Lights, Camera, Action! Film History for High School Part 1 (1800-1950)
In this ten-week course, students will learn about the earliest years of film development, exploring early film technologies, methods of storytelling, and famous filmmakers from the inception of film through World War II! #creative
Molly McGill, M.A.
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What's included
10 live meetings
8 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Each week, students will have a few short pieces (film or reading--roughly 20 minutes of content) to review for homework and a discussion in the Outschool classroom related to the week's session. Students will also have two longer writing assignments--one bibliographic exploration of an early filmmaker and a film review of a film related to what we have covered in class. Students will be required to watch this film on their own time.Assessment
Formal grades are available upon requestGrading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Beginner Level
Welcome to Introduction to Film History! In this course, students will explore what is often considered the Golden Age of film production, from film's inception through World War II. Through interactive lectures, in-class viewings, and independent assignments, students will learn all about how films are made, from the technologies to the storytelling elements and everything in between. Each week, students will learn about new developments in film in lecture and be provided additional resources for exploration after class. Homework includes weekly discussion posts and observations, and two longer writing projects throughout the course. The course schedule can be found in the syllabus tab below!
Learning Goals
Upon completing this course, students will understand the following:
--key technologies in early film
--storytelling devices of early film
--how film echoes what is occurring in a specific time period
--basics of film analysis
--key players in early film
Syllabus
10 Lessons
over 10 WeeksLesson 1:
Origins of Film and Early Film Technologies
The bulk of the day is spent discussing where film came from. Students will explore narrative art's tradition, observe how artists have historically explored storytelling in art, and then look at early technologies that allowed these images to move! Students will learn about camera obscure technology and performance in the 15th-17th centuries, chronophotography, and Edward Muybridge's experiments in motion, leading to Edison's development of an early prototype of the motion picture camera 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Establishing Continuity--Storytelling in Early Film
Students will learn about various forms of early film and how film began developing longer-form narratives. First, we start with a discussion of Tom Gunning's "Cinema of Attractions," and explore how early film was, essentially, narrative-less, providing cheap, easy entertainment for the masses. Students will learn about the Lumiere brothers and Georges Melies and their contributions to storytelling, including different forms of framing, cuts, and trickfilm. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
The Silent Era (1910s-1930s)
Week 3 will introduce students to the peak of the Silent Era of film and storytelling methods when sound is unavailable. Students will learn about various techniques established in this period, including POV shots, cross-cutting, flashbacks, and film tinting, to communicate a narrative clearly to an audience. Further, students will discuss some of the genre highlights of the period, including slapstick and Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, romance and Clara Bow, and adventure films. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
German Cinema of the early Twentieth Century
Students will explore the impact of German productions in film in the pre-World War II era. Students will receive a brief overview of early film in Germany, as well as discuss how the first World War impacted film production. The main focus of the class is German Expressionist film, known for its eerie, unnerving storytelling and approach to framing. Students will explore the impact of films like Metropolis and Nosferatu, before highlighting the end of this peak of filmmaking in Germany. 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
This class is ideal for those with unique learning needs. Students will be provided with additional resources after class for continued support and have access to all class recordings. Students can opt out of assignments if preferred.
Parental Guidance
Students will look at films that may contain violent, horror, or adult language themes. Students will also briefly discuss The Birth of a Nation and what makes it so problematic and controversial, but no clips will be shown. A discussion of Gone With the Wind will be prevalent in Week 8. Students will be warned about this content before it is shown in class so they may step away if they like. Students will discuss World War II and the Nazis in weeks 5 and 9.
Supply List
Learners will be provided with a list of films for their film review project that they may choose from. These films will need to be acquired by the learner individually. Most of them are available via streaming services or to rent from Amazon for a few dollars. List will be provided early in the course so there is time to prepare for this.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Sources for the class include critical literature on film history, film museums, and information from graduate-level courses on film. Major film theory sources include the Critical Visions in Film Theory anthology, which references works by Arnheim, Eisenstein, Bazin, and other early, prominent film theorists, which will be crucial for our understanding of early cinema, especially silent film. Griselda Pollock and Laura Mulvey's feminist film theory will also appear in our lectures. Sources on German and Japanese films will come from German and Japanese cinema societies and museums. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Museum of the Moving Image, the Smithsonian Society, and other museums will also be used for information. The films themselves will play a great deal into the information and histories of the films are pulled from the museum sites, DVD extras, and more.
Joined September, 2018
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894reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in History from University of Colorado at Boulder
I have my MA in Art History from the University of Colorado at Boulder where I focused on animation and its interactions with art history for my master's thesis. I have taught lectures from this course at the collegiate level for undergraduate students. I offer a very different perspective on the development of film and animation through the lens of art and art history. Reviews
Live Group Course
$16
weekly1x per week, 10 weeks
50 min
Completed by 37 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
5-8 learners per class
