Luces, cámara, ¡acción! Historia del cine para la escuela secundaria, parte 1 (1800-1950)

 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 

 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. 

 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. 

 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.