FMS8055 : Approaches to Film Theory and History (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Fernando Beleza Pinto
- Lecturer: Dr Sarah Leahy, Dr Lydia Wu, Dr Andrew Shail, Dr Philippa Page, Professor Guy Austin
- Owning School: Modern Languages
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
• To provide a broad-ranging introduction to historical and theoretical approaches to cinema for students new to Film Studies
• To extend the knowledge of historical and theoretical approaches to cinema for students with a background in Film Studies
• To provide a solid grounding in key methodologies in Film studies
Outline Of Syllabus
Theoretical debates in film studies are examined with reference to key moments in film history, drawn from a variety of historical and national/transnational contexts. The course is divided into five blocks of two sessions, each dealing with a different historical moment, and key films and theoretical debates associated with it. Through recommended preparatory reading and viewing and class discussion students will be encouraged to engage critically with the concepts covered in the module, and to consider both the possibilities and limitations of specific approaches to the study of film.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Non-synchronous learning materials available on VLE |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Preparation and completion of all formative and summative assessments. |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Guided preparation for small group teaching sessions. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Present-in-person. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 95:00 | 95:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: scheduled seminars will take place in-person but can migrate online without undue disruption, if necessary. Student-led small group discussion aims to explore each topic in-depth and give students a space in which they can share their ideas and benefit from peer feedback as well as guidance from seminar leader. Key issues will be debated, and examples of writing in the different areas studied will be analysed.
Structured Guided Learning: online non-synchronous learning materials provide students with an overview and contextualisation, offer examples to be explored and discussed, and raise the key issues for debate. Each topic addresses a different set of methodologies and conceptual frameworks in Film Studies.
Guided Independent Study: guided learning activities that include screenings, reading tasks, preparation of seminar activities (individually or in groups). Students are expected to work independently on these activities, but they are set by seminar leaders with guidance.
The remainder of the hours assigned to this module will be spent preparing each assessment task and carrying out independent study, during which students are expected to use the learning materials, skills, and feedback provided as a springboard from which to develop their own ideas and skills as independent scholars.
The different types of learning activities work together in combination with one another to build progressively the skill set and methodological knowledge/capacities required to author convincing and conceptually sound scholarly essays.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 1 | M | 25 | A close filmic analysis using one of the approaches studied (1400 words) |
| Essay | 2 | M | 75 | An essay of 2800 words (including quotations and footnotes but excluding bibliographies) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Written assessment allows students to demonstrate higher intellectual skills of understanding, analysis and
evaluation, as well as to demonstrate personal research and information skills.
Assessment is divided into two separate tasks that ask students to build on the historical and conceptual approaches to cinema that they encounter throughout the module. The inclusion of one summative assessment that is also formative (providing timely feedback throughout the module) addresses the learning objectives more accurately, building students’ confidence in applying the concepts and methods that they encounter on the module.
At the end of semester 1, students are required to apply one of the theoretical or historical approaches covered by the module to produce a 1400-word close analysis of a short film clip. This not only assesses their understanding of the historical and theoretical approaches covered, but also their ability to apply them as methodologies to produce detailed analysis.
Feedback from this short piece helps students approach the final assessment, at the end of semester 2, where they are offered a choice of questions relating to the approaches covered over the year, and asked to apply these insights in order to produce a longer essay (2800 words). Drawing on the ability to apply theories, methods and concepts practiced in the first assessment, students will be well-equipped to develop evidence to support a broader reflection on the approaches studied.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- FMS8055's Timetable