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UNIT 8

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Unit 8 Overview CinemaWhether it’s a sci-fi thriller or a

documentary, films employ many humanities elements. In this unit we’ll discover how film uses the elements of art, literature, music, myth, morality, and happiness in order to communicate its messages.

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Before we start though I want to share my Upper Michigan slides for this week’s class introduction ….

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN SLIDE OF THE WEEK

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Sunset at Indian Lake

Manistique, Michigan

NORTHERN MICHIGAN SLIDE OF THE WEEK

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Tranquility at Indian Lake

Manistique, Michigan

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Now we are going to get into our class topics for this week about Cinema.

We will read about genres and examples of filmmaking, and study the impact upon audiences of this powerful medium of expression.

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This week you will read about genres and examples of filmmaking, and study the impact upon audiences of this powerful medium of expression.

Read the chapter "Cinema" in The Art of Being Human. Students can access PDF copies of the textbook in Doc Sharing.

Also refer to the Web resources for this unit.

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Additional Resources for Cinema

A resource for short online films with various points of view: POV

Independent films that you can stream online

An Oscar nominated cinematographer, Christian Berger, shows a series of images and discusses why a modern filmmaker might choose to work in Black and White, instead of in color.

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Reading Read the chapter “Cinema” in your textbook.

Web Resources View the Cinema resources.

Discussion Participate in this week's Discussion. 50 points

Seminar Participate in a synchronous discussion of unit concepts.

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Question 1 Watch the 20-minute short film “Plastic Bag.”

http://futurestates.tv/episodes/plastic-bag As you watch, evaluate how the film

demonstrates elements from (at least two other units in) this course. For example, are there mythic elements? How are images used as art? What is the story and can you relate to it? Does the film offer a moral dilemma? How does music function in the film? How is happiness is addressed?

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Question 2 You have been hired as a film critic. Choose a

movie you have seen that either reinforces stereotypes about groups of people, or works to break down those stereotypes. For example, what is the film’s portrayal of soldiers, nurses, minority groups, or members of certain religions? You do not need to discuss these groups, but use this as a list to get you thinking. Take a critical view and discuss what evidence is presented that leads us to conclusions about one group of people in the film. It may be helpful to refer to “Notes on Critical Viewing” at the end of this week’s reading.

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Write a brief review of this movie, including a summary of the plot, discussion of the treatment of groups in the film, an assessment of the overall message, and a star rating (1 out of 5, with 1 meaning “Do not watch this film” and 5 meaning the film is “strongly recommended). There is not a set length, but you must give the reader a clear understanding of your point, the connections, and what you believe they communicate.

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The chapter discusses a variety of genres in film. In seminar, we will discuss these genres, as well as the purpose of film and its techniques.

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Which genres appeal most to you? Are there some film genres that you have not seen? Why do some genres appeal while others do not?

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What do you think the purpose of film is? Should it communicate a moral lesson? Should it merely entertain?

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What impact do special effects have on a film? Do you need a strong plot and characters, or can special effects be sufficient?

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Your Final Project for this course will be a virtual time capsule. A time capsule is a grouping of items for future discovery. For our purposes, we will imagine that our time capsule will be buried at the end of the course and opened 100 years later.

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The goal of our capsule is to provide an overview of what you believe future generations should remember about the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The project can be composed in Microsoft Word or Powerpoint. It can include multimedia if you wish. It should include the following eight parts:

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A letter of introduction to tell someone in the future about your day-to-day life. What is your daily experience? Tell this person about your habits, your customs, your feelings about our present time, and your dreams for the future.

An example of morality and decision-making in current culture in 100 words or more.

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Your definition of happiness in 100 words or more, including how you came to this view. Next, you will also choose an artifact for each of the following areas (4-8). You will explain the item in one paragraph, giving it context, and describing it. Then spend at least one paragraph justifying its inclusion in the time capsule:

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Why is this item worth preserving for the future, and what does it communicate about our culture today? Why this object above all the other possibilities?

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A significant literary work (poem, short story, play, or novel.)

A significant example of art or architecture.

A significant song or group of songs.

A significant film.

A significant item from popular culture (a toy, gadget, fad, etc.)

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Your final project must be original work written for this class. This means that you must be the author (turning in a project written by someone else is plagiarism and will not be tolerated) and you must not have turned in your project (or another version of it) for a grade in another class.

The final project will be due at the end of Unit 9.

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Are there any questions for me?

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The End

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