Film 1010: Film Aesthetics and Analysis (Spring 2009, CRN: 17719)

F 9:00am-11:30am, Classroom South 201 Instructor: Email: Website: Mailbox: Drew Ayers dayers2@gsu.edu www.drewayers.net 6th Floor, One Park Place Office: 840B, One Park Place Office Hours: T 3:00pm-4:00pm, W 2:45pm4:30pm, and by appt.

N.B. 1) The course website and uLearn will reflect updates to the course, changes in syllabus, assignments, etc. Be sure to check them regularly. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. 2) Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State University. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the online course evaluation. Course Description This course will examine the aesthetics (both visual and aural) of film and their relation to film narrative and genre. This course will also explore the ways in which film aesthetics help to convey meanings, tell stories, and perpetuate ideologies. Special attention will be paid to critical writing about film, and this course will develop the critical thinking and writing skills needed for academic film criticism. Students will be introduced to the specialized concepts and vocabulary required for scholarly film criticism. This course is a prerequisite to the upper-level film courses. Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: Define terms/concepts fundamental to film studies Employ these terms/concepts in both academic writing and class discussion Write analytical/critical essays that show understanding of, engagement with, and thoughtful use of film studies vocabulary Conduct research specific to film studies The critical, argumentative, and written skills gained in this course are those required for upperlevel film studies courses as well as in other critical engagements with the world. Required Texts 1) Corrigan, Timothy and Patricia White. The Film Experience: An Introduction. New York: Bedford, 2004. (Available at the GSU bookstores) 2) Readings on uLearn 3) Course films (Available on library reserve) Screenings Throughout the semester, you will be required to view the six films listed on the syllabus. Since we do not have a reserved screening time for the class, you will need to watch these films on your own. The films (except for Orlando and Die Hard) are available through the library media

center (2nd Floor, Library South), and all of the films are available through Netflix or at local video stores (e.g., Movies Worth Seeing and Videodrome). The films are a fundamental part of the course and will comprise a large part of our discussions. Thus, even if you have already seen the films, you should plan to view them again before the class in which we are discussing them. Attendance and Participation Attendance for this course is mandatory. My approach to this class will integrate lectures, class discussions, student presentations, and various exercises and activities in order to explore the principles discussed in the readings and lectures you cant participate if youre not there. Attendance will be taken during the first fifteen minutes of each class by using a sign-in sheet. Each student will have two personal days during the semester to cover absences from either class or screenings. These days may be used for any reason you choose and should include time out for illness, emergencies, religious holidays, and family obligations. For each absence after the initial two, your overall attendance grade will be lowered by one letter grade. If you arrive to class after the first fifteen minutes, you will be counted as tardy. Each tardy counts as onehalf of an absence. If you have an ongoing situation that requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the semester. Group discussion of course material will comprise a large portion of our in-class activity. It is essential that you have carefully read the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill your responsibilities as a member of the learning community of this class. Further, you are expected to actively participate in class discussion. Attendance/Participation comprises 10% of the final grade, and your participation grade will be based on both the level and quality of your participation. Late Assignment Policy If an assignment is turned in late, one full letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. Additionally, please remember that an assignment is considered late immediately following the class period in which it is due. If you are unable to attend class on a day that an assignment is due, you must contact me prior to the class and make alternative arrangements. All assignments must be submitted in hard-copy form. When assignments are due, expect the unexpected. Assume that one (or perhaps all) of the following will happen to you on exam dates and assignment due dates: Your printer will not print or the line for the printer at the University is a mile long Your printer will run out of ink or paper Your disk will crash and all data will be lost Your car will not run, busses will skip your stop, and all or your friends will be out of town Please take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these events from affecting the timely submission of assignments and exams. Additional Sources of Academic Support The University offers a range of support services for students. Among the resources available are:

The Writing Studio (http://www.writingstudio.gsu.edu/) -- Provides advice and tutoring in composition Student Support Services (http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwsss/) -- Offers a variety of services, including tutoring, career counseling, and support groups

Special Accommodations If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities that you believe may require accommodations for this course, please meet with me after class or during my office hours to discuss appropriate adaptations or modifications that might be helpful to you. The Office of Disability Services (http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwods/) can provide you with information and other assistance to manage any challenges that may affect your performance in coursework. Assignments There are five primary assignments for the semester. We will talk about each in more detail as the due dates approach. 1) Short Essays: There are six short writing assignments spaced throughout the semester (see the final page of this syllabus). Each short essay is worth 5% of your overall grade, and the essays together comprise 30% of your overall grade. 2) Quizzes: At random times throughout the semester, I will distribute a total of five short quizzes to the class. These quizzes are designed to test your comprehension of the assigned reading and/or film for the day. If you are absent on a day on which a quiz is given, that quiz cannot be made up. The quizzes are worth 10% of your overall grade. 3) Film Clip Presentation: Groups of two people will present and discuss the cinematic aspects of a film clip of their choosing. The presentations should focus on the particular aspects of cinema we are studying (editing, cinematography, etc.) and should relate to the topic of discussion for the day. Your presentation should (1) focus on a brief clip from a film of your choice clips should be no more than two or three minutes; (2) provide a reading of the clip focusing on the topic of the class discussion (editing, etc.); (3) draw conclusions as to how your clip is representative of the larger issues we are discussing; and (4) provide further questions for class discussion. There will be one presentation at the beginning of every class session, and you should think of your presentation as a leadin to the topic of discussion for the day. Your group should meet with me at least a week prior to your presentation to discuss what you are going to present. The presentation is worth 10% of your overall grade. 4) Midterm Exam: You will be responsible for completing a take-home midterm exam. The exam is designed to test you on the material we have covered in class up to the midpoint, and you will have one week in which to complete it. You will respond to two questions/prompts of your choice, selected from a list of several questions/prompts that I will provide to you. Each response should be at least 750 words in length (roughly 3 double-spaced pages), resulting in a total of approximately 6 pages for the entire midterm. The midterm is due at the beginning of class on Friday, February 27th, and it is worth 20% of your overall grade. 5) Final Paper: This assignment builds off of the last short essay assignment. The final paper will be 7-8 pages in length, and it is meant to showcase all you have learned this semester. The paper should make use of all of our discussions about film criticism filmic elements, essay construction, analysis, research, etc. and it will require a research

element. We will talk much more about the paper throughout the summer. The final paper is due on the last day of class (Friday, April 24th), and it is worth 20% of your overall grade. All materials must be submitted in hard-copy form and should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. The upper left-hand corner of the first page should include your name, my name, the course name, and the date of submission. Use MLA format for your citations and works cited page. Please remember to staple your essays. All work is due at the beginning of the class for which it is due. Grading Five Short Essays (5% each): Quizzes: Film Clip Presentation: Midterm Exam: Final Paper: Attendance/Participation: 30% 10% 10% 20% 20% 10%

Grading Breakdown A+ (100-97); A (96-94); A- (93-90); B+ (89-87); B (86-84); B- (83-80); C+ (79-77); C (76-74); C- (73-70); D+ (69-67); D (66-64); D- (63-60); F (59-0)

Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty: I take this matter very seriously and will report any suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the Office of Judicial Affairs. For details on the Universitys policy on Academic Honesty, please consult the Offices website at http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/codeofconduct_conpol.html or the Policy on Academic Honesty in the Faculty Handbook (section 409) at http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfhb/fhb.html. The policy prohibits plagiarism, cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification, and multiple submissions. Violation of the policy may result in failing the class as well as disciplinary sanctions. The internet makes it easy to plagiarize, but also easy to track down plagiarism If you can google it, I can google it. Bottom line: Dont plagiarize its not worth it. Cite all your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, and clearly note when you are paraphrasing other authors work.

Daily Schedule
Intro/Mise-en-Scene 1/9 Topic: Reading: 1/16 Topic: Reading: Syllabus; Elements of Mise-en-Scene; Sign up for Presentations Smith, Its Just a Movie Course syllabus (distributed in class, on uLearn, and class website) Values and Traditions of Mise-en-Scene; Discussion of Bicycle Thieves pp. 41-72 (C&W)

Screening: Types of Film Writing 1/23 Topic: Reading:

Bazin, The Ontology of the Photographic Image and The Myth of Total Cinema Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948)

Film Reviews vs. Critical/Analytic Essays pp. 474-487 (C&W) Two film reviews of your choice (http://www.rottentomatoes.com or http://www.metacritic.com are good starting points) Assignment: Short Essay #1 Due Elements of Cinematography; Values and Traditions of Cinematography Reading: pp. 75-103; 107 (C&W) Assignment: Short Essay #2 Due Topic: Reading: Screening: Assignment: Discussion of M pp. 104-106 (C&W) M (Lang, 1931) Short Essay #3 Critical Essay Structure; Writing Workshop pp. 488-502 (C&W) Orlando (Potter, 1992) Elements of Editing; Values and Traditions of Editing; Distribute and Discuss Midterm Exam pp. 110-157 (C&W)

Cinematography 1/30 Topic:

2/6

Writing Critical Essays 2/13 Topic: Reading: Screening: Editing 2/20 Topic: Reading: 2/27

Topic: Discussion of Requiem for a Dream Screening: Requiem for a Dream (Aronofsky, 2000) Assignment: Midterm Exam Due SPRING BREAK NO CLASS

3/6

Researching for a Film Paper 3/13 Topic: Researching Film Guest Presenter, Nedda Ahmed Reading: pp. 502-513 (C&W) Assignment: Short Essay #4 Due Sound 3/20 Topic: Elements of Sound; Values and Traditions of Sound Reading: pp. 166-209 [skip The Conversation section] (C&W)

3/27

Topic: Reading: Screening: Assignment:

Discussion of The Conversation pp. 207-209 (C&W) The Conversation (Coppola, 1974) Short Essay #5 Due Elements of Film Narrative; Values and Traditions of Film Narrative pp. 214-251 (C&W) Bordwell, Chapter 3, Classical Narration (optional)

Narrative and Ideology 4/3 Topic: Reading: 4/10 Topic: Reading:

Intro to Ideology; Post-Classical Narration Comolli and Narboni, Cinema/Ideology/Criticism Elsaesser and Buckland, Classical/Post-Classical Narrative Cahiers analysis of Young Mr. Lincoln (optional) Screening: Die Hard (McTiernan, 1988) Assignment: Short Essay #6 Due Topic: Reading: Elements of Film Genre; Hollywood Genres pp. 288-306 (C&W) Schatz, Chapter 1 & 2 (optional)

Film Genre 4/17

4/24

Topic: Hollywood Genres, cont. Reading: 306-320; 252-254 (C&W) Assignment: Final Paper Due

Short Essay Assignments

Short Essay #1 Write two paragraphs analyzing the mise-en-scene of one scene or shot from Bicycle Thieves (see pp. 70-71 from C&W for an example essay). Pay particular attention to the ways in which the mise-en-scene helps to create meanings and tell the films story, specifically within the context of our discussions concerning cinematic realism. Remember, you should focus on the visual aspects of the film (what you see) rather than on a summary or explanation of the story/plot of the film. Use the terms that weve discussed in class to make your analysis more precise. The first sentence or two of this short essay should consist of a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of what points you are going to make in the essay. Short Essay #2 Find two reviews of a film of your choice and write overviews of each, focusing on the goals of the reviewers and the types of arguments that they make. How is this type of writing different than the writing in a critical essay? This short essay should be two pages in length. Short Essay #3 Write two paragraphs analyzing the cinematography of one scene or shot from M (see pp. 104-106 from C&W for an example essay). Remember, you should focus on how the cinematography helps to tell the story rather than simply providing a summary or interpretation of the film. The first sentence or two of this short essay should consist of a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of what points you are going to make in the essay. Short Essay #4 After watching Requiem for a Dream, select two scenes from the film and write a two-page paper in which you analyze the relationship between story and editing (see pp. 140-143 and pp. 158-163 in C&W for example essays). This essay should have a short introduction that includes a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of your argument. Also pay careful attention to the structure of your essay, making sure that your argument proceeds in a clear and logical order that is easy for the reader to follow. Short Essay #5 Write a two-page paper in which you analyze the use of sound in The Conversation (see pp. 207-209 in C&W for an example essay). This essay should have a short introduction that includes a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of your argument. Also pay careful attention to the structure of your essay, making sure that your argument proceeds in a clear and logical order that is easy for the reader to follow. Short Essay #6 Write a three-page paper in which you compare/contrast two films of your choice (see pp. 252-254 in C&W for an example of a compare/contrast essay). You may choose to compare/contrast any of the film topics that we have discussed this semester: mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound, narrative, ideology, or genre. Be sure to include a clear introduction, including a thesis statement and summary of your argument. Also pay careful attention to the structure of your essay, making sure that your argument proceeds in a clear and logical order that is easy for the reader to follow. Beginning each paragraph with a clear topic sentence will help with your organization. Treat this essay as a starting point for your final paper project.

Final Paper Assignment 1) This paper should expand on the work you did in the compare/contrast assignment for Short Essay #6. Specifically, you should flesh out your initial argument by incorporating the ideas of other scholars into your work through outside research. At least three outside academic sources are required, and these sources must be cited within the text and in a works cited page remember, any time you use another authors work (either paraphrased or directly quoted), you must cite that author. Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero for the assignment and possible academic sanctions. 2) The sources must be academic in nature, either from scholarly journals or books (no Wikipedia or film reviews), and the readings we did in class will not count toward your source total (though you are welcome to use these readings as sources). The goal is to get you to put into practice the research techniques we discussed in class and to utilize the resources of the University library. 3) You should use your sources to support and strengthen the initial argument you made in Short Essay #6. What have other scholars said about your films? About the genre of which your films are a part? About the filmmakers? For example, if you are comparing/contrasting the depiction of ghosts in Hollywood remakes of Japanese horror films, you might research the various folk traditions of ghost stories in each culture and the historical depiction of ghosts in the films of each culture. Or, if you are comparing two contemporary gangster films, you might explore how each film compares to older examples in the genre. 4) Dont wait until the last minute to do your research. It will show in the finished product. 5) Your paper must be 7-8 pages in length, including a title page (which should NOT be included in your page count. The title page should include your name, my name, the course name, the date of submission, and a title for your paper. 6) Formatting: Use MLA format for this paper. The essay should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. Please remember to staple your essay. 7) This essay is meant to showcase all you have learned about film aesthetics and analysis this semester (mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound, narrative, and ideology). As such, you should submit a polished essay with a clear thesis and argument. Impress me J 8) The paper is due on Friday, April 24th, at the beginning of class. Late papers will be deducted one letter grade for each day they are late.