DRA 110 - Introduction to Film

Credit(s) 3.00
Lecture Hours: 3.00
This course is designed to introduce the student to the historical, evolutionary, philosophic, artistic, and economic aspects of motion pictures and the filmmaking industry. Students will have the opportunity to examine the various genres of the movie industry such as: drama, film noir, western, fantasy, documentary, romantic comedy, horror, musicals, and silent film. Utilizing film excerpts and entire movies as tools, students will hone skills in film analysis, beginning with recognition of theme and critically viewing productions in terms of such elements as: fictional elements, editing, cinematography, visual design, photography, special effects, sound, acting, music, and directing. Progressively, students will observe similarities and distinctions in film and literature and relate philosophical, historical, and cultural theories and events to the industry. This course satisfies a general education requirement in the Arts and Humanities Area. May be counted as either Humanities or Fine Arts, but not both.

SLOs:
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Identify key elements in filmmaking.
Recognize films as cultural, artistic, economical, and historical forces in society.
Locate individual technical aspects of filmmaking.
Translate each technical aspect of filmmaking as meaningful components of the entire work.
Discover how historical and cultural climates influence the film industry.
Examine the process of whole film analysis.
Distinguish between entertainment and critical viewing.
Approach creativity with a critical eye.