Film Preliminary Reading 2016-7
If your degree programme is Single Honours Film Studies you will take the following modules in term 1:
· EAF1503 Introduction to Film Analysis
· EAF1504 Introduction to Film History
If you are a Combined Honours English and Film Studies student, in term 1 you will take:
· EAF1503 Introduction to Film Analysis
· EAS1035 Beginnings: English Literature to 1800
Finally, if you are a Combined Honours Film Studies and a Language student you will take the following modules:
· EAF1503 Introduction to Film Analysis (30 credits)
· ******* Core language module (30 credits)
All Flexible Combined Honours students taking English in their first term make their own choice of modules.
Introduction to Film Analysis (EAF1503) begins by focusing in detail on the framing and description of shots and at different types of camera movement. It goes on to look at mise-en-scene and other aspects of visual design, then at some of the basic styles, forms and functions of editing. Turning next to sound and the soundtrack, it looks at various aspects of sound design and music, then moves on to consider the analysis of acting and performance. Drawing on all these ingredients, the module concludes by looking in detail at narratives and other temporal structures, considering the ways in which audiences are given information about events and characters and the ways in which they are invited to make judgments about them both. This module is taught by lectures, seminars, workshops, and screenings. It will also include a workshop strand training you in undergraduate writing and research skills for Film Studies and video essays. The core text for this module, which you are required to buy, is David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction (McGraw-Hill, 2012). ANY edition of this book will support your work on the module, and older editions are often available and cheaper online. You may also wish to consult Pam Cook, The Cinema Book (BFI, 2007).
Introduction to Film History (EAF1504) is a survey of key developments in the history of film and cinema going from pre and early cinema in the 1890s to the 1960s. The module introduces you to a range of key movements in international film history in countries such as Britain, Italy, France, Japan, India, Germany and the USA. Attention will also be paid to the history of experimental and avant-garde filmmaking, and to the impact of changing technologies and social and political events in shaping film forms and film industries. This module is taught by lectures, seminars, workshops, screenings, and introductions to the screenings. The core text for this module, which you will use every week and which you are required to buy is David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film History: An Introduction (McGraw-Hill). The most recent edition is 2009, but ANY edition of this book will support your work on the module, and older editions are often available and cheaper online.
Beginnings: English Literature Before 1800 (EAS1035) is a survey of some of the major and representative milestones of the English literary tradition. You will see that we will be reading a different text, or series of texts, every week, which will probably require a faster reading pace than you are accustomed to. To make the reading more manageable in your first semester, we would therefore recommend that you read as many of the books listed as you can ahead of your arrival in Exeter. This will make a real difference to your ability to keep up with the workload, since re-reading a text you’re already familiar with is easier than encountering it for the first time (and has huge pay offs for understanding and interpretation). This module is taught by twice-weekly lectures, and weekly seminars.
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You can view the module descriptions for film in Term1 (showing the films and reading you will be studying) on the Department Website here: https://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/humanities/studying/undergraduates/modules/ (please ensure you select Film Level I and the correct academic year before selecting ‘go’.)
For Introduction to Film Analysis, Introduction to Film History, and Beginnings the module descriptions include a brief list of “Basic Reading” which shows you some of the books you will be reading and many of the films you will be watching, if you wish to prepare in advance. Once you have access to ELE, our online learning resource, after you arrive, you will have access to all of the syllabus and readings.
The University bookshop, Blackwell’s, has multiple copies of the texts you need in stock and can supply discounted “bundles” of core texts (these can be posted to any UK address at no extra cost). See: http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/stores/blackwell-university-exeter/first-year-english-bundles-term-1/
Fresher’s Week Preparation
Although you will be very busy settling in and getting to know your fellow students in Fresher’s, it would also be a good idea to spare some time to visit the library and familiarize yourself with its layout. The vast majority of the film books start with the classification number 791, and can be found on the ground floor (Level 0) of the library. Come and have a look at the shelves and get some idea of the contours of the subject you are going to be spending the next three years studying!
The library’s DVD collection can be found on Level -1 (down the stairs), near the multimedia room. DVDs can be borrowed.
There is an extensive electronic library, with online access to many books and hundreds if not thousands of relevant journal articles. You can do keyword searches in the electronic catalogue.
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/library/resources/e-resources/elibrary/
You can find lots of useful advice and information here:
Http://www.exeter.ac.uk/libraryexpert
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Week 1 Reading:
Finally we would like to draw your attention to the reading outlined below which relates to preparation for your first seminars (w/c 21 September). Please note that this is for reference: you will also have time to prepare for these classes once you arrive and have access to ELE and the library. Equally you may wish to get started with some of the available introductory reading suggested below, much of which is from your core texts, or you may wish to watch plenty of relevant films!
Introduction to Film Analysis: In week 1 you will start to consider issues to do with cinematography and shot composition. The core reading for this week will be David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson chapter entitled:
· `The Shot: Cinematography` inFilm Art: An Introduction(McGrawHill), your core text for the module.
Introduction to Film History: This module begins with a week concerning early cinema. A lot of this material may be unfamiliar to you, so you may wish to take a look ahead at one or two of the pieces of reading set for this topic.
· David Bordwell’s essay ‘Doing Film History’ – available online here: http://www.davidbordwell.net/essays/doing.php
· Robert C Allen and Douglas Gomery, ‘Researching Film History’, Chapter 2 from Film History: Theory and Practice (Boston and New York: McGraw Hill, 1985), pp. 25-42. AVAILABLE ON ELE (http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/ )
· Roberta Pearson, `Early Cinema` in Geoffrey Nowell-Smith (ed), The Oxford History of World Cinema (Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1996), pp. 13-23 AVAILABLE ON ELE (http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/ )
· Kristin Thompson and David Bordwell, chapters entitled `The Invention and Early Years of the Cinema, 1880s-1904` and `The International Expansion of the Cinema, 1905-1912` in Film History: An Introduction (McGraw-Hill, several editions) – your core text for the module.
Screenings for this week on Introduction to Film History will be a selection of short early films, which will be arranged for you when you arrive, but if you wish to sample some short early films try this YouTube playlist:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07x7KhuwwFE&list=PL6037D0B58B0736E2
And the British Film Institute (BFI) YouTube Channel (look for films dated 1895-1907):
http://www.youtube.com/user/BFIfilms
In particular we recommend
The Lumiere Brothers’ First Films:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nj0vEO4Q6s
George Melies’ ‘A Trip to the Moon’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FrdVdKlxUk
A very good introduction to the history of early cinema in Europe can be found in:
‘Cinema Europe: Episode 1 – The Other Hollywood’ 58 mins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fi1yarWLyQ
There are numerous short and informal introductions to early cinema on YouTube – eg.
‘The Birth of Cinema’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV63mKHE0PA
‘The Timeline of Cinema – Episode 1’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUqa97ytgs
And for a fun take on the early days of film history – with a particular focus on the life of George Melies, you could watch Hugo (Martin Scorsese, 2011)
You will also find a further introductory extract from your core texts for both term 1 modules on the Joining Instructions webpage.
Beginnings: In your first week of Beginnings you will be looking at stories of origin. There will be a range of short texts for you to read in preparation for your first seminar. These will be available on the ELE module page. In the meantime, please read chapters 1-9 (or more!) of the Book of Genesis in a King James Bible. You may want to invest in a copy (it will certainly be useful to you later on in your English studies), or you can easily find it online at: Bible, King James Version or http://www.biblegateway.com/. We very much look forward to meeting all of you in September. Meanwhile, enjoy your reading and your summer!
Best wishes,
Dr. Fiona Handyside
Film Studies Programme Leader