Course Orientation
Introduction to Film
2.0 : 2.0 : 0.0 fall, spring, summer
Corequisites(s): THEA 1025
Designed to develop the analytical skills necessary for understanding the motion picture - not only as an art form, but as a tool for the statement of ideas. Explores the visual and aural elements employed by movie-makers to influence audiences. Studies context - the historical, social, political, cultural, and artistic situation which produced the film and how it reflects ourselves and our society. Combines lecture, screening, and demonstration with critical discussions of assigned readings and films.
Course Objectives:
- Delineate differences between film as an art form and film as entertainment.
- Explain how film functions to manipulate an audience into varying sensations.
- Describe how the historical, social, political, cultural, and artistic situation which produced the film reflects ourselves and our society.
- Discern and articulate a film's theme.
- Explain the interaction of the elements of film to create meaning in a film.
Required Materials
There is no textbook required for this class. All the materials you will be tested on are within the online course. All films will be available through the Canvas Course Media.
IMPORTANT NOTE: It is the student’s responsibility, when taking an online course to have the proper hardware/software in place before the course begins.
There is no printed textbook required for this class to help facilitate students in case they can’t access the free Canvas Course Media viewings and need to spend money to rent the films. Problems usually occur when students don’t have high speed Internet or are using a non-compatible browser. When in doubt, contact Tech Support.
Your short responses, quizzes and written assignments are based upon watching the films, so it is really important for the student to access the films during the week of film viewing—even if you’ve previously seen the film. Current viewing will aid in remembering information for the quizzes.
The written assignments have strict due dates. If the uploaded assignment is one minute late, it will automatically receive a zero.
I will accept early work, but not late. You have a week (including Sunday) to watch one film and do the paper or the short response. That is plenty of time to complete the requirements.
How This Course Works
Each week students are expected to read the online lesson content explaining different elements of film. Most lessons include video clips that demonstrate these principles. Students also are assigned a film to watch. All of these films will be available through the Canvas Course Media. All films are available throughout the semester. Each lesson includes specific instructions on how to download and view these films. The best way to watch the films is through the Canvas Course Media which allows you to stream the films from anywhere. If you do not have access to a computer with fast internet connection, you can watch the films/videos at the library or any of the computer labs on campus.
Each week, as part of lesson activities, students are expected to submit either a short response or a reflective paper. Short responses and reflective papers are based upon weekly films.
The instructional material for the online sessions of THEA 1023 (instructor course content, video links and films) may be accessed through CANVAS lessons and Canvas Course Media; there is no additional textbook for this course. All of the important fundamentals film can be found in the instructor narrative included in the lessons. Because film encompasses both visual and audio components, the best way to understand and conceptualize these film principles is to actually view film clips. Therefore, video (and some audio) links are included in each lesson; they are clear examples of the ideas discussed. The full-length film assigned each week further demonstrates essentials discussed in the lesson. By reading the instructor content, viewing the film clips, watching the films through the Canvas Course Media, and thoughtfully responding to assignments, students will have a rich, varied, and in-depth experience with basic elements of film.
It is not acceptable to not participate in this course. Your contribution is expected; all short responses and reflective papers should be reflective, thoughtful, and conform to college-level criteria. Accuracy in grammar is expected, and will affect the grade your work receives.
This course is to be a safe learning environment. All opinions and comments are to be respectful to both the instructor and other students.
Communication, Submission, Grading Procedures
Communication —
All communications for the course will take place within the course communication tools such as the inbox, discussions, etc.
- Never ask about quiz questions through the discussions; this could result in disciplinary action.
- Specific questions about your grade or assignments should be addressed to the teacher through the course inbox.
- When communicating with the instructor through email, remember, this is not text messaging. Use proper capitalization, punctuation and grammar. It makes your message easier to read.
- Please be sure to read the announcements. Many questions students email are already addressed in the announcements.
Course Inbox —
The best way to contact me is through the Course Inbox. I will reply within one business day excluding weekends. Please limit your email correspondence to personal circumstances or grades.
Questions/Comments for Instructor —
If you have a question about assignments that would be of interest to the class check the Discussions topic "Comments/Questions for Instructor" to see if your question has already been addressed. If not, post your question with a short descriptive title and I will answer your question for the benefit of the entire class.
Students Helping Students —
If you have a question about a course policy, assignment strategy, or something you expect would be listed in the Course Orientation, post your question to the Discussions topic "Students Helping Students" where students can help each other with answers related to the course.
Submitting Assignments —
All assignments must be submitted as a .doc, .docx or .rtf file through Canvas as per the dates indicated on the course schedule. See “Schedule” menu on Canvas’ left navigation.
Late Work —
Early work will be accepted, but not late. All assignments have strict due dates as indicated in the course Schedule and Calendar, and are due no later than Sunday nights at 11:55, except the last assignment which will be due on the last day of class (NOT the last day of the summer semester*). Do not wait until the last possible moment to submit your work. Technical problems are not valid excuses for turning in late work.
*Assignments turned in after the due date and time receive automatic zeroes. Be sure to check the Calendar for the due date for assignments.
Table of Assignments & Assessments
| Activity | Points Possible | Percent of Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Quizzes (15 @ 15 points ea.) | 225 |
26.5% |
| Written papers (4 @ 100 points ea.) | 400 |
47% |
| Short Responses (9 @ 25 points ea.) | 250 |
26.5% |
| Extra Credit Final Exam | 30 |
0 |
| Total | 850 |
100 |
Grading Scale
| Letter Grade | Percent |
|---|---|
| A | 93-100 |
| A- | 90-92 |
| B+ | 87-89 |
| B | 83-86 |
| B- | 80-82 |
| C+ | 77-79 |
| C | 73-77 |
| C- | 70-72 |
| D+ | 67-69 |
| D | 63-68 |
| D- | 60-62 |
| E | 59 |
Description of Assignments & Assessments
Assignments Consist of the Following:
- Watching the films each week (either over the Canvas Course Media or through some other method of your choice).
- Completing scheduled reading assignments (papers and short responses).
- Completing writing assignments.
- Taking the quizzes.
How to access the films:
Click on the Media Gallery tab on the Left Navigation.
Select: the desired film.
| Title |
|---|
| The Fugitive |
| Singin' in the Rain |
| The Purple Rose of Cairo |
| The Fire Below Us |
| Secondhand Lions |
| Casablanca |
| The Natural |
| Double Indemnity |
| Frequency |
| Waking Ned Devine |
| Shanghai Knights |
| Bowfinger |
| Psycho |
| Reflections on Citizen Kane |
Enjoy the movie!
Quizzes
Quizzes consist of multiple choice and true/false questions over each element of film we study (Filmmaking, Screenplay, Design, etc.) film clips and films. There are 14 exams covering the 14 lessons. The quizzes are timed—15 minutes for 15 questions. There will be 10 questions on the reading and film clips, and 5 questions on the films for that particular unit. Pay close attention to the characters and what they say and do.
The final is 30 points of extra credit to help cover any technical difficulties you have while taking the online quizzes (power outages, computer shutting down unexpectedly, etc.) You can miss up to three quizzes and it won’t affect your grade if you do well on the extra credit final. NOTE: It is not wise to purposefully miss quizzes thinking you can make up the points later. Save the extra credit final for emergencies.
There will be no resets for quizzes, so be sure to set aside a time when you won’t have distractions. Do not ask the teacher for a quiz reset. If something goes wrong as you are taking the quiz (technical problems or human errors), be sure to take the extra credit final to make up the lost points.
Short Responses
Short responses are to be a minimum of 100 words, using proper capitalization, punctuation and grammar. Failure to follow these elementary rules will result in lower scores. If you are having difficulty with these grammar rules, the writing labs on campus can help you.
Reflective Papers
There will be four lessons requiring a more in-depth response from your film viewing: screenwriting, production design, cinematography II, and editing.
The body of the paper should be no less than 500 words (not including the title, your name, course title, etc.) in 12-point font with one-inch margins. Each assignment is worth 100 points. The specifics for each assignment are explained at the end of the lessons, along with a sample paper.
Do not give the plot of the film. These are analysis papers — not critiques — not reviews. Practice the concepts you learn from the lessons by identifying the concepts and then telling why or how they give added meaning to the film. Why were these choices made? You get more points if you use film language in each analysis.
Only write on films listed for that particular assignment. Your editing paper is not to be written from the screenwriting film — only from the editing film. Use the Canvas Media Gallery to view films. Sample papers are included with each writing assignment; students who read the sample papers tend to understand the assignment more clearly and usually earn better grades on the paper.
Italicize or underline names of films, i.e. Star Wars or Star Wars, in both the title and the paper. While content is a priority, correct grammar should be used on papers: run spell check. Be sure to capitalize proper nouns and first words in sentences. Failure to do so can result in lower grades.
If you own the DVD of the film, do not write from the added features. Do not rehash what the director or others say about the film. This is your analysis, not theirs.
As you watch the film, write down observations. Afterwards, you can draw your conclusions. Sometimes a pattern will surface, or ideas will form as you are writing your paper. Write your “educated” ideas based on information you learned in the lesson.
It is best not to write a stream of consciousness. Organize your thoughts. First drafts of papers rarely get the best grades. Take time to do at least one rewrite.
The most important thing to remember when writing your papers is to express what the different choices in the film mean to you. For example, how did the choices the production designer made communicate ideas to you? As long as you can support your ideas, you will probably get points. If it is clear that you do not understanding the concept, then there is a problem.
Final Exam
The final exam will be 30 points of extra credit covering the entire course. It will consist of multiple choice questions. “Extra credit” means you do not have to take the final if you are happy with your grade at the end of the semester. In other words, you will not get a lower grade if you do not take the final. The extra credit will only help your grade, not hurt your grade.
Course Orientation Quiz
The Course Orientation Quiz is your first assignment and must be taken as many times as necessary to get a perfect score. When a perfect score is achieved, the balance of the course materials will be released.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of appropriating any other person's or group's ideas or work (written, computerized, artistic, etc.) or portions thereof and passing them off as the product of one's own work in any academic exercise or activity.
A plagiarism program has been added to this course to discourage students from copying past students’ assignments and/or online papers and synopses of films.
Infractions of this policy may result in consequences ranging from a failing grade on the work, expulsion from the class and/or suspension from the university.