Teaching Film

The series presents accessible readings of major works of contemporary literature in English for schools and universities by specialists in the respective fields. All those seeking an introduction to or further inspiration on specific texts and their authors as well as those in need of a comprehensive, substantial survey of writings in English should profit from this book. The choice of some dozens of texts for each of the genres – in the present case film – is based on the teaching experience of the book’s editors and contributors, but also reflects their individual preferences. The comprehensively structured articles begin with a short introduction to the author’s biography, the text’s generic traditions and historical contexts, followed by discussions of its innovative quality and its intertextual aspects. A plot synopsis and an analysis of a key scene are also included, leading to an interpretation that focuses on the text’s main issues. Articles conclude with suggestions on teaching activities and a list of up-to-date secondary sources.

The current volume in two parts provides new material for the study of film and offers readings of 35 films, underscoring the richness of the contemporary scene of film in English around the globe. The editors and the contributors hope to transmit some of the enthusiasm films have always inspired in them.

African Film Studies: An Introduction is an accessible and authoritative textbook on African cinema as a field of study. The book provides a succinct and comprehensive study of the history, aesthetics, and theory of sub-Saharan African cinematic productions that is grounded in the field of film studies instead of textual interpretations from other disciplines.

Bringing African cinema out of the margins into the discipline of mainstream film studies and showcasing the diverse cinematic expressions of the continent, the book covers:

Overview of African cinema(s):  Questions our assumptions about the continent’s cinematic productions and defines the characteristics of African cinema across linguistic, geographic, and filmic divides.
History of African and African-American cinema: Spans the history of film in Africa from colonial import and ‘appropriation of the gaze’ to the quest for individuality. It also establishes parallels in the historical development of black African cinema and African-American cinema.
Aesthetics: Introduces new research on previously unexplored aesthetic dimensions such as cinematography, animation, and film music.
Theoretical Approaches: Addresses a number of theoretical approaches and critical frameworks developed by scholars in the study of African cinema
All chapters include case studies, suggestions for further reading, and screening lists to deepen the reader’s knowledge with no prior knowledge of African cinema required. Students, teachers, and general film enthusiasts would all benefit from this accessible and engaging book.

Can one teach creativity, especially in a "bastard" art like cinema? What pedagogical strategies can be employed to enhance or improve students' artistic impulses and critical thinking skills?

This conference paper received the Best Paper Prize from the University Film and Video Association, 2017.

What makes a good movie? How can one analyse a film accordingly without primarily interpreting it? Dramaturgy can enrich film understanding, for those who make films, as well as for those who want to understand better why they are made how. Film Dramaturgy supports the creative process of filmmaking, especially the work of the authors, directors and producers. Students and professionals who are involved in the creation of a film also benefit from this knowledge. The understanding of dramaturgy supports film analysis and film criticism too. In some regions of the world, dramaturgy is well established; in other parts, it is less familiar.

This book provides a basic introduction to modern film dramaturgy. It emerges from academic research drawn from professional practice. It addresses students, scholars, colleagues, filmmakers and all professionals involved in making films, videos, audio-visual time-based media productions.

For many of us, we have always known and loved the worlds of the Walt Disney Company. We grew up with these characters, these stories, and these songs. But how often do we ever think deeply about Disney, even discuss and analyze it at length? Studying Disney offers us a rare opportunity to consider childhood, the media industry, and American culture simultaneously. In this course, students will examine representations of race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability on screen and behind the scenes at Disney. We also will explore the wide expanse of Disney’s properties, from movies to TV to theme parks and theater. Students will also gain experience with conducting research, studying primary documents and contributing to public history. In the end, students will have a richer understanding of Disney not only as a company, but as a cultural institution.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

This chapter offers up strategies for students and researchers new to the topic to write about film festivals as events. It highlights the challenges that the temporary, experiential and multifaceted nature of festival events pose for approaches to research and writing. In response, it offers strategies connected to ethnography and participant research, archival research and contextual analysis to aid writers in capturing festival moments. While writing about film festivals can take many forms, this chapter presents avenues to begin the process of writing about festival events.

Durante grande parte da sua vida, o cineasta e poeta António Reis (1927-1991) foi professor na «Escola de Cinema». Em Outubro de 2018, o Departamento de Cinema da Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema organizou a homenagem «Lições António Reis». Esta edição, revista e aumentada relativamente aos textos apresentados nessa ocasião, é composta de três partes distintas, mas interligadas: «Lições António Reis», «Homenagem», «Continuação». Certos de que na procura do ouro não há motivo para largar a picareta, fomos buscar a versos seus – «Descasco as imagens / e entrego-as na boca» – o título deste livro.

José Bogalheiro: "Nota introdutória" — Maria Filomena Molder: "Causas que seguem os efeitos ou ameixas doiradas com orvalho – Sobre Jaime de António Reis" — Nuno Júdice: "Uma poesia próxima da vida" — Manuel Guerra: "Da atenção ardente" — José Bogalheiro: "Uma torrente chamada vida" — Fátima Ribeiro: "António Reis, nosso mestre" — Maria Patrão: "Meia-luz".

This article illustrates the use of quantiles as a means of describing and comparing motion picture shot length distributions. This approach is conceptually and computationally simple and leads us to think distributionally about shot lengths rather than focusing on individual values. The result is a better understanding of how this element of film style of two (or more) films differs.

Il Modulo "Archilover", portato avanti presso la sede di Talsano, ITIS "Falanto", è stato incentrato sull'apprendimento di nozioni utili alla comprensione professionale della figura del filmmaker come creatore di storie, che utilizza il linguaggio audiovisivo per raccontare se stesso e l'ambiente circostante, attraverso storie di finzione o di realtà quotidiana, anche all'interno della scuola stessa e del futuro lavorativo; non solo capacità tecniche, ma uno sguardo diverso, un cambiamento di prospettiva per comprendere il mondo che ci circonda, permeato ormai sempre più spesso e in ogni aspetto della vita di nuove tecnologie e media differenti, una nuova consapevolezza per un uso corretto e innovativo delle possibilità che queste concedono, atta a compiere scelte comunicative di qualità che sappiano valorizzare il contesto da cui esse scaturiscono, a scuola ma anche fuori di essa. Il corso è stato composto da lezioni teoriche, corredate da presentazioni, lezioni interattive ed esercitazioni, riguardanti le nozioni di base indispensabili all'apprendimento della professionalità, ovvero nell'ambito di sceneggiatura, regia, fotografia, montaggio, post-produzione e altre figure dell'audiovisivo, produzione e marketing. È stato articolato in 10 lezioni da 3 ore ciascuna, per un totale di 30 ore, durante le quali gli studenti hanno appreso nozioni utili alla realizzazione un cortometraggio che hanno girato e montato tutti insieme. Hanno inoltre imparato a sviluppare lo spirito di osservazione, la creatività, l'attenzione ai dettagli, una maggiore consapevolezza finanziaria, capacità relazionali e a lavorare in team. Tra le ulteriori capacità in gioco si possono citare imparare a imparare, acquisire ed interpretare le informazioni, individuare collegamenti e relazioni, consapevolezza ed espressione culturale, comunicare, collaborare e partecipare, agire in modo autonomo e responsabile, competenze digitali. Le esercitazioni ed il cortometraggio finale, ai fini di test di verifica delle conoscenze acquisite, sono stati eseguiti con i materiali disponibili e software gratuiti. È stata indicata per ogni lezione una filmografia di riferimento, da vedere in autonomia con occhio critico secondo quanto appreso a lezione, e una bibliografia di approfondimento; sono state fornite ove necessario risorse digitali, tra cui le presentazioni del corso, oltre a link, file e strumenti per accrescere la conoscenza degli argomenti trattati in autonomia.

After a guest lecture at NYU's Graduate Film School, film director Susan Seidelman (an alumna of the MFA program) was asked what her most carefully considered bit of advice would be for students then enrolled in NYU's graduate production program. Seidelman replied, "Don't take any film theory classes." This anecdote reflects the attitude of many industry professionals, filmmakers, students, and even some film production professors, who do not recognize the valuable nexus between motion picture theory and practice. Although it is no doubt true that much of classical and (especially) contemporary film theory is rather abstruse, Lev Kuleshov's dictum (announced at the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Moscow Institute of Cinema) still holds true today:

Christine Bruce (2008, Preface) has written extensively about informed learning. Informed learning is “using information, creatively and reflec-tively, in order to learn.” Bruce writes about informed learning as it relates to information literacy. Librarians, working collaboratively with profes-sors, often develop research guides to teach information literacy skills, and to organize and present program, course, assignment, or topic-specific resources. Research is essential to documentary filmmaking. This chapter is a case study that describes how the History of Non-fiction Film Research Guide that we created aligns with the three principles and seven faces of informed learning.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Christine Bruce (2008, Preface) has written extensively about informed learning. Informed learning is “using information, creatively and reflec-tively, in order to learn.” Bruce writes about informed learning as it relates to information literacy. Librarians, working collaboratively with profes-sors, often develop research guides to teach information literacy skills, and to organize and present program, course, assignment, or topic-specific resources. Research is essential to documentary filmmaking. This chapter is a case study that describes how the History of Non-fiction Film Research Guide that we created aligns with the three principles and seven faces of informed learning.