LIBA

112-05 Film & Narrative (3 credits) Fall 2016

Instructor: Anthony Lenzo
Office Phone: No office phone; Email: alenzo@c.ringling.edu
Academic Center, Room 218, Wednesdays, 12:30pm 3:15pm

Course Description:
This course introduces students to the visual elements and techniques of film; that is, the language of cinema. It
explores how these techniques are used to communicate and enhance the narrative. Students will view films and
discuss them in the class. Students must receive a C- or better in this course to continue in their major.

Additional Course Information:
This course is designed to teach students film literacy, which is an informed and critical understanding of the
nature of cinema, the techniques used in filmmaking to make or enhance meaning, the impact or influence of
those techniques on viewers, and the ability to relate one film to others in terms of style, content, and history.

Course Goals:
To introduce the basic techniques of narrative film to provide a framework for interpreting their use and meaning
in a film.

To relate aspects of film literacy to other art and design principles so students can learn the connection between
visual technique and narrative.

To stimulate an awareness of film as an art form, suggesting that film is meant to be interpreted actively, not
consumed passively.

To familiarize students with key reference points in the history of cinema, which has had a huge impact on fine
arts, but it is seldom referenced in art courses.

Student Learning Outcomes:
SLO-1 Communication Skills.

* Students will become adept at a form of visual literacy and gain understanding of the non-verbal language of an
art form.
* Students will be able to understand and articulate the strengths and issues of popular films from different eras.

SLO-2 Thinking Skills
*Students will develop critical thinking skills

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SLO-4 Artistic Discernment
* Students will be able to articulate verbal and written responses to visual phenomena. Also, to organize
perception and conceptualizations, both rationally and intuitively.

* Students will practice interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating.

Required/Recommended Textbooks, Readings, and Materials:
Understanding Movies by Louis Giannetti, 13th ed (Allyn & Bacon). This is definitely required reading.
Projects, Papers, and Assignments: In this course, the films are like texts to be studied. They are not used as
illustrations of a concept or idea.
3 Take-home assignments related to the 3 main sections of the course. One of those assignments is a short paper.
3 practical quizzes, meaning students watch a film during class and do the quiz while watching the film
1 final
Response sheets. Except for quiz days, students are expected to fill out a worksheet on every film viewed in class.

All take-home assignments MUST be submitted in the appropriate place in Canvas, Ringlings online course
management system. NO take-home assignments will be accepted in class.

Attendance Policy:
Attendance Policy: Because the material in this course is cumulative, attendance is mandatory. This course meets
only once a week, so a lot of information, film clips, and ideas are packed into each weeks class period. Missing a
week will leave a gap in your knowledge of the course material and may affect your understanding of future
topics. If you miss a classfor whatever reasonyou are responsible for making up the material covered in that
session. Historically, students who miss more than one class session do not do well in this course. This is Ringlings
official attendance policy: Students are allowed one absence with no consequences. Two absences result in a
half-grade deduction; three absences result in a full-grade deduction. Four absences result in course failure.

The films are part of the course material, and students are expected to watch the films with the class, even if they
have seen them before. In other words, staying for part of the class and leaving before the film is not acceptable.

There many students in this class, so late arrivals are disruptive. Therefore, you are expected to be on time.
Ringling encourages instructors to count students absent if they are more than 10 mins. late without prior
notification.

Grading Policies:
Point scores for the assignments total 100 points. Point values for the assignments are as follows:

Take-Home Assignments (3) 40 points total
Quizzes (3) 30 points total
Final Exam 20 points
Response Sheets 10 points

The quizzes are practical tests done in class while watching films. IN CLASS QUIZZES CANNOT BE MADE UP.
The response sheets are worksheets done on films seen in class. Students will fill out a response sheet for films
shown in class. The exceptions are quiz days. Each sheet includes a few specific questions to answer, but the
student may also add notes or comments that will help them recall the films strengths.

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For the take-home assignments, students must turn them in on the due date. If not, they must see me and explain
their reasons for not turning in an assignment before I consider allowing the student to turn in that assignment
late.

Grading Scale:

Grade Numerical Equivalent Percentage Scores*

A Superior Performance 4.00 94-100
A- 3.67 91-93
B+ 3.33 88-90
B Above Average 3.00 84-87
B- 2.67 81-83
C+ 2.33 78-80
C Average Performance 2.00 74-77
C- 1.67 71-73
D+ 1.33 68-70
D Below Average 1.00 64-67
D- Lowest Passing Grade 0.67 61-63
F Failing 0.00 0-60
WF Withdrew Failing 0.00

Grades not computed into the GPA

It is the students responsibility to adhere to the withdrawal
W Withdrew Passing
deadline listed in the academic calendar.
Incompletes are only granted at the discretion of the instructor.
I Incomplete
See student handbook for more information.

Additional Policies and Information

Disabilities Accommodations: The Ringling College of Art and Design makes reasonable accommodations for
qualified people with documented disabilities. If you have a learning disability, a chronic illness, or a physical or
psychiatric disability that may have some impact on your work for this class and for which you may need
accommodations, please notify the Director of the Academic Resource Center (Room 227 Ulla Searing Student
Center; 359-7627) preferably before the end of the drop/add period so that appropriate adjustments can be
made.
Health and Safety: Ringling College of Art and Design is committed to providing students, faculty, and staff with a
safe and healthful learning and work environment and to comply with all applicable safety laws and regulations
and safe work practices.
Academic Integrity Policy: Your instructors are responsible not only for the quality of your education, but also for
the value of a degree from Ringling. Academic integrity is a key component of both of these things. Simply stated,
academic integrity means doing your own work and giving credit to others for the work they have done.
Presenting someone elses ideas, arguments, words or images as your own is called plagiarism, and is prohibited
by the Ringling Academic Integrity Policy. The following expanded definition is provided by www.plagiarism.org:
"According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means:
to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own

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 to use (another's production) without crediting the source
to commit literary theft
to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it
afterward. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property and is protected by copyright laws,
just like original inventions.

All of the following are considered plagiarism:

turning in someone else's work as your own
copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you
give credit or not

The consequences for plagiarism in this class:
no credit (zero points) will be given; no makeup will be offered
the department head and adviser will be notified
the Dean of Undergraduate Studies will be notified
repeat offenders will be reported to the Academic Standards Committee

Project or assignment-specific instructions will be provided to you. If you have further questions about how to
properly acknowledge sources, see your instructor. You may also work with a Writing Consultant, or one of the
Research Librarians in Kimbrough Library.

Professional Behavior in the Classroom: Students are expected to cultivate a sense of professionalism as part of
their experience at Ringling, because professionalism is an essential part of the work world that students are
preparing to enter. In order to assure that all students have the opportunity to gain from time spent in class,
unless otherwise approved by the instructor, students are prohibited from using cellular phones, laptops, or other
electronic devices. Electronic devices (MP3s, cellphones, laptops etc.) are to be turned OFF during class not
VIBRATE, but OFF. Text messaging during class will result in a deduction from your point total for the course,
depending on the nature of the infraction. In a professional environment, workers and employees do not text
constantly, play on their laptops, or use other electronic devices for personal reasons. Ringling students should
practice professional behavior as part of their student experience.

Incompletes are granted only by the discretion of the instructor.
Course Calendar/Schedule: Students will watch films each week that are selected on the basis of illustrating
specific points in film technique or narrative. Films are preceded by a lecture and followed by discussion. At key
points in the course, students will apply what they have learned to films shown in class through worksheets or
other in-class assignments.

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I. MISE-EN-SCENE

WEEK ONE
Aug. 17 Introduction to the Course: The Language of Film
Film: VISIONS OF LIGHT (1992, American Film Institute)

WEEK TWO
Aug. 24 Mise-en-Scene: Cinematography
Reading: Giannetti, Chap. 1; Chap. 7, pp. 302- 326


WEEK THREE
Aug. 31 Mise-en-Scene: Blocking, Framing, Composition
Reading: Giannetti, Chap 2
Film: TOUCH OF EVIL (1958, Orson Welles)

WEEK FOUR
Sept. 7 Reinforcing Weeks Two & Three; Adding Color
Film: REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955, Nicholas Ray)

WEEK FIVE
Sept. 14 Putting It All Together
Film: SHUTTER ISLAND (2010, Martin Scorsese)
Quiz 1: On Mise-en-Scene

II. CAMERA MOVEMENT

WEEK SIX
Sept. 21 The Moving Camera
Reading: Giannetti, Chap. 3
FILM: HERO (2002, Zhang Yimou)
Assignment: Take-home Assignment on Mise-en-Scene Due

III. EDITING

WEEK SEVEN
Sept. 28 Classical Continuity Editing
Reading: Giannetti, Chap. 4, pp. 135 161
FILM: SHERLOCK, JR. (Buster Keaton, 1922)

WEEK EIGHT
Oct. 5 Classical Continuity Editing in Modern Film
Reading: Chap. 4, pp. 135 -161 still applies
FILM: STAR WARS (1977, George Lucas)

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WEEK NINE
Oct. 12 Alternatives to Continuity Editing
Reading: Giannetti, Chap. 4, pp. 162 -171
FILM: RUN, LOLA, RUN (1998, Tom Twyker)

WEEK TEN
Oct. 19 Putting It All Together: How Does Editing Enhance This Film?
FILM: HOT FUZZ (2007, Edgar Wright)
Quiz 2: On Editing

IV. SOUND

WEEK ELEVEN
Oct. 26 Sound
Reading: Giannetti, Chap. 5
FILMS: BARTON FINK (1991, Joel and Ethan Coen)
Assignment: Take-home Assignment on Editing Due

V. NARRATIVE

WEEK TWELVE
Nov. 2 What is a Classical Narrative? What is a Heroic Protagonist?
Reading: Chap. 8, pp. 327 - 348
FILM: HIGH NOON (1952, Fred Zinnemann)

WEEK THIRTEEN
Nov. 9 Deeper Into Narrative: Structure, Point of View, & Symbolism
Reading: Giannetti, Chap. 9, pp. 387 - 398
FILM: J.S.A. (2000, Park Chan-Wook)

WEEK FOURTEEN
Nov. 16 Ideology
Reading: Giannetti, Chap. 10
FILM: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967, Norman Jewison)
Assignment: Take-Home Analysis of Contemporary Film Due

WEEK FIFTEEN:
Nov. 23 No Class; Thanksgiving


WEEK SIXTEEN
Nov. 30 Putting It All Together: What Was the Director Trying to Tell Us?
FILM: THE LIMEY (1999, Steven Soderbergh)
Quiz #3: On Narrative

FINAL:
TBA Final Exam