DOCSLIB.ORG

SYLLABUS Documentary Filmmaking Wednesdays

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
SYLLABUS Documentary Filmmaking Wednesdays SYLLABUS Documentary Filmmaking Wednesdays 6pm-10pm at the HCC Sound Stage COURSE DESCRIPTION Documentaries are narrative films in the own right. They tell a non-scripted story based on footage that is edited together. Paid work can often be found for documentary films because those projects are often funded by grants and supported by non-profit fiscal sponsorship. During this course, students will gain skills with which they can find employment in documentaries while also producing a short documentary of their own. These skills also transfer easily to working in the corporate/commercial/industrial video industries and even the fictional filmmaking world. Prerequisites: None INSTRUCTOR Jenny Waldo C: 310-709-6937 [email protected] www.jennywaldo.com Twitter: @jennywaldo Facebook: Jenny Waldo Office hours: by appointment only DATE TOPIC Description 1/15/14 Introduction What is a documentary? 1/22/14 Story/Narrative Structure Every documentary follows the conventions of traditional narrative structure. Understanding that will help cultivate a proposal for a documentary as well as focus editing, where a doc is truly “written.” ASSIGNMENT Write loglines for 3 documentary ideas. DUE 1/29/14 1/29/14 Screening/Guest Speaker Watch a documentary and discuss narrative structure, upcoming topics. The Critique Form that will set up the basis for all critiques and the final exam will be reviewed. 2/5/14 Producer & Researcher Producers, researchers, and research are Positions essential to a documentary project. • Legal: copyright, licensing rights, story rights, releases/agreements • Images: stock footage, photographs, newspaper clippings, clips • People: experts/subjects • Locations/Scenes ASSIGNMENT What research needs to be conducted for your documentary idea? Start a list of actions needed for each issue (Legal, Image, People, and Locations). DUE 2/12/14 2/12/14 Interviewing How to interview, how to direct a non-actor through an interview. Camera and Audio setups for conducting Interviews. ASSIGNMENT Start shooting! (RAW FOOTAGE DUE 3/5/14) 2/19/14 Scenes vs Talking Heads Documentaries are best when not just talking heads but actual scenes. Legal, Camera, and Audio setups for shooting scenes. 2/26/14 Screening/Guest Speaker 3/5/14 Raw Footage Critique Screen UNEDITED student footage and discuss based on what we’ve learned so far and plans for moving forward. Critique form. (ROUGH CUTS DUE 4/30/14) 3/10-14/14 SPRING BREAK 3/19/14 Editing/Sound/Music Documentaries are made in the editing room. Special focus on openings and closings of projects and review of narrative arc. Discuss possible narrative arcs for student projects. ASSIGNMENT Edit your project. Rough cuts DUE 4/9/14 3/26/14 Screening/Guest Speaker 4/2/14 Budgeting, Grants, & How to create and manage a production Fundraising budget and how to find money for projects. 4/9/14 Rough Cut Critique Screen rough cuts of student projects and discuss. Critique form. (FINAL PROJECT DUE 4/30/14) 4/16/14 Distribution Distribution outlets, resources, and opportunities for documentaries. Topics include audience building and “branding.” Discuss possible distribution avenues unique to each student project. ASSIGNMENT Write a proposal for documentary project including distribution strategy. DUE 4/23/14 4/23/14 Screening/Guest Speaker 4/30/14 Final Cut Critique Screen final projects. Critique form. 5/7/14 FINAL EXAM Watch documentary and complete exam: • Write a logline and short synopsis for the documentary • Break down what was needed (rights, footage, experts…) • Break down the narrative • Describe the interviewing style • Describe the use of scenes • Analyze the use of cinematography, editing, sound, and music • Write a critique of the documentary Supplies & Textbook Information: 1. All learning materials will be provided by the Instructor. 2. Other materials needed for projects are to be supplied by student. Instructional Methods: The class will be comprised of a variety of instructional methods including lectures, class discussions, lab assignments, and hands-on demonstrations. As a student wanting to learn about the field of filmmaking, it is your responsibility to do the submit assignments, labs and projects in a timely fashion, study for exams, participate in classroom activities, and attend class. Student Learning Outcomes & Objectives: The student will be able to: 1. Display a basic knowledge and understanding of what constitutes a documentary and the different styles/categories documentaries take. 2. Understand basic narrative structure and be able to discuss a documentary’s narrative parts. 3. Write a proposal for a documentary project. 4. Conduct research for a documentary project. 5. Understand the cinematography and audio considerations required for filming a documentary. 6. Create a budget for a documentary project. 7. Work as a team to produce and edit a documentary project. 8. Create a video documentary project in the form of a short documentary, a trailer for a documentary, or sample footage for a documentary proposal. 9. Be able to critique another filmmaker’s work. Course Goals (includes competencies, incorporation of SCANS, etc.): Houston Community College is determined to prepare you with the knowledge and skill you need to success in today's dynamic work environment. Towards that end, the following workplace competencies and foundation skills have been designed into this course's curriculum. Common Workplace Competencies • Managing Resources: Time I Materials I Money • Exhibiting Interpersonal Skills: Work on teams I Lead work teams I Negotiate with others • Working with Information: Acquire and evaluate data I Organize and maintain information I Interpret and communicate data I Process information with computers. • Applying Systems Knowledge: Understand systems • Using Technology: Apply technology to specific tasks Foundation Skills: • Demonstrating Basic Skills: Reading I Writing I Arithmetic and mathematics! Listening • Demonstrating Thinking Skills: Creative thinking I Decision Making! Problem solving I Seeing with the mind's eye • Exhibiting Personal Qualities: Individual responsibility I Sociability I Self- management I Integrity GRADING The weight of each assignment is listed below. • ATTENDANCE = 5% • PARTICIPATION in class = 5% • 1/29/14 Assignment = 5% • 1/29/14 Critique Form = Participation • 2/12/14 Assignment = 5% • 3/5/14 Raw Footage = 10% • 3/5/14 Critique Form = Participation • 3/26/14 Critique Form = Participation • 4/9/14 Rough Cut = 10% • 4/9/14 Critique Form = Participation • 4/23/14 Assignment = 15% • 4/23/14 Critique Form = Participation • 4/30/14 Final Project = 20% • 4/30/14 Critique Form = Participation • 4/30/14 Peer Evaluation Form (if app) = Averaged with project grades • 5/7/14 Final Exam = 25% TOTAL = 100% HCC GRADING SCALE: A= 100- 90: 4 points per semester hour B = 89 – 80: 3 points per semester hour C = 79 – 70: 2 points per semester hour D = 69 – 60: 1 point per semester hour F = 59 or below 0 points per semester hour W (Withdrawn) 0 points per semester hour I (Incomplete) 0 points per semester hour AUD (Audit) 0 points per semester hour Attendance and Withdrawal Policies: Attendance is part of your grade. At the Instructor's discretion, students may be dropped if they do not attend 87.5% of the classes or labs. If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from the course prior to the final date of withdrawal. Before you withdraw from your course please take the time to meet with the instructor to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so. The instructor may be able to provide you with suggestions that would enable you to complete the course. Your success is very important Beginning in fall 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting first time entering freshmen to no more than SIX total course withdrawals tHroughout their educational career in obtaining a certificate and/or degree. To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by which your professor may "alert" you and HCC counselors that you might fail a class because of excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. It is your responsibility to visit with your professor or a counselor to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist you - online tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc. - to stay in class and improve your academic performance. If you plan on withdrawing from your class, you MUST contact a HCC counselor or your professor prior to withdrawing (dropping) the class for approval and this must be done PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to receive a "W" on your transcript. **Final withdrawal deadlines vary each semester and/or depending on class length, please visit the online registration calendars, HCC schedule of classes and catalog, any HCC Registration Office, or any HCC counselor to determine class withdrawal deadlines. Remember to allow a 24-hour response time when communicating via email and/or telephone with a professor and/or counselor. Do not submit a request to discuss withdrawal options less than a day before the deadline. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive the grade that you are making in the class as your final grade. Make-up policy: Each instructor enforces his or her own make-up policy. 'Incomplete' grades are only appropriate if unusual circumstances cause a student to miss one or two major assignments or tests. An 'Incomplete' may only given if the student and the instructor discuss and agree to this option. The student is responsible for obtaining and finishing the missing work by the next regular semester. Instructor’s Grading Criteria: For each assignment, the instructions will define what the Instructor expects from the student in order to earn a "C" grade. This will give the student an idea of what the instructor considers the "average." The instructor will give higher grades based on demonstration of knowledge and understanding and even higher grades based on innovation and creativity related to the topic.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED by Anna Schafer Most of Us Have Read
    ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED by Anna Schafer Most of us have read the story of Anne Frank and her diary. In much of the world it has been part of the school curriculum ever since the book's first publication in 1947. Anne’s main message has always been seen as one of optimism and conciliation in the face of the utter barbarism of her time. At the age of 14, in her diary entrance of the 15th of July, 1944. she makes her famous statement: “Still, I keep my ideals, because, in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.“ (p.237) Anne was born July 12 1929 in Frankfurt. Because of rising Anti-Semitism the family left Germany in 1933 and settled in the Netherlands. I myself was born ten years later, in April 1939 in Vienna, a year after the annexation of Austria and six months before the German attack on Poland. When I was three I was sent by train to North Germany to non-Jewish relatives, who lived in the small village of Andorf, near the Dutch border. Anne and I shared our first names, Anne. We also shared two languages and cultures, German and Dutch. However, Anne knew that her family was in hiding because they were Jews. I did not discover my Jewishness until I was an adult. We both lived through all six years of WWII. They were Anne’s last and my first years of life. There are barely 200 km between Amsterdam and Andorf and the Bergen- Belsen camp where Anne died in early March 1945 is only 150 km east of Andorf.
    [Show full text]
  • Videography and Photography: Critical Thinking, Ethics and Knowledge-Based Practice in Visual Media
    Videography and photography: Critical thinking, ethics and knowledge-based practice in visual media Storytelling through videography and photography can form the basis for journalism that is both consequential and high impact. Powerful images can shape public opinion and indeed change the world, but with such power comes substantial ethical and intellectual responsibility. The training that prepares journalists to do this work, therefore, must meaningfully integrate deep analytical materials and demand rigorous critical thinking. Students must not only have proficient technical skills but also must know their subject matter deeply and understand the deeper implications of their journalistic choices in selecting materials. This course gives aspiring visual journalists the opportunity to hone critical-thinking skills and devise strategies for addressing multimedia reporting’s ethical concerns on a professional level. It instills values grounded in the best practices of traditional journalism while embracing the latest technologies, all through knowledge-based, hands-on instruction. Learning objectives This course introduces the principles of critical thinking and ethical awareness in nonfiction visual storytelling. Students who take this course will: Learn the duties and rights of journalists in the digital age. Better understand the impact of images and sound on meaning. Develop a professional process for handling multimedia reporting’s ethical challenges. Generate and translate ideas into ethically sound multimedia projects. Understand how to combine responsible journalism with entertaining and artistic storytelling. Think and act as multimedia journalists, producing accurate and balanced stories — even ones that take a point of view. Course design This syllabus is built around the concept of groups of students going through the complete process of producing a multimedia story and writing journal entries about ethical concerns that surface during its development and execution.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report and Accounts 2004/2005
    THE BFI PRESENTSANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2004/2005 WWW.BFI.ORG.UK The bfi annual report 2004-2005 2 The British Film Institute at a glance 4 Director’s foreword 9 The bfi’s cultural commitment 13 Governors’ report 13 – 20 Reaching out (13) What you saw (13) Big screen, little screen (14) bfi online (14) Working with our partners (15) Where you saw it (16) Big, bigger, biggest (16) Accessibility (18) Festivals (19) Looking forward: Aims for 2005–2006 Reaching out 22 – 25 Looking after the past to enrich the future (24) Consciousness raising (25) Looking forward: Aims for 2005–2006 Film and TV heritage 26 – 27 Archive Spectacular The Mitchell & Kenyon Collection 28 – 31 Lifelong learning (30) Best practice (30) bfi National Library (30) Sight & Sound (31) bfi Publishing (31) Looking forward: Aims for 2005–2006 Lifelong learning 32 – 35 About the bfi (33) Summary of legal objectives (33) Partnerships and collaborations 36 – 42 How the bfi is governed (37) Governors (37/38) Methods of appointment (39) Organisational structure (40) Statement of Governors’ responsibilities (41) bfi Executive (42) Risk management statement 43 – 54 Financial review (44) Statement of financial activities (45) Consolidated and charity balance sheets (46) Consolidated cash flow statement (47) Reference details (52) Independent auditors’ report 55 – 74 Appendices The bfi annual report 2004-2005 The bfi annual report 2004-2005 The British Film Institute at a glance What we do How we did: The British Film .4 million Up 46% People saw a film distributed Visits to
    [Show full text]
  • Documentary Film/TV
    Documentary Film/TV Form-Evolution-Approaches The EXPLOSION of the Documentary Form 1. Tools of Creation: a. Editing Systems: Adobe, Final Cut, Vegas, Avid, iMovie, MovieMaker b. Cameras: • Digital Video TapeCardStream • DSLR • 4K-Black Magic, RED • GoPro • Drones, DJI Phantom 2. Distribution Outlets: – TV: HBO, NatGeo, Discovery, TLC, PBS, Animal Planet, Food Network, etc. – YouTube – Vimeo – Netflix-Amazon-Hulu – Social Media—FB, INSTAGRAM, – Festivals: Toronto, Amsterdam, Tribeca, Sundance, Banff, Telluride, 3. Funding: Kickstarter, et.al. 4. Marketing and Crowd-sourcing options: 5. Hi Profits vs. low cost of Production (small crews) Highest Grossing Documentaries of ALL TIME Market Share of Documentary Films (1995-2016) Movies Inflation- Market Year in Gross Tickets Sold Adjusted Top-Grossing Movie Gross that Year Share Release Gross 1995 9 1.54% $81,994,311 18,849,263 $158,899,287 Hoop Dreams $5,758,625 1996 6 0.11% $6,549,634 1,481,814 $12,491,692 Snowriders $2,035,470 1997 9 0.16% $10,372,500 2,259,800 $19,050,114 When We Were Kings $2,666,118 1998 12 1.27% $85,954,501 18,327,179 $154,498,119 Everest $66,877,098 1999 24 1.20% $88,091,366 17,340,810 $146,183,028 Mysteries of Egypt $27,042,366 2000 39 1.68% $126,503,895 23,470,090 $197,852,859 Dolphins $54,000,000 2001 21 0.26% $21,741,633 3,841,268 $32,381,889 Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure $6,683,025 2002 24 0.78% $71,043,258 12,227,743 $103,079,873 Space Station $30,460,417 2003 47 0.99% $90,795,051 15,057,198 $126,932,179 Space Station $15,713,110 2004 89 2.54% $235,480,966
    [Show full text]
  • DOCUMENTARY FILMS Page 1 of 10
    DOCUMENTARY FILMS Page 1 of 10 DOCUMENTARY FILMS Documentary Films, strictly speaking, are non-fictional, "slice of life" factual works of art - and sometimes known as cinema verite. For many years, as films became more narrative- based, documentaries branched out and took many forms since their early beginnings - some of which have been termed propagandistic or non-objective. Documentary films have comprised a very broad and diverse category of films. Examples of documentary forms include the following: z 'biographical' films about a living or dead person (Madonna, John Lennon, Muhammad Ali - When We Were Kings (1996), Robert Crumb, Stephen Hawking in A Brief History of Time (1992), or Glenn Gould) z a well-known event (Waco, Texas incident, the Holocaust, the Shackleton expedition to the Antarctic) z a concert or rock festival (Woodstock or Altamont rock concerts, Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991), Stop Making Sense (1984)) z a comedy show (Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy shows) z a live performance (Cuban musicians as in Buena Vista Social Club (1998), or the stage show Cirque du Soleil-Journey of Man (2000)) z a sociological or ethnographic examination following the lives of individuals over a period of time (e.g., Michael Apted's series of films: 28 Up (1984), 35 Up (1992) and 42 Up (1999), or Steve James' Hoop Dreams (1994)) z an expose including interviews (e.g., Michael Moore's social concerns films) z a sports documentary (extreme sports, such as Extreme (1999) or To the Limit (1989), or surfing, such as in The Endless Summer (1966))
    [Show full text]
  • In Cinematography
    Sean O’Connor DSG 610 Prof. Hogencamp June 10, 2018 What is Cinematography? In Cinematography: Theory and Practice, Brown defines cinematography simply as the film director and director of photography (DP) collaborating on “the same basic task: storytelling with the camera”1. However, based on further readings in his book and others, as well as the documentary film Visions of Light, cinematography seems much more complicated than that short and simple statement. The medium seems essentially a balancing act, between the artistic and creative aspects of visual storytelling as well as the logistical elements of completing a day’s worth of shooting, getting the light just right, and coordinating several crewmembers operating cameras, lights, and other equipment. Therefore, the duties of a cinematographer range from the creative to the technical, and they are all essential. In terms of creative and artistic choices, Mercado attests that every item contained in the frame, from actors to props, matters: “Anything and everything that is included in the composition of a shot will be interpreted by an audience as being there for a specific purpose that is directly related and necessary to understand the story they are watching.”2 There is no place for arbitrary choices for the cinematographer: every aspect of the framing, lighting, and motion of a shot must have purpose, which that cinematographer must decide creatively based on the story and characters of the film. Because of this, cinematography contributes heavily to story by visually enforcing or affirming the emotions, conflict, and even structure of the story. “There has to be,” continues Mercado, “a direct connection between what takes place in the story and the use of a particular composition.”3 Regarding the notion of visual structure accompanying story structure, Block writes, “Progressions are fundamental to story or musical structure, and they’re fundamental to visual structure.
    [Show full text]
  • Cinematography
    MEDIA ACTIVITY 2 Your preparation guide to get you ready for September Video Production: Cinematography: In the first term at the college we look at the world of cinematogrpahy within video production. The aim is to give you a the practical skills to be able to film asthethicly pleasing visuals and understand the narrative meaning behind each choice made. Cinematograpahy is the film makers tool kit when it comes to how a film looks, so before you start working on your own visuals, we think it is important to understand the history behind the craft. Below is a link to a documentry all about cinematography, which can be viewed through YouTube, though its an older piece the information is a relavent today as it ever was. Give it watch and see if you can complete the quiz below, most of the anwsers to the questions can be found within the documentry itself though a little bit of internet research may be required. Visions of Light - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXeuk1tO32k The film covers the art of cinematography since the conception of cinema at the turn of the 20th century. Many filmmakers and cinematographers present their views and discuss why the art of cinematography is important within the craft of filmmaking. 1. In what year was “Birth of a Nation” released? 2. What was the nickname for early films the first used sound? 3. Colour tints were used in early black and white films to represent time of day, can you identify which times of the day the following colours represent? Blue: Red: 4.
    [Show full text]
  • My Scientology Movie
    BBC FILMS & BBC WORLDWIDE Present A RED BOX FILMS PRODUCTION Directed by: John Dower Presented by: Louis Theroux Written by: John Dower & Louis Theroux Produced by: Simon Chinn MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE U.K. production R/T: 99 minutes Shot on Sony F55 and Canon CS00-PL (Panasonic HE120 and Flip Mino HD) TFF 2016- For further publicity information please contact: Emma Griffiths EMMA GRIFFITHS PR [email protected] www.eg-pr.com TIFF 2016: US Sales Contact: Josh Braun-Submarine [email protected] International Sales Contact: Mark Lane- HanWay Select- [email protected] SHORT SYNOPSIS Not your typical exposé. BBC doc-maker and journalist Louis Theroux teams up with director John Dower and double Academy Award winning producer Simon Chinn (Searching for Sugar, Man On Wire) to explore the self-mythologizing Church of Scientology. Following a long fascination with the religion and with much experience in dealing with eccentric, unpalatable and unexpected human behavior, the beguilingly unassuming Theroux won’t take no for an answer when his request to enter the Church’s headquarters is turned down. Inspired by the Church’s use of filming techniques, and aided by ex-members of the organization, Theroux uses actors to replay some incidents people claim they experienced as members in an attempt to better understand the way it operates. In a bizarre twist, it becomes clear that the Church is also making a film about Louis Theroux. Suffused with a good dose of humor and moments worthy of a Hollywood script, MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE is as outlandish as it is revealing.
    [Show full text]
  • Muhammad Ali: an Unusual Leader in the Advancement of Black America
    Muhammad Ali: An Unusual Leader in the Advancement of Black America The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Voulgaris, Panos J. 2016. Muhammad Ali: An Unusual Leader in the Advancement of Black America. Master's thesis, Harvard Extension School. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:33797384 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA Muhammad Ali: An Unusual Leader in the Advancement of Black America Panos J. Voulgaris A Thesis in the Field of History for the Degree of Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies Harvard University November 2016 © November 2016, Panos John Voulgaris Abstract The rhetoric and life of Muhammad Ali greatly influenced the advancement of African Americans. How did the words of Ali impact the development of black America in the twentieth century? What role does Ali hold in history? Ali was a supremely talented artist in the boxing ring, but he was also acutely aware of his cultural significance. The essential question that must be answered is how Ali went from being one of the most reviled people in white America to an icon of humanitarianism for all people. He sought knowledge through personal experience and human interaction and was profoundly influenced by his own upbringing in the throes of Louisville’s Jim Crow segregation.
    [Show full text]
  • FY12 Titles Added to the Collection.Xlsx
    For more information about each title, visit the library catalog at http://pamug.iii.com/search~S6 FY12 Titles added to the Collection PCAD Library CALL # TITLE N325.W49 101 Things to Learn in Art School DVD PN1995.9.T75T84 12 Angry Men PN1995.9.S26T8 2001: A Space Odyssey N34.I545 A-Z of Visual Ideas: How to Solve Any Creative Brief DVD PN1992.77.A1 Abbott &Costello Show: Complete Series DVD PN1997.2.A23 Abduction DVD N6537.H64 About Jenny Holzer PN1590.W64A38 Acting Out: Feminist Performances TK5105.8885.D74L66 Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 Bible BH81.R44 Aesthetic Life: The Past and Present of Artistic Culture DVD PN1995.9.C55A38 After Hours K564.H8C36 After We Die: The Life & Times of the Human Cadaver TR139.M623 After Weegee: Essays on Contemporary Jewish American Photographers TR655.H477 Afterwards: Contemporary Photography Confronting the Past BF315.K296 Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to Present DVD HV1431.A3564 Aging Out N6888.D8P75 Albrect Durer's Renaissance: Humanism, Reformation, and the Art of Faith NX549.C22A4 Alexandre Cabanel: The Tradition of Beauty TR140.S7H639 Alfred Stieglitz: A Legacy of Light DVD ND1329.N36A824 Alice Neel GV1785.B348B47 Alicia Alonso: Prima Ballerina DVD PN1997.A323 All About Eve N7710.L35 Allegory TR685.A48 Altered Images: New Visionaries in 21st Century Photography DVD PN1995.9.H6A4475 American Haunting DVD PN1997.A343 American in Paris ND1471.M39 American Painters on Technique: The Colonial Period to 1860 PN6727.P4A74 American Splendor:
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Cinema (COMM274)
    Introduction to Cinema (COMM274) Meeting time: Thursday 5:30pm – 8:00pm (attendance optional, lectures posted on Sakai) Meeting Location: Zoom Meeting (https://www.luc.edu/its/itrs/teachingwithtechnology/zoom/) Instructor: Benjamin Bateman Office Hours: by appointment Contact info: [email protected] COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: Introduction to Cinema will study cinema as a complex medium of global communication. The objectives of this course are to provide the student with the basic filmic language, observational skills and theoretical/critical background for the study of film aesthetics, history, production and criticism. The format of the course will consist of lecture, screening, and discussion. Assigned readings must be completed on time to facilitate the analysis and discussion of films screened in class. ASYNCRONOUS COURSE SPECIFICS This course is being offered asynchronously. As a result, how students engage the course material, meet specifics deadlines, etc. will be at the student’s discretion. Although the course will be delivered asynchronously, we will be following the original Thursday schedule for due dates, deadlines, the Midterm, and the Final Exam. Live sessions will be offered Thursdays 5:30-8pm for students who can attend, but attendance is not compulsory. Students will not be penalized if they are unable to attend the live sessions. The recorded lectures will be available through Sakai the following day. Students will have the option of completing coursework, assessments, textual analysis, etc. throughout the week, but the deadline for said coursework will be Thursdays at 5:30pm of said week. Please consult Sakai for specific due dates and deadlines. Goals of the Course: In order to satisfy the objectives outlined above, the work in the course will be structured so as to meet the following learning outcomes: • Acquisition of the critical and technical vocabulary to describe and analyze cinema.
    [Show full text]
  • The People's Champion O
    ABSTRACT WILLIAMS, SHAWN L. B.A. UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, 1989 M.A. CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY, 1991 “The People’s Champion”: Folk Heroism and the Oral Artistry of Muhammad Au. Advisor: Professor David F. Dorsey Dissertation dated July 2000 Long after a career that was as much marred by criticism as marked by accomplishment, Muhammad Au receives considerable public acclaim for his athletic accomplishments and his humanitarianism. However, no scholarly attention has been given to this man as a literary force who, through the power of his word, impacted the consciousness of this nation and world. This dissertation examines Ali as an artist operating within the context of African and African American oral literary traditions and will explore the impact of his oratory on the sociopolitical consciousness of this country. The analysis of the oral literature of 1 Muhammad Au, which consists of his lectures, interviews, and poetry, will involve an assessment of those aspects that make it a manifestation of the verbal culture of Africa and African America. Moreover, the study illustrates the degree to which the rhetoric and verse reflects both African American national consciousness (i.e., black nationalism) and African folkioric tradition. In his creation of himself Au utilizes traditional African and African American mythoforms like the trickster, the Badman, and the culture hero. In this respect, Muhammad Au is the only athlete to emerge as an Afrocentric cultural hero. This subject encompasses matter of literature, African American studies, speech communications, and popular culture. 2 “THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPION”: FOLK HEROISM AND THE ORAL ARTISTRY OF MUHAMMAD ALl A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF ARTS IN THE HUMANTITIES BY SHAWN LAMAR WILLIAMS DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH ATLANTA, GEORGIA JULY 2000 © 2000 SHAWN L.
    [Show full text]