11 Course Description
Introduces film terminology and narrative techniques to explore how film conveys meaning and to study the relationships among film form, content, and audience reception. This course emphasizes active viewing, discussion, and critical analysis of films from different cultures and eras. This is a statewide Guaranteed Transfer course in the GT-AH2 category.
Credit Hours: 3
Contact Hours: 45 (Lecture)
Content Criteria & General Education Competencies, GT-AH2: Literature and Humanities Content Criteria
Students should be able to:
Respond analytically and critically to literary or media works, by addressing all of the following:
a. Specific era(s)
b. Specific culture(s)
c. Themes or major concepts
d. Attitudes and values
General Education Competencies
Written Communication
Develop Content
a. Create and develop ideas within the context of the situation and the assigned task(s).
b. Use Sources and Evidence
c. Critically read, evaluate, apply, and synthesize evidence and/or sources in support of a claim.
d. Follow an appropriate documentation system.
Critical Thinking
Utilize Context
a. Evaluate the relevance of context when presenting a position.
b. Identify assumptions.
c. Analyze one’s own and others’ assumptions.
d. Understand Implications and Make Conclusions
e. Establish a conclusion that is tied to the range of information presented.
f. Reflect on implications and consequences of stated conclusion.
Required Course Learning Outcomes
- Identify the basic elements that constitute film as art.
- Analyze film techniques using discipline-specific vocabulary.
- Evaluate the relationships between film style, narrative structure, thematic content, and audience reception.
- Interpret the cultural impact of cinema and film-related issues.
- Demonstrate college-level writing skills in academic work, using appropriate sources and documentation.
Required Topical Outline
I. Films as cultural expression
II. Formal film techniques
A. Narrative structure
B. Visual design
C. Acting
D. Cinematography
E. Editing
F. Sound design
III. Film genres
IV. Direction and production
V. Written analysis of film
Except for, “written analysis of film,” the subjects listed in the topical outline above are well covered in Chapters One through Ten. Chapter Eleven provides resources, that will aid students in writing about film using academic methodology. It also contains possible assignments that instructors can use and modify.
Because the focus of Humanities courses is the effect that context has on content, our film course focuses on how cultural changes and values affect the making of film.
