Wednesdays: 4 - 5 PM
Instructor: Jennifer Gagliardi
Course Description:
When we consider a movie, we often think in terms of big blocks of time, with 90 minutes as the standard. However, the challenge of packing the same amount of story into 40 minutes or less can offer the same payoff as a feature length film. Some of the most celebrated directors have made short films both as springboards into feature length projects, and as artistic endeavors to spur creativity. In this course we will explore and analyze short films, learning key terminology that students can later apply to other types of cinema. Through a combination of film analysis and practical understanding of the short film market, students will learn how to “read” a short film. The class will culminate in a day where students become curators, learning how to bring films together into a festival or series.
Course Objectives:
To become engaged, critical, “close readers” of cinematic texts by showing students how to analyze a theme through the use of mise en scène, dialogue, and camerawork in cinema.
Introducing students to film terminology that they can use to describe what they watch.
Discussing not only the art of film but also the distribution of movies, particularly the short film market.
Considering how multiple types of film, including documentary, live action, and animation, achieve their goals in different ways while still telling a unified story.
Materials:
All materials will be provided, including short readings and links for screenings. For each class we will hold a zoom screening, and students will also be expected to screen a film on their own. All films will be free to access.
Course Policies
If a student misses one of the course dates, they can reach out to me to catch up on what they missed and access the in-class screenings.
Students are expected to be respectful of each other during class discussions.
The films we are watching will sometimes contain strong language and some mature themes regarding war. If this is an issue, please contact the instructor.
Schedule:
Week 1 - Introduction and Characteristics of Short Films
Why Short Films Are Still Thriving – The Atlantic Monthly
Does the Cinema Need Short Films? – The New Yorker
In Class Screening of La Femme et le TGV
Week 2 – Focus on Live Action
Film Homework for week 2: Screen Stutterer
Interview with director of Butterlamp – Director’s Notes
Summary of Stutterer – The New Yorker
Discussion Topics: Dialogue doesn’t always tell the story, importance of music,
In Class screening of ButterLamp
Week 3 – Focus on Documentary
Film Homework for week 3: Screen Earthrise
Discussion topics: Interviews in films, how to choose a documentary subject, what makes a story “important”?
In Class Screening of Positive Images
Week 4 – Focus on Animation
Film Homework for week 4: Screen Fire in Cardboard City and Pearl
Interview with the Director of Min Borda – Stop Motion
Discussion Topics: Behind the scenes animation is harder than it looks, How animation uses unique delivery to tell real stories.
In Class screening of Min Borda
Week 5 – Putting it all Together
Film Homework for Week 5: Screen Joe’s Violin, Boogaloo and Graham, and Mend and Make Do
Ron Diamond Interview – Animation World Network
Curating Short Film Series’ – How to bring films together
These three films have connecting threads, how could we potentially screen them together for a festival? We Will discuss how they work together, and how we would curate the series.
