Professor Paul Watkins
Class Hours: 5:30-9:00 pm on Thursdays

“I think cinema, movies, and magic have always been closely associated. The very earliest people who made film were magicians.”
Francis Ford Coppola

FILM 101 introduces the study of film as an art form and a medium of cultural communication. Film is a language of ideas and it is images and ideas that excite us when we watch a film in the dark. Students will gain a basic understanding of the technical aspects of film, including cinematography, editing, acting, mise-en-scène, and sound. We will also discuss the cultural impact and politics of film. The course will draw material and concepts from Richard Barsam and Dave Monahan’s Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film and lectures will include academic context for the various films we will watch from Citizen Kane (1941) to Parasite (201). While the focus is largely on newer American cinema, important films from around the world will inform our discussions.

Content Warning: Some of the content and discussion in this course will necessarily engage with filmic representations of violence and other mature themes.

Note: Given the need to screen films in their entirety, some of our classes will go until 9:00 pm to leave enough time for discussion.

Required Text:

  • Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film by Richard Barsam and Dave Monahan

Free Introductory Film Texts:

Evaluation:

  • VIU Learn: Film Reflections x  2 (500 words each) 30%
  • Quizes 30%
  • Annotated Bibliography with Thesis 10%
  • Research Essay (1500-1800 words) 30%

See VIULearn for detailed breakdowns of assignments. 

Schedule:
Please note that this schedule is subject to change as the term progresses.

Sept 4, Week 1: Intro to Film Studies
Lecture: Intro to the course; Principles of Film Form (video essay)
Screening: Lois Weber, “Suspense” (1913| 10 min) [YouTube or Netflix]

Sept 11, Week 2: Looking at Movies
Reading: “Chapter 1: “Looking at Movies”
Screening: Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014 | 100 min) [Criterion on Demand]
Discussion of Reflection Papers

Sept 18, Week 3: Film Form
Reading: “Chapter 2: Principles of Film Form”
Screening: Bong Joon-ho, Parasite (2019 | 132 min) [Criterion on Demand]
Post-Screening Video Essay on Parasite
Reflection Option on “Suspense” The Grand Budapest Hotel due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Sept 25, Week 4: Documentary, Experimental, Animated, and Genre
Readings: “Chapter 3: Documentary, Experimental, and Animated Movies” and “Chapter 4: Types of Movies”
Options: Ana Lily Amirpour, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014 | 101 min) [Kanopy]; or, Greta Gerwig, Barbie (2023 | 114 min) [Crave or Rent]
Reflection Option on Parasite due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Oct 2, Week 5: Narrative
Reading: “Chapter 5: Elements of Narrative”
Screening: Christopher Nolan, Memento (2000 | 113 min) [Prime]
Reflection Option on AGWHAAN or Barbie due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Oct 9, Week 6: Mise-en-scène
Reading: “Chapter 6: Mise-en-Scéne”
Screening: Ryan Coogler, Black Panther(2018 | 134 min) [Disney]
Reflection Option on Memento due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

 

Oct 16, Week 7: Cinematography
Reading “Chapter 7: Cinematography” and “One Step Ahead: A Conversation with Barry Jenkins” (VIULearn)
Screening: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (2016 | 111 min) [Criterion on Demand]
Reflection Option on Black Panther due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Oct 23, Week 8: Acting
Reading: “Chapter 8: Acting”
Screening: Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite (2018 | 120 min) [Criterion on Demand]
Reflection Option on Moonlight due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

 

Oct 30, Week 9: Editing
Reading: “Chapter 9: Editing”
Screening: Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho (1960 | 109 min) [Audio Cine Films]
Reflection Option on The Favourite due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Nov 6, Week 10: Quiz and Workshop
Quiz 1, Chapters 1—9 and primary films (5:30-6)
Workshop (6:15-7:15)
Annotated Bibliography is due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm
Reflection Option on Psycho is due on VIULearn by Nov 7 at 11:59 pm

Nov 10-14, Week 11: Reading Week (no class)

Nov 20, Week 12: Sound
Reading: “Chapter 10: Sound”
Screening: Darius Marder, Sound of Metal (2019 | 120 min) [Criterion on Demand]

Nov 27, Week 13: History
Reading: “Chapter 10: Film History”
Screening: Orson Welles, Citizen Kane (1941 | 119 min) [Prime]
Final Reflection Option on Sound of Metal is due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Dec 4, Week 14: Final Quiz and Chapter 3 Film: Documentary or Animated
Quiz 2: Chapters 10 and 11, and primary films (5:30-5:45)
Options (VOTE): multiple directors, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018 | 117 min), Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away (2001 | 125 min), or, multiple directors, Yintah (2024 | 125 min)
Research Essay due on VIULearn on Dec 5 by 11:59 pm