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Lecture 1:Lecture 1:Course IntroductionCourse Introduction

Professor Michael Green

Professor Michael GreenProfessor Michael Green

• Lecturer, Film and Media Studies, Arizona State University

• I teach courses in Screenwriting, Film Studies, and Cultural Studies.

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In This LessonIn This Lesson• What kind of

distance learning course is this?

• How can you succeed?

• Assignments• What do we study

in this course?

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What Kind of Distance Learning What Kind of Distance Learning Course is this?Course is this?

• It’s Not an Automated Course• It’s Not a Self-Paced Course• This Course Emphasizes Interactivity

– Asynchronous

• Participation is Fundamental to the Success of Our Course – Discussion Board

Take the Self-Evaluation of Online Students. It’ll help you better understand how your learning style meets the demand of this environment.

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The Advantages of this CourseThe Advantages of this Course

• Flexibility… Not Limited by Time, Space• Study Materials Available 24/7

– Lectures (streaming audio w/ PowerPoint)– Websites & Other Resources– Media Clips– Interactive discussion board

• But Structured Like a Traditional Course• Complements Multiple Learning Styles• Lots of Interactivity

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Potential DisadvantagesPotential Disadvantages• Students that learn best through face-to-

face debate can struggle in this environment.– Ways to Compensate– Arrange for Real-Time Meetings with

Classmates

• Students that are not well organized tend to not do well in this environment.– Meet all Deadlines– Study in Advance of Assignments

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How to succeed (get an “A”) in How to succeed (get an “A”) in this coursethis course

Taking An Online Class: Part II

Take Take

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Course OrganizationCourse Organization

• Each lesson contains:– Reading– Screening of Film– Website– Lecture– Clips– Interactivity

• (Discussion Board)

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Forms of Interactivity Forms of Interactivity

• Threaded Discussions onthe eBoard

• Skype• E-mail• Professor Office

Hours

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The Namesake (2006) Directed by Mira Nair

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Keys To Success:Keys To Success:

• Go through the Website, or Virtual Classroom, with Care; Know it Well

• Keep up with All Lesson Tasks• Do Assignments Carefully,

Thoroughly, and Turn Them in on Time

• Get to Know Your Classmates• Discuss with Rigor & Respect

Guidelines for the ClassGuidelines for the Class• To Study Art We Must Debate• Discussing Art Doesn’t Require Being

Disrespectful or Insensitive• I expect us to discuss art with passion

and perspective.• I expect us to challenge each other’s

perception of art with rigor and respect.

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AssignmentsAssignments

Taking An Online Class:

Part III

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Participation Participation • Participation is 25% of Your Final Grade• Participation Grade is Based On:

– Keeping Up with Discussion Board Posts – Quality of Posts - how rigorous, critical and

original they are; also how well they engage lesson materials such as the screening, readings, lecture and clips.

– Length of posts – At least ten sentences– Being on time with the Posts

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Critical PapersCritical Papers• You will write two critical papers in this

class, each of which will be worth 25% of your grade.

• Information on the papers can be found on the syllabus and on the course site under Graded Work.

• Also under Graded Work you will find a PowerPoint on how to write a critical paper.

• Start reading that PowerPoint now!

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Final ExamFinal Exam• There is also a cumulative exam for the

course which totals 25% of your grade.– It will cover readings, lectures, clips and

assigned films.– It will be a combination of fill in the blank,

identification, short answer & essay questions– It will be due to me via e-mail– No late exams!

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Keep Up!Keep Up!• You will do well on the exam if you take

good notes during the lectures, keep up with the readings, watch the films carefully and participate on the eBoard.

• It will be very difficult for you to do well if you get behind. Online courses require a lot of discipline!

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What Do We Study in This Class?What Do We Study in This Class?

Taking An Online Class: Part IV

Matewan (1987) Directed by John Sayles

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Two Aspects in Every Film: Two Aspects in Every Film: Content and FormContent and Form

• Content – What the story is about

• Form – How the film tells its story

• The two are inextricable in film as in any art form – you can’t have one without the other.

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Film ContentFilm Content• What the film is about, its

narrative.• All films are created by

people and are therefore historical, subjective & political.

• Even if unintended, everyone tells stories from their experience, their perspective.

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Film FormFilm Form• Narrative Structure• Mise-en-scene• Cinematography• Editing• Sound• These are the tools of

film; the techniques that are used to tell the story in the movie.

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International and American FilmsInternational and American Films

• Using the form and content distinction, we will analyze both American and International Films (we don’t call them foreign films).

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Critic Jonathan Rosenbaum:Critic Jonathan Rosenbaum:“[International] movies have

important things to teach us . . . . They’re proof positive that

Americans aren’t the only human beings and that the decisions we make about how to live our lives

aren’t the only options available.” – Movie Wars, page 108

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Six Things to Remember Six Things to Remember

• Go through the Website, or Virtual Classroom, with Care; Know it Well

• Keep up with all Lesson Tasks• Turn Assignments in on Time, Written at

a College Level• Get to Know Your Classmates• Discuss with Rigor & Respect• Enjoy yourself! It’s film, after all.

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End of Lecture 1End of Lecture 1

Next Lecture: The Nuts and Bolts of Making and Getting Movies to Audiences