INTRODUCTION TO FILM STUDIESEnglish/Film Studies 290 – Spring 2019Monday and Wednesday, 9 AM – 10:50 AMCurtin 104

Professor: Jocelyn Szczepaniak-GilleceEmail: szczepan@uwm.eduOffice: Curtin 493Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 11 AM – 12:45 PM and by appointment

Course Description: This course introduces students to the basics of film analysis, cinematic formal elements, genre, and narrative structure and helps students develop the skills to recognize, analyze, describe and enjoy film as an art and entertainment form. In order to understand how films are constructed to make meaning and engage audiences, students will be introduced to the basic “building blocks” and formal elements (narrative, mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound and editing) that make up the film as well as some fundamental principles of analysis, genre, style, performance and storytelling. The class includes weekly readings, screenings, exams, and writing assignments.

Goals/Objectives: By the conclusion of this course, students will understand the fundamental elements of film form, as well as foundational concepts in film studies. Students will gain a critical eye for film analysis, which will aid in their development into informed citizens able to more fluidly navigate their contemporary media saturated moment.

A Note on the Films: Some of the films we watch may contain sexually explicit

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situations, violence, or other attributes that you may find uncomfortable. If you are unable to watch challenging or at times upsetting material, please find another course to take.

UWM Shared Learning Goals and GER Criteria:

Humanities Distribution GER Criteria (Rev. 2012)

4.2 Humanities

(a) Definition: The academic disciplines that investigate human constructs and values, as opposed to those that investigate natural and physical processes, and those concerned with the development of basic or professional skills.

The humanistic disciplines–such as art history, history, language and literature, philosophy, religious studies, film and media studies–are concerned with questions, issues, and concepts basic to the formation of character and the establishment of values in a human context. They also provide literary, aesthetic, and intellectual experiences that enrich and enlighten human life. In these courses, students will use humanistic means of inquiry, such as: the critical use of sources and evaluation of evidence, the exercise of judgment and expression of ideas, and the organization, logical analysis, and creative use of substantial bodies of knowledge in order to approach the subject of study.

(b) Criteria: Courses satisfying this requirement shall incorporate criterion 1 and at least one other of the following learning outcomes. Students will be able to:

1. identify the formation, traditions, and ideas essential to major bodies of historical, cultural, literary, or philosophical knowledge; and

2. respond coherently and persuasively to the materials of humanities study; this may be through logical, textual, formal, historical, or aesthetic analysis, argument and/or interpretation;

UW System Shared Learning Goals

1. Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Natural World including breadth of knowledge and the ability to think beyond one’s discipline, major, or area of concentration. This knowledge can be gained through the study of the arts, humanities, languages, sciences, and social sciences.

2. Critical and Creative Thinking Skills including inquiry, problem solving, and higher-order qualitative and quantitative reasoning.

3. Effective Communication Skills including listening, speaking, reading, writing, and information literacy.

4. Intercultural Knowledge and Competence including the ability to interact and work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures; to lead or contribute support to those who lead; and to empathize with and understand those who are different than they are.

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5. Individual, Social, and Environmental Responsibility including civic knowledge and engagement (both local and global), ethical reasoning, and action.

Required Textbook: There is no textbook for this class. All readings are available in PDF format on the D2L website. There are copies of Film Art and Film History on reserve at the library.

Class Proceedings: One day per week will be devoted to screenings, while one day per week will be lecture + discussion. Readings are to be completed by class time on the day they are listed.

Screenings: Attendance at all screenings is required. We are immersing ourselves together in the study of film; when we watch a film together, we are better able to learn together. There is a major difference between watching a film in a darkened room on a large screen and watching distractedly at home on a laptop. If we are to learn about how these films work, it helps if we try to view them in conditions that mimic as closely as possible how they would originally have been shown. I believe – and I hope by the end of the semester you will also believe – in the value of seeing something at the same time as a group. When a film is being shown, please do not use any electronic/glowing devices and do not talk excessively; in other words, please demonstrate respect for the object and for your fellow classmates. If I see a telltale glow during a screening, I will ask you to put it away.

Course Requirements:Participation and attendance: 15%Final Paper proposal: 5%Four short response papers: 20% (5% each)Exam 1: 20%Exam 2: 20%Final paper: 20%

Grade Scale:93 to 100 % A90 to 92% A-87 to 89% B+83 to 86% B80 to 82% B-77 to 79% C+73 to 76% C70 to 72% C-60 to 69% D59% or less F

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Assignment Information:

Short Papers: You will write four short papers over the course of the semester; each will be about 1 ½ pages long (approximately 500 words) in Times New Roman 12 point font with 1” margins. I will provide you with an essay question in class one week before the short paper is due. Papers need not involve research from outside the class, but must make use of screenings and information from class. Papers are to be submitted in the D2L Dropbox under the proper title (Short Paper 1, Short Paper 2, etc.). These papers may also involve creative options.

Two In-Class Exams: These exams will be a combination of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks, true/false, and an essay. All PowerPoints from lecture will be available on D2L; I recommend studying from the PowerPoints, the readings, and your notes from class. Please note that neither of the exams will be cumulative, though by the end you should be well versed in the fundamentals of film analysis and able to draw on what you have learned for your second exam essay and final paper.

Final Paper Proposal: Your final paper proposal is due Wednesday, March 14 at 9 AM. This will simply be a paragraph on what film you intend to analyze, what scene you intend to use, and what formal element you intend to highlight. The reason this is due so early is to get you thinking about the paper – and to provide you with time to amend your choice and change your mind if need be.

Final Paper: Your final paper will be an examination of a film of your choice from outside of class. In this paper, you will analyze one single scene (no more than 10 minutes of run time) in the context of one of its formal elements (mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound, or editing) and explain how this scene works the way it works. What does this scene want us to think about the larger thesis of the film? How does it use the element you’ve chosen to develop its message? DO NOT analyze its narrative; rather, consider how the element you’ve chosen adds to a larger narrative scheme. There is no research required for this assignment; this is a strictly textual analysis that should demonstrate your mastery over the elements of film form. This paper should be about four pages long (about 1000 words) and submitted via D2L Dropbox by Wednesday, May 16 at 9 AM. Please include a word count at the beginning of your final paper.

Late Assignment Policy: Assignments are due on the day and time listed on D2L and here in the syllabus. I will only accept assignments up to three days late. Late means one minute past the time that the assignment is due. For every day that the assignment is late, I will subtract 5 points from the final grade for a total subtraction of up to 15 points. After the third day, I will not accept the assignment and you will receive a 0 for it.

Credit Hour Breakdown: All UWM syllabi are required to indicate the number of hours a student will be expected to expend to complete the class. The expected minimum number of hours of energy expended by students in this class is as follows:

Classroom lecture / screening / discussion: 36.25 hours

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Reading: 59.75 hoursStudy for Exams/Writing:                       48 hours

Total:                                   144 hours

Attendance & Participation: I will take attendance every meeting, lecture and screening. If you are not present at the beginning of class you will be marked absent for that day. You are allowed three unexcused absences. Every subsequent unexcused absence will result in the subtraction of five percentage points from your grade. Your attendance grade will also be based on your participation and engagement with texts both filmic and written.

Participation is an essential component of this class. Given that we are learning skills in addition to honing our writing abilities, we will engage in various activities throughout the course. These will be counted in your participation and attendance grade. If I sense that students are not reading or regularly are not participating, I will begin to give pop quizzes.

Tech Policy: Cell phones must be turned off during class. Texting is absolutely forbidden. I prefer a classroom without laptops, but recognize that some students may want to take notes on their computers. Please use your laptops judiciously; you will be asked to leave class if it is evident that you are doing something other than taking notes with them.

D2L: As noted, all course readings are available on D2L in the module for the week in which they are required.

A Note About Classroom Climate: In this class, we will demonstrate respect for others’ viewpoints and diverse backgrounds at all times. We will not discriminate against or criticize members of this classroom community based on gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability or any other such factor. Everyone is welcome here, and should feel safe expressing their thoughts and beliefs. The readings and topics covered in this class may be both intellectually and emotionally hard for different people, in different ways. You are expected to work through these challenges, and you are expected to support your classmates as they move through the materials. Any comments or behavior that instigates or contributes to a hostile classroom climate will not be tolerated.

Academic Misconduct: Plagiarism is an offense I take very seriously. You must cite any work that is not your own. This includes reviews of films taken from the internet. If you plagiarize an assignment, you will immediately fail the assignment.

UWM General University Course Policy:http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf

Film Studies at UWM: If you are interested in majoring or minoring in Film Studies,

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please visit: http://www4.uwm.edu/letsci/filmstudies/ and/or contact Zach Finch, the advisor for the Film Studies program at: zfinch@uwm.edu.

Digital Arts and Culture at UWM: This course fulfills one of the requirements for the Digital Arts and Culture certificate/major. For more information on the DAC program, please visit http://dac.uwm.edu.

Course Schedule:

Week 1: Introduction: How Films Make Meaning Wednesday, January 23: Course introduction and welcome

Week 2: Narrative I Monday, January 28: Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958, USA) Wednesday, January 30: Reading: “Elements of Narrative Form”

Week 3: Narrative II: Twisting Conventions Monday, February 4: Chungking Express (Wong Kar-wai, 1994, Hong Kong)

Short writing assignment 1 question distributed Wednesday, February 6: Reading: “Narrative Perspectives”

Week 4: Mise-en-Scène I Monday, February 11: The Fall (Tarsem Singh, 2006, USA/India)

Short writing assignment 1 due Wednesday, February 13: Reading: “Elements of Mise-en-Scène”

Week 5: Lighting, Performance, & Color (Mise-en-Scène II) + Exam Monday, February 18: Reading, Gibbs, “Mise-en-Scène and Melodrama” Wednesday, February 20: EXAM 1

Week 6: Cinematography Monday, February 25: Seconds (John Frankenheimer, 1966, USA) Wednesday, February 27: Reading: “Elements of Cinematography” and “Short

History of the Cinematic Image”

Week 7: Editing I Monday, March 4: The Fits (Anna Rose Holmer, 2015)

Short writing assignment 2 question distributed Wednesday, March 6: Reading: “Elements of Editing”

Week 8, pt 1: Editing & Sound (II) Monday, March 11: Blow-Up (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1966, UK/Italy)

Short writing assignment 2 due Wednesday, March 13: No class; library day for developing final paper

proposal

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SPRING BREAK: March 17-24

Week 8, pt 2: Editing & Sound (II) Monday, March 25: Reading: “Editing Patterns and Continuity”

Final paper proposal due Wednesday, March 27: The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, USA, 1974)

Week 9: Sound + Exam 2 Monday, April 1: Reading: “Elements of Sound” Wednesday, April 3: EXAM 2

Week 10: Genre I: The Western Monday, April 8: The Searchers (John Ford, 1956, USA)

Short writing assignment 3 question distributed Wednesday, April 10: Reading: “Elements of Genre” and Andrew Sarris, “Notes

on the Auteur Theory”

Week 11: Genre II: Film Noir Monday, April 15: Kiss Me Deadly (Robert Aldrich, 1955, USA)

Short writing assignment 3 due Wednesday, April 17: Reading: Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton,

“Towards a Definition of Film Noir”; Paul Schrader, “Notes on Film Noir”

Week 12: Documentary Monday, April 22: Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog, 2005, USA)

Short writing assignment 4 question distributed Wednesday, April 24: Reading: “Documentary/Animation/Experimental Film”

Week 13: Ideology Monday, April 29: Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007, USA) Wednesday, May 1: Reading: “Ideological Effects of the Basic Cinematographic

Apparatus” (Jean-Louis Baudry) Short writing assignment 4 due

Week 14: Week 15: Transformations & Wrap-Up Monday, May 6: Under the Skin (Jonathan Glazer, 2013, UK) Wednesday, May 8: Wrap-up, final thoughts, evaluations

***Wednesday, May 15: Final Essay Due***

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