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Course Objectives

In this course you will learn to view films critically, seeing them as collaborative works of art that both reflect and influence society. Additionally, you will gain insight into the technical, historical, and political aspects of the cinema business. These objectives will be met through class lecture and discussion, textbook readings, and written analysis of films viewed in and outside of class. 

This course has no required prerequisites, counts for three hours of General Education credit at IVCC; and transfers to IAI-participating schools as an F2 905 class, and, as such, it must be approached with a serious and thoughtful attitude. In addition, it will help you to attain several of the eight goals, deemed central to IVCC's general education program, specifically:

Goal 1. To apply analytical and problem-solving skills to personal, social, and professional issues and situations.

Goal 2. To communicate orally and in writing, socially and interpersonally.

Goal 3. To develop an awareness of the contributions made to civilization by the diverse cultures of the world, including those within our own society.

Goal 4. To understand and use contemporary technology effectively and to understand its impact on the individual and society.

Goal 5. To work and study effectively both individually and in collaboration with others.

Goal 6. To understand what it means to act ethically and responsibly as an individual in one’s career and as a member of society.

Goal 7.  To develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Goal 8. To appreciate the ongoing value of learning, self-improvement, and career planning.
 

Required Texts for Purchase Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies. 11th edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2007. Lynch, Rose Marie, and Kimberly M. Radek. Style Book. 2003.

Required Texts for Rental, Borrowing, or Purchase

You are required to watch the films listed on the course schedule, however you can manage that. The IVCC library does have several of the films.

Grading Scale (%)

Class Discussions online: 20%
Individual Participation: 20% 
Examination #1: 20%
Examination #2: 20%
Summary Research Applications Paper: 20% 

Class Discussions: You are required to participate in online class discussions for this course. You are required to participate in 10 of the 12 discussion units for this class. For each of these units, you will be given a score from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest for each, for a possible maximum score of 100 points in this category. If you participate in more than you are required to do, you may earn extra credit.  In these discussions I expect you to respond to the prompt I've posted and to respond to others' comments on the prompt, as well.  Please address your classmates by name in your responses.

Individual Participation: You will be evaluated on your contribution and efforts to the class. All homework, group work (if any), and quizzes will be graded and make up your participation grade. Note: All of the quizzes offered in Blackboard are timed, and you can only access them once, so make sure you're ready to take them before you take the links to them. In the traditional class, they are timed as well.

The Examinations: You will be tested over the material covered in class lecture material, discussions, and assigned readings and viewings. The examinations may include short answer, multiple choice, true/false, and passage, film, or work identification questions but will be largely comprised of essay questions. These exams will show that you have read or viewed the assigned texts critically and analytically, identifying common themes and techniques in them, and can write clearly about them. For each exam, there will be film viewings that you will have to analyze.  Note: The exams are timed, also, and I recommend that you view the film clips and take notes on them before accessing the written portions of the exam in Blackboard.

The Paper: Your paper should be typed using double-spaced lines and should follow standard MLA format. I prefer that you e-mail it to me with the class prefix and number, class section number, and assignment title in the subject line of your e-mail. For this paper you may consider the final chapter of the Giannetti text as your sample, because in the paper I expect you to put the film of your choice through the same paces through which Giannetti puts Citizen Kane. In other words, using the film of your choice (no MP-17 or X ratings, please), identify its title, director, year of production, and primary theme, perhaps in a brief (five sentences or less) summary; analyze its cinematic elements following the chapters in the text, explaining how the use of those elements illuminates not only the plot (as Giannetti so thoroughly explains) but the theme, as well; discuss the film's ideological biases and critique it using at least two of the theories advanced by class lecture to show how different critical lenses can elicit different interpretations and understandings of the same text; and, finally, evaluate whether the director has indeed used the elements well in conveying his or her theme and mention anything particularly memorable or important about the film. I will expect you to cite Giannetti, where appropriate, or professional critiques of your film as you make your case for how the elements are used and whether they are used well. For a sample section of the paper, take this link: Sample Section

This paper should, of course, have a clearly stated thesis statement in its first paragraph and comply to the standards given in IVCC's  The Style Book.  Papers will be given letter grades that will be converted to percentage points before the final semester grade is calculated, and they will be evaluated on audience, grammar, organization, presentation, spelling, and style as well as content. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate to me that you have learned how to understand and interpret films. I highly suggest that you decide which film you want to work with in the first week of the course.  It should be a film you understand and enjoy and one which you will have easy access to during the semester and one which you will not mind viewing repeatedly. At the conclusion of each unit you should write up that section of the application paper while the chapter's content is still fresh in your mind; otherwise, you'll have a great deal of writing at the conclusion of the class. If you have the capability, you may certainly use pictures within your paper to illustrate the components of the scene/s you describe.


Expected Student Outcomes

	Students will analyze various film techniques and genres to attain a greater understanding and appreciation of the artistic quality of film.
	Students will gain an insight into how films are and have been made and how the film industry operates and has operated.
	Students will gain an understanding of the impact that history, politics, and technology have and have had upon the films produced.
	Students will become acquainted with the way society impacts films and the way films reflect and impact society.
	Students will explore the role of film in society and determine its responsibilities to society.
	Students will be able to explain both formally and informally how a film’s content relates to its form.
	Students will be able to analyze and evaluate films critically.

Skills Necessary for Successful Completion

In this course, you must be prepared to view films intellectually, artistically, critically, and analytically and be able to express these ideas both orally and in written form, and demonstrate a knowledge of the history, conventions, and practices of these industries and their interrelation to each other.

Expected Student Behaviors

	The student will read/view texts with understanding and appreciation, reacting to and analyzing what he or she has read/seen, by the date(s) they are to be discussed.
	The student will participate actively in lectures and discussions, asking/submitting questions for clarification on ideas or issues, if needed.
	The student will integrate and cite accurately information of other writers, critics, or scholars, using those other opinions, beliefs, and/or observations to support his or her own opinions, beliefs, and/or observations.
	The student will synthesize lecture, discussion, and text materials to come to a more solid world view on the impact film has and has had upon history, society, and the artistic world, and vice versa.
	Students will respect each other's personal beliefs and be committed to helping each other learn more about the course information and themselves. Students will help each other become more confident in his or her own unique personal voice and see the authority in his or her own personal experience.

Plagiarism

The College's policy on plagiarism applies in this class; I will question you if your work does not appear to be your own. Keep all notes, outlines, drafts, and finished assignments so that you can demonstrate that writing you have submitted is your own work, should any question of plagiarism arise.

Attendance

All students must attend class in person or log in and contribute to the electronic WebBoard discussion at least once a week. Besides the obvious loss of points that goes along with not participating in class, there is no other deduction if you do happen to miss a class; however, if you decide that you cannot complete the coursework, you must request a withdrawal from me through e-mail or in my office hours by noon on 20 July 2008. I will not withdraw you from the class, even if you stop contributing, unless you have requested it of me. Keep in mind, too, that withdrawing from a course may jeopardize or change your financial aid, so be sure to consult with a financial aid advisor before committing to a withdrawal.

Assistance

If you need support or assistance because of a disability, you may be eligible for academic accommodations through the Special Populations office.  Stop by office B-204 or call (815) 224-0284.

Tentative Class Schedule

Note: For the cinema history lecture reading assignments, follow the links to the web pages and then select the decade assigned. Make sure you follow the links, usually from the bottom of the pages, to read the entire lecture. Many are ten to twelve pages long. You need not read the individual years' lectures, although you may certainly do so for your own pleasure.