170.041 (20W) Introduction to Film Studies - with Excursion

Wintersemester 2020/21

Registration deadline has expired.

First course session
17.10.2020 09:00 - 13:00 HS 3 On Campus
... no further dates known

Overview

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be necessary to make changes to courses and examinations at short notice (e.g. cancellation of attendance-based courses and switching to online examinations).

For further information regarding teaching on campus, please visit: https://www.aau.at/en/corona.
Lecturer
Course title german Introduction to Film Studies - with Excursion
Type Lecture - Course (continuous assessment course )
Course model Attendance-based course
Hours per Week 2.0
ECTS credits 6.0
Registrations 25 (25 max.)
Organisational unit
Language of instruction English
Course begins on 17.10.2020
eLearning Go to Moodle course
Seniorstudium Liberale Yes

Time and place

Please note that the currently displayed dates may be subject to change due to COVID-19 measures.
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Course Information

Intended learning outcomes

The course will encourage and equip the students to become an active spectator of film and consequently an engaged, sovereign writer, articulating their viewing experience. The basic of active viewing is not only to think carefully about movies but also an analytical approach to the construction of their meaning. Therefore, the course will provide an insight into common types of film analysis, and offer strategies and resources for analysis and interpretation of particular means of film expression, which are crucial for the production of meaning. The final goal is to engage students in the process of transforming the excitement and pleasure of watching a film into the satisfaction of articulating ideas and insights about that movie.

Teaching methodology

Lessons of the course combine lectures and seminars intensively supported with film screenings and discussions about selected texts and movies. During the seminar, students will write short examples of different type of film texts such as a screening report, a movie review, and a critical essay.

Course content

Timothy Corrigan, an author of A Short Guide to Writing about Film, is convinced that"students write better about a subject they know and like and that few subjects today are enjoyed and understood more universally than the movies". The purpose of this course is based on this conviction and assumption, that the foundation to develop skills for balance between personal opinion and critical evaluation of the movie, is a profound understanding of means of film expression. The starting point of becoming an active and critical spectator is an ability to analyse these means and to articulate analytical outcomes. Therefore, students will get the knowledge of most common types of film analysis, such as shot-by-shot analysis, mise-en-scène analysis, analysis of film aesthetics, narrative structure analysis, analysis of film style and contextual analysis. At the same time, the course will equip the students with the skills how best to articulate the findings of a particular analysis, which allow them to transform their insight into a persuasive vocabulary for writing assignments. However, the important aim is also to assure that careful thinking and analytical writing doesn't disrupt the enjoyment of the movie-watching experience,but on the contrary, enriches it with the confidence of more in-depth understanding of a film's meaning and of the cinematic techniques used to provide it.

Part of the course is an excursion to the Slovenian Cinematheque in Ljubljana, with a visit of the exhibition about Federico Fellini and a screening of short films by one of the most eminent directors of the Yugoslav "black wave" cinema movement, Karpo Godina, who will be present for the discussion.

Literature

Timothy Corrigan, A Short Guide to Writing about Film, Boston (etc.), Pearson, 2015 (selectedchapters p.p. 15-32 and 145-164).

 Michael Ryan and Melissa Leons, An Introduction to Film Analysis:Technique and Meaning in Narrative Film, London,New York, Continuum, 2012 (selected chapters p.p. 1-33).

ReniraRampazzo Gambarato, Methodology for film analysis: The role of objects in films, Revista Fronteiras – estudos midiáticos 12.2 (maio/agosto 2010): 105-115.

Examination information

Im Fall von online durchgeführten Prüfungen sind die Standards zu beachten, die die technischen Geräte der Studierenden erfüllen müssen, um an diesen Prüfungen teilnehmen zu können.

Assessment criteria / Standards of assessment for examinations

Course attendance. Reading of prescribed texts (3 book chapters and 1 article). Active collaboration during class. Writing of short examples of different type of film texts about a selected movie. Presentation of the individual text in class.

Grading scheme

Grade / Grade grading scheme

Position in the curriculum

  • Bachelor's degree programme English and American Studies (SKZ: 612, Version: 15W.3)
    • Subject: Freie Wahlfächer (Optional subject)
      • Freie Wahlfächer ( 0.0h XX / 20.0 ECTS)
        • 170.041 Introduction to Film Studies - with Excursion (2.0h VC / 6.0 ECTS)
          Absolvierung im 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6. Semester empfohlen
  • Master's degree programme Media, Communications & Culture (SKZ: 841, Version: 20W.1)
    • Subject: Interdisziplinäre Zugänge zu Medien und Kommunikation (Compulsory elective)
      • 10.1 Dem Modul zugeordnete LVen anderer Fächer im Umfang von 12 ECTS-AP, wovon mind. eine LV ein Seminar ist. ( 0.0h XX / 12.0 ECTS)
        • 170.041 Introduction to Film Studies - with Excursion (2.0h VC / 6.0 ECTS)
          Absolvierung im 1., 2., 3. Semester empfohlen
  • Master's degree programme Media, Communications & Culture (SKZ: 841, Version: 09W.1)
    • Subject: Visuelle Kultur (Compulsory elective)
      • Visuelle Kultur ( 0.0h XX / 12.0 ECTS)
        • 170.041 Introduction to Film Studies - with Excursion (2.0h VC / 6.0 ECTS)
  • Master's degree programme Visual Culture (SKZ: 655, Version: 18W.2)
    • Subject: Medien des Visuellen zwischen Hoch- und Populärkultur (Compulsory subject)
      • 3.1 Einführung in die Geschichte Visueller Kulturen ( 0.0h VC, SE / 6.0 ECTS)
        • 170.041 Introduction to Film Studies - with Excursion (2.0h VC / 6.0 ECTS)

Equivalent courses for counting the examination attempts

This course is not assigned to a sequence of equivalent courses