Introduction to Film Study

Catalog description

Introduction to Film Study introduces you to film as art, as entertainment, a field of study, and an everyday cultural practice. This course enables you to analyze films in terms of their formal elements, themes, and narrative structures. You learn to 'read' details of cinematic 'language' such as the arrangement of shots (editing), the composition and framing of a shot (cinematography), the overall look of a film (mise-en-scene), and its sound environment. We not only identify such cinematic details, but also consider how they contribute to the overall meaning of a film. Thinking about film and writing about film are intricately linked and inform each other deeply. Learning to write about film with sophistication requires a grasp of the mechanics of writing, familiarity with film terminology, and an understanding of film theory and history. This course helps you develop skills in critical viewing, reading, and writing. We explore basic concepts that have been important to the study of film, such as genre, authorship, and stardom to comprehend how films make meaning within their social, political, cultural, and historical contexts.