone interested in experimental film.
  • Dfilm Movie Maker a fun and goofy movie making site.  Create your own characters, plots, and groovy music.
  • Basic film terms exactly like it sounds, with great examples.
  • Filmwise among the many things this site catalogues is the invisibles, a weekly film contest.
  • Montage-a-google a site that creates instant montages based on a Google image search.  Technically these aren't montages, but the site is still cool.
  • Peter Rose an interesting avant-garde short film maker.  Watch how he plays with your understanding of what you might be seeing.  
  • Gary Hill another avant-garde filmmaker, Hill creates 3-dimentional films, shown on statues, among other things.
  • NW Film Center a great local resource for classes, lectures, and film showings.
  • Portland International Film Festival "the biggest film event in Oregon, premiering over 100 international shorts and feature films to Portland audiences each February"
  • Seattle International Film Festival 2010 Festival dates are May 20 – June 13, 2010.
  • Tropfest the world's largest short-film context.
  • Scorsese as Hitchcock a great study in the artistic differences between two different directors: Martin Scorsese and Alfred Hitchcock.  Here, Scorsese directs a commercial in the style of Hitchcock.
  • Jump cut example the jump cut is a difficult technique to explain, but this film makes it obvious.