APPROACHES TO FILM Main Page / Course Syllabus / Discussion Forum / Film Pages / Exams & Grades
GRADING
450-500 = A, 400-449 = B, 350-399 = C; grades not meeting these totals to be awarded at the instructor’s discretion!
We
will be studying some experimental, provocative, and challenging works of
cinema. Purposeful, tactful, prepared discussion will be necessary to
understanding them; hence the following ground rules.
Some
of these works will affirm your beliefs; others will challenge them. Some
will affront your sensibilities; others will appease them. Some will tax
your intellectual abilities; others will merely prod them. Approach them all
with the goal of learning more about life and art, and you’ll find your
open mind rewarded.
Anyone
addressing an entire group or the entire class will be given the courtesy of
undivided, uninterrupted attention—and that courtesy will be returned.
Show
up for class both on time and well-prepared: assignments read, questions and
interpretations articulated. The reading load is not burdensome, so read
carefully, critically, and well.
No
smoking, drinking, eating, griping, sleeping, or zitpicking in class.
No kidding.
If you must miss a class session, do the work required of you, and return well-prepared for the next session (however, keep in mind that missing just once means missing an entire week). If you intend to “make up” an exam, you must arrange to do so before the absence. If you miss consecutive sessions due to a serious emergency, I may be able to work out an alternate schedule, but I'm not obligated to do so if notified only “after the fact.” Finally, regular attendance is vital to your ability to learn the material of the course.
I’ve collected a number of readings, both source stories for adaptations and essays that will enhance your understanding of specific films. These will be required reading. The reserve desk at the WSU Library has a three-ring binder of readings in my “PAM box.” You can either read these at the library and take notes, or you can make your own personal xerox copies. (The originals, however, may not leave the library.)
The exams will test your knowledge of the assigned films, readings, and lectures. They will consist of two parts: multiple choice questions that expect you to apply textbook concepts to the films we've studied (focusing particularly on the “clip test” scenes), and essay questions that test your powers of analysis. They are also certain to include questions on the assigned stories and required reserve reading.
The
clip test gauges your ability to demonstrate your powers of interpretation
through the in-depth analysis of a brief segment of film. At the conclusion of
each class period, we’ll study a selected clip from the night’s film, and
you’ll write a one-page, single-spaced, sentence-outline-format analysis in
response to these two questions:
1.
What kinds of general information (regarding setting, dramatic structure,
texture, and thematic meaning) are provided, and how does the clip relate to the
whole of the film?
2. What cinematic techniques (regarding color/light, sound, cinematography, editing, characterization, blocking, etc.) convey meaning in the clip, and to what effect?
I’d
further like you to boldface or CAPITALIZE terms from Boggs.
I’ll later provide a handout
for viewing and a strong example.
To earn credit, clip tests must be typed and submitted by 4 p.m. the
Friday following the film’s screening: submit the clip test via e-mail or to
my Minné 302 mailbox. No credit will be awarded for clip tests delivered after
4 p.m. each Friday (only five clip tests are required during the semester).
FAILING
clip tests are marked by some of these problems: lack of a clear thesis or
purpose; lack of knowledge of the cinematic elements covered in readings and
lecture; evidence or information that is disorganized, confusing,
inappropriate, incorrect, incomplete, or submitted under false pretenses.
(These earn no more than 12 of 20 pts.)
COMPETENT clip tests offer some knowledge of the cinematic elements covered in readings and lecture, but may suffer from one of the other problems described above. (These earn about 14-16 pts.
EXCELLENT clip tests demonstrate all of the following: a clear understanding of the whole film’s thematic meaning; consistently accurate, convincing evidence; thorough knowledge of the cinematic elements covered in readings and lecture; and few errors in fact, logic, or usage. (These earn 18-20 pts.)
The course web (http://course1.winona.edu/pjohnson) is a critical component of the course. You’ll need to access the web to participate in the online forum, review course materials, access study guides, and post and read collaborative projects. You can access the web from any Internet connection, including the various computer labs across campus. If you have any questions or concerns about the course web — or your own computer literacy — contact me immediately. I’m happy to provide whatever help you need, but I’ll need to know you need it.
The
purpose of the online forum is to expand the “floor” for conversation beyond
the confines of the classroom. I’ll post questions for each film in a specific
thread, and your further comments should reply to that post or to a
colleague’s reply. Use your real name when submitting your response, and when
responding directly to another’s post, quote relevant passages. I’ll reserve
the right to delete purposeless (or otherwise unwise) postings. To earn credit
for forum participation, you can …
1.
Address the posted questions and/or raise new questions for further
discussion.
2.
Make connections between different course texts.
3.
Tactfully and purposefully respond to another’s question.
4.
Nominate and discuss films as candidates for collaborative projects.
5.
Discuss the general concepts of cinematic art and adaptation.
But please do not simply repeat the contents of a previous post. Regular, purposeful, articulate, tactful participation in the online discussion forum will earn the full 50 points allowable. In particular, I value willingness to address — and articulate — difficult questions. I expect, on average, one or two thoughtful, contemplative contributions each week.
Along
with two or three classmates, you will research and study a selected film from
an approved list distributed later in the term. You can use Word, FrontPage
Express, or any of a number of programs to complete this assignment.
Panel members must submit a folder of all their materials (in electronic
and paper copy), including…
1.
Bulleted release
and production data.
2.
A 500-word discussion
of the context surrounding the film, addressing either its production, its
reception, or both.
3.
A 500-word interpretive plot
summary and critique.
4.
Labeled, formatted images
interspersed throughout the text.
5.
A set of working hyperlinks
leading to valuable, relevant web resources.
6.
Four or five detailed discussion
questions for viewers’ consideration.
7.
(paper only) A typed, single-page,
signed memo from each panel member,
(1) detailing his or her own contributions to the efforts and (2) summarizing
the contributions of the other members.
The materials will be evaluated on the completeness and clarity of the contents as well as on the purposefulness and professionalism of the presentation. A note on the process: the point of working collaboratively is not to isolate each member from the others in order to divide all tasks evenly, but to take advantage of each individual’s skills and work in concert to create strong, carefully considered and presented work.
Model projects:
Unacknowledged or unauthorized use of the words or ideas of others constitutes plagiarism, which is punishable by automatic failure of the assignment and/or automatic failure of the course, depending on the degree and circumstances of the infraction. The University may impose additional sanctions. Plagiarism on exam essays, clip tests, or web page projects will not be tolerated.
Located in Minné 340, the Writing Center offers WSU students free, individualized instruction in all aspects of writing. Call x5505, email “wcenter”, or check the schedule and sign-up sheet posted on the Writing Center door. The Writing Center Web (http://www.winona.edu/writing center) offers online response to work-in-progress. Students enrolled in H140, Approaches to Film, are allowed to solicit help with exam essays, clip tests, and web page projects.