Teaching with Film
Michelle Onley Pirkle
Teaching with Film
• “Upgrade” literature or composition course
• Film Studies (History & Aesthetics course or Adaptation*)
Teaching with FilmPositive
•Holds attention (entertaining)•Different teaching tool •Cultural Studies•Images & audio to read•Seen as reward
Teaching with Film
Michelle Onley Pirkle
Teaching with FilmPositive
•Holds attention (entertaining)•Different teaching tool •Cultural Studies•Images & audio to read•Seen as reward
Teaching with FilmNegative
•Seen as reward
Teaching with FilmNegative
•Seen as reward—tasty dessert
Teaching with FilmPositive
•Tasty desserthealthy sandwich
Teaching with Film
Mise en Scène
Film as Visual Storytelling
Mise en ScèneCamera: angle, lens, filter, shot typeComposition: design, organization Color: dominant, contrast, symbolismActors: position, proximity, body, expressionSetting: place, space, materialsLighting: brightness, contrast,Depth: planes, foreground<->backgroundFraming: tight or looseForm: open or closed, balance
Mise en Scène
Mise en Scène
Super 8Director: J. J. Abrams
Producer: Stephen Spielberg
Mise en ScèneGiannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies. 12th ed. New York: Allyn & Bacon, 2011. Print.
Find “Ways In”Duchovatip #2
Costumes, Screenwriting, MusicHistory, Movie Posters, Actors
Cinematography, Theme (ex.: War)Acting Style (ex.: Method Acting), Genre
Titles, Choreography, CensorshipSpecial Effects (Technology), Set Design
Class/Gender/SexualityDirector (Auteur Theory)*, Adaptation*
Auteur Theory
Auteur Theory• Director as author or auteur of film
(patterns of motifs & themes)• France (1954)–François Truffaut,
Cahiers du Cinéma (directors: Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks)
• U. S.—Andrew Sarris, The Village Voice• Controversial (Pauline Kael—
collaboration)
Adaptation Studies
Adaptation Studies
Adaptation Studies
BOOK
FILM
Levels of Adaptation
• Literal: word-for-word
• Faithful: captures spirit
• Loose: little resemblance
Adaptation Studies
FilmNovelShort storyVideo GameBoard GameComic bookToyHistorical EventPersonSongPainting
“Adaptation Studies at a Crossroads”
Thomas Leitch (2008)
Swamp of Fidelity
Sea of Intertextuality
“Adaptation Studies at a Crossroads”
Thomas Leitch (2008)
Swamp of Fidelity
Sea of Intertextuality
“Adaptation Studies at a Crossroads”
Thomas Leitch (2008)
Swamp of Fidelity
Sea of Intertextuality
“Adaptation Studies at a Crossroads”
Thomas Leitch (2008)
Swamp of Fidelity
Sea of Intertextuality
“Adaptation Studies at a Crossroads”
Thomas Leitch (2008)
Swamp of Fidelity
Sea of Intertextuality
“Adaptation Studies at a Crossroads”
Thomas Leitch (2008)
Swamp of Fidelity
Adaptation 1.1 (2008): 63-77
Sea of Intertextuality
(Bakhtin— “no single source”)
Approaches to Adaptation
“The medium is the message.”Marshall McLuhan (1964)
Approaches to Adaptation
“What Novels Can Do That Films Can't (And Vice Versa)”
Seymour Chatman(1980)
Approaches to Adaptation
“What Novels Can Do That Films Can't (And Vice Versa)”
Seymour Chatman(1980)
AffordancesNovel FilmAsserts PresentsDescribes DepictsFocus Overspecification
Approaches to Adaptation
“What Novels Can Do That Films Can't (And Vice Versa)”
Seymour Chatman(1980)
AffordancesNovel Film
Name music Play musicReader controls time Director controls time
Teaching with Film
Teaching with FilmPositive
•Tasty desserthealthy sandwich
Teaching with FilmFilm Sandwich•Introduction (director, cultural context, focus)•Handout (info & questions over form & content)•Film presentation (the chicken!)•Written assignment•Discussion (groups & full class)
Adaptation Studies
BOOK
FILM
Adaptation—Intro (1)
1963
2009
Adaptation—Intro (1)
1960
1981
1970
Maurice Sendak
1960
1981
1970
Spike Jonze
2003 1999
2002
Adaptation—Handout (2)
•Questions•Information•Images
Adaptation—Presentation (3)
•Opening Scenes•18 minutes
Adaptation—Writing (4)
•Class answers question(s)•Each group answers question (s)
Adaptation—Discussion (5)
•Each group discusses question(s)•Class discusses question(s)
Teaching with Film
Michelle Onley Pirkle