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.
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