Introduction to Film introduces students to the basic tools they can use to view and understand films. We study the ways in which the filmmakers' choices influence our ways of seeing and the significance to us of what we see. Among the topics we cover are the placement of the camera, the arrangement of images within the frame, lighting, editing, and sound. The emphasis is primarily on the aesthetic and rhetorical significance of these elements, not on their technical details.
Students view and discuss many short clips from films and are asked
to watch full length films outside of class. Students test their
understanding by writing papers in which they analyze sequences
from films and, toward the end of the semester, actually creating
a storyboard sequence for a film. There will be a final essay
examination.
The class is often relatively large--about 50 students--which makes
discussion difficult. The lecture method is the usual way of conducting
the class, but to compensate for this restriction we will try to form voluntary interest groups. In the past some groups have made short films; other groups have developed and maintained the Fredonia Film Page, which includes reviews by students of contemporary films, study guides to classical films, and analyses of and commentaries on problems in the history and theory of film.
Readings are mainly in Louis Giannetti's Understanding Movies (Prentice Hall, paperback, 8th edition). Other readings will be recommended.
For Fredonia students not majoring in English, this course fulfills part of the II B requirement of the General College Program.
Topics
Please visit our Fredonia Film Page.
My office is Fenton Hall 264. Phone: 716 673 3588. You can reach me by e-mail at: James.shokoff@fredonia.edu
Other courses I teach regularly are: