PRESENTATIONS (undergraduate and graduate)

You are each required to make an in-class presentation that deals with some aspect of film criticism. Your goal is to demonstrate something you have learned in this class; that is, a coherent understanding of one or more issues in film criticism. You can accomplish this in one of several ways:

• Analyze a specific short scene from a specific film, using one or more of the methods or approaches to film criticism that we have been discussing
• Analyze a body of films within a particular genre, by a specific filmmaker, or united by some other criterion
• Analyze a specific critic or theoretical approach and discuss specific reasons why that is a valuable approach or has particular problems

[I am open to other possibilities, if you discuss them with me first.]

The presentation should be

• no more than 15 minutes long
• directed at your classmates as your primary audience
• supported by specific visual or other aids
• accompanied by

1. a short (2-3 sentences) Statement of Purpose that explains what you want your presentation to accomplish
2. a typed outline
3. a bibliography/filmography of sources that you have used for this presentation.

Unless you make other arrangements with me, all presentations will be given during the last two class sessions (December 3 and 5) and the Final Exam session (December 11, 10:15-12-15). You are expected to attend all of these sessions out of respect for your classmates.

This presentation is worth 25% to undergraduate students and 15% to graduate students.

PAPERS (graduate only)

In addition to your in-class presentation, you are each required to write a 10-15 page (about 2500-3750 words) paper that does one of the following:

• Analyze a specific film in its entirety, using one or more of the methods or approaches to film criticism that we have been discussing
• Analyze a body of films within a particular genre, by a specific filmmaker, or united by some other criterion, using at least one film as a specific example of the points you wish to make
• Analyze a specific critic or theoretical approach and discuss specific reasons why that is a valuable approach or has particular problems, with a detailed discussion of those reasons.

[I am open to other possibilities, if you discuss them with me first.]

• You may adapt your paper as a longer version of your in-class presentation
• You must make use of at least three written sources outside of those in the textbook (books, journals, online sources) and whatever films you cite in the paper
• Use of sources must avoid plagiarism and be documented by MLA style

In addition to using the online PALS catalogue, two places to begin research are the MLA Bibliography (now available online, but you may need to consult older issues too) and the Film Literature Index.

Papers will be due no later than our Final Exam session, on December 11.

This paper is worth 20% to graduate students.

I will be happy to discuss your projects and read drafts of the papers with you.