MEA1004 Cinematic Language

Contents

• Staffing
• Rationale
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Texts
• Reference materials
• Student workload
• Assessment details
• Graduate qualities and skills
• Important assessment information
• Assessment notes
• Production date
• PDF version

STAFFING

RATIONALE

Through a program of weekly screenings and seminars students will be introduced to the skills of audio-visual film analysis and the basic analytical terminology of Cinema Studies. This course is intended as an introduction to the history and aesthetics of film, with a strong emphasis on cinema as an art form.

SYNOPSIS

Building on an acquired understanding of the elements of film technique, students will address questions of narrative, spectatorship, and a consideration of film as social and cultural document. Cinematic language will broaden a student's notion of cinema, aims to expand their notions of what film might be, and develops their knowledge of the medium.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of this course students will be able to demonstrate:

1.

creativity and initiative in illustrating how filmmaking has developed as an art form;

2.

critical literacy through oral and written communication of the basic principles of narrative and non-narrative forms of cinema;

3.

professional literacy in the analysis of function of film as a formal construction with particular reference to the artistic elements of film: mise-en-scene, montage, cinematography and sound.

TOPICS

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Borwell, D & Thompson, K 2007, Film art: an introduction, 8th edn, McGraw-Hill Companies, New York.

Cohen, H, Salazar, JF & Barkat, I 2008, Screen media arts: an introduction to concepts and practices, Oxford University Press, Australia.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Aumont, J et al 1992, Aesthetics of film,
(Texas Film Studies Series)

Beaver, F E Dictionary of film terms: the aesthetic companion to film analysis,
(Twayne's Filmmakers Series)

Gledhill, C & Williams, L (eds) 2000, Reinventing film studies, Arnold, London.

Hollows, J, Hutchings, P & Jancovich, M (eds) 2000, The film studies reader, Arnold, London.

McKee, R 1999, Story: substance, structure, style and the principles of screenwriting, Methuen Publishing.

Miller, T & Stam, R (eds) 2003, A companion to film theory, New York University Press.

Murray, J H 1998, Hamlet on the holodeck: the future of narrative in cyberspace, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Ohanian, T A & Phillips, M E 1996, Digital filmmaking, the changing art and craft of making motion pictures, Focal Press, Boston.

Ryan, M L 2001, Narrative as virtual reality: immersion and interactivity in literature and electronic media, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Sloane, S 2000, Digital fictions: storytelling in a material world, Ablex Pub, Stamford, Conn.

Tasker, Y (ed) 2002, Fifty contemporary filmmakers, Routledge, London.

Turkle, S 1995, Life on the screen: identity in the age of the internet, Simon & Schuster, New York.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

NOTES

1.

This assessment item is aligned with Objectives 1 to 3. Assignment date is to be confirmed.

2.

This assessment item is aligned with Objectives 1 to 3. Assignment date is to be confirmed.

3.

This assessment item is aligned with Objectives 1 to 3. Assignment date is to be confirmed.

GRADUATE QUALITIES AND SKILLS

Elements of the following Graduate Skills are associated with the successful completion of this course.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   It is the student's responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. For this course, normal class attendance consists of one 1 hour lecture and one 2 hour tutorial.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To successfully complete an individual assessment item, a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks or a grade of at least C-. This statement must be read in conjunction with Statement 4 below.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without extenuating circumstances and without prior approval, then a penalty of a maximum of 5% of the assigned mark may apply for each working day late, up to a maximum of 10 working days, at which time a mark of zero can be recorded for that assignment.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade, a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   There is no exam for this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Given the details under (6) above, there are no deferred exams for this course. However, if any deferred/makeup work is granted, it would have to be submitted by a date set by the examiner.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6 Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm

ASSESSMENT NOTES

This version produced 11 Dec 2009.