Introduction to Film Studies
Course Description
This course creates a basic understanding of the artistic and technical elements found in moviemaking. Understanding movies comes from describing and analyzing the cinematic, theatrical, and literary elements that combine to create meaning. In addition, the major characteristics of different film genres and classic movies will be analyzed. Through this course, students develop personal criteria for evaluating and enjoying films.
Topics and Objectives
Literary Elements in Motion Pictures
- Describe the major elements that establish a film's focus.
- Discuss how theme supports a film's overall vision.
- Analyze a filmmaker's primary thematic aim.
- Discuss the implications of plot and story construction in filmmaking.
- Evaluate the influence of static and dynamic film character development.
- Theatrical Elements in Motion Pictures
- Describe how lighting and set design create a film's general impression.
- Discuss how costume and makeup design contribute to film characterization.
- Describe the goal of film acting and the different skills used to achieve this result.
- Cinematography and Editing
- Describe elements of cinematographic composition.
- Analyze how filmmakers use cinematic points of view to produce a desired audience response.
- Discuss how different editing choices and techniques influence a film's overall outcome.
- Compare and contrast the effects of color versus black-and-white filmmaking.
- Film Sound (in General) and Film Music (in Particular)
- Discuss the effect of visible and invisible sound in filmmaking.
- Analyze how sound elements contribute to film storytelling.
- Evaluate general and special functions of music in film storytelling.
- How it all Fits Together: Analyzing the Entire Film
- Explain the different filmmaking elements that define a director's style.
- Analyze elements to consider when conducting a film analysis.
- Discuss personal criteria for evaluating film quality.