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SYLLABUS
College of Humanities HUM/150 Version 7 Introduction to Film Studies
Copyright 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Course Description Introduction to Film Studies is designed to provide students with an overview of film history and the skills necessary to analyze and critique film. Students will learn about film theory, aesthetics, genres, and basic film criticism. Students will analyze film through an examination of cinematography, editing, acting, scenes, and sound to allow students to view films critically, to develop a systematic and convincing interpretation of the films they watch, and to acquire the ability to analyze films in well-constructed and persuasive essays. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Phillips, W. H. (2009). Film: An introduction (4th ed.). New York, NY: Bedford/ St. Martins. All electronic materials are available on the student website.

Week One: The Components of Film: Setting, Subjects, and Composition

Details
Objectives 1.1 Describe how the mise-en-scne affects viewer perception of a film. 1.2 Describe how cinematography creates a films general impression. Read the Introduction of Film: an Introduction. Read Ch. 1 of Film: an Introduction. Read Ch. 2 of Film: an Introduction. Review the University of Phoenix Material: Student Companion Site Instructions. Read this weeks Electronic Reserve Readings. Review the sample paper for an example paper written consistent with APA guidelines, found in the Center for Writing Excellence.

Due
04/16/12

Points

Participation Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Nongraded Activities and Preparation Sample Paper Review Nongraded Activities and Preparation

04/16/12 04/16/12 04/16/12 04/16/12 04/16/12 04/16/12 04/16/12

Review the University of Phoenix Material: Editing, Sound, and Music Film List located in Week Two. Select a movie from the list.

04/16/12

Editing, Sound, and Music Film List (Preparation)

Submit your selection to your facilitator for approval. Navigate to the following website: Film: An Introduction-Companion Site Click Chapter 1: Mise En Scene from the drop-down menu under the View Content by Chapter heading. Click Film Resource Links on the left-hand side. Watch all Chapter 1 clips. Select Chapter 2 from the drop-down menu. Watch all Chapter 2 clips. Resource: Learning Team Toolkit Complete the Learning Team Charter

Learning Team Instructions Learning Team Charter Individual Film Viewer Opinion Paper

04/16/12

Write a 350- to 700-word paper in which you address the following: How do you decide which films to watch? In your opinion, what makes a film enjoyable? In your opinion, what makes a film unenjoyable? Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

04/16/12

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Week Two: Components of Film: Editing and Sound

Due
Objectives 2.1 Describe the importance of sound in film. 2.2 Explain the purpose of music in film. 2.3 Explain how editing influences a film. Read Ch. 3 of Film: an Introduction. Read Ch. 4 of Film: an Introduction. Read this weeks Electronic Reserve Readings. Participate in weekly discussion questions and summary Navigate to the following website: Click Chapter 3: Editing from the drop-down menu under the View Content by Chapter heading. Click Film Resource Links on the left-hand side. Watch all Chapter 3 film clips. Select Chapter 4 from the drop-down menu. Watch all Chapter 4 Sound film clips. Review and begin working on the Film Matrix: Comedy and Horror assignment, due in Week Three. 04/23/12

Points

Reading Reading Reading Discussion Questions Nongraded Activities and Preparation Film: An Introduction Activities

04/23/12 04/23/12 04/23/12 04/23/12 04/23/12

Learning Team Instructions Film Matrix: Comedy and Horror (Preparation) Individual Editing, Sound, and Music Worksheet

04/23/12

Watch the movie you selected in Week One. Complete the University of Phoenix Material: Editing, Sound, and Music Worksheet, based on the film

04/23/12

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Week Three: Film Genres: Comedy and Horror

Details
Objectives Reading Reading Reading Discussion Questions Nongraded Activities and Preparation Film: An Introduction Activities Explain how a films components create the genres of comedy and horror. Read Summary in Ch. 5 of Film: an Introduction. Read Ch. 6 of Film: an Introduction. Read this weeks Electronic Reserve Readings. Participate in weekly discussion question and summary. 3.1 Navigate to the following website: Film: An Introduction-Companion Site Click Chapter 5: Sources for Fictional Films from the dropdown menu under the View Content by Chapter heading. Click Film Resource Links on the left-hand side. Watch all Chapter 5 clips. Select Chapter 6 from the drop-down menu. Watch all Chapter 6 clips. Review and begin working on the Film Matrix: Romance, Western, and Documentary Films assignment, due in Week Four.

Due
04/30/12 04/30/12 04/30/12 04/30/12

Points

5 04/30/12

Learning Team Instructions Film Matrix: Romance, Western, and Documentary Films (Preparation) Learning Team Film Matrix: Comedy and Horror

04/30/12

Resources: University of Phoenix Material: Film Matrix; University of Phoenix Material: Comedy and Horror Films List; Week Three Electronic Reserve Readings; and Microsoft PowerPoint Tutorial Select one comedy and one horror movie from the list to watch as a team. Discuss, as a team, both movies. Complete two matrixes, as a team, one for the comedy and one for the horror film.

04/30/12

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Learning Team Presentation of Film Matrix: Comedy and Horror

Create a 8- to 10-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, explaining the teams findings. Include detailed speaker notes, Address the following: How did the films components match with the horror genre? How did the films components match with the comedy genre? Was the film you watched typical or atypical for the genre? Why or why not? Format your presentation consistent with APA guidelines. Submit your Film Matrix: Comedy and Horror presentation. Post your presentation to the main forum

04/30/12

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Week Four: Film Genres: Documentary, Western, and Romance

Details Due Points

Objectives Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading Discussion Questions Nongraded Activities and Preparation Movie Critique (Preparation) Nongraded Activities and Preparation Film: An Introduction Activities

Explain how a films components create the genres of Westerns, documentaries, and romances. Read Understanding Films in Ch. 9 of Film: an Introduction. Read Introduction in Ch. 10 of Film: an Introduction. Read The Context of a Films Making in Ch. 10 of Film: an Introduction. Read all other sections after Artistic Conventions in Ch. 10 of Film: an Introduction. Read this weeks Electronic Reserve Readings. Participate in weekly discussion questions and summary. 4.1 Select a movie for the Movie Critique assignment, due in Week Five. Attain facilitator approval.

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Navigate to the website: Film: An Introduction-Companion Site Click Chapter 10: Understanding Film Through Context from the drop-down menu under the View Content by Chapter heading. Click Film Resource Links on the left-hand side. Watch the following Chapter 10 film clips: o The Bronze Screen trailer o Vaudeville, Part 1 o Vaudeville, Part 2 o American Picture Palaces Resources: University of Phoenix Material: Film Matrix; University of Phoenix Material: Romance, Western, and Documentary Film List; Week Four Electronic Reserve Readings; and Microsoft PowerPoint Tutorial Select, as a team, one Western, one romance, and one documentary film from the list to watch. Watch, as a team, the selected Western, romance, and documentary films. Discuss the three films. Complete three matrixes as a team: one for the romance film, one for the Western, and one for the documentary.

05/07/12

Learning Team Film Matrix: Romance, Western, and Documentary

05/07/12

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Learning Team Presentation of Film Matrix: Romance, Western, and Documentary

Create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, explaining the teams findings. Include speaker notes, and address the following: Explain how the films components match with the Western genre. Explain how the films components match with the documentary genre.

05/07/12

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Explain how the films components match with the romance genre. Was the film you watched typical or atypical for the genre? Format your presentation consistent with APA guidelines. Submit your Film Matrix: Romance, Western, and Documentary Post your presentation to the main forum.

Week Five: Piecing it All TogetherAnalyzing the Entire Film

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Objectives 5.1 Describe how the filmmaker places a film in context. 5.2 Describe the influences that dictate how we view a film. 5.3 Analyze a film using its components. Review Ch. 11 of Film: an Introduction. Read this weeks Electronic Reserve Readings. Participate in weekly discussion questions and summary. Navigate to the following website: Film: An Introduction-Companion Site Click Chapter 11: Thinking About Films from the drop-down menu under the View Content by Chapter heading. Click Film Resource Links on the left-hand side. Click and explore the following Chapter 11 links. o IMDb: The Internet Movie Database o Metacritic o The Movie Review Query Engine When deciding what movie to watch, a typical thing to do is to check the newspaper or Internet for movie reviews. In this assignment, be a movie critic and report your findings to the public. Write a 1,050- to 1,750-word critique in which you address the following: Describe the mise-en-scne of the film. Do you feel the editing was appropriate? Why? Was the sound use effective or ineffective? Why? What feelings, if any, did the score elicit? Describe the films cinematography. How was the film placed in context? What personal influences or biases do you have that affected your opinion? Identify the films genre. Was this film enjoyable? Why or why not? How has this class changed your opinion on film? What would your recommendation and star ratingon a scale of one being bad and four being goodbe for this movie? Format your critique consistent with APA guidelines.

Due
05/14/12

Points

Reading Reading Discussion Questions Nongraded Activities and Preparation Film: An Introduction Activities

05/14/12 05/14/12 05/14/12 05/14/12

Individual Movie Critique

05/14/12

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