I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Introduction to Cinematography
2. Course Prefix & Number:
ARTS 1422
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
4. Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the aesthetic, conceptual practices, and art of movie photography and camera work. Photography may be considered a medium of single frame communicative art form, while cinematography is a medium of continuous frames, to become whatever frames are required to tell the story. This course will concentrate on conceptualization, interpretation, and evaluation of still and video-based art. Students will become familiar with framing, camera movements and angles, composition, perspective, lighting, narrative, lenses, storyboarding, and more. MnTC Goal 6
5. Placement Tests Required:
| Accuplacer (specify test): |
Reading College Level CLC or Reading College Level |
Score: |
|
6. Prerequisite Courses:
ARTS 1422 - Introduction to Cinematography
There are no prerequisites for this course.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
ARTS 1422 - Introduction to Cinematography
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:
Normandale Community College, ART 113: Video Art, 3 cr.
Minnesota State University, Mankato, ART 231: Mixed Media, 3 cr.
Minnesota State University, Mankato, ART 202: Introduction to Digital Media, 3 cr.
Minnesota State University, Moorhead, ART 203F: Introduction to Photography 3 cr.
2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:
Normandale Community College, ART 113: Video Art, 3 cr.
Minnesota State University, Mankato, ART 231: Mixed Media, 3 cr.
Minnesota State University, Mankato, ART 202: Introduction to Digital Media, 3 cr.
Minnesota State University, Moorhead, ART 203F: Introduction to Photography 3 cr.
III. Course Purpose
2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
Goal 6 – Humanities and Fine Arts
3. Other - If this course does NOT meet criteria for #1 or #2 above, it may be used for the purpose(s) selected below:
- Liberal Arts Elective
- Technical Elective
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
| College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
| Demonstrate oral communication skills |
Critique descriptive and interpretative qualities of a composition and artist perspective. |
| Analyze and follow a sequence of operations |
Observe, determine, and predict the use of technology which begins, develops, and finalizes a work of art using in this medium. |
| Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations |
Critique a work of cinematic imagery which contains individual perspective and compositional value based on a presented storyline, problem, or need. |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
- Explain DSLR or video camera operation, techniques of video making as a means to a creative end (Goal 6);
- Analyze historic and contemporary video art as a means of expressing human values (Goal 6);
- Explain basic visual and conceptual elements which are common to all works of art (Goal 6);
- Critique original works of cinematic art which explore a variety of formal and conceptual problems, demonstrating a visual vocabulary, and possessing the ability to make effective aesthetic judgments (Goal 6);
- Engage in the creative process (Goal 6);
- Demonstrate the ability to use artistic and technical skills by successfully completing a variety of assigned projects(Goal 6);
- Acquire and use a broad range of art vocabulary during class discussion and throughout the critquing process(Goal 6);
- Demonstate a general awareness and appreciation of the variety of works found in the arts and humanities (Goal 6); and
- Demonstrate proficiency in sequencing storyline as it applies to cinematic art (Goal 6).
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
- Cinematography: Introduction:
- Basic device setup/assistance
- Editing programs and applications
- Facebook/YouTube/Wondershare, Instagram
- Android and Iphone applications
- Linked-in Learning videos/Lynda.com
- Photography or “Single Frame” art:
- Basics of film exposure
- Contrast Positive and Negative film types
- Eastman Kodak Company
- 8mm and 16mm film movies
- Digital movies
- History of film and cinematography
- Ansel Adams
- Gordon Parks
- Annie Leibrovitz
- Conceptual tools
- The frame
- The lens and its language created
- Light and color
- Movement
- Texture
- Point of view
- Visual storytelling
- Digital, Video, or “Continuous Frame” art:
- Defining cinematic
- Contrast positive and negative film types
- Eastman Kodak Company
- 8mm and 16mm film movies
- Kodachrome v. Ektachrome
- Home movies
- Computer graphics
- Nam June Paik
- John Whitney
- Alex Prager
- Shooting methods
- Master scene method
- Coverage
- Overlapping
- In-one
- Freeform method
- Montage
- The visual language of cinema
- Lighting basics (hard and soft)
- Lighting sources
- Film Art
- Film Noir
- Storyboarding
- Basic animation
- Music video studies
- Camera movements and tools
- Image controls
- The roles of production staff and set staff
- Technical issues
- Cinematography
- Analysis/critique
- Dialogue/narrative
- Performance art
- Camera shots
- Examples of visual storytelling
- Studies of individual cinematographers
- Movie trailers
- Specifications/awards/expertise