School
Liberal Arts
Division
Communication & Media
Department
Telecommunications
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Telecommunication
Course Number
132
Course Title
Film History and Criticism
Credit Hours
3.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
Eligible to take ENG courses at HFC.
Catalog Course Description
Introduces the film medium and the film experience as entertainment, artistic expression, and social communication, through examination of production techniques, critical theories, and historic & modern examples.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Core Course Topics
- The nature, magic and verisimilitude of the film experience.
- The early inventors and their inventions that led to the motion picture.
- The early films and their filmmakers, 1890--1915.
- Genre and the three stages of film production.
- Stages of filmmaking: Production, Distribution and Exhibition.
- Continuity, D.W. Griffith, and the Hollywood System, 1915-1930.
- Mise en scene, German Expressionism, and the introduction of "talkies" 1915-1930.
- Montage, Editing and Russia in the 1920's.
- The Hays Code, MPAA and ratings/censorship in film.
- Hollywood’s Golden Era, 1930-1950.
- Italian Neo-Realism and the French New Wave, 1945-1965
- Hollywood, the Rise of Independents and Foreign Films, 1950-1970.
- The New Hollywood and American Independent Films, 1970-present.
Core Course Learning Objectives (Separated)
- Describe the medium of film in general and explain how verisimilitude critically affects one's perception of the experience.
- Classify and outline the people and inventions that led to the creation and development of motion pictures.
- Identify and categorize by Genre--films and filmmakers--of the major periods of film history in Europe, Russia, England, and the United States.
- Define and recognize the three major production techniques: Mise en scene, Montage, and Continuity.
- Interpret the role and impact of rating systems in both historical and present-day film world.
- Describe the elements of the three stages of film production: Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production.
- Summarize and illustrate the three stages of filmmaking: Production, Distribution, and Exhibition.
- Compare and contrast the two major production contexts: Hollywood and Independent.
- Summarizing and analyzing a feature film in writing.
- Debate and defend a position on a film relative to social impact, overall filmic quality, and/or bankability.
Assessment and Requirements
Assessment of Academic Achievement
- Quizzes over different areas of history, theory, and techniques
- Comprehensive exams over the above topics, as needed
- Critical Essays: Personal Film Experience, Feature Film Analysis, Style of a Director
- Short Viewing Reports on historic films
Outcomes
General Education Categories
- Humanities and Fine Arts
Institutional Outcomes
- Humanities
MTA Categories
- Category 5: Humanities and Fine Arts
Satisfies Wellness Requirement
No
Credit for Prior College-Level Learning
Minimum Departmental Exam Score
80.00
Skilled Demonstration Details
Skilled demonstration, given in department by department faculty. Faculty will assess demonstration based on evaluation rubric. Evaluation rubric and student checklist located in The School of Liberal Arts office.
Portfolio Review Details
Portfolio must contain evidence that illustrates competency in all course learning objectives not already measured through the skilled demonstration. Department faculty will evaluate submitted portfolios based on the evaluation rubric. Evaluation rubric and student checklist located in The School of Liberal Arts office.
Approval Dates
Effective Term
Winter 2022
Review Semester
Winter 2022