Sample UB Syllabi: Women in Film

ENGL 333

Media Genres: Women in Film

"Cameras do not make films, filmmakers make films -- improve your films not by adding more equipment and personnel, but by using what you have to the fullest capacity. The most important part of your equipment is yourself -- your mobile body -- your imaginative mind, and freedom to use both."

—Maya Deren

"I think it's questionable as to whether the biological structure (eg: sex difference) makes that much difference in terms of art. I feel that when it comes to art, there's a question of soul, of the inner world, that's a universal thing; and I feel that the soul is neither male nor female. When I work and get involved with filmmaking, I become both man and woman or either one."

—Storm deHirch

"Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of the feeling the artist has experienced."

—Leo Tolstoy

NOTE: This is representative of the syllabi for this course. It is not necessarily the syllabus being used in any one semester.

TEXTBOOKS:

Home Movies and Other Necessary Fictions by Michelle Citron. ©1999.
Handouts will be provided in class or are available on line.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the course, you should be able to

List and discuss several women filmmakers and their work.
Identify techniques of filmic communication.
Express your own artistic sensibilities.

GRADES:
Journals 45%
Writing Assignments 40%
Final Presentation 15%

FINE PRINT:

• It is illegal and unethical to use someone else's work without properly crediting the source . If you are not sure where that line is between needing to credit a source or not or between quoting, paraphrasing, and original language, or between imitating and copying an existing piece of work, please ask me in advance or err on the side of over-citing. If I discover that you've plagiarized material for this class, I will follow the University's policy for violations of academic integrity (see the UB Student Handbook), the consequences of which can include failing the course and expulsion from the University of Baltimore.

• Please turn your cell phones off or to a silent mode. Ringing phones are disruptive to class and no longer will be tolerated.

• Due to the nature of the class, films will only be screened in class. Please don't ask to see a film you missed outside of class. Many titles will be brought in for just the day of the screening and are not available commercially. You are permitted one excused absence. Final grades will be docked after that.

• You must have an e-mail account for this class. I highly suggest that you apply for a UBMail account even if you have another account someplace else because all the university announcements come by UBMail. You can always forward the UBMail account to your other account. If you've never used e-mail, please attend a library training session.

• Assignments are due on the date stated by the beginning of class. Anything turned in late will automatically lose one letter grade per day late. If you don't have access to the web at home or work, please use the on-campus computer labs.

• All out of class assignments must conform to the MLA style guidelines and must be submitted on-line. MLA Style books should be available in any library and most bookstores.

• Papers will be graded for writing as well as content.

SCHEDULE:

Title Filmmaker Year TRT

WEEK 1

Introduction & Overview

WEEK 2

Early Cinema

Read:

Anteccendents - From Women Directors

Meshes of the Afternoon - From The Legend of Maya Deren

Images of Self - the Autobiography

Citron

Chapters: Home Movies and Autobiography

View:

The Smiling Mdm. Beaudet Germaine DuLac 1922 20:00

Meshes of the Afternoon Maya Deren 1943 17:00

A Trip to the Moon George Melies 1902 10:00

The Great Train Robbery Edwin S. Porter 1903 10:00

WEEK 3

Images of Self: The Autobiography

[Slide Show - autobiography in images]

WEEK 4

Identity

Read:

Body Satisfaction

Making History: Julie Dash

Mama's White

Su Friedrich - From The Independent

Citron

Chapter: Necessary Fictions

View:

Sink or Swim Su Friedrich 1991 50:00

Illusions Julie Dash 1983 34:00

Birthday Suit Lisa Steele 1974 13:00

WEEKS 5-7

Family

Read:

Amalie Rothschild Biography

Motherhood and Representation: From Post War Freudian Figurations to Post Modernism From - Psychoanalysis and Cinema

Daughter Rite: Living with Our Pain and Love From - Films for Women

Films of Jan Oxenberg: Comic Critique From - Films for Women

Michelle Citron from Women of Vision: Histories in Feminist Film and Video

View:

Crocus Suzan Pitt 1972 5:00

Nana, Mom, and Me Amalie Rothschild 1974 48:00

Daughter Rite Michelle Citron 1978 50:00

Liquid Memories.II Julie Simon 2001 9:00

Modern Marriage Max Almy 1979 3:00

Thank you and Goodnight Jan Oxenberg 1991 81:00

Half the Sky: Women of the Jiang Family Sun Shayun 1996 50:00

The Family Tapes Gail Rebhan 1989 14:00

WEEKS 8-9

Friendships

Read:

Hot Tub Chill

Mi Vida Loca

Trapped but Still Going

Visual Pleasures and Narrative Cinema. From - Visual and other Pleasures

Girl Groups: Female Friendship - From Shot Countershot

View:

Constant State of Departure Lidia Szajko 10:00

Chantilly Lace Linda Yellen 1993 1:42:00

Mi Vida Loca Allison Anders 1993 92:00

WEEKS 10-12

Sexuality

Read:

Barbara Hammer from Women of Vision: Histories in Feminist Film and Video

Barbara Hammer Interview

More than just skin-deep: Fem(me)ininity and the subversion of identity.

Psychosocial variables associated with teenage pregnancy

View:

Super Dyke Barbara Hammer 1975 20:00

Menses Barbara Hammer 1974 10:00

When Shirley Met Florence Ronit Bezelel 1994 28:00

Another Great Day Jo Bonney/ Ruth Peyser 7:00

Just Another Girl on the IRT Leslie Harris 1992 96:00

WEEK 13

Art/Experimental

Read:

Video Art: What's TV Got To Do With It? from - Illuminating Video: An Essential Guide to Video Art

View:

Which Way is East Lynne Sachs 1993 32:00

hours, minutes, seconds, frame LeAnn Erickson 1999 6:00

Joan does Dynasty Joan Braderman 1985 35:00

Kiss the Girls, Make them Cry Dara Birnbaum 1979 12:00

WEEK 14

Violence and Resistance

Read:

The Political is Personal: Margarethe von Trotta's "Mariane and Juliane" - From - Films for Women

Western European Women Directors - From Women Directors

Vanalyne Green from Women of Vision: Histories in Feminist Film and Video

On-Line Handouts:

The Silence of Rape

View:

You Take Care Now Ann Marie Flemming 11:00

Rape Stories Margie Strosser 1989 25:00

Giving Way Gaylon Emerzian 7:00

Home Avenue Jennifer Montgomery 1989 17:00

WEEK 15

Presentations




			ENGL 333 Media Genres: Women in Film "Cameras do not make films, filmmakers make films -- improve your films not by adding more equipment and personnel, but by using what you have to the fullest capacity. The most important part of your equipment is yourself -- your mobile body -- your imaginative mind, and freedom to use both." —Maya Deren "I think it's questionable as to whether the biological structure (eg: sex difference) makes that much difference in terms of art. I feel that when it comes to art, there's a question of soul, of the inner world, that's a universal thing; and I feel that the soul is neither male nor female. When I work and get involved with filmmaking, I become both man and woman or either one." —Storm deHirch "Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of the feeling the artist has experienced." —Leo Tolstoy NOTE: This is representative of the syllabi for this course. It is not necessarily the syllabus being used in any one semester. TEXTBOOKS: Home Movies and Other Necessary Fictions by Michelle Citron. ©1999. Handouts will be provided in class or are available on line. COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of the course, you should be able to List and discuss several women filmmakers and their work. Identify techniques of filmic communication. Express your own artistic sensibilities. GRADES: Journals 45% Writing Assignments 40% Final Presentation 15% FINE PRINT: • It is illegal and unethical to use someone else's work without properly crediting the source . If you are not sure where that line is between needing to credit a source or not or between quoting, paraphrasing, and original language, or between imitating and copying an existing piece of work, please ask me in advance or err on the side of over-citing. If I discover that you've plagiarized material for this class, I will follow the University's policy for violations of academic integrity (see the UB Student Handbook), the consequences of which can include failing the course and expulsion from the University of Baltimore. • Please turn your cell phones off or to a silent mode. Ringing phones are disruptive to class and no longer will be tolerated. • Due to the nature of the class, films will only be screened in class. Please don't ask to see a film you missed outside of class. Many titles will be brought in for just the day of the screening and are not available commercially. You are permitted one excused absence. Final grades will be docked after that. • You must have an e-mail account for this class. I highly suggest that you apply for a UBMail account even if you have another account someplace else because all the university announcements come by UBMail. You can always forward the UBMail account to your other account. If you've never used e-mail, please attend a library training session. • Assignments are due on the date stated by the beginning of class. Anything turned in late will automatically lose one letter grade per day late. If you don't have access to the web at home or work, please use the on-campus computer labs. • All out of class assignments must conform to the MLA style guidelines and must be submitted on-line. MLA Style books should be available in any library and most bookstores. • Papers will be graded for writing as well as content. SCHEDULE: Title Filmmaker Year TRT WEEK 1 Introduction & Overview WEEK 2 Early Cinema Read: Anteccendents - From Women Directors Meshes of the Afternoon - From The Legend of Maya Deren Images of Self - the Autobiography Citron Chapters: Home Movies and Autobiography View: The Smiling Mdm. Beaudet Germaine DuLac 1922 20:00 Meshes of the Afternoon Maya Deren 1943 17:00 A Trip to the Moon George Melies 1902 10:00 The Great Train Robbery Edwin S. Porter 1903 10:00 WEEK 3 Images of Self: The Autobiography [Slide Show - autobiography in images] WEEK 4 Identity Read: Body Satisfaction Making History: Julie Dash Mama's White Su Friedrich - From The Independent Citron Chapter: Necessary Fictions View: Sink or Swim Su Friedrich 1991 50:00 Illusions Julie Dash 1983 34:00 Birthday Suit Lisa Steele 1974 13:00 WEEKS 5-7 Family Read: Amalie Rothschild Biography Motherhood and Representation: From Post War Freudian Figurations to Post Modernism From - Psychoanalysis and Cinema Daughter Rite: Living with Our Pain and Love From - Films for Women Films of Jan Oxenberg: Comic Critique From - Films for Women Michelle Citron from Women of Vision: Histories in Feminist Film and Video View: Crocus Suzan Pitt 1972 5:00 Nana, Mom, and Me Amalie Rothschild 1974 48:00 Daughter Rite Michelle Citron 1978 50:00 Liquid Memories.II Julie Simon 2001 9:00 Modern Marriage Max Almy 1979 3:00 Thank you and Goodnight Jan Oxenberg 1991 81:00 Half the Sky: Women of the Jiang Family Sun Shayun 1996 50:00 The Family Tapes Gail Rebhan 1989 14:00 WEEKS 8-9 Friendships Read: Hot Tub Chill Mi Vida Loca Trapped but Still Going Visual Pleasures and Narrative Cinema. From - Visual and other Pleasures Girl Groups: Female Friendship - From Shot Countershot View: Constant State of Departure Lidia Szajko 10:00 Chantilly Lace Linda Yellen 1993 1:42:00 Mi Vida Loca Allison Anders 1993 92:00 WEEKS 10-12 Sexuality Read: Barbara Hammer from Women of Vision: Histories in Feminist Film and Video Barbara Hammer Interview More than just skin-deep: Fem(me)ininity and the subversion of identity. Psychosocial variables associated with teenage pregnancy View: Super Dyke Barbara Hammer 1975 20:00 Menses Barbara Hammer 1974 10:00 When Shirley Met Florence Ronit Bezelel 1994 28:00 Another Great Day Jo Bonney/ Ruth Peyser 7:00 Just Another Girl on the IRT Leslie Harris 1992 96:00 WEEK 13 Art/Experimental Read: Video Art: What's TV Got To Do With It? from - Illuminating Video: An Essential Guide to Video Art View: Which Way is East Lynne Sachs 1993 32:00 hours, minutes, seconds, frame LeAnn Erickson 1999 6:00 Joan does Dynasty Joan Braderman 1985 35:00 Kiss the Girls, Make them Cry Dara Birnbaum 1979 12:00 WEEK 14 Violence and Resistance Read: The Political is Personal: Margarethe von Trotta's "Mariane and Juliane" - From - Films for Women Western European Women Directors - From Women Directors Vanalyne Green from Women of Vision: Histories in Feminist Film and Video On-Line Handouts: The Silence of Rape View: You Take Care Now Ann Marie Flemming 11:00 Rape Stories Margie Strosser 1989 25:00 Giving Way Gaylon Emerzian 7:00 Home Avenue Jennifer Montgomery 1989 17:00 WEEK 15 Presentations home \| bs, corporate communication \| ba, english \| ma, publications design \| mfa, integrated design \| mfa, creative writing & publishing arts \| people \| portfolio \| facilities \| classes \| undergraduate applications \| graduate applications \| contact \| site index \| university of baltimore