Introduction to Film Theory

4 Wednesdays evenings 19:00 - 20:30
Oct 2, 9, 16, 23
£70

A four week introduction to the basic principles of film appreciation.

Join Julian Bowker as he explores the vocabulary of film theory; helping you to develop your own general knowledge and understanding of film through a range of examples and film extracts. The course will be a mix of presentation and group based activities, with lots of opportunity to ask questions and share your own opinions. It will cover:

Representation - How do filmmakers present their ideas through the language of film; sound and vision, fictional or factual?

Genre - How do we identify, categorise and classify the range of film forms available to us today? How have genres evolved? How far is genre a useful concept?

Narrative - How are stories told using narrative film form? How are myths and fairy stories used in film? What are the typical structures and patterns of film form?

Audiences - What difference do audiences make to what gets made? How does our understanding of film depend on cultural context? How do films change their meaning over time?

Julian has been teaching film and film theory for over 30 years. For a time he was also an Education Officer at the BFI (British Film Institute) where his role was to encourage an ongoing appreciation of film and help develop media literacy across audiences.