Media Studies: Film
Media Studies: Television and Documentary

MEDIA STUDIES: FILM                                                                  2699
MEDIA STUDIES: TELEVISION AND DOCUMENTARY          2709

Prerequisite: None. Open to juniors and seniors. These courses do not fulfill either the three-year English graduation requirement or the one semester Fine Arts graduation requirement. Students may enter the sequence at either semester.

These classes incorporate a study of film-making techniques, film theory, and film history with an exploration of the ways in which other forms of visual media (documentary, television) shape our understanding and manipulate "meaning." Students will examine various aspects of film and video, including its use and combination of perspective, editing, soundtrack, and visual elements. Students will watch films and television programs in and out of class, ranging from Hollywood classics to contemporary examples selected by students. Films and television programs will often be paired with comparable examples to aid in the comparison and contrast of approaches and results for the audience. In addition to the use of feature-length films, Media Studies: Film will emphasize documentaries, while Media Studies: Television and Documentary will introduce a closer look at television programming. In both semesters, there will be an emphasis on writing, with several critical papers and an independent project, both of which involve work (writing; researching; viewing films) outside of the classroom.

Each of these courses, Media Studies: Film and Media Studies: Television and Documentary, will meet for a semester. Each course will be offered in alternating school years. Students may choose to take the course for either English or Fine Arts elective credit.  

Media Studies: Film will be offered for the 08-09 school year. Media Studies: Television and Documentary will be offered for the 09-10 school year.

Teachers: 

N. Rigler