Film & Television: Genre Issues

This is a seminar/workshop based course. Therefore, attendance is mandatory (only two absences are excused during the semester). We will not take attendance for the first class which is the students' chance to audit. Attendance will begin in the second class. No new students are allowed from the third class onwards. Students that do not attend the class and/or are absent for more than twice cannot submit an essay/cannot be evaluated.

The various teaching techniques used in the course aim at a deeper understanding of the material, the active participation of students in the class, and smooth, two-way communication between instructor and students. The lecture is accompanied by an audiovisual presentation (PowerPoint), where images, graphs, and other elements serve as visual aids. In addition to film clip screenings, further audiovisual material is employed (e.g., video essays, interviews with figures from the film/television industry, relevant documentaries, etc.), with the goal of enriching the topic under discussion. Thus, the teaching techniques are aligned with the methodologies of New Film History, which takes into account all sources (beyond the film text itself) that can shed light on the multidimensional nature of the medium. The practical part of the course is organized with the aim of students’ active participation in the learning process. Through questions posed by the instructor, each student or group of students is asked to formulate an argument, an interpretation, or a critical observation based on a specific excerpt, film movement/genre, etc. The use of technology (mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, but not AI at this stage) is encouraged for the search of information and other sources. In this way, students are guided to make use of technologies and effectively use the internet to search for reliable sources. At the same time, they are introduced to the concept of historical research and the active production of knowledge, while practices of teamwork and collaboration are fostered. In the event that classes must be conducted remotely due to extraordinary circumstances, the platforms Google Meet or Zoom will be used, along with all the features they offer (screen sharing for document and PowerPoint presentations, link sharing, chat, etc.). Additionally, e-learning is used in the course as a repository for all material and for interaction/collaboration.

The student is assessed through a compulsory written assignment of 2,500–3,000 words (80% of the total grade), including footnotes and bibliography (see assignment guidelines), and through participation in discussions during the lectures (20% of the total grade). The evaluation criteria for the assignment are as follows: - Structure = 1.5/10 - Language (grammar, syntax, spelling) = 1.5/10 - Formatting = 1/10 - Content: A. Clear objective / thesis statement / research question B. Context / historical-social framework C. Appropriate/sufficient bibliography / correct citations / originality / argumentation = 6/10

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Altman, Rick. Film/Genre. London: BFI, 2006. Berry-Flint, Sarah. “Genre,” In A Companion to Film Theory, edited by Robert Stam and Toby Miller, 25-44. Malden, Oxford and Carlton: Blackwell Publishing. 1999. Falconer, Pete. “Genre Theory,” in The Routledge Encyclopedia of Film Theory, edited by Edward Branigan and Warren Buckland, 232- 236. Abingdon and New York: Routledge, 2014. Gary R. Edgerton and Brian G. Rose (eds.). A Contemporary Television Genre Reader. Lexington: Kentucky University Press, 2005. Grant, Barry Keith (ed.) Film Genre Reader IV. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2012. Grant, Barry Keith. Film Genre. From Iconography to Ideology. London and New York: Wallflower, 2007. Langford, Barry. Film Genre. Hollywood and Beyond. Edinburgh: Edinburg University Press, 2005. Mittell, Jason. Genre and Television. From Cop Shows to Cartoons in American Culture. New York: Routlege, 2004. Moine, Raphaëlle. Cinema Genre, translated by Alistair Fox and Hilary Radner. Malden, Oxford, Carlton: Blackwell Publishing, 2008. Neale, Steve. Genre and Hollywood. London and New York: Routledge, 2000.