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The University of Texas at Austin Department of Radio-Television-Film RTF 314 – the Development of the Motion Picture Fall 2007

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The University of Texas at Austin Department of Radio-Television-Film RTF 314 – the Development of the Motion Picture Fall 2007 The University of Texas at Austin Department of Radio-Television-Film RTF 314 – The Development of the Motion Picture Fall 2007 Instructor: Matthew Thomas Payne Office: CMA 6.126 (The corner of Dean Keaton and Guadalupe St.) Office Hours: TBD & by appointment Contact: [email protected] / Office Phone: 512.571.3981 LECTURE MEETINGS: Tu-Th: 12:30-2:00 --- North Office Building A (NOA 1.102) MOVIE SCREENINGS: Tu: 5:00 – 7:30 --- Burdine Auditorium (BUR 106) COURSE DESCRIPTION: RTF 314 is an introductory survey of motion picture history. This course is directed to the student who has not taken previous work in the history and aesthetics of motion pictures. The course will focus on the evolution of motion picture technology, the development of the medium as a business and as a mode of artistic expression, major artistic film movements and genres, and the work of major international filmmakers. REQUIRED TEXT: David A. Cook, A History of Narrative Film, 4th Edition (Norton, 2004) + selected articles. COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course is meant to give the student an introductory understanding of the history of world cinema. It will provide an understanding of the development of film as a narrative medium, of key filmmakers, films, and the main elements of film grammar. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The work of the course consists of attendance at class lectures and assigned screenings; reading assigned selections from the text and handouts; taking 3 examinations, 2 written exercises, and quizzes; and participating in class discussions online and offline. REQUIRED FILM SCREENINGS: In addition to attending class, students are required to attend films screened on Tuesday nights at 5:00 at Burdine Auditorium. Check the listing below for the screening times. The film screenings are equivalent to books assigned in a literature course. Just as you would be expected to have read and be familiar with the assigned books in such a course, you need to have seen and be familiar with the assigned films in RTF 314. Therefore, you must attend all of the film screenings. (Student: “But, Mr. Payne, I’ve seen this film before!” Mr. Payne: “So have I. I’ll see you Tuesday night.”) 1 2 LECTURES: Exams will draw extensively but not exclusively on the lectures and film screenings. It is imperative, therefore, that you attend all lectures and screenings. There are courses on this campus where you can skip class, read the text, do well on the exams, and get a good grade in the class. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM. If you cannot attend lectures and film screenings regularly, you should drop now. Each lecture is a multimedia presentation, involving many clips, and PowerPoint slides and is consequently impossible to repeat. If you miss a lecture, it is your responsibility to get the notes from another student, as I will not post my notes or PowerPoint slides. EXAMS: 75% of your grade is based on three in-class examinations, each one counting 25% of your final grade. Roughly, they will be half closed-ended questions (multiple choice, matching, true-false) and half open-ended questions (short answer questions, identification questions, and a couple short essay questions). The exams will primarily cover materials from class lectures, plus questions from the Cook text, the readings, and from the screened films. Failure to take a scheduled exam will result in an automatic zero for that exam. Make-up exams will be given only if arrangements are made in advance of the time of the scheduled exam. If for any reason you cannot take an exam on the date and time scheduled, see, email, or call me before the time of the scheduled exam to make arrangements for a make-up exam. There are no early exams & there is no make-up for the third (i.e., final) exam. Additionally, make-up exams must be taken within one week of the scheduled exam. After that allotted time, an automatic grade of zero will be entered as the student's score for the missed exam. Make-up exams consist ENTIRELY of essay questions. There is no grading curve in RTF 314. WRITING ASSIGNMENT: There will be two short written assignment required of you. A detailed description of each assignment will be given to you at least two weeks in advance of the paper’s deadline. The papers are due on their deadlines, at the beginning of the lecture meeting. These exercises are meant to fulfill four main objectives: 1) to give you an introduction into doing research in film history; 2) to give you a chance to organize your ideas about film history into words; 3) to help you express your ideas about film and film history in a clear and coherent form, and 4) to receive constructive feedback on those ideas. If you do not complete the assignment or miss the deadline, you will receive a zero for that exercise. No late papers will be accepted. 3 FINAL PROJECT: THE TAKE-HOME ESSAY QUESTION (FOR EXAM #3) The second writing project that you will complete is a take-home essay question for the third exam. It is worth 30 points on the third exam. You will be asked to write a formal analysis of a filmmaker not covered in class, using the same approach, called neoformalism, that I employ throughout the semester. You will receive detailed instruction on how to complete this assignment later in the semester. PARTICIPATION: I cannot hear from each of you in the little class time we have every week. Therefore, I encourage you to post your insights regarding the readings and films online. You are expected to submit at least one significant observation every week. A “significant” observation is one that directly invokes that week’s readings, responds to a peer’s comment, and/or contributes to the developing conversation. Weekly comments should also be at least 150 words. I will provide you with the URL on the first day of class. PASS/FAIL ENROLLMENT: Students enrolled in the course on a Pass/Fail basis must make a grade of D or better to pass the course. GRADE BREAKDOWN: Exam #1 = 25% (100 points) Exam #2 = 25% (100 points) Exam #3 = 25% (100 points) Written assignment = 15% (60 points) Participation = 10% (40 points) A = 90—100% (360 total points or higher) B = 80—89% (320-359 points) C = 70—79% (280-319 points) D = 60—69% (240-279 points) F = less than 60% (less than 240 total points) SCHEDULE OF EXAMS: •Exam # 1 – Oct. 2, 2007 (Tues) •Exam # 2 – Nov. 6, 2007 (Tues) •Exam # 3 – Dec. 6, 2007 (Thur) DEPORTMENT: Please have consideration for others: •no talking during class, or during the film screenings •no reading of newspapers or other material •no slamming of desk-tops and/or rustling of backpacks at 1:40 •Please: turn off your cell phones during class or section lectures or film screenings; no text messaging, emailing, web surfing during class or section lectures or film screenings •in general, no rudeness 4 Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment, and submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to all the guidelines described in it, including the guidelines regarding scholastic dishonesty, and agree to adhere to them. Scholastic dishonesty damages both the student's learning experience and readiness for the future demands of a work-career. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. For more information on scholastic dishonesty, please visit the Student Judicial services Web site at: http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/ __________________________________________________ CLASS SCHEDULE Aug. 30 (H) Lesson #1: Introduction -- Syllabus, Schedule, and Goals Reading: Chapter 1 Screening: No screening this week! Sept. 04 (T) Lesson #2: Early cinema: Edison, Méliès, & Lumières Bros. Reading: Chapter 1 Screening: Jaws (1975, d. Spielberg) Sept. 06 (H) Lesson #3: Porter and D.W. Griffith Reading: Chapter 3 Optional: The General (1927, d. Keaton) Sept. 11 (T) Lesson #4: D. W. Griffith (con’t.); Silent Comedy I Reading: Chapter 6 (pp. 169-183) Screening: The Kid (1921, d. Chaplin); Sherlock Jr. (1924, d. Keaton) Sept. 13 (H) Lesson #5: Silent Screen Comedy, Part II: Chaplin and Keaton Reading: Chapter 6 (pp. 169-183) Optional: Sunrise: A Tale of Two Humans (1927, d. F.W. Murnau) 5 Sept. 18 (T) Lesson #6: The Classic Russian Cinema Reading: Chapter 5 Screening: M (1931, d. Fritz Lang) Sept. 20 (H) Lesson #7: The Golden Age of German Silent Cinema Reading: Chapter 4 and pp. 291-295 Optional: I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932, d. Mervyn LeRoy) Sept. 25 (T) Lesson #8: The Coming of Sound and Musicals Reading: Chapter 7 Screening: Singin’ in the Rain (1952, d. Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen) Sept. 27 (H) Lesson #9: Hollywood Studios in the 1930s & the Production Code Reading: Chapter 8: pp. 231-236 Optional: Top Hat (1935, d. Mark Sandrich) Oct. 02 (T) EXAM #1 Screening: The Rules of the Game (1939, d. Jean Renoir) Oct. 04 (H) Lesson #10: Films of Jean Renoir Reading: Chapter 9: pp. 318-326 Optional: Grand Illusion (1937) Oct. 09 (T) Lesson #11: Classic HW Style & the Auteurism / Genre Debate Reading: Chapter 8: pp.
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