This course surveys the earliest periods of cinema from its inception in the late-19th century up to its consolidation as a form of mass art by the beginning of World War II. At its point of origin,cinema was considered "an invention without a future" by its makers, but we will put this idea to test by exploring the uncanny shocks of the very first short films, through the development of visual storytelling across decades of experimentation, culminating in the extravagant, technically dazzling productions of the 1920s. From then onwards, we will investigate the late silent and early sound cinema through a global lens, making transnational discoveries on how the invention of cinema travelled alongside radical ideas at a time of political upheaval. Through readings and select primary materials, the students will learn about the contextual study of film by considering the technological, economic, aesthetic and social factors that shaped the circumstances of the films' production, exhibition and reception.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Tuesday | 13:45 | 15:05 | M-013 |
Friday | 13:45 | 15:05 | M-013 |
Courses on different topics in the discipline, enriching the present course offerings. These classes are taught by permanent or visiting faculty. Topics vary each semester. For the course description, please find this course in the respective semester on the public course browser: https://www.aup.edu/academics/course-catalog/by-term.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday | 12:10 | 15:05 | M-013 |
This course explores the work of an individual film directors, whose films will be critically analyzed with respect to the cultural, political and artistic contexts of their production and reception. The course is offered every semester to fulfill the art of directing requirement in the film major, though the thematic focus and methodological perspective may change depending on the director in question. Students will have the opportunity to study a significant portion of the entire output of the filmmaker, whose influence and legacy will likewise feature in the discussions. Students will engage with the published scholarship on the director, perform close analysis of their films and investigate their critical reception, through combination of individual and group assignments.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday | 12:10 | 15:05 | M-013 |
What precisely is cinema’s relationship to reality and the real world? Is cinema a form of art, an escapist mode of entertainment, or a means of ideological control? In what ways have technological developments impacted filmmaking and its cultural, social and political functions? This course explores enduring questions of film theory: the history of ideas concerning cinema as medium of art, entertainment and technology, and the multifaceted effects films are claimed to have upon their spectators. The course will explore central debates about the nature of film and provide an opportunity to reflect on different—and often competing—theoretical frameworks. Students will read foundational writings of film theory, critically evaluate the conceptual underpinnings of key commentators, and discuss the validity of theoretical models through close analyses of seminal films.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday | 16:55 | 18:15 | Q-A101 |
Thursday | 16:55 | 18:15 | Q-A101 |
This course considers how the language of film can sometimes unlock the secrets of Shakespeare's world and help us to understand his contribution to the evolution of art cinema as well as to blockbuster culture. Focus is given to close readings of Shakespeare's plays, analysis of cinematic adaptations and a study of films such as Al Pacino's Looking for Richard or Shakespeare in Love. Directors Kozintsev, Welles, Godard, Olivier and Kurosawa are also studied.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday | 13:45 | 16:40 | C-103 |
Documentary filmmaking enables a creative mode of inquiry about the world, a person, a landscape, an issue, or even ourselves. It encourages an open-ended layering of observations: visual, auditory, movement-based, historical and even fictional, as a rich backdrop to researching a topic. This workshop class will introduce students to a range of documentary video practices and impart technical skills to create their own documentary shorts. We will ask questions, watch, play, experiment, respond and explore how form contributes to content. We will engage issues in contemporary documentary practice from the avant-garde to commercial production as inspirations for your own inquiry into your ideas. Students will use research, framing, sound, duration, juxtaposition and different editing strategies to explore their ideas. While we will cover "traditional" documentary genres (interview-based, observational, essay, etc), we will also explore expanded and experimental documentary strategies.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Thursday | 12:10 | 15:05 | C-501 |
Courses will be developed from time to time which examine various aspects of film studies, focusing on different problems, phenomena, practices and personalities. These are taught by permanent or visiting faculty, and will be generally specific to their specialization.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Tuesday | 10:35 | 13:30 | M-013 |
Courses will be developed from time to time which examine various aspects of film studies, focusing on different problems, phenomena, practices and personalities. These are taught by permanent or visiting faculty, and will be generally specific to their specialization.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Friday | 10:35 | 13:30 | M-013 |
Involves a particularly focused look at an important aspect of film theory or history, a filmmaker, actor or actress, or a cinematic topic or genre. Subjects will vary according to the particular interest of the professor, with the course work aiming at developing methodical and critical skills of analysis.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday | 15:20 | 18:15 | Q-704 |
Firstbridge courses are offered to degree seeking freshmen and registration is done via webform in pre-arrival checklist.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday | 13:45 | 15:05 | PL-3 |
Thursday | 13:45 | 15:05 | PL-3 |