Videocast - final project for French 41 (Fall 2020)

Your final project for French 41 is a multi-stage group project that involves working in a small group (with classmates in your section) to create a videocast in which you review, analytically, a film of your group’s choosing.

The project is worth 40 points total, and points are assessed both individually and on elements of group work.

What is involved with the project?

To create your videocast you will work with a small group of peers to select a French film (not included on the French 41 syllabus). Your choice of film will be guided by the themes, questions, problems, and ideas of this class--in other words, the film you choose should have something to do with race, ethnicity, class, or difference.

Once you’ve selected your film, you will 1) view the film; 2) engage with your group in an analytical discussion of the film’s narrative, formal, and political dimensions; 3) develop an approach to your videocast (ie, a “script”); 4) film your videocast; 5) and share it with your section. You will also have an opportunity to view and discuss your classmates’ videocasts.

What is the point of this project?

• It gives you an opportunity to put all the knowledge and skills you’ve developed this quarter to work

• It offers you the chance to explore contemporary French cinema, above and beyond what’s been presented to you on the syllabus

• It allows you to show off your originality and creativity

• It takes the material of French 41 beyond the classroom

• It offers you flexibility in terms of setting your work schedule

• It gives you training in group work, an essential “life-skill”

Mindfulness project

This is an opportunity to reflect on and share what mindfulness means to you, and I hope you will find something significant to focus on; and that you will find a way to work on it that is meaningful for you.

Creative project. You might develop a project of some sort using a form of art of your choice. It can be a form of creative expression even if not exactly known as art. (What does that mean exactly? I do not know. You tell me.) This can be a fine option for this course even if your primary interests are scientific or theoretical! --If you choose this approach you also should include a brief (1-2 page) written discussion of: (i) what you want to do relative to one or more of the learning objectives of the course; (ii) how you are doing what you set out to do; (iii) who the audience is you have in mind; and (iv) input on how your work should be graded.A few examples: video; graphic comic; music composition; music performance; poetry; play; podcast; improvisational comedy; performance art; painting; sculpture; some other art form; or some other thing that is not known as an art form such as pertaining to political action; or to athletics. The creative project option can be done in collaboration with one or more other students.

There are three steps, one optional, for the Mindfulness Project. (1) a one page (maximum) project proposal, due by noon Wed Feb 10. If you are collaborating on the project with another person, you should specify carefully the roles of each participant in the project.Brief feedback/ approval of proposal from Bethany Schiffman. (2) Project submission for peer review. Due Wed Feb 24.(3) Mindfulness project due: noon Friday March 5.(4) (depending on interest) --Optional “community sharing” of projects TBD. Your grade on the project will be based on (3) alone.