Professor Paul Watkins
Section N01 and N02

“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:

  • Film Reflection (500-750 words) 20%
  • Quiz 20%
  • Annotated Bibliography with Thesis 10%
  • Research Essay (1500 words) 25%
  • Final Exam 25

See VIULearn for detailed breakdowns of assignments. 

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

Sept 10, 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 17, 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 24, 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” or The Grand Budapest Hotel due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Oct 1, 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) [Criterion on Demand]
Reflection Option on Parasite due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Oct 8, 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 15, 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 22, Week 7: Cinematography
Readings: “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 29, Week 8: Editing
Reading: “Chapter 9: Editing”
Screening: Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho (1960 | 109 min) [Audio Cine Films]
Reflection Option on Moonlight due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

Documentary, 78/52 Clips: Clip 1; Clip 2; Clip 3

Nov 5, Week 9: Acting
Reading: “Chapter 8: Acting”
Screening: Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite (2018 | 120 min) [Criterion on Demand]
Reflection Option on Psycho due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm

1960/1998 Shower Scene Comparison 

 

Nov 9-13, Week 10: Reading Week (no class)

Nov 19, Week 11: Quiz and Workshop
Quiz and Scene Analysis: Chapters 1—9 and primary films (part one of class)
Workshop (part two of class)
Annotated Bibliography is due on VIULearn on Nov 20 by 11:59 pm
Final Reflection Option on The Favourite is due by Monday, Nov 16 by 11:59 pm

Nov 26, Week 12: Sound
Reading: “Chapter 10: Sound”
Screening: Darius Marder, Sound of Metal (2019 | 120 min) [Criterion on Demand]

Dec 3, Week 13: History
Reading: “Chapter 11: Film History”
Screening: Orson Welles, Citizen Kane (1941 | 119 min) [Prime]

Dec 10, Week 14: 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)
Exam Review
Research Essay due on VIULearn on Dec 11 by 11:59 pm