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CST 151 N01B Syllabus page 1

JOHN TYLER COMMUNITY COLLEGE CST 151 FILM APPRECIATION I


FALL SEMESTER 2013 SECTION N01B VIRTUAL 3 CREDITS

Professor: Kerrigan Sullivan Phone: 594-1498 Email: ksullivan@jtcc.edu Virtual Office Hour: Virtual Office Hour on Mondays from 5:00 6:00pm EST. On Campus Office Hours also available, email for an appointment. On campus office is E220J, Elides Hall, Midlothian campus.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Provides students with a critical understanding of film through the discussion and viewing of motion pictures with emphasis upon the study of film history and the forms and functions of film. Students will develop skills to analyze the shared social, cultural and historical influences of films and their contexts.

COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completing the course, the student will be able to: Demonstrate a critical understanding of film. Utilize analytical and critical skills needed to understand the elements of a film. Understand the basic concepts, terminology, and techniques of filmmaking and film criticism. Identify and appreciate the forms and functions of film. Analyze the shared social, cultural and historical influences of films and their contexts. Demonstrate familiarity with a representative selection of films. Understand how formal elements create meaning within the medium. Articulate an understanding of how elements present within a given film function. Critically understand basic knowledge of film history, theory, and criticism, as well as research sources and methodology. COURSE TEXT: Course Text: Pramaggiore, Maria. Film: A Critical Introduction, 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2011. Students should also be prepared to spend $45-65 dollars on viewing films. All films are available through Amazon Digital Download. Some are also available through Netflix or iTunes. If you are on a budget, many are also available at local libraries if you plan ahead and reserve the required films. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Participate in 14 weekly discussion boards. 2. Complete 14 weekly quizzes. 3. Check email and course notifications every day. 4. View weekly films and participate in virtual discussions about the films and textbook readings. 5. Complete midterm exam. 6. Submit 3 film analysis papers. 7. Complete final exam. 8. Maintain regular access to a computer and the internet. COURSE MECHANICS This is a virtual course, and is therefore, a different way of learning. We will be covering a substantive amount of material each week during this course and you will have to be able to put in the hours to support the coursework. Many people assume that an online course is easier than traditional face-to-face classes, but research has shown that most students actually find that online learning is more difficult. What makes a successful online student? Here are some basic guidelines:

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1. Know thyself! Take an honest look at yourself before enrolling in an online class. Some students thrive in virtual environments and others hate it. Ask yourself the following questions. If most of your answers are "Yes" you are a good candidate for online courses. If you answer "No", you may want to stick with face-to-face classes. Is this online course a course you need to take immediately for a specific goal? Do you have a minimum of 15 hours a week to spend on class work? Do you prefer to learn at your own pace? Do you prefer to learn on your own? Can you create and stick to a study schedule? Do you have strong reading and writing skills can you read and understand college-level textbooks and write at a college level? Do you have reliable access to an Internet-connected computer? Do you have at least two backup options (ie: local library, JTCC campus computers) should your primary connection fail? Can you read and follow directions accurately? Do you have good basic computer and internet navigation skills? 2. Know the technology! You must have on the FIRST DAY of the semester the technology and the skills to operate a computer, navigate across the Internet, perform word processing and have the ability to send and receive email with attachments. You must be able to listen to course content (using a computer with speakers or headphones) and view digital films. You must also be able to read and write on an average to above-average level as you will be reading your textbook and posting to the discussion forum as well as responding to your classmates postings. Lack of technology or ignorance of how to use it is never an excuse in an online course. 3. Stay connected! Check announcements and e-mail every day. You are responsible for checking announcements and email regularly. If you do not check in for a few days, you may miss important information about current and upcoming assignments. I didnt see the announcement is not an acceptable excuse for missing work or doing an assignment incorrectly. 4. Balance your schedule! Many people take online courses because of other commitments in their lives (family, job, etc.) But you must realize that this course requires a substantial commitment as well (an average 15 hours a week) and that you must be able to make that time commitment in order to be successful in the course. You should build into your weekly schedule specific times to complete the reading assignments, to watch the assigned film, to review and post on the discussion board, to study your notes and take the weekly quizzes, etc. If you put yourself on a regular schedule, you are less likely to miss deadlines. 5. Communicate! I cant help you succeed in this course if you do not reach out to me. You must use your JTCC email to communicate with me, as I cannot release information to you if you use your personal email since your identity cannot be verified. If you have a general question about the course or assignments, etc. please use the Questions discussion board forum to post it. I will not answer general questions via email. I will respond to postings, emails, etc. within 48 hours at most. Usually you will receive a response much sooner. If you are having difficulty in the course, please get in touch sooner rather than later. Dont wait until the last minute to seek help or advice. INTERNET CIVILITY Give to other students and your instructor the respect you would like to receive from them. Appropriate class discussion and questions are welcome. Remember when communicating by email or other electronic means, it is very easy to misinterpret the tone of the message since you are not seeing facial expressions or body language. Students must respect the opinions, beliefs, or lives of others even if there is disagreement. I will not tolerate rude or disrespectful comments. Anyone exhibiting inappropriate or disruptive behavior electronically may, at the instructors discretion, be withdrawn from the class.

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ATTENDANCE POLICY Attendance can be gauged in an online course. Regular participation in the discussion forums and weekly quizzes, the timely submission of required assignments, and the prompt notification of problems in the course all constitute class attendance online. Students who fail to complete weekly class activities: discussion board, quiz, or exam (electronic and/or traditional) by the designated deadline will be considered to have committed an absence. John Tyler has a strict policy on student attendance; we are required to withdraw consistently absent students. If you must be absent but plan to continue in your class, it is recommended that you contact me. These are the attendance rules established by the federal government: Students with absences that are greater than 20% of contact hours will be withdrawn automatically. These absences can be spread out over a number of weeks or they can be concurrent. We do not have a specific meeting time, therefore each week will be considered a class period with a scheduled topic and assignment(s), which can be found on the course calendar at the end of this document. Each week you will find a folder under Course Materials with all the information you need to complete assignments for that week. If a student misses more than 2 weekly online activities they are to be automatically withdrawn from the course. Since this is an online class, attendance will be counted as your consistent weekly participation. As such, you must: 1. Take both proctored exams at the testing centers at JTCC (here is a link to information on testing policies: http://www.jtcc.edu/services/testing-centers/distance-education-testing/ ) 2. Participate every week in the quiz and discussion board forum. a. PRIOR to or by October 30th if you have missed more than two weeks of discussion questions and quizzes OR one week of discussion questions and quizzes and one exam, you will be withdrawn from the course. b. AFTER October 30th if you have missed more than two weeks of discussion questions and quizzes OR one week of discussion questions and quizzes and one exam, you will receive an F. You will only be counted absent if you miss ALL of the required elements for the weekly assignment. (ie: If you complete either the weekly discussion board or the quiz, you will not be counted absent although you will lose points for the missed quiz or discussion board). Any exceptions to this policy are given at the discretion of the instructor. If a major emergency should arise, I may be able to extend some flexibility on attendance. In case of an emergency, you must contact me within 24 hours of the extenuating event. If you ask for an exception, you should be prepared to provide documentation of your extenuating circumstances (ie: emergency room reports, obituary notices, etc.) Because of the public availability of computers on and off campus, computer problems will not be accepted as a reason for lack of participation or absence including late or missing work. MAKE UP POLICY There are no make up policies for the weekly quizzes or discussion boards. You may miss one discussion board and one quiz without a point penalty, but beyond that allowance, your weekly work cannot be made up so make sure to keep up with these assignments each week. Missing more than one week of work will drop your grade rapidly. In terms of the proctored exams, you must schedule your exam with the JTCC testing center two weeks before the week of the exam. Furthermore, try to schedule the exam early during the testing week in case problems arise. If a problem occurs, you need to work with the testing center to reschedule the exam as quickly as possible for later in the exam week. Please keep in mind that extensions for make-up exams past the exam week are not guaranteed. I expect that you will make every effort to take an exam. Nevertheless, sometimes emergencies do arise and I am willing to consider an extension for a make-up exam for certain extreme emergencies (medical issues, car accidents, etc.). However, what you consider an emergency may not be viewed as such by the professor. Before you choose to miss an exam, carefully consider all of your options and be willing to live with your decision. Students interested in an exam extension must contact the professor as soon as possible with a full explanation for why you missed the exam. If the reason is deemed acceptable you must complete the exam in the three days that follow the week of the exam and no later than the final day of the course. You will be required to provide documentation to the professor to verify your account.

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COURSE COMPONENTS

Discussion Boards (14 at 25 points each, one dropped, 325 points total) Once a week (excluding exam weeks), there will be a discussion board related to the material for that week. The discussion board (hereafter abbreviated as DB) is used to further explore certain topics within each unit. The DB discussions cover issues in the textbook reading, extra reading assignments, websites or videos, and Power Point lectures. Students can earn up to 25 points for each of the weekly units. Together, these units constitute 325 points of your final course grade. The DB is the virtual version of a classroom. The DB is a place where the professor posts threads (thread = a central topic for group discussion) within weekly forums (forum = a virtual arena containing various weekly threads). After completing the reading assignments, students log in to the forums and engage in the thread topics. The threads pose questions for the class to discuss, questions that are designed to enrich and promote further understanding of the course material. Student responses are expected to reflect a combination of (1) knowledge of, and references to, the assigned reading material as well as (2) his/her academic analysis of that material. The thread topics are designed to lead to deeper topics of discussion as the weekly discussion develops. Students are responsible for reviewing all threads whether or not they engage in each of them since exam questions may be drawn, in part, from the DBs. The DB also serves as a place where students can interact with each other as a class, posing their own discussion questions to each other about the weeks material. DB weekly schedule and due dates: Each week you are responsible for a minimum of one thread response and three student responses. Below is a schedule of due dates and times for these responses.
Monday New units begin on Mondays at 12:01am when new thread topics are available on the discussion board. Complete the assigned reading for the unit as listed on the course calendar. Review the thread topics on the discussion board in order to begin formulating a response to them. Some weeks there will be a single question to respond to; other weeks there will be several. Make sure to read the instructions so that you know how many questions you are required to respond to, as it will differ week to week. Continue working to complete the assigned reading for the unit and review the supplemental materials provided by the instructor for that unit (podcasts, PowerPoint presentations, key terms, etc.) By now some students may have begun posting responses to the thread topics on the discussion board. Review the discussion board to engage in the discussions if you choose. Your initial thread response is due by 11:59pm. You must post an initial response to the required question(s) for the weeks unit. Aim to introduce original posts including your analysis of the assigned reading material into the thread for maximum points and to help elevate the level of the discussion. Review the Discussion Board Guidelines and Grading document posted under course information on the Bb site before your first posting. Your first student response is due by 11:59pm. You are free to respond to any of your classmates posts from any of the questions for the week (not just the one(s) you responded to). Your second and third student responses are due by 11:59pm. I will post a follow up question between Thursday and Saturday watch for this and consider it in your final responses. You are also encouraged to pose a follow up question to the class. Continue to participate in the discussion board. This includes responding to anyone who has replied to your posts (including the professor). All students are expected to continue participating in the various discussions even after the minimum number of posts is satisfied. The unit ends at 11:59pm. The professor will make some concluding remarks (either via a voice announcement or regular announcement) intended to bring some closure to the unit material. Review these comments as you reflect on the units material. Review each thread topic starting from the topic question to the class discussion to the concluding remarks. Begin reading for the next unit.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday Friday Saturday

Sunday

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Due dates and times are not flexible. Posting time is determined by the posting time on your message as recorded by Blackboard. Therefore your response must be posted by the deadline to avoid a late penalty. When you complete the assigned reading is up to you, of course. My suggestions in the proposed scheme above for when to complete your readings are merely suggestions. However, the thread posts and classmate responses do have set deadlines. If you post past the deadline, you will only receive partial credit and after the unit is closed, no credit. Students who complete only the required minimum four posts will receive a maximum credit of a B or C level score for the units weekly discussion score. If you wish to obtain full credit for your DB postings, you must participate regularly and continually on the DB. Review the Discussion Board Guidelines and Grading document posted under Course Information tab on the Bb site for more specific details on how the DB posts are graded. Thread topics for future units will not be made available before the scheduled start of that unit. I understand that some students like to work ahead. If this sounds like you, feel free to read ahead using the reading assignments found in the course schedule or view the film for the next week. However, this does not excuse you from participating in the current unit. Posting earlier than the deadlines is a good idea. Early posts are less likely to repeat what a classmate has already posted. Doing so may potentially increase your contribution score. Early posting does not mean you can avoid the DB for multiple days. I expect all students to continue to engage in the current weeks discussion board even after the minimum posts have been completed. Regular engagement in the discussion board posts is vital to the development of the course and a critical element of the weekly discussion board grade. I will also be a part of the discussions, answering questions and providing a more in-depth perspective when needed. I may not respond to many students directly. I will respond more if there is incivility between students or there are errors in analysis that need to be rectified. There is ONE extra grade in this category, so if you miss one DB, you will not receive a point penalty (although attendance policies still apply). If you complete all DBs, you will receive extra credit (25 additional points possible). Exams (2 at 100 points each, 200 points total) You will be given two proctored exams (at the testing center) containing 50-150 questions (True/False, Multiple Choice, Matching, Fill in the Blank and Short Answer questions are all possible). Each exam covers roughly half of the material throughout the semester. The final exam IS NOT CUMULATIVE. Tests have a set date they must be taken by. The TWO PROCTORED ONLINE EXAMS will be available during the dates to be taken at the testing center. All exams are taken on the days when they are scheduled. If you cannot take your exam during the exam period, I must be notified BEFORE the exam period begins. If you have scheduling difficulties and I am not notified PRIOR to missing an exam you will receive a 0 on the exam. See the make up guidelines in this syllabus for additional information on the exams. You are responsible for scheduling your testing appointments two weeks in advance of the exam date. Do not email me to set up the appointment; you must set up your own appointment through this link: https://apps.jtcc.edu/TestingServicesStudent/. See the testing items under course information for more details. Failure to take either exam for any reason will result in a failing grade for the exam and, subsequently, the course. According to college stipulations, online students are required to attend two proctored events. The two proctored exams satisfy this requirement. By not taking an exam, you do not meet the college requirement of two proctored events for online courses. Thus, if you miss either exam for any reason you will not be able to pass the course. If you miss the midterm you should withdraw yourself from the course before the final date for withdrawals or else you will receive a failing grade (F) for missing a proctored event. Students who do not take the final exam are not eligible for withdrawal and will automatically receive a failing grade (F) for missing a proctored event. There is a lot of reading and information covered in this course. An important part of college is learning to assess the importance and value of the information you gather and then organize it efficiently. I strongly suggest that you study each week by making note cards and organizing your notes. You should also practice active reading by highlighting key passages in the reading and/or taking notes on your assignments and the films. Devote an hour or more each week to reviewing your notes, highlighted material, and especially note cards.

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Film Analysis Papers (3 at 75 points each, 225 points total) Students will complete three 2-3 page analysis papers. The first two papers must be on any film we watch during the semester and the final paper may be on a film of the students choice. These analysis papers must focus on how a certain formal element affects the overall film, such as (but certainly not limited to) how the editing or cinematography affects the mood or emotion. You may not write your paper on the same element in a film that we explore in class. Guidelines for the written papers can be found under course information. Quizzes (14 at 20 points each, one dropped, 260 points total) Once a week (excluding exam weeks), there will be a quiz over the material for the section. The quizzes will be made live each week they are given Monday morning at 12:01am and will close on Sunday at 11:59pm.These will mostly be on material from the textbooks but may also cover your response to a video or other item that I have posted. There is ONE extra grade in this category, so if you miss one quiz, you will not receive a point penalty (although attendance policies still apply). If you complete all 14 quizzes, you will receive extra credit (20 additional points possible). GRADING Final grades will be comprised of the following: Discussion Boards Proctored Exam One Proctored Exam Two Film Analysis Papers Quizzes Grading scale for final grades: A 1,010-900 points B 899-800 points C 799-700 points D 699-600 points

325 points 100 points 100 points 225 points 260 points F Below 599 points

Extra Credit The only extra credit available in this course comes from full weekly participation in the DBs and Quizzes. By completing all DBs and Quizzes, you can earn up to 45 points of extra credit.

COLLEGE POLICIES

Dropping and Withdrawing from Class Students may drop this course and receive a full tuition refund through September 9th. Withdrawal from a course without academic penalty may be made within the first 60% of the course. The student will receive a grade of W for withdrawal. Administrative withdrawal will automatically be initiated by the instructor in the event of excessive absences (more than 2) on the part of the student. The last day to withdraw without academic penalty is October 30th. Academic Honesty At JTCC we expect the highest standards of academic honesty. Violations of academic honesty include the following:

Cheating: This includes seeking or giving unauthorized help on examinations, papers, and other academic assignments. Plagiarism: This is defined as using another's words or ideas and representing them as one's own either knowingly or unknowingly. In other words, by not documenting ideas or putting quotations around exact phrasing and documenting the source, one is committing plagiarism. Information on the World Wide Web is not yours for the taking please cite all quotations appropriately. Turnitin: Your professor has access to Turnitin plagiarism software which aids in detecting improperly cited materials. All of your written work may be submitted to Turnitin for analysis. Your instructor may ask you to upload your documents yourself. If you have concerns about your written work being stored in a database, you should address the issues at the beginning of the academic term. Misconduct in the area of academic honesty is subject to disciplinary action, which can include failure for the assignment, or even failure of the course.

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Turnitin Your professor has access to Turnitin plagiarism software which aids in detecting improperly cited materials. All of your written work may be submitted to Turnitin for analysis. Your instructor may ask you to upload your documents yourself. If you have concerns about your written work being stored in a database, you should address the issues at the beginning of the academic term. Special Instructional Accommodations In keeping with the philosophy of providing educational opportunity for all individuals, JTCC has a professional counselor who will assist disabled persons by acting as the liaison between the students and the faculty/staff who will provide the support services needed. These services are provided with the intention of helping students with disabilities to achieve maximum independence and include such general services as assistance in course selection, note taking, mobility assistance, academic counseling, modified curriculum (major), and other services depending on individual needs and availability of resources. Students with disabilities are responsible for making the College aware of their needs. Call 706-4226 or 594-1562 for additional information. In order to receive instructional accommodation, you must present the instructor with an individual accommodation plan (IAP) issued by the disabilities office at the start of the semester. Instructional accommodation will be provided only as specified in the IAP. Tyler Alert Tyler Alert is one of the many notification tools that the College will use to alert students, faculty and staff of an emergency situation and of closings and delays due to inclement weather. Tyler Alert allows the College to send urgent text messages and e-mails to those who are registered in the system. This is a voluntary system, so if you would like to receive these messages, you must register. It is simple and easy to sign up, and you may register multiple devices such as cell phones, Blackberrys, PDAs as well as email addresses. There is no fee to register for Tyler Alert, but your carrier may charge fees for receiving messages on your wireless device. To learn more or to sign up, go to www.jtcc.edu/tyleralert. Closing and Emergency Procedures Information about the Colleges Inclement Weather/Closing Policy, Threat Assessment Team and emergency procedures may be found online at www.jtcc.edu/safety. On this page, you will find several informational links as well as the In Case of Emergency Quick Reference Guide, a downloadable and printable PDF that lists phone numbers and locations for Security Services, emergency notification methods, evacuation assembly areas, severe weather shelters and more.

COURSE CALENDAR
NOTE: This is a weekly outline and not set in stone. Any changes or additions will be announced. All times listed are EST. Assignments are to be completed by 11:59pm unless stated otherwise. Week One 8/21 8/25 FOUNDATIONS Assignments: Read the syllabus THOUROUGHLY and mark it as reviewed Review applicable materials under the Course Information & Materials tabs Read Chapters 1-3. Discussion Board #1 (initial post by Friday) Quiz #1 covering the syllabus (by Sunday) Please note that the first week is an abbreviated week! The work this week is very light to make up for the truncated time frame. For this week only, the deadlines will be different for the Discussion Board. After this week, we will follow the regular posting schedule. MISE-EN-SCENE Assignments: Read Chapter 5. Watch Singin in the Rain. Discussion Board #2 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #2 (by Sunday)

Week Two 8/26 9/1

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Week Three NARRATIVE 9/2 9/8 Assignments: Read Chapter 4. Watch Annie Hall. Discussion Board #3 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #3 (by Sunday) Week Four 9/9 9/15 CINEMATOGRAPHY Assignments: Read Chapter 6 part 1, pgs. 129-147. Watch Hud. Discussion Board #4 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #4 (by Sunday) CINEMATOGRAPHY Assignments: Read Chapter 6 part 2, pgs. 148-190. Watch Black Narcissus. Discussion Board #5 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #5 (by Sunday) Film Analysis Paper #1 due by Sunday, September 22nd. IMPORTANT!! You must set up an appointment at the testing center for your first exam from September 30th October 6th. REVIEW FOR EXAM #1 Assignments: Complete Exam #1 Review Sheet (by Wednesday) Discussion Board #6 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #6 (by Sunday)

Week Five 9/16 9/22

Week Six 9/23 9/29

Week Seven EXAM #1 9/30 10/6 Assignments: Take Proctored Exam #1 covering chapters 1-7 This exam is ONLINE AND PROCTORED at the testing center. It will become available Monday, September 30th and unavailable Sunday, October 6th. Please remember when making your appointments, that the testing center may not be open all days and times during the exam window. Exam #1 covers Chapters 1-6 as well as the films viewed during weeks 2-5. Week Eight EDITING 10/7 10/13 Assignments: Read Chapter 7 part 1, pgs. 191-210. Watch Jaws. Discussion Board #7 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #7 (by Sunday) Week Nine EDITING 10/14 10/20 Assignments: Read Chapter 7 part 2, pgs. 210-226, Watch Bonnie and Clyde. Discussion Board #8 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #8 (by Sunday) Week Ten SOUND 10/21 10/27 Assignments: Read Chapter 8. Watch The Lives of Others. Discussion Board #9 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #9 (by Sunday) Week Eleven GENRE 10/28 11/3 Assignments: Read Chapter 13. Watch The Shining. Discussion Board #10 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #10 (by Sunday) Film Analysis Paper #2 due by Sunday, November 3rd.

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Week Twelve IDEOLOGY, SOCIAL CONTEXT & STARDOM 11/4 11/10 Assignments: Read Chapters 10-12. Watch Alien. Discussion Board #11 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #11 (by Sunday) Week Thirteen DOCUMENTARY 11/11 11/17 Assignments: Read Chapter 9 part 1, pgs. 275-291. Watch Man on Wire. Discussion Board #12 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #12 (by Sunday) IMPORTANT!! You must set up an appointment at the testing center for your second exam between the dates of Dec. 2nd Dec. 9th Week Fourteen AVANT GARDE, EXPERIMENTAL, THE AUTEUR AND THE INDUSTRY 11/18 11/24 Assignments: Read Chapter 9 part 2 and Chapters 14-15. Watch Utopia One. Discussion Board #13 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #13 (by Sunday) Week Fifteen REVIEW FOR EXAM #2 11/25 12/1 Assignments: Complete Exam #2 Review Sheet (by Wednesday) Discussion Board #14 (initial post by Wednesday) Quiz #14 (by Sunday)
Please note that Thanksgiving is Thursday you may turn in all work early this week if you have plans, see the week fifteen folder for more details.

Exam Week EXAM #2 12/2 12/9 Assignments: Take Proctored Exam #2 This exam is ONLINE AND PROCTORED at the testing center. It will become available Monday, December 2nd and unavailable Monday, December 9th. Exam #2 covers 7-15 as well as any films viewed during weeks 814. Film Analysis Paper #3 due by Monday, December 9th. All final written work is due by 11:59pm on December 9th. NO WORK ACCEPTED FOR CREDIT PAST THIS DATE!

. . . AND THATS ALL FOLKS!

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