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An introduction to the fundamental principles of film form and style. Each class focuses upon a specific filmmaking technique in order to analyse its cinematic function and effect.
This course will provide an introduction to the fundamental principles of film, focusing on the significance of specific filmmaking techniques (shot construction, cinematography, editing, sound, lighting, colour and acting) which contribute to our overall experience of film art. Class discussions will be devoted to broad questions of film form, production, distribution, ideology, gender, and authorship. Students will learn to apply concepts from the assigned readings to specific films drawn from different national cinemas and historical periods that range from wartime classics to the present. Through careful analysis of individual films, students will acquire mastery of the critical and technical language of the discipline. Beyond the acquisition of essential and basic critical tools, students will also be introduced to political, modernist, and other alternatives to the commercial conventions of Classical Hollywood Cinema.
Knowledge and skills:Basic knowledge of critical and technical vocabulary of disciplineBasic understanding of filmmaking techniques and their significance within various national cinemas, movements and genresBasic knowledge of the various issues associated with the production, distribution, and exhibition of filmsRecognition that different film forms impact on the meaning and effects of film texts Basic knowledge of the relationships between selected films and their social, cultural and historical contextBasic ability to conduct close analysis of scenes and images from films
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
Biculturally competent and confident
Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.
Globally aware
Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.
Students must attend one activity from each section.
Mary Wiles
Please check the course LEARN page for further details and updates.
David Bordwell, Kristin Thompson and Jeff Smith; Film Art: An Introduction ; 13th Edition; New York: McGraw Hill, 2024.
Readings to be provided on Learn.
Please note that this course requires in-person engagement for students to succeed, and it is not designed to be taken by distance. Many of the twelve films shown in our in-person screening sessions will not be able to be sourced by students offsite, and students are required to be present and contribute in person to fulfil participation requirements. Lectures and workshops have a strong discussion component. ECHO recordings of lectures are offered as study resources and are not a replacement for consistent in-person attendance.Unit One: IntroductionPark Row (Fuller, US 1952)Unit Two: Narrative Form and Classical Hollywood CinemaCasablanca (Curtiz, US 1942)Unit Three: Acting and the Star SystemAll About Eve (Mackiewicz, US 1950)Unit Four: Mise-en-ScèneVertigo (Hitchcock, US 1958)Unit Five: The ShotThe Piano (Campion, NZ 1993) Unit Six: Colour and Space Leave Her to Heaven (Stahl, US 1945)Unit Seven: Continuity Editing Dog Day Afternoon (Lumet, US 1975) Unit Eight: Alternatives to Continuity EditingIn the Mood for Love (Wong, Hong Kong 2000)Unit Nine: Sound The Conversation (Coppola, US 1974) Unit Ten: Genre: Science Fiction Seconds (Frankenheimer, US 1966)Unit Eleven: Style as a Formal System: Silent HorrorThe Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Wiene GER 1920) Unit Twelve: Conclusion: Animation World of Tomorrow (Hertzfeldt, US 2015-2020)
Domestic fee $948.00
International fee $4,263.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Humanities .