This 3 sentence summary provides the essential information about the document: This course syllabus outlines an introductory film studies course offered by the Media Studies and Journalism Department at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. The course will provide a brief history of film and an overview of major film movements, introduce students to the technical and visual language of film, and teach students how to analyze films through class screenings and assignments. Grading will be based on attendance, quizzes, exercises, assignments, exams, projects and class participation, with the goal of helping students understand film as both an artistic medium and cultural product.

1. University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
(ULAB)
Media Studies and Journalism Department
COURSE SYLLABUS
SPRING 2012
APPROACHES TO FILM STUDIES
MSJ 241
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2. 2
MSJ 241 Approach
to Film Studies
Course Code: MSJ 241
Course Title: Approaches to Film Studies
Course Overview:
This course is initiated to give students an understanding of film offering a very brief
history and language of film. Knowing film history students will have an overview of film and
its different movements (students will learn major characteristics of each movement) and with
the film language they at the end of the course will be able to tell story in their own & can
analyze the film. Students will also learn of how meaning is produced in film and hence they
will have a glance of how film is a cultural product. Apart from these they will be told about
different theories – auteur theory, genre theory, audience theory to some extent so that they
can find themselves prepared for the next advanced courses.
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Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
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MSJ 241 Approach
to Film Studies
Course Objective:
The first and prime objective of introducing this course is to make students aware of film’s
visual techniques as well as its capacity to tell story. And, the second objective is to make
students capable of reading film as text rather than seeing.
GRADING
ATTENDANCE 10%
Attendance in this course is a mandatory requirement. You are expected to attend every class
and stay for the entire duration. Tardiness, early departures, lack of being prepared, or lack
of awareness or attention during class will count as absences--two incidents of any of
previously stated will equal one absence. A student may be absent from class maximum of
five times during the semester with the deduction of his or her attendance marks. There are no
excused absences beyond those five. Any further absences (without the permission of
Department Head) – the 6th absence the student will receive a failing grade.
TEAM WORK 5%
You will be graded on the quality of the specific tasks in the role you are assigned. You will
perform different roles in the class projects.
QUIZZES 5%
There will be several reading quizzes to prove your knowledge of course content.
EXERCISES 10%
There will be several exercises to prove your knowledge of course content.
ASSIGNMENTS 10%
There will be couple of written assignments to prove your knowledge of Film reviews.
MID TERM EXAMINATION 20%
There will be MCQ/short note/fill up the blanks questions for Mid Term to recall your
knowledge of video technology.
ORAL REPORT 10%
There will be several oral reports to prove your knowledge about the course.
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Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
***An attendance includes the classes and seminars related to the course curriculum integration
programs.

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MSJ 241 Approach
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PROJECT 10%
There will be a project on Film analysis (3000-5000 words).
FINAL Exam 20%
There will be MCQ/short note/fill up the blanks questions for final to recall your knowledge
of film theory.
Grade Chart
10%
10%
5%
10%
10%
20%
10%
25%
100
GENERAL INFORMATION
Equipment
The use of all ULAB equipment, outside classroom exercises, will require a signed request and
policy form. You are responsible for replacement and repair costs of all damaged or lost
equipment.
Emails
Communication will occur through email. Be sure to check your email daily. You are responsible
for emails sent by the faculty.
Late Assignments
Plan ahead for this intensive class, there will be no late assignments accepted (unless I have
given you permission beforehand).
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the intended or unintended use of someone else's language and/or ideas without
revealing the source of that material, leading the audience to believe that the work is original.
So attribute all your sources. Minimum penalty for plagiarism is a zero on the assignment (and
possible course failure); I will also follow University rules and report any instances of
plagiarism to the administration.
Accommodations
If you need course adaptation or accommodation because of a disability (physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.), please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.
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Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
ATTENDANCE
TEAM WORK
QUIZZES
EXERCISES
ASSIGNMENTS
MID TERM EXAMINATION
ORAL REPORT
FINAL PROJECT
Total marks

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Course Content:
The content of the course will be as follow:
Topic&
Introducing&the&course&
and&defining&Cinema&&&
1!
!
!
!
Session!–!
1,2!
!
!
Films&to&be&screened&
Content&
Week/Session&
Course!Contents;!
!
What!is!Cinema/Film/Movie?!
Pre<history!of!Cinema:!Why!do!we!
see!that!film!moves?!
!
The!Beginnings!
Brief&History&of&Film&
(will&be&discussed&in&
accordance&with&major&
film&movements)&&
Session!<
3,4!
Early!Cinema!(1895!–!1903),!!
the!development!of!Classical!
Hollywood!Cinema!(1903!–!1927)!
!
!
3!
Session!–!
5,6!!
The!Silent!Age’!
!!!!1913<1927!
Internationalist!age!of!cinema!
4!
Session!–!
7,8!
Transition!age!
!
!
!
Hollywood!age!
'
Mass!Media!Age!
5!
Session!–!
9,10!
Japan,!Third!World!and!Sub<
continental!Cinema!
MID!TERM!
!
The'Cabinet'of'Dr.'Caligari'(1919),'
Nosferatu'(1922),'Entr'acte)
(1924),The'Seashell'and'the'
Clergyman'(1928),'Un'Chien'
Andalou(1928),'Battleship'
Potemkin'(1925)'
The'Jazz'Singer'(1927),'Ossessione'
(1942),'Bicycle'Thieves'(1948),'
Four'Hundred'Blows'(1959),'
Breathless'(1959)''
New!wave!age!
!!
Arrival'of'a'train,!Workers'Leaving'
the'Lumiere'Factory,'Baby's'
Breakfast,'1995;''A'trip'to'the'
moon'(1902),'The'Great'Train'
Robbery(1903),'The'birth'of'a'
Nation(1915),'Intolerance(1916),'
Our'Hospitality'(1923)!
Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
2!
!
Rashomon'(1950),'The'Turning'
Wind'(1962).'Kandahar'(2001),'
Crying'Ladies,'Pother'Panchali'
(1955)''

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6!
Session!–!
11,12!!
Film!technical!theory:!Grammar!of!
shot!
Griffith’s!film,!Clips!from!any!film.!!
7!
Session!–!
13,14!
Grammar!of!shot!(continuing),!!
!
Introduction!to!mise<en<scene,!!
depth!of!field,!deep!focus!!
Language&of&Film&&
Intolerance!!
Production!design:!Sets,!Props,!&!
Costumes;!
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8!
Session!–!
15,16!!
Titanic!!
Basic!Lighting,!Sound!!
9!
Session!–!
17,18!
Editing!&!how!meaning!is!produced! !
in!film!and!!
Eisenstein’s!films!for!montage!!!
discussion!on!short!filmmaking!
using!still!photograph!
10!!
Session!–!
19,20!
Film!form,!genre!&!narrative;!
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Finalizing!the!stories!for!short!film.!!!
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11!
Session!–
21,22!
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Our!Film:!a!critical!overview!
/addressing!audience!!
And!very!brief!discussion!on!
different!theories!of!film!and!final!
comments!
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Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
How!to!review!a!film,!
Jeebon'Theke'Neya'(1969),'any!
contemporary!film.'!

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Book of References:
• Bazin, A. (1967). What is Cinema? Volume 1, Sel. And
trans. H. Gray, Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of
California Press.
• Bordwell, David and Kristin Thompson (2001). Film Art: An
Introduction. London: McGraw Hill.
• --(2003) Film History: An Introduction. New York, London:
McGraw Hill.
! (1949) Film Form. New York: Harcourt, Brace &
World
• Hayward, Susan (2000). Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts.
London: Routledge.
• Hill, J. and Gibson P.C. (1998). Oxford Guide to Film
Studies. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
• Lacy, Nick (2005). Introduction to Film. Palgrave Macmillan,
New York.
• Metz, Christian (1974). Film Language: A Semiotics of the
Cinema. Trans. Michael Taylor. New York: Oxford
University Press.
• Monaco, James (2000). How to Read a Film. Oxford, New
York: Oxford University Press.
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Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
• Eisenstein, Sergei (1947). Film Sense. New York: Harcourt,
Brace & World.

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MSJ 241 Approach
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• Parkinson, David (1995). History of Film. Thames and
Hudson.
• Rajadhyaksha, Ashish and Paul Willemen (eds) (1994).
Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. London: British Film Institute.
• Srinivas, S.V. (2009). Megastar: Chiranjeevi and Telugu
Cinema after N. T. Rama Rao. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
• Thomson, Roy (1998, reprinted in 1999 – 2004). Grammar
of Shot. Focal Press.
Faculty
Razibul Hossain Khondoker
Senior Lecturer
Media Studies and Journalism Department
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB)
Email: razibul.chithi@gmail.com
Call: +88 0173 83 01 003
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Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
• Turner, Graeme (1999, reprinted in 2000-2005). Film as
Social Practice (3rd edition). London & New York:
Routledge.

9. Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ)!
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MSJ 241 Approach
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