COM123 Screen Studies (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Communication (COMUN)
Abstract:
This subject introduces students to the development of feature film through a close study of a number of seminal films from the late nineteenth century to the present. As well as an overview of the evolution of film, the subject aims to develop a knowledge of the fundamentals of cinematic technique, an understanding of the principles of critical analysis and a facility for the articulation of critical responses and the proper acknowledgment of sources.
+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations
| Session 1 | |
|---|---|
| Internal | Wagga Wagga |
| Distance | Wagga Wagga |
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: COM123
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.
Enrolment restrictions:
Not available to students who have completed FLM110
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
- be able to demonstrate an appreciation of the development of film from the first screenings to the present
- be able to demonstrate and acquaintence with some of the most important figures in the development of feature film
- be able to demonstrate and acquaintence with some of the dominant styles, movements and preoccupations in feature film
- be able to demonstrate an understanding of the link between technological development and narrative strategies in film
- be able to demonstrate an understanding of some of the basic elements and techniques in the creation of feature film
- be able to articulate critical responses to film and understand the method and importance of illustrating those responses
Syllabus:
The subject will cover the following topics:
- Expessionism and Realism as they relate to cinema - Montage and Mise-en-scene as creative approaches and techniques - Styles and effects of lighting - Camera shots and angles and their implications and use - Black and white film and the implications for and introduction of colour - Silent film and the introduction of sound - Implications for screen presentation, ratios etc. - National cinemas - The rise of the studio system - Auteur theory - Dominant genres in western narrative feature film: eg. German Expressionism, Russian Formalism, French Poetic Realism; Film Noir; Italian Neorealism; French New Wave.
The information contained in the 2013 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 25 February 2013. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.