Film Aesthetics
This course trains students to become practitioners of formal film analysis, and thereby to appreciate film art. Throughout the semester, we will study core aspects of cinematic language, e.g., editing, lighting, cinematography, sound, stars/acting, film narrative, and genre, as we look at a range of films from the earliest days of filmmaking until the present. For each film that we watch, students will submit written shot analyses of key film scenes. Towards the end of the term, students will make presentations in small groups on an indie film. To enhance our engagement with local film culture, students will also attend one screening at HIFF (Hawaiʻi International Film Festival/hiff.org), where they will be encouraged to talk to film professionals. By the end of the semester, students should have a solid understanding of how filmmakers use various techniques to generate meaning and express mood/feeling on screen.