Lights! Camera! Action! This course will introduce students to the basics of film and theater productions. Students will learn about the basics of lighting, sound, wardrobe, and camerawork for both film andtheater settings. The course also explores the history of film and theater and the influence that they have had on society. Students will analyze and critique three influential American films. In this semester, you will learn film history and film theory, what theater is, what its purposes can be, and a bit of theater’s history, lighting, how lenses and filters are used to create the types of shots that directors seek, how the camera’s position and movement can be manipulated to make a movie more engaging and aesthetically enjoyable, sound in both film and theater, and wardrobe and makeup in both film and theater.
You will be required to own or have access to the standard editions of the three films used in this
course:
If you do not already have access to these movies, you may consider other sources such as your local
library.
Note: Timestamps referenced throughout the course apply to standard editions of the applicable film and may not align with any extended/modified versions.
Unit 1: Introduction to Film Theory
In this unit, you will learn several things about film history and film theory: what a film is, what a film’s purpose may be, and why that purpose is important when learning about and using film theory. You’ll be introduced to one particular type of film theory. And you’ll look at your own experiences with films as well as the experiences scholars, critics, and historians have had as you begin your journey into the world of film theory.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 2: The World of Theater
Before motion pictures were invented, theater provided entertainment for cultures around the world. Theater has provided structure and inspiration for modern films, and the interplay between film and theater helps us better understand the creation and impact of films. In this unit on theater, you will learn several things: what theater is, what its purposes can be, and a bit of theater’s history. You’ll learn what’s necessary for theater to exist. And you’ll draw on your experiences with performance and theater to make connections with what you learn in this unit as well as with what you learned in the previous unit on film theory.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 3: Lighting the Scene
In this unit on theater and film, you’ll learn about one of the important technical aspects of creating a world on both film and stage—lighting. You’ll learn the purposes of lighting for both film and theater. You’ll discover the different ways that light can be manipulated for these different purposes.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 4: The Basic Elements of Camerawork
In this unit, you will learn about camera technology and equipment that is used when making a film. You’ll learn how lenses and filters are used to create the types of shots that directors seek. And you’ll learn how the camera’s position and movement can be manipulated to make a movie more engaging and aesthetically enjoyable.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 5: Managing Sound in Film and Theater
In this unit, you will learn about sound in both film and theater. You’ll learn how sound is created and recorded for films as well as how it is created and managed in theatrical productions. And you’ll learn about some of the equipment that sound professionals use in their jobs.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 6: Wardrobe
In this unit, you will learn about wardrobe and makeup in both film and theater. You’ll learn how characters’ appearances are designed and brought to life and about the professionals who do this. And you’ll learn about the unique concerns that must be taken into consideration during the wardrobe and makeup processes.
What will you learn in this unit?
