Course Syllabus

cinemaclipart.jpgFLM 240: THE ART OF FILM


Chesapeake College, SPRING 2016
Instructor: Barbara Miller, B.A.A. Television & Film Production, M.A. in Teaching


Class Times: Tues. and Thurs. Mornings, 7:45-9am, Easton High School Rm. 103
Tuesday Evenings, 6:30-9:15 pm, Wye Mills, HUMANITIES, H-103


E-mail: Please use the internal course communication tool in Canvas to contact me
about any course questions or concerns at barbaramiller@skipjack.chesapeake.edu


Office Hours: E-mailing is best, but I can be available to answer questions 15 minutes
before class start time, too. To be efficient with time, please schedule in advance so I can
be prepared for your questions, and have time set aside for you.


Catalog Course Description: An introduction to film as artistic communication.
Critical viewing and exploration of film techniques are undertaken in areas such as
animation, documentation, comedy, drama, propaganda, and social awareness. Three
hours per week. (3 credits.)


Required Resources:
• Textbook - Sikov, E. (2010.) Film Studies: An Introduction. New York, NY:
   Columbia University Press. ISBN: 9780231142939
• Internet access and student access to Canvas is vital for assignments, due dates,
   discussion posts, to submit completed assignments, and to see grades. Also, some
   online discussions may require following a posted link to an Internet video clip,
   so access to a computer that has Internet with video clip play capabilities will be
   needed outside of class.


Additional Recommended Resources:
• Journal for note taking, and a book light or lighted pen for note taking during
   class screenings may be useful. (Cell phones should be put away during class.)
• Access to Netflix, Amazon Prime, or some other movie provider is recommended.
   If a student misses an in-class screening of a film, he or she is expected to find a
   way to view that film outside of class. For analysis writing assignments, viewing
   a film at least three times is recommended. Some films may be found at the
   public library, or the Chesapeake College Library, but not all. I will
   provide several film title options from which to choose for assignments and
   analysis essays. Some are well-known classics, and some are less known foreign
   or independent films. The wider your access, the more choices you will have.


Course Goals - The goals for this course  are that students will be able to:
1. Develop an appreciation of film as an art form and as both a reflection of and creator of its culture.
2. Develop an awareness of film techniques and terminology.
3. Situate current film making in an historical context.


Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking this course, a student should be able to:

  1. Identify and purposefully use the vocabulary of film studies to analyze film as art.
  2. Analyze films, reflecting an awareness of the scholarship of film, and an understanding of the vocabulary of cinema studies and cinematic techniques.
  3. Analyze the relationships of films to their social, historical, technological, and cultural contexts, including genre.

Methods of Instruction:
Attending class is extremely important! There are so many films, and so little time to
view them all, that class meeting times will be spent viewing a vast sampling of films
throughout cinematic history, and then discussing the technical, artistic, and social points
communicated. There will also be brief filmmaking appreciation exercises, individual
and group presentations, and all students are expected to participate in class and online
discussions. Some of these discussions may be referred to in quizzes or essays. Reading
your text will prepare you to better understand the film techniques we are seeing in class
and help you understand the vocabulary. Quizzes will also reinforce that you are learning
correct film studies terminology and how they apply to the films shown in class.

*Close frame by frame, shot by shot, scene by scene, and story analysis requires multiple
viewings, so consider what films you know well and have frequent access to before
deciding on your film choices for analyses assignments.

Out of Class Preparation:

Students are expected to do a minimum of two hours of work outside of class for every hour in class. Some assignments may require more time.


Evaluations:

  • Participation – Attendance, in class activities, & discussions = 20%
  • Assignments – Observations and Reflections = 20%
  • Quizzes –Reading, vocabulary, films shown in class = 10%
  • Essays and/or presentations and/or project (3 Total) = 30%
  • Midterm and Final = 20%

A = 90% or above, B = 80% or above, C = 70% or above, D = 60% or above,
F = Below 60%


Course Guidelines:
This is YOUR college education – get the most out of it!
Be present - This means be there, both physically and mentally, and on time.
Tardiness is disruptive to all of us, and to the effectiveness of a film.


Be respectful - This means cell phones are on vibrate and put away, you’re in
class on time, and you’re encouraging others to consider, question, and think with
the class. If you disagree with someone’s perspective, then respectfully agree to
disagree.


Be responsible – Come to class prepared, so our time together is a continuation
of the learning you’ve been doing at home. Ask if you have a question. Make an
appointment if you would like further help. Be on Canvas weekly so you won’t
miss announcements, links, assignments, or grading rubrics for assignments, and
so you can plan and discuss with your peers. Collaborate with your classmates.
Teamwork is a necessity in filmmaking, and so any group projects about film
should take the same approach! Be proactive; get your partners’ contact
information. Check in with them regularly, hold each other accountable, and turn
your assignments in on time. An assignment is late if it is not turned in by the
start time of the class on a due date. The student will lose a letter grade for each
day that the assignment is late. Presentations missed may not be able to be
rescheduled, and therefore a written paper may be required to be submitted in its
place, with a letter grade deduction for each day late from the original
presentation due date.


Academic honesty and integrity are non-negotiable. This course is designed so
that you learn the “tools of the trade,” observe how they are utilized, and then
draw your own conclusions with supporting evidence and commentary. Art is
usually subjective, and we experience it differently because of our different
experiences or backgrounds. I want to know what your thoughts and ideas are,
and if you find facts or quotes from other filmmakers or academia that support
your thoughts, cite your sources accordingly. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.


*Please use the resources from the Canvas LRC Services tab.
Under LRC Services, find the Citing Your Work tab, and follow the
links to the Purdue OWL or Noodlebib for MLA or APA citations.
You can also get online grammar help, or make an appointment with
a tutor from LRC Services.


Academic Accommodations – If you have a documented disability and need an
   accommodation plan, please contact Ms. Judy Gordon as soon as possible. She is
   located in the LRC, Room L-114, at 410-827-5805, or Email:
   jgordon@chesapeake.edu


Inclement Weather – If Chesapeake College officially cancels classes, please keep up
with any assigned reading or assignments. Due dates will still be the same, unless I tell
you otherwise. Announcements regarding morning cancellation will normally be
provided by 6:15 a.m. Announcements regarding evening cancellation will normally
begin at 3:30 p.m. In some cases, Chesapeake College courses are scheduled in public
school facilities. When the public school system closes due to inclement weather, the
college’s course must also be cancelled even though courses may be held at other sites.
The college will also use Twitter as a means of sending messages regarding emergency
situations and closings/delays due to weather. Sign up for Twitter alerts by choosing to
follow @ChesCollAlerts at twitter.com.


Academic Emergency Management Plan
In the event that Chesapeake College needs to close for an extended period of time due to
a flu pandemic, severe weather event, or other emergency situation, consideration will be
given to the timing and duration of the closure as follows:
• Closure during the semester for up to one week – there will be an opportunity to
make up work missed without significant alteration to the semester calendar.
• Closure extending beyond one week (or in situations where classes are cancelled
on the same days/evenings over multiple weeks) – the College may extend the
length of the semester. Depending on the timing of the closure, scheduled breaks,
end of semester dates, and/or the processing of final grades might be impacted.
Students can acquire information about closures on the College website or by calling
410-822-5400 or 410-228-4360. Chesapeake College courses held at off campus sites
will follow the protocol of the host facility.

Gender-Based Misconduct Policy:

Chesapeake College prohibits sexual misconduct and sex discrimination by or against all students, employees, and campus guests.  If you have any questions or concerns or if you need to make a complaint, contact Chesapeake’s Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources Director, Susan Cianchetta, scianchetta@chesapeake.edu, or by phone at (410) 827-5811.  Please note: If you choose to report sexual misconduct or sex discrimination to a faculty member, that individual is required to report the incident (including the names of alleged perpetrators, and all the facts surrounding the misconduct to our Title IX Coordinator.) You may request that we keep your name confidential, but we may not be able to do so. If you do not want this information reported, you may share the information confidentially with counseling, advocacy, health, mental health, or sexual-assault-related services. For detailed information about policy, procedures, prevention education, and sources of counseling, advocacy and support, please see Chesapeake’s Gender-Based Misconduct Policy at http://www.chesapeake.edu/consumer/Gender-BasedMisconductPolicy.pdf

 

*If you have read this entire syllabus, e-mail me now for extra credit! Subject line: “Read Entire Syllabus = Extra Credit.”   :)

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due