1 Lecture 1: Course Introduction Professor Michael Green

Lecturer, Film and Media Studies, Arizona State University I teach courses in Screenwriting, Film Studies, and Cultural Studies. 2

3 In This Lesson What kind of distance learning course is this? How can you succeed? Assignments What do we study in this course?

4 What Kind of Distance Learning 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.

5 The 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

6 Potential 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

7 How to succeed (get an “A”) in this course Taking An Online Class: Part II Take

8 Course Organization Each lesson contains: –Reading –Screening of Film –Website –Lecture –Clips –Interactivity (Discussion Board) 8

Forms of Interactivity Threaded Discussions on the eBoard Skype Professor Office Hours 9 The Namesake (2006) Directed by Mira Nair

10 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 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. 11

12Assignments Taking An Online Class: Part III

13Participation 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

14 Critical 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!

15 Final 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 –No late exams!

16 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!

17 What Do We Study in This Class? Taking An Online Class: Part IV Matewan (1987) Directed by John Sayles

18 Two Aspects in Every Film: Content 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. 18

19 Film 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. 19

20 Film 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. 20

International and American Films Using the form and content distinction, we will analyze both American and International Films (we don’t call them foreign films). 21

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

23 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.

24 End of Lecture 1 Next Lecture: The Nuts and Bolts of Making and Getting Movies to Audiences