4 rows 10 across Aisle down the middle (5 on each side) Choose your seat – it’s yours for the rest of the quarter. 4 rows 10 across Aisle down the middle (5 on each side)

Chapter 1 Story of Movies

What is your favorite movie? What aspects make it so appealing to you? Journal #1 – 8/26/15 What is your favorite movie? What aspects make it so appealing to you?

Lesson 1 What is a movie?

Is the purpose of movies only to entertain? Are all movies fiction? What is a documentary? How do movies “move”? Is the purpose of movies only to entertain? What are other purposes?

Movies can… entertain educate express an opinion express an emotion express a unique way of looking at the world

4 Types of Films Type Definition Narrative Using characters, setting, plot Nonfiction Records real events Animated* Computer animated or photographs of drawings/objects Experimental Experiments with art and technology to express filmmakers’ unique way of viewing a subject. Ex: Andy Warhol “Empire” (1964)

4 Types of Films Narrative Wholly imaginary or based on true occurrences; content selected/arranged to be perceived as fiction; based on script, staged and directed, populated by actors

4 Types of Films Nonfiction Instructional, factual, documentary, propaganda

4 Types of Films Animated Computer generated Photographing drawings/ objects 3 types – mimic 3D/narrative, take adv of inherent non-realism, anime

4 Types of Films Experimental Push boundaries Obscure Innovative Personal/deeply felt vision Influential on mainstream cinema

4 Types of Films Type Definition Narrative Wholly imaginary or based on true occurances; content selected/arranged to be perceived as fiction; based on script, staged and directed, populated by actors Nonfiction Instructional, factual, documentary, propaganda Animated Today, almost entirely computer generated; originally photographing drawings or inanimate objects frame-by-frame; 3 types – mimic 3D/narrative, take adv of inherent non-realism, anime Experimental Pushes boundaries, obscure, innovative, filmmakers express personal/deeply felt vision, influential on mainstream cinema

Screening Activity: What is a movie? Preview Screening Sheet 1-1 First viewing What type of film is this? Second viewing – complete Screening Sheet 1-1

Introduction to Film Genre

List as many movie genres (categories) as you can think of. Journal #2 – 8/27/15 List as many movie genres (categories) as you can think of.

What kind of movie might this be? What specific elements in this image suggests this?

What kind of movie might this be? What specific elements in this image suggests this?

How do the visual images of Poster 1 and 2 differ, and why?

Films can be divided into different groups or categories based on subject matter and themes. Movie posters often communicate not only the title of a film, but the actors and the film’s genre or type.

Genre: Category or type of artistic work based on subject matter, style, narrative structure, and established convention or filmmaking techniques. Defines different works just like in literature. -Mystery, Sci-Fi, Romance, Action, etc…

Genre Subject – Story content and theme, or what the story is about. Form – Narrative structure. How the story is told Style – The film’s look, how its visual images appear as well as how it sounds. Ex. Musicals tend to have bright colors and long angle camera shots to capture big production numbers.

Genre Action/Adventure: Strong hero/heroine struggling to defeat an enemy. Fast-paced action, fights, chases. External conflicts. Character v. Character, Character v. Nature. Skyfall, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Expendables Biography: “Biopic”, focus on the life story of a real person. Generally authentic, but not required. Patton, Forrest Gump, Nixon

Genre Comedy: Intended to be humorous, many sub-genres. Screwball, slapstick, satire, etc. National Lampoon’s Vacation, Scary Movie, Spaceballs Crime/Detective: Struggle between a criminal and their victims, and/or solving a crime. The Godfather, The Silence of the Lambs, Seven

Genre Documentary: Nonfiction film. Informational/educational films. Beware of bias! Super Size Me, An Inconvenient Truth, Bowling for Columbine Fantasy: Imaginative or mythological places and characters. Magic, dreams, fairy tales/legends. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games

Genre Horror: Focus on the macabre and scary. Dracula, Alien, The Exorcist Musical: Uses song and dance to elaborate on a storyline. West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Frozen Science Fiction: Impact of technology and science on humans and the world or other worlds. Star Wars, Star Trek, Gravity

Genre War: Focus on physical battles and mental conflicts of people in war. Generally realistic. Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Pearl Harbor Western: Struggle between civilization and the wilderness, lawfulness and lawlessness. Usually set in the southwest. Tombstone, Django Unchained, A Fistful of Dollars

Dramas were not listed as a category. Why? Genre Dramas were not listed as a category. Why?

X Drama Comedy Drama Dramas could fall into any genre. Serious, realistic, about real-life situations. Focus on character development and internal conflicts to be overcome (ex: politics, drug addiction, poverty, racial issues, family/relationships). Dramas could fall into any genre.

Assignment Create your own “genre wheel” using modern film examples for each spoke in the wheel (released 2005 or later).

American Film Institute 100 Years…100 Movies

The Judges 1,500 leaders in the American film community screenwriters editors directors executives actors film historians producers film critics cinematographers

The Objective Given a list of 400 nominated films compiled by AFI, select the 100 greatest American movies.

The Criteria 1. Feature length 2. American film (7) 1. Feature length 2. American film 3. Critical recognition 4. Major award winner 5. Popularity over time 6. Historical significance 7. Cultural impact

Assignment Given the “AFI’s 100 Years 100 Movies” handout, complete each film title. List the genre for each film (if no genre is mentioned, list the genre you perceive it to be). *Helpful hint: have your genre wheel out to remind you of the 11 film genres.

Journal #4 – 8/31/15 Name the last movie you saw (first viewing). What genre was it? What elements lead you to believe it falls under this genre?

Journal #5 – 9/1/15 When checking out a new movie to watch, what are some aspects or characteristics you look for? How do you know if a movie has these traits?

Journal #6 – 9/2/15 Choose one movie (that was not included on the list) you would like to nominate for the AFI Top 100. Does it fit the 7 judging criteria? Explain.

AFI Top 100 Update In 2007, AFI updated their 100 Years…100 Movies list to include newly eligible films released from 1997 to 2005. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years...100_Movies_(10th_Anniversary_Edition)

Journal #8 – 9/8/15 Do you think that the words “watch” and “see” mean the same thing? Using examples, what might the difference between the two words be?