Baylor University ● Dept. of Communication Studies, Film & Digital Media Division ● Spring 2011 Lecture: Tuesday / Thursday 11:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m., Castellaw 101 Screening: Wednesday 6:00–10:00 p.m., Castellaw 101 Professor: Dr. James Kendrick Office: Castellaw 119 Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday 12:00–2:00 p.m. All other times by appointment Phone: 710-6061 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://homepages.baylor.edu/james_kendrick COURSE DESCRIPTION This course offers an institutional, aesthetic, and cultural history of motion pictures across the world, starting with the invention of moving picture technologies in the late 19th century and concluding with the ever-rising dominance of the Hollywood blockbuster and the development of digital cinema in the 21st century. In studying the history of motion pictures, we will take into account not only the major figures who influenced their development both technologically and aesthetically, but also the cultural influences, politics, and economic factors that helped shape them. We will consider the development of motion pictures as a narrative form, cultural commodity, political object, art form, and avenue of escapist entertainment. One of the keys emphases in the class will be the historical intersections of various sites of cultural production (movies, television, advertising, censorship, political propaganda, etc.) and how they influence and shape each other. Because the breadth of international film history far exceeds what can be covered in a single semester, this course will focus most heavily on the history of film in the United States, although we also look at various historical moments in the Soviet Union, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland. By the end of the semester, you will • understand the history of narrative film, both American and international; • understand the economic and cultural development of various film industries; • understand how different national film industries respond to social issues; and • be able to analyze the cultural, aesthetic, and historical significance of various films. REQUIRED TEXT Cook, David A. A History of Narrative Film, 4th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2004. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Readings: The reading load for some weeks may be fairly heavy, but it is important that you do the reading before coming to class as they will form the foundation on which lectures and discussions will be built. Any information in the assigned readings, but not covered in class, may appear on the exams. Screenings: Each Wednesday night from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. we will screen one or more films that are relevant to the topics discussed that week. Many screening nights will be double features, so plan accordingly. Viewing these films is crucial to developing a full understanding of film history and the interrelationships among film production, social/political issues, artistic/aesthetic development, government involvement, and other external factors. Therefore, screenings are considered a class meeting and attendance will be taken. Attendance for the screenings will be taken via sign-in and sign-out sheets. Screenings start promptly at 6:00 p.m. and sign-in sheets will be taken up at that point. It is extremely disruptive to those who arrived on time when others show up late and stumble around the room looking for a seat, especially with a class of this size. Therefore, if you arrive late to the screening and have not signed in, you will be counted absent for that screening, no exceptions. Similarly, if you leave early and do not sign out at the end of the screening, you will be counted absent. Note: Some of the films we screen will contain instances of profanity, violence, and sexual situations/nudity. As adults in a university setting, I expect you to approach these films with the seriousness of any subject of study in college. If you have genuine objections to viewing such material, please come see me. 2 Expected Behavior During Screenings: ● The films we watch will often provoke various responses, which is not only acceptable, but expected. Involuntary responses such as laughter and gasps are fine, but under no circumstances should you talk during the screening. It not only distracts you, but others around you. ● Because the films we will be screening in this course are of a historical nature, certain elements of them will seem anachronistic. While there may be a tendency to laugh at the outdated elements, remember that such a response puts up a barrier to your understanding and appreciation of the film. Some such responses may be unavoidable, but you will profit from viewing the films much more if you show them the proper respect by taking into account the historical, social, and industrial contexts in which they were made. ● You should take notes during or immediately after the in-class screening. We will usually take a short break after each screening, and this is a good time to jot down your thoughts, responses, feelings, etc. so you will be better prepared to engage in class discussion. ● If you must leave during a film screening for a bathroom break or some other emergency, please be as quiet as possible when exiting the room. ● Any and all electronic devices, including iPods, PDAs, and especially cell phones, must be turned off during class. You may use a laptop during class to take notes, but it must be shut off during any in-class screenings because the light from the screen is distracting to others. Bi-Weekly Screening Responses: Every other week you are required to write a brief response to one or more of the films from the screenings of the past two weeks. The response should be no less than 300 words in length and should demonstrate a clear attempt to integrate the class screening(s) with the reading, lectures, and/or in-class discussions. That is, it should not be a listing of what you “liked” or “didn’t like” about the film. Instead, it is an opportunity for you to show me how you are connecting the films we screen with the topics we are covering in class. I will drop one screening response grade at the end of the semester, so you can miss one without penalty. You must submit your response via Blackboard no later than the beginning of class (11:00 a.m.) on the Tuesday when they’re due (see the schedule for due dates). Screening responses are not accepted late for any reason, so do not e-mail me your response late. I will not accept it. To submit your response, log in to Blackboard (http://my.baylor.edu) and click on this course. Click on “Assignments” in the lefthand column. This will bring you to the Assignments page where you should see a “View/Complete” link for that week’s screening response. Click on that link and upload your paper on the next page. 3 Attendance/Participation: Participation is essential to the learning process, so it is important that you attend class and be prepared to participate actively. The Wednesday night screenings are mandatory and are considered as part of the attendance policy; missing all or part of a screening is the same as missing a class. You are allowed a combined 4 personal/sick days to use at your discretion for the lectures and screenings (these include excused absences). You will lose 10 points off your attendance/participation grade for each additional absence. The university mandates that you attend at least 75% of all classes. Therefore, if you miss more than 10 classes, you automatically fail. If you are not in your seat at the time attendance is taken, you will be counted absent, no excuses or exceptions. In other words, if you are late, then you may be counted absent, and if you leave early, you may be counted absent. Therefore, it is imperative that you get to class on time. This goes for the screenings, as well. If you do not arrive before the screening begins at 6 p.m. and stay through the end credits of the last film screened, you will not be counted present. Exams: There will be three multiple-choice exams in this class. The questions on the exams will come from lectures, in-class discussions, in-class screenings (both features and clips), and all assigned readings. The third and final exam is not cumulative, but it will have one cumulative essay question that you will be given a week before the exam is given. Make-Up Exam Policy: The only valid excuses for missing a scheduled exam are serious illness or a death in the family. If you miss an exam for either of these reasons, you will need to let me know ahead of time, provide verifiable documentation, and schedule a make-up exam. Otherwise, there are no make-up exams for any reason. No exceptions. GRADING Your grade in this class will be based on the following: • Exam #1 250 pts. • Exam #2 250 pts. • Exam #3 250 pts. • Bi-Weekly Screening Responses 150 pts. (25 pts. each) • Attendance/Participation 100 pts. 1,000 pts. total 4 GRADE BREAKDOWN 900–1,0000 pts. = A 700–770 pts. = C 880–890 pts. = B+ 680–690 pts. = D+ 800–870 pts. = B 600–670 pts. = D 780–790 pts. = C+ 0–590 pts. = F ACADEMIC INTEGRITY In this class, there is an absolute zero tolerance policy on cheating in any form, including plagiarism. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the university’s policies and what constitutes plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty in the Baylor Honor Code (http://www.baylor. edu/honorcode). If you are caught cheating in any way, at the minimum you will receive a zero for that assignment, although the penalty may be more severe, depending on the circumstances.