ENG xxxx: Writing About Film
3 credits
Prereq: ENG 1510
Researching multiple mass media sources, students will write critically about topics found in films. Students will analyze topics and issues such as gender, race, class, age, ethnic identity, sexual identity, body image and ideology, supported by various films and other sources, including texts. Both journalistic and academic styles of writing may be covered.
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7 comments:
I'm less excited about this course proposal for several reasons. First, I think a thorough knowledge of film and filmmaking is necessary to teach it, which many ENG faculty do not have. This limits the pool of teachers. Secondly, it would necessitate a second prerequisite, Intro. to Film, to really be effective. Thirdly, we have a course, HUM 290: Literature into Film, which IS, in essence, writing about film and the issues expressed in this course description. So, I'm very reluctant to support this new course.
I think students should take ENG 1520 before veering into Writing About Film. Why not Writing About Politics? Writing About Nutrition? Writing About Science? Writing About Fear? Writing About Love? As an ENG department, I don't see the need for a separate course focused on writing about film. This could easily be accomplished as a focused topics course in ENG 1520, or as a particular student's focus in the Creative Nonfiction course.
A Comp I student said to me the other day, "I wish we could talk about films instead of movies." Out students are moved by movies, not so much nutrition.
My position is augment ENG 1520 with an elective Writing About Film course; don't replace traditional texts with films.
There are many ways to talk about films. A film degree isn't required to speak about films as social and cultural texts.
What I've envisioned for an
ENG Writing About Film course:
Class periods devoted to writing and research instruction. This class would not be about films. Any ENG instructor could teach it.
In Writing About Film, students would be allowed to multi-text. Student would be asked to use images from films as well as other sources to help support written arguments.
The emphasis would be on furthering composition and research skills using films clips, the internet, OCC databases and library, etc.
In all my writing classes, I make students pick their own topics because doing so is huge part of critical and creative thinking. I never assign content in a process-orientated course. Students perform much better with ownership and the need to take responsibilty. The list of topics for my Comp I and Comp II student work this semester is diverse and interesting, with lots of critical and creative sparks.
In any ENG Writing about Film Class I might someday teach, students would have to find their own specific topic, say a class issue like housing. A student would gather a few visual examples from films (probably Hollwyood or independent films, but students can explore Bollywood easily through the Internet as well, I'm sure), then make an argument and support it with traditional primary and secondary sources.
"McMansions for All" by Student Y. A thesis about pushing upper class looks on middle and lower class populations. With the "Home Alone" series and "Housekeeping" on the Works Cited page along with US Census Bureau Data, The Cosby Show, new housing starts figures, and commentary found through JSTOR.
Yes, this example student paper would incorporate ideas from other disciplines in addition to ENG and HUM. We teach and learn in a global marketplace of ideas. The internet and democratization of debate it brings is the best of today's new world. :)
Other ENG departments are offering visual and media literacy courses. This idea is not new, though the focus solely on films is perhaps cutting edge. Jim Halleman has commented that book reps are interested in ENG comp texts about for very approach. (See "Call for Ideas")
This discussion continues on the main ori-gina-l thread at the bottom, where folks from ENG and HUM have responded.
The first daffodil opened! :)
So I need to rename this new course possiblity:
Writing with Film
Writing with Film and Other Texts
Writing with Multi-text Support
Writing and Mutli-texting
hmmm . . .
Michigan State University offers ENG 130 Film and Society
with a course description very similar to the one proposed.
MSU course desription for
ENG 130 Film and Society
How films reflect social issues of gender, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation and handicapper status. How film affects and shapes social attitudes.
At UCLA:
M50. Introduction to Visual Culture. (5) (
Formerly numbered 50.) (Same as Film and Television M50.)
Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour; laboratory, two hours. Enforced requisite: satisfaction of Entry-Level Writing requirement.
Study of how visual media, including advertising, still and moving images, and narrative films, influence contemporary aesthetics, politics, and knowledge. P/NP or letter grading.
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