Introduction (of sorts): 20 min.
This course is designed to provide you with a wide foundation of Film History and Film Studies, while also giving you experience writing film scripts and film reviews/critiques (as such found in the field of Journalism). By its end, you will understand the art of film hopefully more than you do now, and will gain a better appreciation for the art of filmmaking.
Some of you may like this course of study so much you will take film courses in college, major in film studies, or become professional filmmakers. Others will at least benefit from knowing (and appreciating) the art of film.
This course (as Playwriting) will mostly be found online. Deadlines and assignments (with instructions) will be posted on the blog as needed. Please check the blog daily (even when absent) so you do not fall behind. Written assignments and copies of scripts/terms/materials for this course can be found on our Google Classroom site.
To start this morning, please note the following resources that you will be able to access throughout the course.
Handouts (Film vocabulary/terms; resources; sample script)
WRITING TASK: Today, please look at the top 100+ Films of All Time to see which films you have seen. It will serve as a basis for our course.
Around 8:00, let's dive into our film experience. Let's take a look at the script and film Joker. Here's some stats. This course gets very historical and detailed. It's important that:
A. You take notes on the films we watch or screen.
B. You come to class on time and consistently (if you miss a film, you will need to make it up on your own time)
C. And as much as I hate to say this, please watch the films. Putting your head down, falling asleep, disrupting class by talking during a film screening, or reading/interacting with your internet while screening a film will cause you to lose participation during class.
We'll read the first few pages of the script today. Please complete the reading of the script for homework (see below).
As we watch the film, please note the following (or see the film analysis handout):
This course is designed to provide you with a wide foundation of Film History and Film Studies, while also giving you experience writing film scripts and film reviews/critiques (as such found in the field of Journalism). By its end, you will understand the art of film hopefully more than you do now, and will gain a better appreciation for the art of filmmaking.
Some of you may like this course of study so much you will take film courses in college, major in film studies, or become professional filmmakers. Others will at least benefit from knowing (and appreciating) the art of film.
This course (as Playwriting) will mostly be found online. Deadlines and assignments (with instructions) will be posted on the blog as needed. Please check the blog daily (even when absent) so you do not fall behind. Written assignments and copies of scripts/terms/materials for this course can be found on our Google Classroom site.
To start this morning, please note the following resources that you will be able to access throughout the course.
Handouts (Film vocabulary/terms; resources; sample script)
WRITING TASK: Today, please look at the top 100+ Films of All Time to see which films you have seen. It will serve as a basis for our course.
A. For each film you have personally seen, circle or highlight the title of the film.
B. Count the # of films you have seen personally.
C. In the COMMENT section below make a reflective statement about the top 100 films of all time you have actually seen.
- How many of the films have you seen?
- How much of a film buff are you? How often do you watch films? Do you like watching films? Why or why not?
- Would you consider these films to be representative of the best films ever made? Why or why not? What films or filmmakers have been left off?
- What can you conclude about your experience as a student studying film?
Around 8:00, let's dive into our film experience. Let's take a look at the script and film Joker. Here's some stats. This course gets very historical and detailed. It's important that:
A. You take notes on the films we watch or screen.
B. You come to class on time and consistently (if you miss a film, you will need to make it up on your own time)
C. And as much as I hate to say this, please watch the films. Putting your head down, falling asleep, disrupting class by talking during a film screening, or reading/interacting with your internet while screening a film will cause you to lose participation during class.
PREMISE: In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.
Director:
Todd Phillips (known for producing A Star is Born, 2018; Wardogs, 2016; The Hangover, parts 1, 2, 3; Starsky & Hutch, 2004)Writers:
Todd Phillips, Scott Silver (The Finest Hours, 2016; The Fighter, 2010; 8 Mile (2002)Stars:
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker/Arthur Fleck), Robert De Niro (Murray Franklin), Zazie Beetz (Sophie), Francis Conroy (Penny Fleck), Brett Cullen (Thomas Wayne)We'll read the first few pages of the script today. Please complete the reading of the script for homework (see below).
As we watch the film, please note the following (or see the film analysis handout):
- Title
- Director
- Producer or studio producing the film
- Actors & their roles
- Setting
- Relevant film artists (special effects, music, cinematography, editing, writer, etc.)
- Premise
- Opening shot/establishing shot (how does the film begin?)
- Inciting incident (what causes the protagonist to get involved in the story?)
- Conflicts/complications/crisis (rising action)
- Dark moment/turning point (what scene indicates the lowest end for the protagonist(s)?)
- Enlightenment (what scene allows the protagonist to face the challenge of meeting his/her adversary or antagonist?)
- Climax
- Resolution (how does the film end?)
Hand in your notes at the end of the screening for participation. Students will NOT get full participation if they fall asleep, do not watch the film, disrupt class, are absent/tardy, etc.)
HOMEWORK: Please read Chapter 1: Viewing Films and answer the questions on the packet for Friday. Complete your reading of the script Joker (2019). If you did not post your comment today during class, please do so. A late penalty applies.
13 comments:
How many of the films have you seen?~ I have seen one out of the 200
How much of a film buff are you? How often do you watch films? Do you like watching films? Why or why not?~ I'm not really a film buff I watch movies often but not old movies I do like watching movies because it's like a story that your watching
Would you consider these films to be representative of the best films ever made? Why or why not? What films or filmmakers have been left off? ~ The lion king definitely because it is a kid-friendly movie that tells a story and has adult emotions involved. I feel like there is nothing to change about the movie it's in the top 200 for a reason
I've seen 24 out of 100 movies on the list. I wouldn't call myself much of a film buff because I haven't watched a lot of these films that are on the list. I rarely ever watch movies, which would be a reason why. I do like watching films, though it depends on the genre. As for these films in particular, I wouldn't consider them to be representative of the best films ever made. Films and the way they've been produced has evolved over time and there's underrated movies that don't get the recognition they deserve. I can conclude, as a student studying film, that I'm not well acquainted with these types of films.
I have seen 12 films (not counting repeats). I don't watch many films because of the way that I plan out my schedule, like with homework. However, a good film can be fun to watch, like the tear-wrenching Citizen Kane. I think that a lot of the films listed were representative of the best films ever made because even though I haven't watched them, I hear a lot about them (talk). Like Clockwork Orange, for example. I don't know many films, but there aren't a lot of horror titles (but a lot of horror films are pretty lousy) or other genres. Overall, I can conclude that I'm going to have a lot to learn to learn from this class, so get busy.
Out of these 200 films, I watched only two and both were forced by teachers- Citizen Kane and To Kill a Mockingbird. I think this is because even though I'm a casual movie watcher, I mostly watch newer and better movies. I grew up watching Bollywood movies and newer Hollywood movies. Most of the movies in the lists were from the 20th-century and I don't like watching old, visually low-quality films. One thing that struck me was Citizen Kane being ranked the top in not one, but both lists. The only one I've seen is Citizen Kane and I didn't really find it that entertaining, at least entertaining enough to be the best film in American cinematography.
I have seen 15-16 of these films. I enjoy going to movies and watching movies and usually after the film, my parents and I (mostly me) will talk about what we did or didn't like about it. I like some old movies but some just don't connect with me even though I understand their importance (Citizen Kane). I think this list is probably the most traditionally influential films, so yes. I am excited to start this course but I'm not sure about my ability in writing scripts for films.
-Madison Sutherland
I've seen 15 out of the 200 movies. I'm not really a film buff. I like watching movies but not usually critically acclaimed movies because I sometimes think they're boring. The movies on the list are mostly movies I wouldn't want to watch at first because they just don't seem interesting to me. I don't think the list is the most representative because times are changing and I feel like to get the most representative list you the critics who decide the best films must be a diverse group and select movies from all different genres to really make a list. Like I said before, I'm not a film buff so I'm not very educated about filmmakers but there a lot of movies that I like that maybe should be on the list. But I'm not a professional movie critic so what do I know.
I have seen 16 from the first list and 19 from the second list. I really like watching movies, especially old/well known ones. I also really like to go to movie theaters and keep up with new movies. I wouldn't say I am a film buff though. I would trust this list because these are people that are the experts, however I don't think they really represent everyone. There is not a lot of diversity and I am guessing that the majority of the people who decided this list where white men. The list they came up with does not represent directors and writers of color or women.
In total, I have seen 26 out of the 200 movies. I thought I would have saw more because my parents were born in the 60's and me and my father spend our afternoons binging old movies. He often tends to show me his "favorite" movies from his childhood and he is a major film buff so he probably would have saw majority of the films on this list. I don't think these films are very representative because majority of the movies are white casted and there are many other well films with people of color casted, I wouldn't call the racist film Birth of a Nation a top film of all time personally. One of my favorite films on the list is Rocky, I've always been obsessed with the whole series of movies. I think I will be interested in this course since this is all I tend to do in my free time.
(CONTINUED) Learning movies and understanding what really goes into making a movie, bad or good, will open our eyes to new perceptions and I think most of us will appreciate movies more and the class more since we are watching movies.
I have seen 4 of the 200 films on the list. I watched three of the four movies in school in creative writing classes and English class. Those movies are from all time periods and most of them are older. That is probably why I didn't see that much of them. I wouldn't consider the movies as my favorites but other people may like the movies on the list. I like the newer movies more than these movies. I think that I will like the class because I like watching movies and it interests me.
How many films have you seen ? I have seen 4 out of the 100.
How much of a film buff are you? How often do you watch films? I'm not a film buff at all. I rarely never watch films.
Do you like watching films? Why or why not? No I don't like watching films because to me they're boring. They make me fall asleep.
Would you consider these films to be representative of the best films ever made? Why or why not? No because if they were the best ever seen I would've watched them. I don't think they're the best ever seen because I never heard of some of the films.
What films or filmmakers have been left off? Romantic comedies didn't see too many of them.
What can you conclude about your experience as a student studying film? my experience wasn't that good because I still don't now too much about film. Didn't interest me.
How many of the films have you seen?
I have seen over 30 of the 100
How much of a film buff are you? How often do you watch films? Do you like watching films? Why or why not? I would consider myself a medium/moderate film buff, I love cinema and I have been watching movies with my grandma since a child.
Would you consider these films to be representative of the best films ever made? Why or why not? What films or filmmakers have been left off?
I would say the list is only missing The Color Purple/Sherlock Holmes Game of shadows and maybe Joker/Logan depending on the time of the list.
What can you conclude about your experience as a student studying film?
I can conclude that movies are true genuine forms of art that come with a level of complexity in the before and after the process.
How many of the films have you seen? I have seen 15 out of the top 100 films
How much of a film buff are you? How often do you watch films? Do you like watching films? Why or why not? I do love films both old and more modern film I watch films a lot I just like the visuals
Would you consider these films to be representative of the best films ever made? Why or why not? What films or filmmakers have been left off? I feel like these are really good films but I do feel they should be updated and should maybe consider some of the newer more modern films.
What can you conclude about your experience as a student studying film? I think I will enjoy this course because of the fact that I love film so much.
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