INTRODUCTIONTOFILMANDMEDIASTUDIES

Thiscourseisanintroductiontothebasicconceptsoffilmanalysisandtopicsinfilmandmediastudies.Itoperatesonthepremisethatbeforeyoucanexploremorecomplexadvancedmovingimagetheory,criticism,andhistory,youmustfirstdevelopexpertiseinanalyzingthebasicelementsofformandstyle.Thuswewilldevoteseveralweekstobuildingaprecisevocabularytodescribemise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, and sound in filmwith the goal that youwilllearntotracethefunctionofstyleandformwithinasceneandacrossafilm.Withtheseskills,youcanenhanceyoureverydayviewingoffilm(andtelevision),build upon this knowledge in subsequent visualmedia courses, and generallybecomeamorediscerningconsumerandproducerofvisualdiscourse.Onceweworkthroughthenutsandboltsoffilmanalysis,wewillexplorevariousmodesof filmmaking and introductory critical methods related to genre, art andexperimental cinema,thedocumentaryandessayfilm,andvideogaming.Youwillbeexpectedtoengagefamiliarfilmsinunfamiliarwaysandtoworkthroughfilmsthatmaynotbeasaccessible.Thisisarigorousanddemandingclass;itisnotfilmappreciation.

CMA1600MWF11:10am-12noon

Instructor:LutzKoepnickForquestionspleasecontact:lutz.koepnick@vanderbilt.edu

Fall2017

________________Filmstobediscussedinclude:• RunLolaRun(1997)• Memento(2001)• ChildrenofMen(2006)• Cache(2005)• DotheRightThing(1989)• TheConversation(1974)• IloveLucy(1951)• BreakingBad(2008)• GameofThrones(2011)• Experimentalfilmsby

Richter,Ruttmann,Deren,andBrakhage

• TurinHorse(2012)• WaltzwithBashir(2008)• TheGreenWave(2010)• Existenz(1999)• Singin’intheRain(1952)• DancerintheDark(2000)• Transformers:Ageof

Extinction(2014)

WeeklyscreeningsMondaysat8:30pm.

COURSEINFORMATION

SCREENINGSThefilmsforthisclasshavebeenchosentoillustrateconceptsinfilmanalysisandtointroduceyoutoavarietyoftypesoffilmmaking.Whilewehopeyouwillenjoythescreenings,theirprimarypurposeistohelpyoubuildyourskillsandexpandthebreadthofyourknowledge.Approachthesefilmswithanopenandattentivemind!Youareexpectedtowatchthefilmscarefullyfrombeginningtoendduringoneoftheweeklydesignatedscreeningtimes,andyouwillbeaskedtorecallspecificdetailsfromthem.Youareexpectedtotakenotesduringthescreeningssothatyoucanremember specific examples related to the use of sound, camera work, mise-en-scene, editing, and narrativestructure/form.Filmnoteswillalsobenefityoucomeexamtime.

REQUIREDTEXTSMaterialsmarked“BRSP”inthecourseschedulewillbemadeavailableelectronically.ThemaintextbookforthisclassisavailableforpurchaseattheVanderbiltUniversityBookstore:DavidBordwell,KristinThompson,andJeffSmith:FilmArt:AnIntroduction.EleventhEdition.NewYork:McGraw-Hill,2016.

ClassTime Lecture:MW11:10-12:00|Subsection:F11:10-12:00

Room Lecture:Buttrick103Subsection1:Stevenson1312Subsection2:Stevenson1310Subsection3:Buttrick103

Instructor LutzKoepnick

Email lutz.koepnick@vanderbilt.edu

Telephone 615.875.9065

Office Furman121A

OfficeHours Tu2-4,andbyappointment

TAs KateSchaller(katherine.m.schaller@vanderbilt.edu)• OfficeHours:Monday1-3pm(JJ’s,1912Broadway)

NadejdaWebb(nadejda.i.webb@vanderbilt.edu)• OfficeHours:Thursday4-6pm(Atmalogy,2320WestEnd)

Screenings M8:30-11:00pm(Buttrick103)

Subsections Subsection1:KateSchaller[StudentswithlastnameA-E]Subsection2:NadejdaWebb[StudentswithlastnameF-L]Subsection3:LutzKoepnick[StudentswithlastnameM-Z]

GRADEDISTRIBUTION

COURSEPOLICIESATTENDANCE:Youareexpectedtoattendalllectures,subsections,andweeklyscreenings.Arriveontimetolectures,subsections,andscreeningssoasnottodisturbothers.Remainquietduringthescreening.Donottalkormakeotherexcessivenoise.Studentswhoaredisruptiveduringthefilmorlecturewillbeaskedtoleaveandmaysufferapenaltyontheirfinalgradeasaresultofthisbehavior.Astudentwhomissesmorethantwoclassesmayexpectapenaltyforeverysubsequentabsenceonthefinalgrade.Astudentwhomissessixormoreclasseswillfailbasedonattendancealone.PARTICIPATION:Eighteenpercentofyourgradeisbasedonyourclassparticipation.Youareexpectedtocometoclasshavingdonethereadingand,onWednesdaysandFridays,withnotesfromthefilm.Goodparticipantsarereadytojumpintoclassdiscussioneveryday.Theircommentsandquestionsareinformedbythereadingandfilm,andtheywillhaveexamplesfromthereadingandfilmtosupporttheirobservations.Aboveall,theyarerespectfulofotherstudentsandareconsistentlythoughtfulintheircomments.MOBILETECHNOLOGYINTHECLASSROOM:Laptop/tabletuseinlecturesisnotrecommended.Usingyourlaptoportablettotakenotesoftenleadstocheckingemailandsocialmediaorbrowsingtheinternet.Thishindersyourlearningandhasalsobeenshowntodistractthosearoundyou.Therefore,Ihighlyrecommendtakingnotesonpaper.Ifyouchoosetouseyourlaptoportabletinclass,pleasesitinoneofthesidesectionsofthelecturehall.NOLAPTOPORTABLETUSEINTHECENTERSECTIONOFTHELECTUREHALL.Also,pleasekeepyourcellphonesonsilentandputawayinyourbagorpocket.Ifyouuselaptops,tabletcomputers,orsmartphonesinclass,youmayonlydosototakenotes

LectureParticipation 5%

SubsectionParticipation 13%

3Quizzes 10%

Paper1(due9/22/17;3-4pages) 15%

Paper2(due12/1/17;5-6pages) 15%

Mid-term(10/6/17) 10%

FinalExam(12/15/17@9am) 20%

WeeklyFilmResponse 10%

FinalSelf-Assessment 2%

and,bybrowsing forandretrievingrelevant information,contributeproductively toourdiscussion.Otherusesoflaptops,tablets,andsmartphonesarenotallowed.PAPERSANDEXAMS:Therearefourprincipalassignmentsforthisclass:twoexamsandtwopapers.Astudentwhodoes not complete all four of these assignmentswill fail the class regardless of the grades earned on the otherassignments.Make-upexamsareONLYpossibleforemergenciesandforreligiousholidayswithadvancenotice(seepolicybelow).Nolatepaperswillbeaccepted.QUIZZES:Wewillhaveperiodicquizzesinclassonthefilm,reading,andlecturematerial.Therewillbenomake-upquizzes,butIwilldropyourlowestquizwhencalculatingfinalgrades.ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: I will not tolerate plagiarism or other violations of Vanderbilt’s Honor System. Formoreinformation,see:http://www.vanderbilt.edu/student_handbook/the-honor-system/READINGS:Readings shouldbecompletedasnoted in thecourse schedule.Noteverything in the readingwillbecoveredinclassandsomereadingscanbedifficult.Thus,itisimportantthatyoureadcloselyandtakenotes.Youareresponsibleforthecontentinthereadingsevenwhenthematerialdoesnotcomeupexplicitlyinclass.Ifyoudonotunderstandelementsofthereading,youshouldfeelfreetoaskquestionsinclassorinofficehours.RESERVE:AllfilmswewatchinclassaswellasthefilmsforthepaperassignmentwillbeonreserveattheMainLibraryso that you may review the films after our initial screening. To find reserve films, go to the library website.http://acorn.library.vanderbilt.eduandclickonthecoursereservestab.Youareexpectedtowatchthefilmsforthefirst time on the big screen during the designated screening nights. Clips of films shown during lecture andrecommendedfilmswillnotbeonreserve.SPECIALACCOMMODATIONSFORSTUDENTSWITHDISABILITIES:TheCinemaandMediaArtsProgramiscommittedtomakingeducationalopportunitiesavailabletoallstudents.Inorderforitsfacultymemberstoproperlyaddresstheneedsofstudentswhohavedisabilities,itisnecessarythatthosestudentsapproachtheirinstructorsassoonasthesemester starts, preferably on the first day of class. They should bring an official letter from the OpportunityDevelopmentCenter(2-4705)explainingtheirspecificneedssothattheirinstructorsareawareofthemearlyonandcanmaketheappropriatearrangements.WARNING:Wewillbewatchingfilmsthatcontaingraphicviolenceandnudity,andthatdealwithadultthemes.Ifyouthinkthiscontentwilloffendordisturbyou,youshouldreconsideryourenrollmentinthisclass.Pleasefeelfreetotalktomeifyouhavequestionsorconcerns.RELIGIOUSHOLIDAYS:Studentswhoexpecttomissclasses,examinations,oranyotherassignmentasaconsequenceoftheirreligiousobservanceshouldprovidemewithnoticeofthedatesofreligiousholidaysonwhichtheywillbeabsentnolaterthanMonday,September1st,2017.OFFICEHOURS:Iamhappytotalktoyouduringscheduledofficehours(andbyappointment)aboutthematerialinthisclass.Ifyouwanttodiscussyourperformanceintheclassoragradeearnedonapaperorexam,youmustbringwithyouyournotesfromlecture,readings,andscreeningstothemeeting.

WeekOne:Introduction

8/23/17Introduction

8/25/17:Subsections

WeekTwo:FilmArtandForm

8/28/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter1:“FilmasArt”)

8/28/17Screening:Run,LolaRun(1998,dir.TomTykwer,80min.)

8/30/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter2:“FilmForm”)

9/1/17:Subsection

WeekThree:Narrative

9/4/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter3:“NarrativeForm”)

9/4/17Screening:Memento(2001,dir.ChristopherNolan,113min.)

9/6/17Kaufman,“Mindgames:ChristopherNolanRemembersMemento”[BRSP]

9/8/17:SubsectionQUIZ1

WeekFour:Mise-en-Scene

9/11/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter4:“TheShot:Mise-en-scene”)

9/11/17Screening:ChildrenofMen(2006,dir.AlfonsoCuarón,109min.)

CourseSchedule

PARTONE:CONCEPTSOFFORMANDSTYLE

9/13/17“TheConnectingofHeartbeats”(NashvilleSceneinterviewwithCuarón)[BRSP]9/15/14:Subsection

WeekFive:Cinematography

9/18/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter5:“TheShot:Cinematography”)

9/18/17Screening:Caché(2005,dir.MichaelHaneke,117min.)

9/20/17Osterweil,“Caché”[BRSP]9/22/17:SubsectionPAPER1DUE

WeekSix:Editing

9/25/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter6:“TheRelationofShottoShot”)

9/25/17Screening:DotheRightThing(1989,dir.SpikeLee,120min.)

9/27/17Willis,“DotheRightThing”[BRSP]Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(pp.410-415)9/29/17:Subsection

WeekSeven:Sound

10/2/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter7:“SoundinCinema”)

10/2/17Screening:TheConversation(1974dir.FrancisFordCoppola,113min.)

10/4/17Chion,“TheTwelveEars”[BRSP]10/6/14:MidtermExam

WeekEight:StylesofTelevision

10/9/17Copeland,“AHistoryofTelevisionStyle”[BRSP]

10/9/17Screening:ILoveLucy(episode)|BreakingBad(episode)|GameofThrones(episode)

10/11/17Frankel,“TheBingeBangTheory”

10/13/17:NoClass—Fallbreak

WeekNine:WhatisExperimentalCinema?

10/16/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(“ExperimentalCinema,”pp.369-386)

10/16/17Screening:HansRichterProgramScreening:WaltherRuttmann,OpusIScreening:MayaDeren,MeshesintheAfternoon(1943)Screening:StanBrakhageProgramScreening:HollisFrampton,Lemon(1969)Screening:ApichatpongWeerasethakul,Ashes(2012)Screening:FrancisAlÿs,ReelUnreel(2011)

10/18/17Camper,"IntroductiontoStanBrakhage"[BRSP]Brakhage,"InDefenseoftheAmateur”[BRSP]

10/20/17:Subsection

WeekTen:WhatisArtCinema?

10/23/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(466-479,483-488)Bordwell,“TheArtCinemaasaModeofFilmPractice”[BRSP]

10/23/17Screening:TurinHorse(2012,dir.BelaTarr,146min.)

PARTTWO:MOVINGIMAGESBETWEENARTANDENTERTAINMENT

10/25/17GaltandSchoonover,“TheImpurityofArtCinema”[BRSP]Flanagan,“TowardanAestheticofSlowinContemporaryCinema”[BRSP]

10/27/14:SubsectionQUIZ2

WeekEleven:AnimatingtheDocumentary

10/30/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(350-377)Andrew,“TheEssayFilm”[BRSP]

10/30/17Screening:WaltzwithBashir(2008,dir.AriFolman,90min.)Screening:TheGreenWave(2010,dir.AliSamadiAhadi,80min.)

11/1/17Landesman&Bendor,“AnimatedRecollectionandSpectatorialExperience”[BRSP]Taylor,“Iranian'Wave'RisesToEuphoria,CrashesInDespair”[BRSP]

11/3/17:Subsection

WeekTwelve:GamingCultures

11/6/17Galloway,“OriginsoftheFirstPersonShooter”[BRSP]Bogost,HowtoDoThingswithVideogames(sel)[BRSP]

11/6/17Screening:Existenz(1999,dir.DavidCronenberg,97min)

11/8/17Jenkins,“GameDesignasNarrativeArchitecture”[BRSP]

11/10/17:Subsection

WeekThirteen:CinemaandGenre1

11/13/17Bordwell/Thompson,FilmArt(Chapter9:“FilmGenres”)

11/13/17Screening:Singin’intheRain(1952,dir.StanleyDonen,103min.)

11/15/17Dyer,“EntertainmentandUtopia”[BRSP]Feuer,“TheSelf-reflectiveMusicalandtheMythofEntertainment”[BRSP]

11/17/17:SubsectionQUIZ3

WeekFourteen:CinemaandGenre2

11/27/17Dogme95:“TheManifesto”&“TheVowofChastity”[BRSP]11/27/14Screening:DancerintheDark(2000,dir.LarsvonTrier,140min.)

11/29/17Arroyo,“HowDoYouSolveaProblemLikevonTrier?”[BRSP]

12/1/17:SubsectionPAPER2DUE

WeekFifteen:MediaConvergenceandInformationalOverflow

12/4/17Jenkins,“WorshipattheAltarofConvergence”[BRSP]

12/4/17

Screening:Transformers:AgeofExtinction(2014,dir.MichaelBay)

12/6/17McCullough,AmbientCommons:AttentionintheAgeofEmbodiedInformation(sel)[BRSP]

FINALEXAM

12/15/17:9:00am

(Alternative:12/11/1712noon)