Admission requirements
BA degree
Description
After years of so-called ‘Grand Theory’ in the 1970s and early 1980s – with a cocktail of semiotics, psychoanalysis, and ideology criticism (think of Metz, Baudry, Comolli, Mulvey) – film studies took a few different ‘post-theoretical’ turns from the mid-1980s onwards. One can think of a rise in prominence of cognitive and empiricist research; media archaeology; and the reflections on film’s materiality in the era of digitization. These turns tie in with some noteworthy shifts: from cinema and its questions of medium specificity to the cinematic as event; from index as a trace (in the analogue era) to index as a sign (in the age of digital reproduction); from the film viewer as a theoretical construct to theories of affect; and cinema’s position in relation to and within the world.
In this course we will delve into some of the consequences of these shifts with close readings of assigned texts and seminar discussions. We will first assess the present state of cinema and its ever-transforming features in the rapidly changing context of new media technologies, artificial intelligence and streaming services. We will also reflect upon the relation of cinema to the overlapping domains of photography, video, media art and TV series. Furthermore, we will explore the relationship between cinema and the world, and the place of the world within cinema, through examining contemporary theoretical discussions concerning film and the Anthropocene, ecocriticism, affect theory, memory, elemental cinema, among other contemporary thematic topics in film studies.
Course objectives
After completing this course, the student can:
Conduct independent research and learning into contemporary theories of film
Analyse and summarise key arguments in film and media
Analyse film and media using key theoretical concepts
Critically reflect on key developments in contemporary film theory
Participate via oral communication with peers in the seminar
Conduct written communication on contemporary theories of film.
Work together with peers by preparing small presentations as conversation leaders
Work together with peers to discuss seminar questions
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar. Class attendance is mandatory.
Assessment method
Assessment
A portfolio with one essay proposal and one essay
Conversation leader participation in seminar
Weighing
To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following:
Essay proposal – pass/fail
Essay – 100%
Conversation leader participation in seminar – pass/fail
Resit
Resit is available for the essay proposal and the essay.
Inspection and feedback
Students will receive written feedback on the proposal and a feedback form for the essay, which will be sent within two weeks.
Reading list
Reading list will be accessible via the library catalogue or online.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal
Remarks
Not applicable