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SEMESTER 2, 2019

15 points

 

 

                                         Well-Being Always Comes First

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there. For more information, look at this Canvas page, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

 

Course Convenor:  Dr. Jenny Stümer

 Email - jenny.stuemer@auckland.ac.nz

 Office - HSB (building 201E), rm 526
 Office Hours: Tuesday 1-2; Friday 11-12

Tutors/GTAs:

Emma Blackett: ebla035@aucklanduni.ac.nz

office hour: Friday 1-2 Manaaki/ Arts Student Centre

Matt Allan: mall745@aucklanduni.ac.nz

office hour: Thursday 1-2 (201-E 528)

Amy Taylor: atay811@aucklanduni.ac.nz

office hour: Thursday: 10-12 (201-E 528)

Reuben Fong: rfon572@aucklanduni.ac.nz

office hour: Thursday 1-2 (201-E 534)

 

Course delivery:

Lectures: Thursdays 2:00PM to 4:00PM Owen G Glenn, Room 115

Tutorials: 1 hour per week * Tutorials start in week 1

Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

Screening (optional):

We will screen the films each Friday: 2:00PM to 5:00PM Human Science - North, Rm 352

*note this comes up as workshop on SSO

Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

Class reps:

Evelina Nestecka, enes876@aucklanduni.ac.nz
Bailey Brannon, bbra707@aucklanduni.ac.nz
Grayson Beban, gbeb744@aucklanduni.ac.nz
Chui Yee Wong, cwon690@aucklanduni.ac.nz​

Course Description:              

This course provides an introduction to the formal techniques and conventions of feature filmmaking and presents some of the main traditions of film criticism. Over the semester students will become acquainted with the basic concepts of Film Studies, gain an appreciation for the depth and richness of narrative film, and acquire critical and analytical viewing skills.
  
Drawing on films from different periods, there will be an emphasis on six main technical elements of film construction: editing, sound, cinematography, genre, mise-en-scène and narrative. In order to place these elements in context and investigate them in relation to each other, students will study a set of films to gain a comparative perspective, while acquiring technical vocabulary for the study of film. Furthermore, there will be considerable emphasis placed on the importance of developing skills for writing about film.
  
The tutoring and assessment processes of this course are designed to enable students to achieve and demonstrate their critical and analytical capabilities within the discipline. The successful completion of this course demonstrates that students have acquired the skills necessary to undertake film courses at Stage II. It is also the first step in acquiring the academic and literacy competencies that enable students to meet the Media, Film and Television Graduate Profile by their final year of undergraduate study.

 

Lectures Schedule:

I: The Myth and the Spectacle: Cinema begins…

Week 1 Introduction: Film begins

 

II: Hollywood vs. The French New Wave: Editing Iconic Styles and Style Icons

Week 2 Some Like it Hot

Week 3 Cleo from 5 to 7

 

III: Sound Illusions: Hearing Film – Erasing Voices

Week 4 Singin' in the Rain

 

IV: Cinematography and Genre: Vampires around the World

Week 5 A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

Week 6 What We Do in the Shadows

 

V: Imagining History through Mise-en-Scène: Memory and Nostalgia

Week 7 The Grand Budapest Hotel

Week 8 Goodbye Lenin!

 

VI: Perspective and Special Effects: Mapping the World through the Child’s Eye

Week 9 Coraline

Week 10 Beasts of the Southern Wild

 

VII: Wakanda Forever - The Superhero Blockbuster and Radical Politics

Week 11 Black Panther (Guest lecturer: Dr. Neal Curtis)

 

VIII Final Credits

Week 12 Exam Review

 

Course outcomes:

A student who successfully completes this course will be able to

  • learn how to view films with an understanding of their historical, industrial and/or social background
  • understand the key concepts of film studies as well as the main traditions of film criticism
  • understand film as an aesthetic construct consisting of various formal elements
  • carry out film analysis based on a strong understanding of film techniques and their effects
  • acquire skills related to writing critically about film

 

How to succeed in film studies:

Every course consists of several components. Film courses typically consist of the following:
 
Lectures
Reading Assignments
Film Screenings / Viewings
Tutorials
Written Assignments & Final Exam
 
Students substantially increase the quality of their performance and therefore their grade when they commit to all of these components. Students should ensure that they view each assigned film prior to that week's lecture, and that they complete readings and class exercises prior to each week's tutorial. Regular attendance at lectures and tutorials is important, and attendance at tutorials receives an assessment grade.

Assessment Summary:

Weekly exercises and tutorial participation: 10%
Film analysis: 15%
Film essay: 25%
Final exam: 50 %

 

Prescribed Text (available from UBIQ):

The Film Experience: An Introduction. Patricia White and Timothy Corrigan, New York: Bedford/St.Martins, 5th Edition, 2018.

Recommended Texts:

Recommended readings in the form of articles or chapters related to specific films will be made available on Canvas under 'Reading Lists'.

 

Additional learning resources:

Lecture slides: posted on Canvas after each week's lecture (see Modules)

Lecture recordings: While we will post lecture recordings on Canvas, this is never a substitute for lecture attendance. We cannot guarantee that the recording technology will work smoothly each week or that recordings will be made available before the relevant tutorial (at which you will be required to discuss issues raised in the lecture). We may also edit material out for copyright reasons. International research has shown that students learn more effectively by using recordings to supplement in-class learning e.g. for clarifying or revising specific material, rather than relying on them as an alternative to attendance.

 

Screening Schedule 2019

*Fridays Human Sciences - North, Rm 352 (2pm -5pm)

26 July 2019

Some like it hot, dir. Billy Wilder

2 August 2019

Cleo from 5 to 7, dir. Agnes Varda

9 August 2019

Singin’ in the Rain dir. Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen

Illusions, dir. Julie Dash

16 August 2019

A Girl Walks home alone at Night, dir. Ana Lily Amirpour

23 August 2019

What We do In the Shadows, dir. Taika Waititi

30 August 2019

The Grand Budapest Hotel, dir. Wes Anderson

20 September 2019

Goodbye Lenin!, dir. Wolfgang Becker

27 September 2019

Coraline, dir. Henry Selick

4 October 2019

Beasts of the Southern Wild, dir. Benh Zeitlin

11 October 2019

Black Panther, dir. Ryan Coogler

 

Workload and submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material.

You should submit your work on time. If you find yourself in circumstances that prevent you from submitting the assignment on time, you may seek an extension, but please do so before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension will be penalised by loss of marks (1 mark/point per day). There should be a good reason for seeking an extension (e.g. illness, family emergency, etc.) and it will be up to your tutor or the lecturer to determine whether your situation warrants more time for the assignment. In general, we can only help you, if we know what is going on, so please come and talk to us.

Course summary:

Date Details Due