International Conference " Tracing Film Literacy on a Transnational Level Greece/Poland/Hungary. EUFORIA project, funded by Creative Europe / MEDIA.

1. Irene Andriopoulou
EU Media & Film Literacy Expert
Secretariat General for Media & Communication
Key Theories and Critical Approaches on Film
Literacy. Interconnection Or Interruption from
Media Literacy?
International Conference Film Paths “Tracing Film Literacy
On a Transnational Level /GREECE-POLAND-HUNGARY ”
27-28.02.2016, Thessaloniki

2. What is Film Literacy?
 Film Literacy, Film Education: Basic tool for passing from mere viewing to a
deeper cognitive procedure, which does not exclude however the feeling of
visual pleasure.
 Consists a fundamental element of media literacy that is, it involves the
following parameters:
a) technical skills → access to linear and non-linear content, multiple formats
b) critical and cognitive skills → filtering and evaluation of media messages,
critical content analysis of media and the medium itself, in relation to seminal
environmental factors
c) social, communicative skills → facilitation for content creation by relevant
media stakeholders, by viewers – users-consumers (especially minors), turning
them, thus into active communicators and content providers. Active citizenship
skills are also included under this strand.

3. EU Reports and Studies
2012: European Study “Screening Literacy in Europe”
funded by Creative Europe/MEDIA, action Film Literacy.
The British Film Institute was in charge of the EU
Consortium. The outcome was an EU report mapping
film literacy in typical and non typical education in 30
countries in the EU.
(http://ec.europa.eu/culture/library/studies/literacy-
country-profiles_en.pdf)
2015: Framework for Film Education in
Europe (http://www.bfi.org.uk/screening-
literacy-film-education-europe),
Also, under Creative Europe/MEDIA. It set
the ideal scheme and content of a Pan-
European framework for film literacy.
GR was partner to both Consortiums,
through FLAG Group

4. International Mobility …
 Film Literacy goes beyond teaching mere creative production skills, although
consists a major part of it. Ultimately, it offers original, innovative and
challenging methods for a brand new audiovisual alphabetism, that uses
moving image as a main didactic tool.
 It invites and challenges educators and students towards an alternative
“reading and writing” of filmic content and narrative, based on their own
experiential knowledge and personal affiliations.
 This a posteriori affirmation contributes to a maximum understanding and
comprehension of the worldview (social knowledge) as well as reinforces
cooperative learning and student-centered pedagogy among educators and
educated.
 By and large, it promotes arts and culture through an alternative, critical
aesthetic viewing and by setting challenging questions on modern society.

5.  Main premise: Nowadays, children are NOT media illiterate since they have their first
media interaction from early preschool age, they are the so-called “digital natives” in
relation to their old-school parents who are digital immigrants.
 The basic theoretical school of thoughts on film literacy in typical environment and
lifelong learning are (Bazalgette, 2007) :
1. Critical Approach
2. Cultural Approach 3 Cs
3. Creative Approach
Key Critical Theories

6.  Besides primary level reading, there is also the possibility of a multi-level reading (eg.
obvious vs latent content, formula, formulaic structure, environmental and temporal
issues, use of media language, connotative image, and other content analysis methods).
 It uses Textual and Contextual analysis tools intertwined with Audience Studies and
Mass Media & Communication Models:
- Compares the content of a filmic work that is literature - based with the original work
(distinguishing features of each genre, commonalities and differences in the plot / storyline,
characters, setting etc.)
- Comparison among filmography of the same director / film movements (eg. Dogma 95, neo-
realism, Greek weird cinema).
- Comparison among different directorial approaches on a given topic (eg. refugees crisis)
- Recognition of a narrative genre and its concrete characteristics (short film docs, experimental
film, historical documentary)
a) Critical Approach

7. b) Cultural Approach
 Familiarization with and educational use of cultural audiovisual heritage
through study of classic films and dominant (mainstream) film genres. Key
players: a/v archives , libraries and film organizations.
 Aims towards an “optical acquaintance” with historical and cultural
realities, events and moments that marked 20th century.
 Media Archives & Libraries: Study of developmental phases of all media
(traditional, new media) per se, of media history and historical social
reactions and echo from major national and global events. Recent example
from the Greek PSB: “ Tribute to 50 Years of Television” Museum- Archive
ERT SA.
 In school: Study not only WITH the media but ABOUT the media. Use of
media not only as structural didactic tools but also as a means of exploring
the nature of the medium per se..

8. c) Creative Approach
 The most popular approach in Greece. Indicative examples include:
• Olympia International Film Festival / Camera Zizanio, MYTHOS Project
• Youth4Greece – Safer Internet.gr
• VideoMuseums – KARPOS, EDU TV
• Int. Student Competition of Short Films, Drama Festival, Edu TV, ERT, Cyprus Embassy
• MEDEA AWARDS, EDU TV
• Film Workshops Chania Crete
 “Learning by doing” as a pedagogical methodology combined with experiential
engagement are, nonetheless, the most entertaining aspect of film literacy, since they are
based on a dynamic communicative procedure (students actively take part to all stages of
production of filmic works).
 Subjective Reading & Writing: Students also extend and promote new ways for
approaching a film in content analysis, new means for artistic expression, that often are
different from the adult’s eye.

9. Towards common paradigm & crossing paths …
Media & Film Literacy: Inter-scientific approach in contextualization methods. Use facts
and schemes from:
 Audience Development Theories
 Mass Media and Communication Models
 ICTs / New forms of content / content convergence / new media platforms
 Social and cultural studies on film analysis (Laura Mulvey, Freud)
 Linguistics, Semiotics and Structuralism (F. de Saussure)
 Audiovisual / Media Production Theories
It may be compared with the relationship between… a blind and an elephant! Both sides
can sense the presence of each other in the room but in a latent form (Tyner, 1992). As a
result, both actors (communicators and viewers, in our case) do not have full knowledge
and a holistic picture of all the formative parameters thus, often are lead to wrong
judgments and one-sided assumptions.

10.  Greece: Assigned Body in need, in the form of an Observatory that will be engaged in
self-regulatory and co-regulatory actions and will act as monitoring body of all actions on
media and film literacy on a national level. It may also, deal with some or all of the
following intertwined media & film literacy issues :
 open & effective access to audiovisual works / archives / media artefacts
 creative management & utilization of archives in the context of cultural education
(productions based on primary and derivative content)
 facilitate procedures regarding copyright issues of audiovisual works for educational
use in typical and non typical education
 provide pedagogical models for teaching media literacy in the curriculum (dilemma
between cross-curricular or autonomous course?). Handbooks, guidelines etc.
 advise on the most appropriate narrative genre in the classroom (short film,
feature films, kids films or adults ?)
 ensures adequate and up-to-date lifelong learning and capacity building of
educators and media professionals in media and film literacy
Towards a common regulatory approach …

11. The most crucial and important element of all, however, is the content itself that is,
the audiovisual works that have pedagogic character and are addressed specifically
to children. This shall be:
 Classified as appropriate per age/ theme / education level / artistic criteria /
polysemy of storyline / special effects / directorial movements
 Relevant and fit the occasion / subject
 Can be accessed from a technical point of view and of high quality
Can be easily and burden-free retrieved in the context of Open Educational
Resources (OERs) and databases
 Available on an easy-to-use format (live or On Demand)
 We shall also have the freedom to chose from a variety of film genres (classical
vs popular cinema, national vs international)
Content !
Open Educational Resources - OERs

12.  We shall not forget: Film Literacy (shall) remain always a pathway for a
“Joyous Wisdom” or “Gay Science” (Nietzsche), offering cultural and aesthetic
sufficiency. And this shall be the driving force behind any grass root film
literacy action, in order to have sustainability and maximum impact to user’s
cultural and media identity.
 The Secretariat General for Media and Communication, through its
assigned department of Audiovisual Media & Archives, is the main public
service, key media actor that shapes the EU agenda and coordinates the
European a/v policy (EC, CoE). In the same context, it is member of the EC
Media Literacy Expert Group (DG CONNECT), shaping media literacy policy
from a holistic point of view.
To Conclude …

13. THANK YOU!
Contact Info
Irene Andriopoulou, Media Literacy Expert
Tel: +30 210 9098379
Email: i.andriopoulou@minpress.gr
ireneandriopoulou@gmail.com
Audiovisual Media and Archives Dpt
Directorate for Mass Media (mediadpt@minpress.gr)
Secretariat General for Media and Communication