Course Syllabus
HUM4410 Film As Art
Summer Term II, 2003
3 Credit Hours

Course Learning Resources:

How to Read a Film, Monaco, James
Purchase

Course Description

A survey of film as an expression of man's effort to use story as a mirror for society. Technical film production and cinematic technique and theory will also be discussed.

 Course Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will:
1. Be able to understand film techniques and their use in conveying meaning;
2. Understand how to integrate film technique with content, seeing the interplay of content and form in film;
3. Understand and interpret the use of techniques such as editing, sound, cinematography, and mise-en-scene in a film's final form;
4. Understand that a film is a presentation of reality as a director sees it;
5. Understand the contributions of major film producers and directors;
6. Be able to identify artistic and commercial elements in film;
7. Understand the challenges of conveying a written story in film.

Course Policies

Attendance
This is a 6 week course, and moves fairly quickly. Its requirements include assignments, and a final exam. Students will complete and submit assignments and the Final exam via the Internet. Students will be required to make email contact with the Instructor five days out of seven. . If a student is experiencing technical problems, she/he will be expected to have a back up plan which could be emailing from a friend or relative's house, or a local library, or Kinkos, or a cyber café. If all else fails the student may call the instructor. 353-379-5642

Participation

Students will be expected to read How to Read a Film James Monaco (third edition). Students will be expected to make email contact with the instructor 5 days out of seven and ask questions and make substantive comments about the book, and answer weekly discussion questions.. Students will have to view 1 film a week and by Sunday midnight, submit a film critique (no word limit).

Grading
Attendance 20%
Participation 40%
Film Critiques 20%
Final Exam 20%

Grading Scale

95-100	A
90-94	A-
87-89	B+
84-86	B
80-83	B-
77-79	C+
74-76	C
70-73	C-
67-69	D+
64-66	D
60-63	D-
0-59	F

How to Take This Course

Assignments are posted in the Virtual Classroom. Before you start working on assignments, please email me and introduce yourself. I would like to know a little about you, your motivation for taking this course, and what you hope to gain by taking it. Once I receive your note, I'll send one back.

After that, to get started, just visit the Virtual Classroom and begin.