FILM ANALYSIS

The course is part of the related or additional programmes included in the curricula of “Art History” and “Performing Arts and Media Studies” for the Bachelor's Degree Programme in “Conservation of Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts Management”. Its aim is to provide students with a supplementary set of concepts related to the structure of the art system, as well as to the enhancement the cinematographic heritage and the most frequently encountered audio-visual materials. The objectives of the course are: to prepare students to develop a “privileged” and informed relation to audio-visual artworks (i.e. films and other formats), so as to be able to define their “agency” and “performativity”. Contemporarily students will acquire methodological tools enabling them to subdivide audio-visual artifacts into segments subsequently reconstructing their principles of meaning and narrative/discourse structure.

1. Knowledge and comprehension: Knowledge of the terminology of film language; Knowledge of the basics rules in order to distinguish cinema’s main techniques and narrative models; Ability to comprehend critical and theoretical texts dealing with cinema.
2. Ability to apply the acquired knowledge and comprehension: Ability to describe a sequence or a film placing it in its historical, production and genre-related context; Ability to apply methodological approaches analysing films and audio-visual artworks; Ability to apply a metalinguistic ability in order to distinguish between the specifically cinematic codes and codes belonging to other modes of expression.
3. Judgment skills: Ability to form personal interpretations based upon knowledge of the critical-theoretical literature; A critical approach to the aesthetic, cultural and historical judgment of audio-visual artworks;
4. Communication skills: Ability to participate in discussions around the subjects of the course; Ability to convey the specific character of the theoretical and historical debate using an appropriate vocabulary during the exam as well as during lectures; Ability to interact with fellow students and with the lecturer in a critical and collaborative way, both in the classroom and using virtual electronic platforms.
5. Learning skills: Ability to take notes and share them in a collaborative manner; Ability to consult the reference texts and the relative bibliography in a critical manner; Ability to deconstruct a film sequence or a short audio-visual work discerning the narrative or discourse strategies in action, distinguishing forms of representation of space/time/characters/settings, modes of focusing or point of view chosen.

No pre-requisites are required

The long take, the close-up, the classic découpage, the voice-over, the subjective shot, the depth of field, the fade-out: these, like other 'basic units' of cinematic signification, still represent the vehicles through which audiovisual products are constructed, from early films to contemporary TV series. Consequently, for those who intend to take a critical-analytical stance towards them, it is useful to know the technical vocabulary, recognize the different expressive and narrative forms that make up individual sequences and entire films, and question one's own analytical gaze to examine the cultural categories employed. To achieve this aim, the course proposes to work in three areas, subdividing the number of lesson hours accordingly: a first part will be dedicated to the historical contextualization of film analysis, to understand its origins, strategies, and future developments; a second part to the knowledge of technical language; and a third part to the in-depth study of some case studies - taken from the volumes included in the examination program - that will serve as a workshop to familiarize with film analysis, whether expressive, narrative, or culturalist approches.

The examination programme includes the study of the following textbooks:
- Vincenzo Buccheri, "L'analisi filmica. Un'antologia critica", in Giulia Carluccio, Federica Villa (eds.), "La post-analisi. Intorno e oltre l’analisi del film", Kaplan, Turin, 2005, pp. 141-159 (essay in the moodle page of the course).
- Augusto Sainati e Massimiliano Gaudiosi, “Analizzare i film”, Marsilio, Venezia, 2007.
- Dario Tomasi, "Analisi del film e storia del cinema", UTET, Torino 2023.

Students are also required to watch six films listed in a filmography that can be found on the course homepage on Moodle when lectures start. Further informative material regarding the course and research material on the subjects treated (bibliographies, list of film sequences shown during lectures, research paths, etc.) will also be uploaded on the Moodle page.

The assessment of the course preparation will be carried out by means of a written examination lasting 90 minutes, consisting of a test divided into two parts. The first part, consisting of five closed-answer questions, will test the student's knowledge of basic technical-cinematographic vocabulary. The second part, consisting of four open-ended questions, will test the student's ability to apply film analysis methods to samples taken from the filmography of the examination or sequences shown during the examination itself.

Grading Methods and Assessment Criteria:
The first part will contribute 33% to the final grade (10 points), and the second part will account for the remaining 66% (20 points). The grading criteria will consider the correctness and propriety in the use of cinematographic vocabulary (30%), the punctuality and extent of knowledge of the topics covered in class and learned through the study of the compulsory bibliography (30%); the ability to critically apply the acquired knowledge to the case studies presented (30%), and attention to the quality of the written exposition (10%).

Grades in the 18-22 range will be awarded when the above-mentioned points reach a sufficient level; grades in the 23-26 range will be awarded when the above-mentioned points reach a fair level; grades in the 27-30 range will be awarded when the above-mentioned points reach an excellent level; honors will be awarded when the above-mentioned points reach an outstanding level.

Further instructions on how the assignment is to be administered will be provided by the lecturer during the first lesson and uploaded—in a separate document—on the course Moodle page.

Lectures comprehend both a historical-theoretical as well as an analytical-methodical point of view. The latter implies active participation of students in the classroom when analyzing and commenting on film sequences proposed.

Italian

Due to the possibility of carrying out practical film analysis exercises and theoretical and methodological class discussions together with the lecturer, attendance of the course is highly recommended, especially for those intending to pursue a degree in film disciplines.

Ca’ Foscari follows the Italian law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) for the support and accommodation services available to students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities. If you have either a motor, visual, hearing or another disability (Law 17/1999), or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and you require support (classroom assistance, technological aids for carrying out exams or personalized exams, accessible format material, note retrieval, specialist tutoring as study support, interpreters or other), please contact the Disability and DSA office disabiita@unive.it.

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