Media and film studies
Analysing Film: Authorship and Genre
Module code: P5048
Level 4
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Film, Lecture
Assessment modes: Group presentation, Essay
On this module, you’ll explore:
- questions regarding authorship and genre in academic and everyday discourses
- the importance of addressing these critical frameworks early on in your degree.
You’ll begin with an introduction to film authorship. You’ll explore and test the validity and scope of its initial theoretical conception through the study of one film director. You’ll then complicate this more ‘traditional view’ of the director as the film’s author by considering the concept of ‘corporate authorship’. You’ll examine this through the study of a studio, thinking first of the studio as an auteur, and subsequently of the co-existence of the studio’s and the individual director’s authorship.
In the second half of the module you’ll study a film genre. You’ll explore:
- genre definition and film categorisation
- genre’s historical and industrial evolution.
Module learning outcomes
- Demonstrate research skills through locating relevant secondary sources while researching specific topics in the areas of authorship and genre
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills through an ability to understand and apply relevant ideas from secondary sources to film analysis, developing well-informed argumentation in response to given tasks
- Demonstrate analytical skills in performing close textual and comparative analysis of taught films.
- Demonstrate presentation and communication skills through creating engaging coursework (audio-visual or written).
- Demonstrate collaborative skills through working with peers to produce an engaging recording/video essay in reponse to a given task.
- Demonstrate creativity and independent thinking in engaging with relevant module material.