Cinema 107 – Understanding Motion Pictures
Fall2014 Section
Wednesdays: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays listed below: 8 a.m. - noon
Instructors:
Jeff Favre
jjfavre@gmail.com
916-769-5581
Office Hours: M-R 7:45 – 9:15 a.m.
Course Description:
Analytical critical survey of motion pictures as a communication medium via
screenings, lectures, and readings about ―classic‖ and contemporary films,
American and foreign, theatrical and non- theatrical.
Student Learning Outcome (SLO):
On the successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
Understand the technical terms of filmmaking.
Examine various narrative strategies in terms of meaningful storytelling.
Analyze how a film’s stylistic choices create meaning.
Classify films by genre, author and national cinema.
Recognize the similarities of films in a genre or by a certain director.
Evaluate a film’s storytelling-ability.
Understand the importance of the director’s role in the motion picture making
process.
Text: Anatomy of Film, 6th Edition, by Bernard Dick
The textbook is available at the Pierce College bookstore, but it’s also available on
Amazon.com, and used copies are less expensive.
Policies: • The responsibility for withdrawing from this class with a “W” rests
with the student. If your name is on the final grade collection for distributed by the
Records Office you will receive a letter grade. If you stop attending class but do
not properly withdraw, you will receive an “F” for the class.
Grading: Grading is computed on a point basis. The following percentages
represent the grades shown: 100-90%=A; 89.9%-80%=B; 79.9%-70%=C; 69.9%60%=D; 59.9% and below=F. There are no makeup tests or papers, No late work
will be accepted.
• Two quizzes from text, lectures and films
150 points each 300 points
• Two Film analyses
• Final—based on text, lectures and films
• Out of class research
TOTAL:
100 points each 200 points
250 points
250 points
1,000 points
Extra credit may be offered, allowing up to 4 percent of your total grade. These
opportunities will be explained during class.
Assignments are due at the start of class.
Academic Integrity: It is the longstanding policy of the Media Arts Dept. that
anyone even suspected of cheating (i.e., talking or looking at others’ papers
during an exam or other in-class assignment) or who plagiarizes (i.e., uses all or
part of the work of others without giving them credit) will receive an automatic
grade of ‘F’ for the course. Any cheating will result in either failure or the class
and/or removal as a student from Los Angeles Pierce College.
Important dates:
Last day to drop without a W
Last Day to Drop with a W
Sept. 9
Oct. 12
WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE (Subject to adjustments by the instructor)
Sept. 3
Introduction to class
“Great Train Robbery” and other early films
Mainstream vs. Independent
Film Genres
Sept. 6
“Easy Rider”
“The Big Sleep”
Sept. 10
The Shot
“Citizen Kane”
Sept. 17
Black and White/ Color films, lighting
“Ed Wood”
Sept. 20
Editing
“Psycho”
Sept. 24
Quiz – Lectures, Films, Chapters 1, 3, 5
Oct. 1
Film Subtext
“Night of the Living Dead”
Oct. 4
Auteur
“Annie Hall”
“Kill Bill Vol. 1”
Oct. 8
Documentaries
Oct. 15
ANALYSIS DUE,
Quiz — Lectures, Films, Chapters 2, 4, 6
Oct. 18
“Blade Runner”
“Bicycle Thief”
Oct. 22
ANALYSIS DUE
EXTRA CREDIT DUE
OUT OF CLASS PROJECT DUE
Film Literature
Film Theory and Criticism
Oct. 25
TBD
FINAL