The purpose of film study is defined here in the words of D. W. Griffiths: "My goal is above all to make you see." This book is intended to be used as a text in a film study course. It traces the development of films from a scientific curiosity through silent films to modern wide screen productions. A comic strip is used to demonstrate the effect…

The art of the motion picture is explored through a step-by-step study of the medium's development as a new art form. The book attempts to provide insight into creative film expression and to present an historical overview of the medium's artistic development. It is divided into three sections. The first is largely an account of the efforts made…

VISUALIZE is a course in visual language that can be used as a part of any course where communication and self-expression are among the goals--in religion, art, photography, filmmaking or social studies classes. This instructor manual gives a step-by-step approach to four two-hour seminars and three out-of-class projects. During the course…

A montage of thought and comment on motion pictures is presented, from short articles to cartoons, quotes, poems, drawings and pictures. Included are descriptions of how movies are possible, techniques of filming and editing, criticisms, history, the effects of films on the people who watch them, and personalities of the people involved in films.…

The articles in this volume have been selected from issues of "Media & Methods" of the past seven years. The first part of the book considers the problems and opportunities inherent in classroom film use, in articles by David A. Sohn, Charles F. Greiner, William Kuhns, Hugh Gilmore, Richard Lacey, Richard Beach, and Ken Donelson. Essays deal with…

Designed to encourage moviegoers to become film viewers, this book divides the various aspects of film into the following chapters: "The Most Popular Art Form,""The World of Film,""Viewing the Film: The First Level of Understanding,""The Language of Film,""From Script to Film: A case Study,""Evaluating Film: 'Does It Work?""Evaluating Film:…

"Understanding Film," the opening section of this book, discusses perceptions of and responses to film and the way in which experiences with and knowledge of other media affect film viewing. The second section, "Film Elements," analyzes the basic elements of film: the use of space and time, the impact of editing, sound and color, and the effects…

Based on the assumption that critical viewing can broaden the range of films one can respond to, increase understanding, and ultimately lead to an intensification of subjective response, this book offers a critical approach to experiencing movies. After explaining the critical method to be used, several films in the context of different aesthetic…

The art of filmmaking is an excellent means of covertly teaching reading and other communication skills.

This book covers the life and aesthetic qualities of the work of the European film-maker Jean-Marie Straub (1933- ). It contains introductory chapters on the biography and artistic milieu of Straub and continues with a chapter-by-chapter critical treatment of each of his films: "Machorka-Muff"; "Not Reconciled"; "Chronicle…

Communication theorists often make a distinction between two different ways in which a sign or a symbol can evoke meaning. In digital representation, the symbol's domain of reference is conceptually carved up into discrete units represented by purely arbitrary symbols. In analogical representation, the symbol retains a continuous correspondence…

This guide accompanies "Special Effects," a 40-minute IMAX film and "Special Effects II", a multimedia, interactive traveling exhibit designed by the California Museum of Science and Industry. The exhibit focuses on the underlying scientific and technical processes of special effects from the earliest motion picture to state-of-the-art digital…

This book is a collection of essays by the author on film criticism. An auteurist and historical approach is taken to the primarily American films discussed. The essays are organized by basic theme: "Critical Credos and Causes,""Personal Styles,""Genres,""Politics,""Odes and Obits," and "Arts and Letters." Each essay centers either on an important…

This book is a guide to the making of films. It covers preparation (scripting, storyboarding, budgeting, casting, and crew selection), filming (directing, camera operating, and sound recording), and postproduction (editing, sound dubbing, laboratory processing, and trial screening). Distribution of films is discussed in detail. Possible careers in…

An examination of key symbols and structures of the recent film, "Fried Green Tomatoes," reveals the nature of the process of coding representations of the real world and its effects. The movie depicts two parallel stories of female friendship. Changes and development of the characters are primarily portrayed through changes in their…