Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this course students will be able to :
a. understand and use the English terms and concepts associated with filmmaking.
b. distinguish between the artistic movements that shaped literature and film, such as Realism, Classicism and Formalism
c. assess these theoretical approaches in relationship to the technical innovations found in filmmaking.
d. realise the interdependent relationship between content and form
e. understand the difference between the various shots and angles
f. study the various technical aspects involved in cinema-making in relationship to shots, angles, the use of color and lenses, filters and gauges
g. study the concept of montage in relationship to the practices of the great editing masters
h. get a solid grasp of film terminology, and more particularly, of terms and concepts related to movement in cinematography.
i. understand the relationship between movement and the choice of shots and angles
j. understand the stasis and/or the dynamism involved in movements produced by tripods or tracks, or hand-held shots
k. explore authentic texts from the area of film studies as well as film reviews.
l. hone their critical thinking skills along with their analytic skills
Course Content (Syllabus)
This course introduces students to the theoretical knowledge of the history and art of cinema, along with offering them an overview of the technical aspects of sound, lighting, mise en scene, visual effects, editing and film production. It explores the interdependent relationship between subject matter and form and its significance for filmmaking along with how this relationship impacts the choice of shots and angles, color and its symbolism, filters, lenses and gauges along with the practice of editing. These choices contribute to the fantasy/reality that is the cinema. Students read authentic texts about the fundamentals of filmmaking to understand how the aesthetics of film and approaches to film genre have informed film as art, artifact and product.
Keywords
English for Specific Purposes, Film, Artistic movements, Realism, Formalism, shots, angles, colour symbolism, filters, lenses, editing
Additional bibliography for study
Giannetti, Louis. 2002. Understanding Movies. Ninth Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Bordwell, D, Thompson, K. 2019. Film Art: An Introduction. Twelfth edition, New York: McGraw-Hill Education,
Bordwell, D. 2007. "Three Dimensions of Film Narrative." Poetics of Cinema. London: Routledge.