HOMEPAGE: OVERVIEW & GOALS

Movies rely on formulas--sometimes too much so. Yet this repeating of material prompts some of the  cinema's most sublime moments (including expressions of identities and experiences that otherwise struggle to register). In considering how genre functions in film, we'll examine this issue closely: What is the relationship in film--and in contemporary life at large--between repetition and innovation? 

We’ll approach this question through a mixture of creative and analytical activities, including short readings and weekly viewings of major genres (e.g. film noir, Western, horror, screwball comedy, musical, sci-fi, etc.).  In the process we'll explore the fundamental elements of cinematic art, including  assemblage, mise-en-scene, arc, and diegesis.  And we'll develop new creative and analytical tools for the work we do as citizen artists (whether in film/video, other arts, or expository writing).

Chuck Sheaffer

Theater faculty