Film Studies (FILM) 201 - Lecture 01
Introduction to Film Studies
Fall 2008
Lecture: Tuesday 14:00-16:50

Tutorials: B01 Wednesday 14:00-14:50

B02 Wednesday 14:00-14:50

B04 Friday 14:00-14:50

B05 Friday 14:00-14:50

 

Instructor:	Dr. Charles Tepperman
Office Location:	SS 238
Office Phone:	220-7303
E-Mail:	c.tepperman@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	On Blackboard
Office Hours:	TBA

 

Teaching Assistants

TBA

Additional Information

Attendance at lectures, screenings and tutorials, and informed participation are essential components of this course and will help determine your final grade. Students must come to class prepared to discuss the required reading. Some of the materials and topics presented in class may include explicit content (sex, violence or language). If these materials make you uncomfortable, you are encouraged to speak with the professor. You will not be exempt from any class assignments but we will work together to accommodate your concerns.

Course Description

This course introduces basic concepts of film analysis, which are discussed through examples from different national cinemas, genres, and directorial oeuvres. Along with questions of film technique and style, we consider the notion of the cinema as an institution that comprises an industrial system of production, social and aesthetic norms and codes, and particular modes of reception.

Objectives of the Course

This course provides foundational tools and concepts required for film analysis. Students will develop different ways of considering - and writing about - the formal, aesthetic, institutional, and cultural dimensions of the cinema. Intended to prepare students for further work in film studies.

Textbooks and Readings

Bordwell, David and Kristin Thompson. Film Art: An Introduction, 8^th edition. McGraw-Hill Ryerson. (BT)

Additional reading will be posted on the course website.

Assignments and Evaluation

Lectures, readings, screenings, and discussions are essential components of the course. You must see all of the films and should see as many as possible more than once.  Make-up screenings and close analyses can be done on video, but this cannot be considered a substitute for the scheduled screening.  You must come to class prepared to discuss the films and the readings.  Writing requirements include:

Film Journal on Blackboard**                                     10%

Tutorial Participation (ongoing)                                             10%

Quiz #1 (Oct. 1/3 in tutorial)                                                           10%

Quiz #2 (Oct. 22/4 in tutorial)                                                           15%

Essay (Due Nov. 12/14 in tutorial)                                               25%

Final Exam (Scheduled by Registrar)                                           30%

** Note on Blackboard "Film Journal" requirement: In order to fulfill this requirement, you must post one response in the "Discussion Board" section of your tutorial's Blackboard site EACH WEEK. These should be thoughtful and detailed reflections on the week's film and/or reading. Responses should be in standard English (no point form or webslang please!), run a paragraph or two in length (approx. 250 words) and must be posted no later than the evening before your tutorial. You are encouraged to respond (thoughtfully, respectfully) to your classmates' posts, and/or to post additional comments on the discussion board.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  YES

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

 

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
F	0-49

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A- would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

The complete schedule of Lectures and Readings for this course will be posted on Blackboard.