| Semester 1, 2021 Online | |
| Short Description: | Reading Film |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts |
| School or Department : | School of Humanities & Communication |
| Student contribution band : | 2021 Grandfather Funding Cl 1 |
| ASCED code : | 100799 - Communication and Media Studie |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Requisites
Enrolment is not permitted in MSD2500 if CMS2019 has been previously completed.
Rationale
Hollywood cinema is the best known and the most influential national cinema in the world and has been so for a century. But how and why? And with what effect? Certainly, Hollywood’s long-held significance around the world makes it the ideal case study in introducing students to screen media analysis: skills they can then apply to a range of other media, and in a range of employment, moving forward. This course surveys the development of Hollywood cinema from its emergence to the present day, and covers key historical, technological, and cultural developments through a focus on influential periods, filmmakers, and films.
Synopsis
In this course, students use Hollywood as a case study to begin to develop core skills in screen analysis, to help them develop an analytical skill set that can then be applied to a range of other media and foci. Students examine the emergence, development, and global expansion of the Hollywood film industry, arguably the most famous national cinema in the world. Students use textual and contextual approaches to examine the industry in light of changing cultural, economic, industrial, political, and technological contexts. Regular film screenings featuring a broad selection of influential Hollywood texts will provide context and enable students to complete the course with a film review for their job-ready Media Studies portfolios.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
- use clear communication to discuss key periods and characteristics of Hollywood cinema;
- critically discuss a range of films;
- use key concepts in media theory in appropriate and ethical ways;
- conduct critical analyses of Hollywood films.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Early Hollywood | 25.00 |
| 2. | Classical Hollywood | 25.00 |
| 3. | Contemporary Hollywood | 25.00 |
| 4. | Screen Media Analysis | 25.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2021&sem=01&subject1=MSD2500)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Directed Study | 39.00 |
| Independent Study | 126.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FILM REVIEW | 100 | 35 | 31 Mar 2021 | |
| ESSAY | 100 | 40 | 19 May 2021 | |
| FORUM POSTS | 100 | 25 | 02 Jun 2021 |
Important assessment information
-
Attendance requirements:
There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students’ responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
There is no examination in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
-
Referencing in assignments must comply with the Harvard (AGPS) referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (APGS) style to be used is defined by the USQ library’s referencing guide. This guide can be found at .
Evaluation and benchmarking
In meeting the University’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
1. conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
2. forms part of the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Communication and Media and is benchmarked against the internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.