Introductory Film

Welcome to film class! We'll look at the history of Hollywood film, the rise & structure of the old studio system, the role of director and producer, and view different examples of assorted film genres. We'll also examine specific personalities and issues in Hollywood history (such as the blacklist and the "New Hollywood" of the 1970s) while we watch voluminous examples of classic American cinema.

We will emphasize the history and development of Hollywood film, and also how to read a film visually.

You will be introduced to visually analyzing film via plot, dialogue, mise-en-scene, cinematography, and editing. We will examine film from both an aesthetic viewpoint and a historic/contextual one.