Nearing the end of the semester: many things wrapped in one.

The semester ends next week. I'm already thinking about what to change for summer -- what went well this semester, and what needs to change.

Intro to Film
This week we are watching Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator. Our discussions are going to lean toward how film as a medium can make historical change, and how film changes through the lens of history.

Next week are final projects. I've tried something new this semester: open ended final projects. Students were given full reign over their assignments, including how they were graded. My only major requirement was that their project somehow demonstrates their understanding of film. I am looking forward to seeing what my students have come up with.

Film and Culture
Last week we watched Murderball and discussed how American culture treats people with disabilities. This week is the last week for this class (Friday classes meet one week less than others) so we are doing final presentations. Students are doing a similar presentation to my Intro class where they need to demonstrate their understanding of diversity.

Next Semester Prep
I'm teaching two sections of Intro to Film over the summer. I'm considering going from a point-based grading system to giving letter grades for assignments. The upside would be quick grading without having to figure out the math. The downside would be less nuanced grading for assignments.

I've also got to pare down 15 weeks of material to fit 8 weeks. This is not as challenging as it seems - I just figure out what the major understandings I want them to have are and get rid of anything that doesn't fit that.

Film and Culture: The Field Trip

In our course schedule, this is the week where my Film and Culture class takes a break from the classroom and goes out to something that's a first-run film in a movie theater.

We've spent the semester talking about race, class, and gender so far, and this is an opportunity to apply our cultural criticism skills on something that is very current.

We'll watch the film, then have a discussion about it in the lobby of the theater. I'm on my toes as well, because I don't know what we are going to go see. We will determine that in class through a (somewhat) democratic process.

Intro: Blade Runner

I'm working this thing backwards.

Blade Runner is one of my all-time favorite films, and one that influenced me heavily as a teenager. There is something compelling about the story of someone killing inhuman creatures that themselves speak so heavily of humanity.

Then there is Ridley Scott's visuals. If you want to talk about a completely thought out universe to live in that isn't entirely explained or handed to you - this is the film. Dystopian future, yep. Incredibly densely layered mise-en-scene. And so on.

I wanted to approach the topic from what I described in the syllabus as a "film criticism" section of the course. I think we flip that on it's head, though. Normally the game is new idea, then film, then analyze, but I think in this case, because of the nature of the film, we start with the film. Then give them the opportunity to analyze in a casual assignment.

This is going to be a synthesis of what they've learned in terms of formal criticism, but also a look at new ways to think about films and their social impact.

 We've got this film and then some film history, final projects, then all done. Film criticism was kind of an afterthought, one that I'm glad to include, but I don't want to beat them upside the head with it.