Film - Theory and Philosophy

The crux of Film as a media has always been a combination of form and function, of thematic attention to detail and technical expertise. As a philosophy, the idea of Film allows us tremendous avenues of expression: film can be Art, it can be Propaganda, it can be Social Commentary, it can be purely Humorous, it can be Evocative, and the list goes on. 

Looking at how we interact with film likewise can revolve around a fundamental dichotomy: the audience vs. the director (never assuming, of course, that the director always has sole responsibility or control over any given film). Keep in mind the various elements of mise-en-scene, as well as critical theories, and genre studies as you study with the proverbial "man-behind-the-curtain."

As always when dealing with theory, remember that belief in a film theory is dependent on the individual self, and on evidence presented in support of the theory to the audience. Contemplate: in your own film analyses in the course, are you presenting enough evidence, in a persuasive and convincing way, to prove the validity of your theory?