FAMS 101: Introduction to Film & Media Studies
This is a foundational course that introduces students to basic concepts, theories and methods that are central to film and media studies. We will study the histories and genres of cinema and formal techniques such as lighting, editing and sound to develop a critical understanding of film as a dominant mode of representation. We will also study other forms of electronic media to gain a better understanding of the perspectives and practices of emerging technologies and forms of distribution. Through required weekly screenings, readings, writing and regular discussion, we will analyze these various kinds of screen medias as they influence our world. Andy Smith. TR 1:15-2:3PM class & M 7:00-9:50 PM lab
FAMS 201: Making Media I
This course introduces students to the creative and technical aspects of media production, and is designed to provide a basic understanding of framing, composition, audio and storytelling, through the use of sound and image. Students will learn the fundamentals of lighting, audio recording and digital video cameras. We will also study aspects of pre-production and production through hands-on assignments, readings, screenings, discussion of assigned exercises and in-class workshops with camera and lighting equipment. Prerequisite: FAMS 101 or instructor’s permission. Adam MacHose. TR 9:30-10:45
FAMS 240: Film Theory & Practice—Visualizing Media
In today’s digital world, the use of technology and the Internet present new opportunities and tools for presenting information in compelling and useful ways. In Visualizing Information, students will learn to explore important and relevant issues across multiple platforms, while cultivating professional standards and ethics. This process will test their competencies in identifying relevant topics, gathering, and analyzing information and deciding how best to present it for maximum impact to different audiences. By the end of this course, students will understand the strengths and limitations of not only types of media and technologies, but also of different online technologies, different tones and different ways of combining information and expression. Prerequisite: FAMS 101 or instructor’s permission. Kathleen Parrish. MWF 2:10-3:00 PM
FAMS 260: Genres—Film, Media & Popular Culture in Africa
From its colonial origins to the postcolonial present, cinema has played a key role in African cultural production, connecting the continent to global media circuits. The class analyzes film as a sociocultural medium, drawing on ethnographic perspectives. Indeed, by linking the study of film with interdisciplinary approaches to popular culture, the class foregrounds the diverse roles that media play in sociocultural life. In readings and discussions we will examine how diverse African social worlds have actively shaped and been altered by the creation, circulation, and reception of moving images, focusing on documentary, video films, hip-hop, film festivals, and other domains of popular cultural expression. Prerequisite: A&S 102, or permission of instructor. William Bissell. TR 2:45-4:00 PM class & W 7:00-8:30 PM lab
FAMS/ASIA 270: World Cinemas—Contemporary Chinese Cinema
Ever since film was introduced into China at the end of the nineteenth century, it has become a major medium of mass communication, and has played an important role in China’s quest for modernity. Despite warfare, censorship, competition from Hollywood, and other obstacles witnessed by over one hundred years of development, the Chinese film industry is currently one of the most vibrant in the world. This course introduces its major developments and genres since 1980 by presenting representative films from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Students will study Chinese films both as a unique form of artistic expression and a powerful social and political discourse. All films have English subtitles. No knowledge of Chinese language necessary. Li Yang. MW 11:00-12:15 PM & F 11:00-1:00 PM lab
FAMS/PHIL 345: Philosophy of Film
An examination of philosophical questions on the nature, interpretation, and evaluation of film. Topics may include: the distinctive nature of the moving image compared to other forms of representation; the issue of whether film is an art form; film authorship; the essence of film narrative; the role of the imagination in understanding and appreciating film; identification and emotional engagement with characters; film and morality; film and knowledge. (W course) Prerequisite: One course in philosophy or permission of instructor. Alessandro Giovannelli. TR 1:15-2:30 PM
FAMS/AMS 362: American Cinema of the 1970s
Called a “Decade Under the Influence,” and the “Last Golden Era of American Film,” the 1970s were a cultural pivot point and an astonishingly rich extended moment in the history of American Cinema. This course examines important American films of the 1970s and the cultural contexts from which they emerge. Students will learn to treat films as complex texts and to interpret cinema as a potent cultural force. Possible films we will study include: Harold and Maude (Hal Ashby,1971); Shaft (Gordon Parks, 1971); Cabaret (Bob Fosse, 1972); The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972); Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972); Pink Flamingoes (John Waters, 1972); Badlands (Terrence Malick, 1973); The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973); Chinatown (Roman Polanski,1974); One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Milos Foreman, 1975); A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974); Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976); Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979). (W course) Prerequisites: FAMS 101, American Studies 150, or permission of the instructor. Andy Smith. TR 11:00-12:15 PM & T 7:00-9:50 PM lab Class
FAMS 420: Capstone
This required course for FAMS majors is a chance for students to synthesize their course of study in one major individual project. The capstone is a workshop-based experience where students design and complete either a critical or creative (or some combination of the two) project that results in a public presentation of their most advance work as FAMS majors. Open only to Senior FAMS majors. Andy Smith. TR 9:30-10:45 AM
ADDITIONAL FAMS CROSS-LISTED COURSES
ART 155: Digital Photography (Greta Brubaker) – TR 7:00-9:50 PM
ART 255: Digital Photography II (Karina Skvirsky) – MW 1:10-4:00 PM
THTR 312: American Drama on Film (Michael O’Neill) – TR 11:00-12:15 PM
THTR 371: Acting for Television and Film (Ms. McCabe) – R 1:10-4:00 PM