Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Test study guides

Study guides Test 1-5

Test 1 Study Guide

Why is conflict a central element in movies? 


Why are directors more important than movie stars?

Be familiar with the three phases of filmmaking: 
Preproduction 
Production 
Postproduction 

Know the definition of the following filmmaking terms: 
Cut, scene, close-up, medium shot, long shot, panning, tracking, point of view shot, cross-cutting, MTV editing, montage, dissolve, final cut. 

Understand the American style of film editing and the art of the invisible cut. 

Know the contributions of the following directors: Alfred Hitchcock, D.W. Griffith, Orson Welles. 

How do directors master the art of visual storytelling? 

The business side of movies. 

How much movie money comes from outside of the U.S. and why are American movies so popular worldwide? 

Why do movies cost so much to make and market? Why do kid movies make the most money? 

Know the differences between movie franchises, good movies, bad movies and independent movies. 

What role do studios play in the filmmaking process. 

What are the primary sources of revenues for studios? 

What's happening to the DVD and how is home viewing of movies changing? 

Test 2 Study Guide 

Comedies, Stereotyping, Movie censorship 

Be familiar with the different types of comedies including slapstick, romantic comedy, satire, dark comedy, screwball comedy and raunchy guy and raunchy girl comedy. 

Why are slapstick comedies so popular and profitable? 

Know the contributions of Charlie Chaplin, Mel Brooks, the Farrelly Brothers, the Wayans Brothers, the Coen Brothers and Woody Allen. 

Know the impact and evolution of the Production Code, the MPAA ratings and movie sanitizing on movies. How are Catholics and Mormons involved in movie censorship? 

Why is the MPAA ratings controversial and how do directors feel about the system? 

What financial impact do ratings have on movies? Know the differences between the ratings: G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17. 

Be familiar with the contributions of Sidney Poitier, Step 'N Fetchit, Hattie McDaniel and Bill Robinson. 

How has stereotyping impacted movies? What key events has impacted movie stereotyping over the years such as World War II? 

Test 3 Study Guide 

McCarthyism and the Studio System. 

Be familiar with the studios during Hollywood's Golden Age, the men who ran them and the studios we have today. 

What were some of the differences between studios in the golden age, such as the movie star was king, and studios today? 

What were the characteristics of the studio bosses? 

Why was MGM the richest, most important studio during the Golden Age? What was characteristic about the other studios? 

How long was the studio system in operation and why did it end with the Paramount Case of 1948? 

Why was the studio system a monopoly? What was good and bad about the studio system? 

What is McCarthyism and how did it hurt the movie industry? 

Be familiar with the terms: HUAC, the Hollywood 10, the Blacklist, naming names, friendly and unfriendly witnesses. 

Why did the studio bosses create the blacklist? 

How did the studio bosses testify and what happened to those who were uncooperative with HUAC? 

Test 4 Study Guide 

Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s: 

What happened to the moviegoing audiences in the 1950s? 

Be familiar with the reasons for the 80 percent decline in the moviegoing audience from 1946 to 1960. 

What impact did McCarthyism, the Paramount Case, TV and baby boomers have on movies during the 1950s? 

Why did the studios dismiss TV as a fad? 

Know how Walt Disney reacted to the advent of TV. 

How did the studios fight back with new technology in Cinerama and CinemaScope. Be familiar with theater gimmicks such as smell-a-vision, coward's corner, the tingler and 3-D. 

Know the top genres of the 1950s such as toga and sandal movies, musicals, westerns, pirate movies and science fiction. How did the science fiction movies of the 1950s differ from other eras. 

Why were drive-in movies such a big part of the 1950s? What contributions did drive-ins make in the history of movies? Why are drive-in movies on the decline? 

How did the movie studios lose touch with their audience during the 1960s? 

Which studios faced bankruptcy in the 1960s? 

How did the cultural revolution of the 1960s with hippies, civil rights, women's movement and the Vietnam War impact the movie studios? 

How did the directors assert control  in the 1960s? 

Why did directors focus on social issues in movies such as abortion, racism, nuclear war, political assassinations, drugs and alcoholism during the 1960s? 

Be familiar with some of the important movies of the decade including The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Bonnie and Clyde and In the Heat of the Night. 

Understand how the end of the production code made movies more violent and more sexual. 

Test 5 Study Guide

The 1970s and beyond: 

The CGI revolution begins and Hollywood is reborn. 

Studios discover the secret to prosperity: turn out dozens of mind-numbing sequels (also called popcorn movies--small on plot, big on action) full of CGI that kids love. 

Be familiar with key movies in the CGI revolution including Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Forest Gump and The Terminator. 

Know the following terms: CGI, analog vs. digital, matte painting, storyboarding and previsualization. 

Be familiar with the career of the film-school generation directors: 
Steven Spielberg 
George Lucas 
Francis Ford Coppola 
Martin Scorsese 

What key movies did these directors make and how did they impact the movie industry? Why are they given some of the credit for revitalizing and saving the movie industry? 

How did George Lucas and Star Wars create the template for the franchise? 

Why did Lucas create his company ILM and what impact did ILM have on the CGI revolution? 

How did Pixar spin off from ILM and what has Pixar done over the last 20 plus years? 

Be familiar with the Spielberg--Lucas collaboration and how did it move the CGI revolution forward? 

How did Scorsese and Coppola move the gangster genre forward? 

How did Spielberg's success with JAWS create the template for today's blockbuster? 

What happened to key studios during the 1970s and beyond including MGM, Disney and Universal?

Spring 2017 Syllabus

Course Syllabus: Theater Arts 40       Spring 2017 

           



Instructor: Ralph Nichols

Instructor email: ralphnichols58@gmail.com

Instructor phone: (408) 274-7900, ext. 6506 Instructor Office: VPA-108

Office Hours: TBA Class website: www.theater40.blogspot.com  




Course Description:  

THEAT-040 -Introduction to Film Units: 3 

This is an introductory course in film studies in which students view classic and recent films to learn the technical and artistic disciplines of filmmaking. Emphasis is placed on the movie industry, its history and business side. 

Lecture Hours: 2.5 Lab Hours: 1.5 Repeatable: No Grading: O 

CAN: None Advisory Level: Read: 3 Write: 3 Math: None 

Transfer Status: CSU/UC Degree Applicable: AA/AS 

CSU GE:  C1 District GE: C1 IGETC: None




WHY SHOULD I TAKE THIS COURSE?



Students who have taken this class have said they watch movies in a different way, with a greater appreciation for technique and direction. The ultimate goal of this class is to improve students’ understanding of how films are made and to provide students with a greater appreciation of the medium at a more sophisticated level.



WHAT IS THIS COURSE ABOUT?



Students in this class will learn that there is a lot more to “movies” than meets the eye. By studying the movie industry from a business, historical and social viewpoint, students will enrich their moviegoing experience and develop a more sophisticated appreciation of movies and the process of movie-making.



WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF ME?



Students are expected to demonstrate a willingness to:

1.  Attend class on time and stay until the end of class.

2.  Participate in class discussions.

3.  Put together a film journal and turn it in on time.

4.  Don’t use your cell phone during class. 



WHAT LEARNING METHODS WILL WE USE? 



Reading: Some assigned readings will seem challenging: they will require you to concentrate on new concepts and sort out the arguments. You will be better prepared for class discussions and tests if you complete your reading on your own before we discuss it in class. While there is no textbook for this class you will still be expected to do outside reading on the movie industry.



Writing: You will have several assignments related to your film journal that require you to write outside of class. All of these assignments must be typed and included in your film journal.



Discussion: Your participation in this class is encouraged and important in helping you learn the material. It has been proven in studies that students learn more by thinking and talking about the subject rather that sitting and not participating. Your class participation grade will be based on how much you contribute to discussions.



WHAT ARE THE GROUND RULES?



1.                  Punctuality and attendance: You have a responsibility to be at all class meetings on time and to remain until the end of class. If you find that you must miss a class, be late, or leave early (and this should only happen under exceptional circumstances) you must call arrange to:

1.      Review the class notes you missed.

2.      Get the assignments due for the next class.



Arriving late or leaving early WILL result in a loss of points beyond your class participation points. 

Attendance is probably the most important thing you must do in this class. Simply attending class does not guarantee a student a passing grade but leaving early and/or arriving late will ensure a student receives a bad grade in the class.



2.                  Preparation: The quality of our experience in the course depends on each class member being prepared and being willing to discuss, ask questions, and support one another. In addition, part of your grade will reflect your preparedness and participation.



3.                  Late work: You are responsible for keeping up on all of the work for the course and turning it in on time. Even if you have been absent, the next assignments are still due on time. You need to make a friend in class who you can share notes with in the event you miss a class and need to know what we did while you were gone. Make-up tests will only be given on the same day for everybody during the last week of the semester.



4.                  Withdrawal: If you stop coming to class, it is important that you drop yourself from the roll through admissions and records. Otherwise, you may stay on the roll until the end of class and receive a grade of F.



5.                  Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another writer’s words or ideas. Plagiarism is a serious offense. A student who plagiarizes is subject to disciplinary probation and/or suspension as outlined in the college catalog in accordance with district policy. You can also receive an F in the class. I have been a newspaper reporter and teacher for more than 30 years and I am a good judge of student writing. You will do a writing sample in class that I will use to evaluate your writing level. This sample will be compared with writing you do on your own and if there is a major difference in the quality then you may be suspected of plagiarism.



6.                  Cell Phones/Media Devices — Cell phones and media devices MUST be turned off during class. Texting is not allowed during class. Running out of class to answer a cell phone call is not allowed during class. There is a time and a place for these devices and it’s not during class. Laptop computers must be closed during movie presentations. You are NOT ALLOWED to cruise the Internet on your laptop or play on your phone during class. Failure to follow these rules will result in a lowering of your grade. Please follow this IMPORTANT rule and do not be rude to your fellow students and especially the teacher.



7.                  Test make-up — A student will be allowed to make up only one test during the semester. All make-up tests will be taken on the same day during the last month of the semester. The date will be announced in class. If you miss more than one test during the semester you will only be allowed to make up one test. You cannot redo a test for a better grade. You are only allowed to make up a test if you missed the test when it was given in class.  



General Education Learning Outcomes




General Education is a commitment on the part of a college to provide students with a broad set of knowledge and skills that will help each student in their process of becoming a well-rounded healthy person equipped to participate wisely in the health of our community.  It requires a carefully selected set of courses and activities on the part of the college and active reflection on the part of the student.



This course participates in the general education process by including the following General Education Learning Outcome(s):



Learning Outcomes:  

1        Describe the objectives and themes of films 

2        Identify conflict in a film and demonstrate how the conflict arises from the plot structure of the film 

3        Analyze and describe characterization and character interaction in films 

4        Correlate aspects of visual design and lighting with character and setting 

5        Illustrate how cinematography affects film content 

6        Recognize how editing is used to organize film content and compare various editing styles in films 

7        Assess the impact of sound design on the content of a film 

8        Evaluate and compare acting and directing techniques in films 

9        Make qualitative judgments about the aesthetic, social, and cultural achievements of films 

 Summarize opinions of films in writing, supporting statements with detailed observations from the films



This outcome contributes to the General Education areas of emphasis stated in the accreditation standards and District General Education Philosophy (pending)] checked below:

__x___ Aesthetic sensitivity

__x___ Civic responsibility (local, national, global)

__x___ Civility

__x___ Computer literacy

__x___ Critical analysis/logical thinking

__x___ Cultural diversity __x___ Ethical principles

__x___ Historical sensitivity

__x___ Information competency

__x___ Integrated organism including the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual

            (local and CSU GE) __x___ Interpersonal Skills

__x___ Oral communication including speaking and listening

__x___ Political involvement (local, national, global)

__x___ Scientific and quantitative reasoning

__x___ Social responsibility (local, national, global)

__x___ Teamwork (ability to work and solve problems as a team, recommended by Jim Potterton)

       _x____ Written communication



District Policies



Attendance Policy:  “Students are expected to maintain regular and prompt attendance in all classes.  Instructors shall maintain a record of students’ attendance in class.” VI. Instruction Policies 6070.1 12/19/89



Withdrawal/Drop Policy:

It is the ultimate responsibility of the student to formally drop the class.  You should not rely on the instructor to drop you from a class for non-attendance.  You may drop by telephone using the STAR system (223-0300) or by completing the proper forms in the Office of Admissions and Records.  To be eligible for a refund of fees and/or prevent a recorded grade of “F: or “W”, you must drop the class on or before posted date.



College Honesty Policy:



Students are expected to write their own papers and to not copy from another student or author (plagiarism).  Consequences of such actions may lead to reduction of a grade, suspension form the class, course failure, or expulsion from the college.

Violations of standards include the following: 

  Altering grades 

  Altering or forging college documents, records, or identification 

  Copying from someone’s test or allowing someone to copy your test 

  Copying from an author’s work without giving credit (plagiarism) 

  Doing an assignment (e.g., a term paper or essay) for another student or asking, paying, bribing, or blackmailing someone to do an assignment for you 

  Sitting in for someone in class or on a test or having someone sit in class for you if not authorized by the instructor 

  Submitting work previously presented in another class if not authorized by the instructor 

  During an exam, using or consulting other test or course material not authorized by the instructor 

  Possession of an examination or materials not authorized by the instructor.

Consequences may include one or more of the following actions by appropriate college officials as shown in parentheses: 

  Receiving a failing grade on the test, paper, or exam 

  Course grade lowered, possibly resulting in course failure 

  Verbal or written reprimand/warning 

  Suspension for a longer specified time 

  Expulsion from college 



WHAT MATERIALS DO I NEED?



Notebook: A large, 3-ring binder for all assignments and work, Scantron forms and a No. 2 pencil for tests. Writing paper for in-class assignments.



HOW MUCH TIME WILL I SPEND ON THIS CLASS?



In college you are expected to work two hours per week outside of class for every one hour you meet in class. You will spend time outside of class reading, studying for tests and watching videos for your final project. Start planning your schedule now so that you can accommodate this work load.



HOW WILL I BE GRADED?



Your grade will be calculated based on:

                        Five tests                                             600 points

                        Final paper (In-class essay)                100 points

                        Film Journal                                        150 points

                        Attendance, participation                    150 points



The grading scale for the course is:

A   = 900 - 1,000 points

B    = 800 - 899 points                                      C = 700 - 799 points

                                                D = 600 - 699 points

                                                F = Below 600 points







HOW WILL I KNOW MY GRADE?



It is the responsibility of the students to keep track of their own grade. Hold on to your returned tests and keep track of your scores. Evaluate your participation level periodically throughout the semester. If you are not participating or participating very little you will want to increase your level of participation (see below). Be realistic about your grade. If you are getting C’s on your tests and not participating you should not expect an A in the class. There are four parts of your grade (see above). To have any realistic chance of getting an A in the class you will need to do “A” quality work in at least three of the four categories. Your final grade is final and it will not be changed after it is submitted to admissions and records unless I made a mistake calculating your grade. Your final grade should not be a surprise. Keep track of your progress throughout the semester. Any questions or concerns about your grade should be resolved before the end of the semester. Final grades are final. 



THINGS NOT TO DO IN MY CLASS


             (In no particular order)



1.  Arrive late/leave early or both. Showing up late for the final.

2.  Refuse to participate, speak, make comments or ask questions.

3.  Watch media devices (cell phones, lap tops, etc.) instead of watching the movie.

4.  Rush out of the classroom to make or take cell phone calls.

5.  Don't make the assumption that this class is an easy A or there is nothing to learn because it's film.

       (Students who do any or all of these things significantly lower their grade)



CLASS PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE




One hundred and fifty points of your grade is based on how active a role you take in this class and your attendance. The more you participate in class discussions the more points you receive in this category. If you do not participate or participate very little you will lose points or get a zero in this category. Ask questions, make comments, be attentive and take good notes and be in class on time and remain until the class ends. All of these things will be considered in determining your class participation/attendance grade. Being silent, not asking questions and not participating will NOT help your grade. Students often overlook this part of their grade and they shouldn’t. It’s important to be an active participant and not a passive observer. You don’t have to be an expert to make a comment. For example, “I don’t like Jim Carrey because I’m not a big slapstick comedy fan.” I’m looking for student input, not expert analysis.

Attendance is critical to your success in this class. However, simply attending class will not guarantee a student a passing grade. Nor does attendance alone guarantee you a high grade in this category. Frequent participation is critical to getting a good grade in this category.

• Arriving late and/or leaving early can and will be considered an absence.



(IMPORTANT: You can be dropped from the class for chronic absences, arriving late and/or leaving early or not coming at all or additional points could be deducted  from your final total).







UNDERSTANDING THE GRADING PROCESS




Your grade is made up of four parts — tests, attendance/participation, film journal and final paper. You will need to do well in at least three of the four areas to receive a high grade in this class. Not participating during the semesters and doing poorly on tests will make it difficult to receive a passing grade. Every semester students receive D’s and F’s in this class. Usually these low grades are a result of poor test scores, no class participation and not doing a class presentation. If you are serious about succeeding in this class then you will have to do the work or you will not pass the class.



FILM JOURNAL




Your final journal will be put together throughout the semester and will be worth 150 points and it will be graded at the end of the semester. Some of the papers in the journal will be due before the end of the semester. You will only receive points for a paper if you turn it in when it’s due. Late journal papers will not be accepted. For example, if you have a movie memories paper due and you don’t turn it in on time then you will not get the points for that assignment.



The journal will be made up of a combination of in-class assignments and papers you do outside of class. Every paper done at home MUST be typed or it will not be accepted. All papers need to be at least one full typed page unless otherwise specified. All journals must be in a three-ring binder that can be purchased at the bookstore. Typed papers in the journal need to be put in the three-rings and not slipped in the plastic sleeve in the front or back. Not punching three holes in your paper will result in a loss of 20 points. Your first journal deadline that will be worth 5 points will be announced in class and it will be to bring in your three-ring binder to class with the syllabus in the binder.



WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE FILM JOURNAL: (The journal is typed except for notes).



  Table of Contents – Include a table of contents in your film journal listing the order of the assignments as they appear in your journal. This should be the first page of your journal after the title page. Worth 5 points.



  In-class notes (these notes do not have to be retyped but should be turned in with the journal as you take them during class). 



  All extra credit assignments. Include a list of any extra credit you did during the semester.



  Movie Memories: We all have memories of our childhood. I’m interested in your movie memories for this paper. Being young adults you should still have vivid memories of the movies that were important to you growing up. I want you to write a detailed paper about the movies that were important to you growing up. Did you see movies that inspired you to do better or movies that helped you to understand the world you lived in? Movies often offer escapism for an unpleasant reality such as a troubled home life. Did movies represent that for you? Do you remember your first movie date and how you felt. I want you to reminisce in this essay on movies and the impact they had on you growing up. Be specific in describing the movies you saw and where you saw them. Focus this essay on when you were younger and first started

seeing movies and take it up to today. If movies did not play a big part in your life then talk about that and explain why. Length: Two pages typed. Point value 35 points. Deadline Feb. 28



  Cinequest Film Festival—Film festivals are the lifeblood of the movie industry and San Jose plays host every year to one of the top film festivals in the country—Cinequest. The festival runs from Feb. 28 to March 12. There are hundreds of movies to see from every genre and language. With a little effort you should easily be able to find something that appeals to you. Check the film festival website at Cinequest.org. For this assignment I want you to see one of the Cinequest movies and write a 1-2 page paper on the movie dealing with the following questions:

1.      Why did you choose this movie? What sounded appealing?

2.      Did it live up to your expectations? Why or why not?

3.      Would this movie have mainstream success if it was released to theaters nationwide?

Why or why not.

This paper is due on Tuesday March 14. Point value 40 points.



You Be The Teacher – What three movies would you show the class if you were teaching film studies? What three movies would be on your “must show” list. Explain why you would choose these three movies. What would you expect the class to learn from these movies? Twenty or 30 years from now would these movies still be good choices to show the class? Important to remember – Do not base your choices on sentimental reasons or because you really like the movie yourself. There are lots of movies I like that I would not consider showing in a film class. Focus on movies that would have some educational value and be able to identify its educational value. You cannot pick one of the movies that I show in class and no sequels or animated movies. Length: One page typed. Point value 35 points. Deadline March 28.



Favorite and Least Favorite: At the end of the semester I’ll ask for your opinion on your favorite and least favorite movie you saw in class. Which movie did you like the most and why and what was your least favorite movie? Length: One page typed. Point value 35 points. Deadline May 23.



FILM JOURNAL IS DUE MAY 23. (No late journals accepted).



FINAL EXAM on Thursday May 25. 



EXTRA CREDIT




Extra credit is optional. I do not give points for extra credit. I give a + (plus) to students who do nearly all of the extra credit that is offered, a checkmark to those who do some extra credit but not all of it and a zero to those who do not do any extra credit. The most extra credit will help your grade is a half-grade or a total of 50 points. 













Theater 40 — Schedule of Events




Session #1                                                                                            


Class, syllabus introduction; Explain Film Journal.

“State of the Industry (Why do bad movies make so much money?)” Video: Boffo.            



Session #2


“Bring on the empty horses.” What does a director do?

Movie: Series of documentary clips.



Session #3


Movie: A Bronx Tale.

Discussion: Looking at movies from a director’s perspective.



Session #4


“From Chaplin to Seth Rogan.” Movie Comedies.

Movie: The Kid.



Session #5

“You can’t say $%##” Production Code to MPAA Ratings.



Session #6


The Studio System.

Movie: Rear Window.



Session #7


Sexism and Stereotyping.

Movie: In the Heat of the Night.



Session #8


McCarthyism and the Blacklist.

Movie: Trumbo.



Session #9


Hollywood in the Fifties Movie: Blackboard Jungle.



Session #10


The studios hit hard times.

Movie: L.A. Confidential



Session #11


Revenge of the Counterculture: Hollywood in the Sixties—Hippies, civil rights and Woodstock. Movie: The Graduate.



Session #12


Studios face bankruptcy; James Bond gives birth to the franchise.

Movie: The Butler.



Session #13


Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: The Film School Generation.

Movie: GoodFellas.



Session #14


The 1970s and beyond: The CGI revolution saves Hollywood.

Movie: The Godfather or Catch Me if You Can.



Session #15


Film Journals Due (No late journals accepted). Final Exam.