Activities

Readings

Short articles/critiques on specific films & stars (Years A, B and C)

Making Movies By Sidley Lumet (Year B)

Editing by Edward Dymytryk (excerpts) (Year B)

Interactive/Collaborative Work

Storyboarding various scenarios in different ways

Short film production

Independent Work

Worksheets, viewing guides for specific films

Short film production

Writing

Short papers on specific films

Scenes in screenplay format

Learning Outcomes are referenced under Major Assignments

Multimedia Screenings

Year A

Examples of Film Noir & subgenres such as "caper" and "heist" films: Double Indemnity, Kansas City Confidential, The Killing, LA Confidential

Examples of Horror & Sci-Fi and its subgenres: Nosferatu, Bride of Frankenstein, Theater of Blood, Them!, Forbidden Planet, Planet of the Apes (1968), Repo Man, Dead/Alive

Auteur theory: Stanley Kubrick & Billy Wilder films: Paths of Glory, Lolita, Full Metal Jacket. Sunset Boulevard, Some Like It Hot, The Apartment.

Films and documentaries to illustrate cinematography, editing, production planning and sound: Citizen Kane, Point Blank, Lost In La Manca, The Conversation, Visions of Light, The Cutting Edge.

Year B

From page to screen: Adaptation & Spielberg's Duel

Auteur Theory: Films from 2 directors who write about their films: Sidney Lumet & Edward Dmytryk: Twelve Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Network. Murder, My Sweet, Crossfire, The Caine Mutiny

Analyzing Remakes: 1951 and 1982 versions of The Thing

Short Film Production & Editing workshop: Slaughterhouse-5 and The Fall as examples of transition. Short clips from other numerous sources as modeling examples.

Cult Films & Midnight Movies: The Loved One, The President's Analyst, Eating Raoul, The Last of Sheila, Phantom of the Paradise, Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, Robot Monster

Year C

Documentaries and semi-fictional films: the real, the unreal, and the fantastic: Spellbound, Capturing the Friedmans, Hail Hail Rock And Roll, The Thin Red Line, Crumb, Swimming To Cambodia, American Splendor, Rashomon, Quiz Show, Nightcrawler, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Dark City, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Independent

Films With Twist Endings & the editing/scripting techniques they use to fool the audience: Charade, Charley Varrick, Deathtrap, The Illusionist, The Prestige

Samplings of Foreign Cinema: The Phantom Carriage (Sweden); 8 1/2 (Italy), Rififi, Diva (France), Run Lola Run (Germany)

The Changes in the Action Genre from the 1970s to 2000: Die Hard, Hard Boiled, Face/Off, Superman II, Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels

Major Assignments

Analytic Choices (LO #1-5)

Critique of a film viewed outside of class from the genre & subgenre explored in class

Short paper analyzing director signatures in multiple films by student chosen director

Short paper analyzing particular editing choices within film viewed outside of class

Short papers building in complexity as students progress through curriculum: comparative analysis of multiple films around a student chosen theme & argument, integrating secondary sources, critically evaluated

Creative Choices (LO #2, 3)

Re-imagining films as if directed by student chosen auteurs as opposed to their original directors

Sequential shot list for minute long film depicting narrative action

Film production building in complexity as students progress through curriculum: screenplay format, shooting script, filming, editing, sound dubbing, collaborative production, documentary production and editing.

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