This course is structured to examine various aspects of film and film-making, with the assumption that, the more we know about film, the more we will enjoy watching movies. Good films are rich, multi-layered experiences which require attentive viewing.  This course is a good excuse to watch movies, and you'll be seeing a lot of them this semester. Film may be the greatest artistic medium ever devised, and we'll be viewing and discussing some truly great films.  As we do so, you’ll learn to value the film-makers' care and craftsmanship. In this class, you will:

• Research and write a short graded essay on the prehistory of the movies.
• Learn about the early history of the motion picture, from its beginnings in the late 1800s through the release of Orson Welles' groundbreaking CITIZEN KANE — often considered by scholars the best movie ever made — in 1941.
• Watch an assortment of full-length movies and film clips.
• Read six chapters from an excellent textbook and write reactions to the assigned chapters.
• Take a proctored midterm exam halfway through the term and a proctored final exam at the end of the term.

If you successfully complete this course, you will be able to:

• Identify a wide variety of film genres
• Describe the key historical moments in film history
• Name the major directors, scriptwriters, critics, and cinematographers and describe their various contributions to the development of cinema
• Recognize the value of the diversity of cultures and opinions demonstrated through this medium
• Write clearly about film, in regard to basic technical elements of film production, including music and sound, editing, composition, and camera work
• Explain the dramatic structure in a film

There are two (2) exams in this course.  You will take exams at a campus testing center or a learning lab.  You also have the option of taking the exams at home through ProctorU.  If you are off-campus or out of the area, you will request a proctor through ELI.  If you are enrolled at a sister VCCC campus, you will take the exams at your campus testing center/learning lab. 

At the end of the semester, the following grade scale will apply: