ATS1305 - Introduction to film studies - 2017

This introductory unit aims to acquaint students with basic principles of film studies, including film theory and history. Topics to be discussed include: film narrative and formal analysis, film sound and editing, film genre and authorship, art cinema and national cinemas, documentary and experimental film practice. Attention will be paid to recent theories of film including those which address the socio-political significance of the medium and the ways in which it may reinforce conceptions of social and sexual identity. Film texts for exploration include those from Australian, American, European and Asian cinemas.

By the completion of this subject students will be expected to have:

1. Acquired a sense of the scope of film studies.
2. Demonstrated an understanding of film form and various film genres.
3. Demonstrated an understanding of broad cultural and historical developments in film studies.
4. Developed skills in the analysis of film texts in relation to contemporary film theoretical debates.
5. Developed an ability to recognise and evaluate critical arguments.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Associate Professor Belinda Smaill

Film and screen studies