MDST 2870 – Writing Film Criticism                                                                          Patrick Cribben

Spring 2023                                                                                                                Wilson Hall 229

Mon. 5:00 – 7:30pm                                                                                email: pjc9y@virginia.edu

Cocke Hall 101                                                                                           Office hours: Thurs. 11-3

Syllabus

Course Description:  Critics writing in newspapers, magazines, journals, and (more recently) online platforms have been helping to shape the way consumers of media look at film for nearly the past century. Many of the best and most influential critics not only serve as the film-going public's “editors” or gatekeepers, helping the audience make informed choices about what they choose to see and not to see, but most have attempted to locate individual films in the context of the history, culture and politics that surrounds them in real time. Writing about film for mass audiences provides a platform to both engender and enter into a dialog about an experience nearly every American shares on a daily and weekly basis: consuming fictional (and non-fiction) narratives that we all have more or less in common with one another [and which both shape and reflect the evolving cultural, artistic, and political zeitgeist]. We'll explore what is required for thoughtful, informed and engaging non-academic film criticism, including the obligation to understand both the historical and contemporary landscape of film and the other arts, to simply write well and with a personal voice and style, and even to entertain and connect with a readership.

Course work will include considerations of basic film production and aesthetics/form; numerous extant examples of published film criticism both historical and contemporary; writing your own journalistic film reviews of various length requirements while developing and nurturing your own writer-ly and critical perspectives; acting as principal editor for the work of your colleagues; finding, selecting, and posting professional published reviews; and broadening your understanding of the act of and need for criticism in general.

Course Texts: 1)   Hornaday, Ann, Talking Pictures: How To Watch Movies, Basic Books, NYC (2017)

1. 1. 1. 2.  Film reviews by various professional critics, and other miscellaneous readings, via  Collab or in-class handout

(Hornady book available at Uva Bookstore))

Grading

Participation; response papers; discussion posts*                                          20 points

  

Weekly film review assignment (4 @ 15 points each)                                 60 points

Final Article                                                                                                    20 points

TOTAL                                                                                                           100 points

(*approximately 10-12 short, informal papers and posts @ 1 point each. The remainder from contribution to in-class discussion. Further description to come.)

Weekly Schedule

January 23

What is a film critic? What does she do? What's a film reviewer? Is there a difference? What purpose is served by public film criticism? Who can write it? Who should?

What is Film?

In class screening – The Man with a Movie Camera (Vertov, 1929)

Reading for 1/30: Bywater, Intro and pp. 1-22 :

Hornaday, Chapter 4

At home screening for 1/30: For the Love of Movies (Info and link in Resources)

Writing for 1/30: None. See recent Announcement

January 30

History of Film Criticism

Where are we, and how did we get here?

Cinematography: Film as a visual medium

In-class screening: Visions of Light

Reading for 2/6: Hornady, Intro and Chapter 1

At-home screening for 2/6: Citizen Kane (Wells, 1939) (Info and link in Resources)

Writing for 2/6: Response papers for 1) Man With the Movie Camera

                                                                  2) Visions of Light

February 6

Film form: A closer look.

Master class. Kane Shot by Shot. I

Reading for 2/13: Hornady Chapter 2.

     Reviews of Citizen Kane. 

Writing for 2/13: Group A, Short Review (Group B Editors)

February 13

Workshopping #1

Kane Shot by Shot II

Reading for 2/20: Hornady, Chapters 3,

 

Writing for 2/21: Group B Short reviews (Group B Editors)

February 20

Kane Shot by Shot III

Workshopping #2

Reading for 2/27: Hornaday, Chapters 5,

 

Writing for 2/27: Group 1 full reviews (Group 2 Editors, Group 3 review post)

February 27

Workshopping # 3

Reading for 3/13: Hornady, Chapter 6-7

 

Writing for 3/13: Group 2 full reviews (Group 3 Editors, Group 1 review post)

March 6 --  SPRING BREAK

March 13

Workshopping #4

Writing for 3/21: Group 3 full reviews  (Group 1 Editors, Group 2 review post)

March 20

Workshopping # 5

Writing for 3/27: Group 1 reviews (Group 3 Editors, Group 2 review post)

March 27

Workshopping # 6

Writing for 4/3: Group 2 reviews (Group 1 Editors, Group 3 review post)

April 3

Workshopping # 7

Writing for 4/10: Group 3 reviews (Group 2 Editors, Group 1 review post)

April 10

Workshopping # 8

Writing for 4/17: Group 1 reviews (Group 2 Editors, Group 3 review post)

April 17

Workshopping # 9

Writing for 4/24: Group 2 reviews (Group 3 Editors, Group 1 review post)

April 24

Workshopping # 10

Writing for 5/1: Group 3 reviews (Group 1 Editors, Group 2 review post)

May 1

Workshopping # 11

Discuss Final article assignment (Due on Exam day)

*This Weekly Schedule is subject to change and amendment as we progress.