School of Humanities  
 
 
ENG-10025 Approaches to Film  
Co-ordinator: Dr Beth Johnson    Room: CBB0.026, Tel:01782 734576  
Teaching Team:  
Level: 1 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for

American Studies Dual Honours
American Studies Minor
American Studies Single Honours
English and American Literatures Single Honours
English Dual Honours
English Minor
Media, Communications and Culture Dual Honours
Media, Communications and Culture Minor
Music Dual Honours
Music Minor
Music Single Honours
Music Technology Single Honours

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Yes

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description

Who is the author of a film? How do we categorize and make sense of films in relation to each other? How is the meaning of a film shaped by the historical period or national culture that produced it? What sorts of ideas and ideologies about gender and race do films include or exclude? This module provides an introduction to all these questions addressed within film theory. Like any other discipline of enquiry, Film Studies has generated a set of debates about value and meaning that revolve around some key questions, concepts and terms. Through a series of fortnightly two hour workshop lectures and small group classes, this module will examine the development of critical thinking on the cinema and will invite students to debate, question and apply ideas on: film authorship; film genre; history; psychoanalysis. Each of these critical areas will be investigated with reference to an exciting range of films, chosen for the way they have shaped film history and challenged cinema's potential as a form of art and entertainment.



Aims

&· To introduce students to the key ideas and debates that have contributed to the development of film theory and analysis in the 20th century

&· To explain the historical and cultural factors that have shaped different theories of film

&· To enable students to recognize and understand a variety of approaches to film and to be able to compare the potential and limitations of each



Intended Learning Outcomes

demonstrate detailed understanding of at least two of the major critical concepts that inform film study will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 3
demonstrate how at least one of these concepts might be applied to a specific film or set of films will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
articulate an understanding of the connection between film production, film criticism and history will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
carry out independent critical analysis and assessment of the value and/or limitations of different approaches to film analysis will be achieved by assessments: 1,2
identify the distinguishing features of at least 4 different approaches to film criticism will be achieved by assessments: 2,3
articulate ideas in coherent and concise and clear written and oral form will be achieved by assessments: 1,2
interact confidently and regularly with WebCT as well as other electronic and online resources will be achieved by assessments: 1,2, 3




Study hours

5 x 2 hour lecture/workshops = 10 hours
5 x 2 hour seminars = 10 hours
Weekly 2 hour screening time = 20 hours
Seminar preparation (including presentation) and private study: 49 hours
Exam writing and preparation; 40 hours
WebCT exercises; 20 hours
Personal consultation and feedback: 1 hour


Description of Module Assessment

001: Essay weighted 50%
1500-1700 word essay


002: Webct weighted 50%
Continuous assessment: 4x fortnightly WebCT tests



Version: (1.04S) Created: 04/Jun/2010

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.