Film Studies (FILM) 305.05
Topic in Genre
The Sopranos in Context
Winter 2008
Friday 10:00-11:50 SH 262

Instructor:	Dr. Dawn Johnston
Office Location:	SS 234
Office Phone:	220-3199
E-Mail:	debjohns@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	Tuesday and Thursday 10-11am or by appointment

Additional Information

Each week during term we will analyze one feature film or a 60-minute episode of The Sopranos in our class session. Students are required to come to class having already seen the required films or episodes, taken notes, and thought about themes and meanings. Regular screening times for the films have been arranged for you. Unfortunately, HBO has not granted permission for screenings of The Sopranos.  The Image Center in the Library Block has VHS and DVD copies of the full series, and you can arrange to watch episodes individually.  You are also welcome to rent/download episodes to watch on your own time.

Course Description

This course will examine how The Sopranos operates within the tradition of the crime film genre and around the conventions of North American television. Students will engage in analysis through both class discussion and written analysis, as well as through individual research papers. 

Objectives of the Course

The purpose of this course is to develop your skills in critical analysis. You will be expected to critically analyze a television series within the context of a larger popular cultural environment, as well as traditions of both television and film.

In this course you are writing "criticism," not "review." We're not looking at whether you like or dislike the show -- we're looking at what The Sopranos does and why it matters. A review expresses a first impression after a single viewing. "Criticism" is the result of careful, considered, analytical thought, and it usually requires multiple viewings. Where a review describes or summarizes a film or television show, criticism analyzes how the specific elements of the text - e.g., its plot, characterization, narrative structure, dialogue, settings, sound, lighting, editing, etc., - work together to advance the theme that you are defining in your work. The strength of your argument will depend upon the "evidence" from the film that you use to support your claims.

Remember: Meaning depends on context. So try to relate elements of the show to each other, rather than attach what could be an arbitrary meaning to any part in isolation. Similarly, always keep in mind the cultural, social, and political climate in which the series was made and is viewed. For your models of critical writing, do NOT rely on newspaper and magazine reviews. Rather, look to academic books on film and television and to the specialized film and television journals (e.g., Film Quarterly, Literature/Film Quarterly, Quarterly Review of Film and TV Studies, Journal of Popular Film/TV, Journal of Popular Culture, Jump Cut, Film Comment, Sight and Sound, Cineaste, etc.).

All written assignments require critical analysis. Assume your reader is familiar with the films and episodes discussed. Do not retell the plot (though it may be necessary to refer to a specific point in the plot) and avoid oversimplified quality assessments, ie: "This was the best episode of the season" or "I didn't like Season Two as much as Season One."

Although the classes will focus on selected episodes from each season, students are responsible for a working knowledge of all episodes of each season. Synopses and analyses of each episode appear in the required Yacowar text, and all six seasons are available on DVD at both the Image Centre and movie rental shops. You are required to read the episode analyses in the text, and it is strongly recommended that you view the selected episodes on your own time.

Textbooks and Readings:

David Lavery, This Thing of Ours: Investigating the Sopranos (Columbia University Press, 2002)

Maurice Yacowar, The Sopranos on the Couch (Continuum, most recent edition)

You may purchase other editions of the Yacowar text if you like, but you are responsible for the material in the most recent edition!

Assignments and Evaluation

(1) Oral Presentation (sign-up in first week of class): 20% (ongoing)

(2) In-class essay (midterm exam): 20% February 15

(3) Research project, a 2,500-word essay: 50% April 18

(4) Participation (oral and/or in Blackboard): 10% Ongoing

Each student is required to make a 7-10 minute presentation to the class.  A presentation sign-up sheet will be made available in the first week of classes, and presentations will begin in the second week.  Each presentation should analyze a pre-selected aspect of the film or episode of that week.  Students will be evaluated on the quality of both their analysis and their clarity of presentation, but it should be noted that strong content will be weighted most heavily.  This presentation is worth 20% of your final grade.

The midterm exam is an in-class essay exam that will ask you to respond to a particular question growing out of our class discussions of the crime film genre. It should demonstrate your ability to engage with the material in a focused, well- organized way in a timed-writing setting. This exam is worth 20% of your final grade.

The topic of the major essay is the student's choice, but must be submitted by email for the instructor's advance written approval no later than March 14. An essay without its subject's advance approval will not be accepted. This assignment affords students the opportunity to examine a theme or symbol or technical element in detail, in context, and in depth. Take advantage of it, and dig into something that really piques your interest. The essay, due on April 18, is worth 50% of your final grade, and is designed to demonstrate your engagement with the course material at the culmination of the term.

Participation is crucial to your success in this course, and accordingly, is worth 10% of your final grade. You will be judged on your ability and willingness to participate in discussions of the material -- in class and/or on the Blackboard Discussion threads. The quality, not the quantity, of your contributions to discussions will be considered.

You must complete all assignments to receive a passing grade in the course.

Note: Please return assignments directly to the 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: No

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your 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.  Do NOT slide assignments under the instructor's office door!

Policy for Late Assignments

Unless previous arrangements have been made, assignments submitted after the deadline will 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:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

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.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see the U of C Research Ethics "Information for Applicants," sections 3.0 to 9.0, inclusive: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/research/html/ethics/info_undergrad.html

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be distributed in the first week of classes.