ilm and Television History: From the Cinematograph to CGI and Netflix (MSTU2160)Python

Java Python ilm and Television History: From the Cinematograph to CGI and Netflix (MSTU2160)

Course overview

Study period

Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)

Study level

Undergraduate

Location

St Lucia

Attendance mode

In Person

Units

2

Administrative campus

St Lucia

Coordinating unit

Communication & Arts School

This course provides students with a historical understanding of film and television in terms of aesthetic, technological, social, economic and industrial frameworks and their interrelationships.

Film and television are two the of most powerfulﾠand influential forms of narrative art and cultural transmission of the 20th and 21st Centuries. But where did they come from, how and why have they evolved over time, and what impacts are new technologies such as AI and streaming platforms having on how they are made and how we experience them? MSTU2160 is the compulsory second year course of the Film and Television Studies major. It examines key moments of technological change in film and TV, from the emergence of film in the late 19th Century, to the coming of sound in the late 1920s, the rise ofﾠtelevision as a mass entertainment medium in the 1940s and 50s, to the current era of computer generated imagery, digital effects, Generative AI and streaming. This course will give studentsﾠa strong understanding of how these two media evolved as popular artforms and cultural forces; an ability to identify how the development of media technologies is shaped by cultural, political, and economic factors; the impact of technological change on creative practice and screen aesthetics; and how artists working in screen production have explored and shaped the creative potential and limits of new technologies. It will also teach key research and analysis skills, such as how to design a small research project; how to find, contextualise, and analyse historical sources; and how to identify and analyse changes and patterns of influence in screen style.

Course requirements

Aims and outcomes

This course aims to give students an understanding of theﾠindustrial and cultural factors that have instigated technological change in film and TV andﾠenabled some screen production cultures to become dominant, as well as the expressive possibilities of new technologies and techniques, and the ways these possibilities are taken up, reshaped, or discarded, in different cultural contexts. ﾠ

It aims to teach skills in using digital archives and analysing primary historical sources.

It aims to enable students to formulate hypotheses about the application of new technologies in film and television and their expressive possibilities, while analysing how cultural and industrial factors may shape these possibilities.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

LO1. 

Understand key technological developments in the history of film and television

LO2. 

Understand how the media of film and television have been defined and understood historically by practitioners, industries, and audiences; summarise and analyse how these ideas were formalised in the writings of key theorists.

LO3. 

Clearly and concisely summarise, evaluate, and formulate arguments in writing

LO4. 

Independently conduct archival research on the history of film and television in a focused, coherent fashion, and be able to organise research materials into meaningful patterns on which hypotheses and arguments can be built

LO5. 

Understand the complex cultural and industrial factors that instigate technological change in film and television in different cultures, and make hypothesises about future changes.

LO6. 

Work with others to find information and solve problems with database searches.

LO7. 

understand some of the social, political, and institutional anxieties and debates about the the impact of new media forms.

Assessment

Assessment summary

Category	Assessment task	Weight	Due date
Participation/ Student contribution	Participation and Engagement with Course  · In-person · Online	20%	Week 1 - Week 13 In person: Weekly workshops. If you cannot participate in class: While it is recommended that you submit the worksheets weekly in order to keep up with the course, the final deadline is 4pm Friday of Week 13.
Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project	Archive Research Project - Part A	20%	30/08/2024 4:00 pm
Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project, Reflection	Archive Research Project - Part B	20% 800 words	6/09/2024 4:00 pm
Essay/ Critique	Final Essay OR Video Essay	40% 2000-2500 words	4/11/2024 4:00 pm

Assessment detail

sParticipation and Engagement with Course

· In-person

· Online

Mode

Activity/ Performance, Oral, Written

Category

Participation/ Student contribution

Weight

20%

Due date

Week 1 - Week 13

In person: Weekly workshops.

If you cannot participate in class: While it is recommended that you submit the worksheets weekly in order to keep up with the course, the final deadline is 4pm Friday of Week 13.

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L05, L06, L07

Task description

There are flexible options for participation and engagement in this course, for those students who may struggle with speaking in class, or who may experience illness through the semester.

In person - in-class speaking or in-class writing in the Google Doc: Actively participate in class discussions and activities throughout the semester. This would involve responding to discussion prompts on the microphone in the seminars, and, in the workshops, participating in in-class archive research training exercises, analysis of primary sources, and writing short viewing reflections during class time, which we can then use as basis of further discussion. Those students who find speaking in class difficult will be given the option of synchronous participation using the Google Doc that will be sent out each week.

If you cannot attend class due to illness, or have not participated in the in-person class: You can earn marks by doing the catch-up worksheet. The worksheets will be placed on Blackboard in the assessment folder, and each week will have a different set of short questions and tasks. While it is recommended that you submit weekly in order to keep up with the course, the final deadline is 4pm Friday of Week 13. They are to be submitted via the assignment submission button in the worksheets folder on Blackboard. 

In terms of learning outcomes, in-person participation is better, as students learn the archive research skills in the workshops (and these skills are the key to doing well in the archive research essay), gain continuous feedback within the seminars and workshops, and can talk their ideas through and test them with others, in more depth. 

For marking criteria and more information please see the assessment information on Blackboard.

Academic Integrity and AI/MT: 

This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Submission guidelines

I ilm and Television History: From the Cinematograph to CGI and Netflix (MSTU2160)Python n-class participation/engagement: Write your name on the class sign-in sheet and raise your hand to speak into the microphone or write your responses to in-class questions into the Google Doc.

OR

Catch-up worksheet: The worksheets will be placed on Blackboard in the assessment folder, and each week will have a different set of short questions and tasks. While it is recommended that you submit weekly in order to keep up with the course, the final deadline is end of Week 13. They are to be submitted via the assignment submission button in the worksheets folder on Blackboard. 

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Archive Research Project - Part A

Mode

Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project

Weight

20%

Due date

30/08/2024 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L07

Task description

The film/TV studies archive research project has two parts. Part A must be completed and submitted, and Part B will not be eligible to be graded without Part A.

In order to be eligible to pass, your assignment must contain all the parts listed below:

Part A: Project design, primary research source collection, and source annotations

Design a project related to at least one of the weekly topics from weeks 1 to 6. Develop a film or TV history research question that is 1) related to one or more of the weekly topics (1-6), and 2) can be answered (in large part) through finding and analysing historical trade, fan, industry, film culture or news print primary sources.

For Part A, submit:

1) the research question; a brief explanation of its relevance to one of the weekly topics for weeks 1-6; and a few sentences about the kinds of primary sources (eg. fan magazines, trace publications? newspaper articles? film reviews? promotional materials?) that might help answer the question, and why.

2) your primary source collection with annotations. This is a document containing screenshots or PDFs of the primary evidence that you have found in Media History Lantern, OR Proquest Historical Newspapers, or Proquest British Periodicals. These are the pieces of evidence that you will use to answer the question for your film/ TV historical research project. Each source should have an annotation. It should be correctly referenced using Chicago style, with a brief description of what it is, and what it says, and how you are interpreting it as evidence to answer your research question.

The first five weeks of workshops will be dealing with archive research to help you design and find the primary sources for this project.

Academic Integrity and AI/MT:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.

A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Further information on the "appropriate" and inappropriate uses of AI and/or MT for this assessment will be available on Blackboard in the assessment section.

Submission guidelines

Submit via TurnItIn through Blackboard.

TurnItIn Receipts: 

Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial. 

When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can: 

· View the name of the submitted file 

· View date and time of the upload 

· Resubmit your paper (if necessary) 

· Download your submitted paper 

· Download digital receipt. 

If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form. (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work). 

If the submission was not successful: 

· Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).  

· Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again. 

· If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached. 

Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment. 

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Archive Research Project - Part B

Mode

Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project, Reflection

Weight

20% 800 words

Due date

6/09/2024 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L07

Task description

An 800-word written submission that corresponds to the research question submitted for Part A. Part B draws upon, quotes, discusses, analyses and contextualises the primary sources collected and submitted for Part A, and is followed by a short reflection on the research process. Attach Part A to Part B for the submission for cross-checking by your tutor.

More information will be available on blackboard in the Assessment section.

Note: Part B must have Part A attached, and follow the instructions, in order to be eligible to pass

Academic Integrity and AI/MT:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.

A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Further information on the "appropriate" and inappropriate uses of AI and/or MT for this assessment will be available on Blackboard in the assessment section.

Submission guidelines

Submit via TurnItIn, and attach Part A to Part B for cross-checking.

TurnItIn Receipts: 

Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial. 

When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can: 

· View the name of the submitted file 

· View date and time of the upload 

· Resubmit your paper (if necessary) 

· Download your submitted paper 

· Download digital receipt. 

If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form. (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work). 

If the submission was not successful: 

· Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).  

· Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again. 

· If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached. 

Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment. 

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Final Essay OR Video Essay

Mode

Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written

Category

Essay/ Critique

Weight

40% 2000-2500 words

Due date

4/11/2024 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L05, L07

Task description

The assignment may be submitted in written form. with captioned screenshots from the examples discussed, OR as a video essay with voice-over narration /intertitles or captions and a 500-1000 word written introduction/contextuation.

Please see the assessment tab on Blackboard for more information. Essays must follow the source requirements and other assessment rules, which will be provided on Blackboard