FILM HISTORY, PART 1
Price: $125 | Credits: One Semester | Dept: Art | Course ID# 275-1
Using compelling videos and online materials, this film history course is designed to meet the National Core Arts Standards and the California Arts Standards for Visual Arts. Students discover the history of film and will create some films of their own. They will connect visual art to societal, cultural, and historical meaning through exploring their own artistic creations, as well as analyzing the impact of iconic actors, producers, and directors from the past.
The course combines analysis and evaluation of films with the appreciation of the history of film with practical assignments where students analyze different films for a variety of genres and produce their own creations, with the guidance and support of a credentialed teacher.
Credits & Study Hours
Upon completion of this course, the student is awarded 5 credits. Each credit corresponds to 15 hours of study. Of course, some students work more quickly than others, and some can devote more hours to study, so some students are able to complete the course in an accelerated rate.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By taking this course students will:
Learn to recognize the preconditions necessary for the invention of cinema, understand the influence of patents worldwide on the development of motion pictures, identify major studios, directors, and stars and discuss their influences on the industry and discuss the ramifications of industry standards.
Identify the many ways that sound recording changed the nature of filmmaking, recognize the usage of “Foley” sound editing and dubbing, understand the economic and social influences that led to the popularity of the musical, identify common elements found in musicals, discuss the changes that have occurred within the genre throughout the years, recognize some key studios, producers, directors, and actors in that genre, and identify sub-genres such as backyard, backstage, concert, etc.
Understand the effect of censorship on the film industry, identify the elements and themes of the comedy genre, discuss censorship in cinema from the “Hays Code” to modern political correctness, debate motion pictures responsibilities and rights regarding movie content, identify common elements found in comedies, recognize some key studios, producers, directors, and actors in that genre and identify sub-genres such as slapstick, screwball, parody, etc.
Understand the effect of the studio system on the film industry, identify the elements and themes of the western genre, discuss the ramifications of the “Major” studios owning theater chains, identify the “Big Five” studios that made up the Hollywood Studio System, examine the effect of studio contracts on actors and directors, identify common elements found in westerns, recognize some key studios, producers, directors and actors in that genre, identify sub-genres such as serials, spaghetti, singing cowboy, etc.
Understand the effect of war on the film industry, identify the elements and themes of the combat genre, discuss the ramifications of McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee, identify propaganda vs. patriotism, examine the role of war films on recruitment and war bonds, identify common elements found in combat films, recognize some key studios, producers, directors and actors in that genre, identify sub-genres such as pro-war and anti-war, etc.
TOPICS COVERED
This course covers the following topics:
- The Birth of Cinema/Silent Film
- The Introduction of Sound
- The Musical
- Censorship
- Comedy
- The Studio System
- The Western
- Patriotism and Propaganda
- The War Film
