Course Title: Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2010

Course Code: VART5797C

Course Title: Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice

School: 345T Media and Communication

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6088 - Advanced Diploma of Screenwriting

Course Contact : Program administration

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4368

Course Contact Email:Brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Teacher contact details: Boris Trbic

Location:Building 94, level 2, room 6, 23-27 Cardigan Street, South Carlton
Phone: 0412 58 94 38
Fax: 9925 4362
Email: boristrbic@optusnet.com.au

Class held on Wednesday 5-9pm in Semester 1: 94.4.22
Class held on Tuesday 9am-1pm in Semester 2: 94.4.19

Nominal Hours: 70

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None.

Course Description

This course delivers the skills and knowledge required to research and analyse history and theory for application to artistic practice. It aims to challenge different points of view to inform personal work.. 

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	CUVCOR13A Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice
Element:	1. Research history and theory.
Performance Criteria:	1.1 Identify relevant sources of information on history and theory 1.2 Identify and explore potential new and alternative sources which are relevant to own practice 1.3 Use formal and informal research techniques appropriately to access information 1.4 Organise research materials and findings for current and future use
Element:	2. Link research to artistic practice
Performance Criteria:	2.1 Critically evaluate information in the context of own artistic practice and the work of others 2.2 Assess ways in which different aspects of history and theory may be used, adapted or challenged within artistic practice 2.3 Develop positions in relation to history and theory to inform current practice
Element:	3. Update and maintain knowledge of trends within own area of artistic practice.
Performance Criteria:	3.1 Identify and use opportunities to update and expand knowledge of history and theory 3.2 Incorporate and integrate knowledge into artistic practice

Learning Outcomes

N/A

Details of Learning Activities

• lectures
• demonstrations
• guest lecturers
• peer teaching and class presentations
• exercises
• discussion
• group activities/projects
• workshopping

Teaching Schedule

CONTENT	COMPETENCY/ ELEMENT CUVCOR13A - Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice. In each class students will be given opportunities to reflect on research and link it back into their own writing practice.
Introduction: Course Outline. [Assessment Brief 1 and Assessment Brief 2] Early Film History: Lumiere Brothers, Georges Melies and D.W. Griffith. Introduction to Screen Language: Production and Story Elements. (Brief 1 and Brief 2)	1, 2, 3
German Expressionism and Russian School of Montage. Discussing the characteristics of these periods in film history and key contribution of selected filmmakers. Screening excerpts from selected films. Class discussion and exercises. Structuring the Narrative: David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction: ‘Narrative as a Formal System’.     Monitoring progress and consultations (Brief 1)	1, 2, 3
Classical Hollywood Era: Introduction. Discussing historical and cultural contexts, production and distribution patterns during the Classic Hollywood Era (1916-1960). Screen excerpts from selected films. Class exercises focusing on story elements. Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Genre: Introduction: Discussing historical and cultural contexts, production and distribution patterns during the Classic Hollywood Era (1916-1960). Screen excerpts from selected genre films. Class Exercises focusing on story elements.      Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Romantic Comedy: Examining generic conventions of Romantic Comedy. Screen excerpts from selected romantic comedies. Class discussion and exercises. Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Film Noir: Examining generic conventions of Film Noir. Screen excerpts from selected noir films. Class discussion and exercises. Screening Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944). Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Focus on Story Elements: Comparative analysis and discussion of story elements in the published script and selected scenes (including alternative ending) in Double Indemnity. Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Focus on Thriller: Screen excerpts from selected films by Alfred Hitchcock. Class discussion of Opening and Closing Sequences, and Patterns of Development in Hitchcock’s films. Class exercises. Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing). [Brief 2]	1, 2, 3
French New Wave: The Auteur Theory: Introduction. The social, cultural and political contexts for the emergence of French New Wave and the key filmmakers. Screening excerpts from Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard, 1961) and 400 Blows (Francois Truffaut, 1962). Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
The Hollywood New Wave and the ‘Unmotivated Hero’: Screening excerpts from the key films of New Hollywood. Exercises focus on analysis of themes, discussion of narrative structure, and compiling character profiles.   Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
The Mastery of Style and Subtext in French Genre Film: Melville’s Stories of Honour Amongst the Thieves and Irony and Coincidence in Chabrol’s Bourgeois Thrillers: Excerpts from selected films. Exercises focusing on the role of generic conventions, selection of locations, props, and establishing characters using language of silence.  Assessment 1 - Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Neo-Noir: Postmodern Joviality and Con-Games: Screening excerpts from selected neo-noir films. Analysis of the narrative, dialogue/subtext and organization of time in neo-noir films. Class exercises: Analysing dialogue/subtext and discussing and attempting alternatives. Presentations (ongoing). Assessment 2 Briefing.	1, 2, 3
In the Archive of Cinematic Memories: Film Essays of Chris Marker. Excerpts from La Jette (1962) and Sans Soleil (1982). Class discussion and exercises focusing on the use of voice over and still images. Das Neue Kino: Discussion of work of key filmmakers and screening excerpts from their work. Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Generic Crossovers: A Disarming Comedy About a Murder Case. Screening Fargo (Joel Cohen, 1996): Comparative analysis of selected scenes in the script and the film, focusing on structure, characters, dialogue and subtext. Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
Documentary Film History: Introduction. Screening excerpts and discussing the treatment of documentary subject and different narrative and production devices used in five documentary modes. Presentations (ongoing).	1, 2, 3
New Hong Kong Cinema: Elegiac Romances of Wong-kar-Wai. Screen excerpts from Wong-Kar-wai’s films. Exercises and class discussion focusing on repetition as the key poetic motif in Wong’s work. Presentations. The Poetics of New Iranian Cinema: Screening excerpts from the films of Abbas Kiarostami and Jafari Panahi. Discussing the seemingly naturalist plot and character development in contemporary Iranian cinema. [Brief 1 due – Last day for presentations].	1, 2, 3
Semester Review	1, 2, 3

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on your application of research and analytical skills to inform specific work practices. You will also be assessed on your knowledge of history and theory references and their application to the relevant area of your work.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment strategy: Written assignments and class presentations.
A1 Research Assignment and Presentation: You will focus on one story element in a selected film text and present outcomes of your research.

A2 Genre Assignment: You will research and discuss a selected film genre (analytical essay) and complete a scene adhering to selected generic conventions (practical exercise).

Assessment Matrix

CUVCOR13A Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice	Research and Presentation	Write A Genre Related Scene
ELEMENTS 1. Research history and theory.	X	X
2. Link research to artistic practice		X
3. Update and maintain knowledge of trends within own area of artistic practice.		X
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE a broad range of sources of information about history and theory relating to own arts practice and the work of others	X	X
Literacy skills sufficient to critically evaluate complex and varied information on history and theory in the context of own arts practice and the work of others		X
Research skills sufficient to analyse and interpret complex and varied references for application to work practices		X

Other Information

These assessment tasks are designed for you to demonstrate competency in the required skills and knowledge of this unit.

This unit will also be graded. Your teacher will provide a grading guide for you at the commencement of the course.

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