Tasks to prepare for Film Studies in September 25

TASK 1: Research some of the theories/topics listed here:

• Auteur Theory - This is the film theory most associated with Film Studies. This is the theory of the director as the author. It is an incredibly popular theory and has given rise to the cult of the director. 

• Your Preparation: Look out for films by a particular director like Burton, Fincher, Boyle, Nolan, Gerwig etc and watch some films by them. What are the similarities? Can you identify reoccurring themes and messages? 

• (We evaluate the auteur theory and examine the work of the following directors Ridley Scott, Alfred Hitchcock, and Christopher Nolan, so you could get ahead and watch a selection of films from these directors) [Watch the auteur videos below - Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo is discussed alongside the theory]. 
  
  

• Spectatorship - The theory of the audience and their relationship with the film. Exploring how messages/meanings are received. 

• Your Preparation: look up Active and Passive readings. How do they work? 

• Narrative Theory - A film’s creation of the story/narrative can be explored through these theories. 

• Your Preparation: Explore how Todorov, Propp, Barthes and Levi-Strauss crafted narrative theories to explain stories.

• Feminist Approach - From the 1970’s onwards feminist approaches to film have provided a powerful way of deconstructing a male dominated art form. 

• Your Preparation: Look up Laura Mulvey’s theory of the ‘male gaze’. What does it mean? How does it work? 

Email your notes and ideas to carl.percival@hartlepoolsixth.ac.uk and I will look forward to reading your work.

Prepare Yourself for A-Level Film

Film as a medium is only 125 years old and we cover a lot of its history in our two years studying it. What follows is a summary of key movements (many of which we will study) and for each movement I have include some films, it is something you could work your way through in preparation for the A-Level course. It isn't necessarily intended as a "greatest films of all time" list, rather the films listed are significant or typical of each film movement or period of film history described - I've also tried to stick to films we might not be studying as part of the course, there are many, many more I could have included. I hope this is of use and happy viewing!

Carl Percival

TASK 2: Watch as many films as possible! Try to consider the theory mentioned above. Also try keeping a record, either in a book or on an App or online service like letterboxd.com. Here is a list of films that would be useful to have watched in preparation for the Film Studies course.

• Auteur/Quentin Tarantino - Inglorious Basterds and Reservoir Dogs are available on Netflix, also True Romance is available and QT wrote the screenplay.

• Auteur/Coen Brothers - The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Though,Bridge of Spies and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs are available on Netflix.

• Auteur/Scorsese - Though we don't study Martin Scorsese, he is an auteur and you can see this when studying his films, Means Streets, Goodfellas, Shutter Island and The Irishman are on Netflix.

• Spectatorship/Captain Fantastic - We study this film on the course and you can watch it on Netflix to get ahead, try to consider how the film can be regarded as encouraging active spectatorship. 

Other films on Netflix which I encourage you to watch include:

Two films from the Safdie Brothers Good Time and Uncut Gems are both very intense and include unusual performance from big stars. Lynn Ramsay's film You Were Not Really Here which was made before The Joker and you can see Joaquin Phoenix Joker role in his performance in You Were Not Really Here.

TASK 3: Use your phone, try making a short film on the theme ISOLATION. Only a minute or two. Experiment with shot distance, angle, camera movement and shot duration. Perhaps you could use iMovie or an app on your phone to edit the film. When you have finished your masterpiece Email a copy of your finished film (email: carl.percival@hartlepoolsixth.ac.uk), I would love to see what you have done.

TASK 4: Complete a case study of a scene from your favourite film. Examine the use of camera, sound, editing and look at the colour palette, decor, set design and lighting. Write no more than 1000 words on the scene and explore how these elements have been used to create meaning for the intended audience and whether it uses expected genre conventions.

Task 5: Have a look at the short films I have added to this site on the SHORT FILMS page. Look at how these films have been constructed, how has the narrative been structured? What impact the film has on the audience.

Email: carl.percival@hartlepoolsixth.ac.uk