Thursday Syllabus

MCS 301 Production and Film Editing

Instructor: Instr. İbrahim Cansızoğlu
Office: 523
Office Hours: Wednesday 15:30-16:30
e-Mail: ibrahimcansizoglu@gmail.com
Phone: Ext. 324
Class Hours: Tuesday 08:30-12:20

Objectives:

The main goal of this course is to teach the student the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge about film production and editing. Lectures in all aspects of filmmaking will be held based on the textbook and reference sources. Students will have a chance to experience different aspects of filmmaking in moving image projects. Each student will be assigned a role in the moving image project. Several workshops will be held on script writing, directing actors and sound recording for film. Each week students are expected to watch the assigned films. The films have been chosen according to their relevance to the lecture content. At the end of the course two different moving image projects will be completed. Films are supposed to be at three minutes length at most. At the end of the course copies of films will be provided for the participant students and actors to use them in their show reels.

Course Outline:

1 Oct. Introduction: Film as Journey

Introduction to the course, description of course content.

Screening: “Iron 3” by Kim Ki Duk

8 Oct. Storyboarding

Shot descriptions and visual storytelling basics

Thompson, Roy, Grammar of the Edit, Oxford: Focal Press, 1993, Pp. 10-40

Screening: “Seventh Continent” by Michael Haneke

15 Oct. Dramatic Construction

Elements of narrative, narrative structure

Prince Stephen, Movies and Meaning, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2007, Pp. 230-248

Screening: “Dekalog” by Krzystof Kieslowski

22 Oct. Stills projects due

Workshop: Dramatic Construction

Storyboards will be discussed and further developed

Screening: “American Gigolo” by Paul Scrader

29 Oct. Acting in film

Acting, gesture, performance and expression

Prince Stephen, Movies and Meaning, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2007, Pp.110-138

Workshop: Directing Actors

Screening: “Dangerous Liasons” by Stephen Frears

5 Nov. Editing Stills Projects

Introduction for moving image project, role assignments, description of roles

Bordwell&Thompson, Film Art, New York: McGraw Hill, 1997, Pp. 3-42

Screening: Selected short films

12 Nov. Basics of Film Production

Introduction to schedule organization, how to use planning sheets effectively

Screening: “Masumiyet” by Zeki Demirkubuz

19 Nov. Structure and the Camera

Camera position, angle, movement, lenses

Prince Stephen, Movies and Meaning, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2007, Pp.10-46

Screening: “City Lights” by Charles Chaplin

26 Nov. Camera and Light

Exposure, depth of field, filters, basics of lighting design, introduction to 35 mm filmmaking

Screening: “Citizen Kane” by Orson Welles

3 Dec. The Film Sound and Basics of Film Editing

Types of sound, sound design, film scores, narration and point of view

Workshop: Sound Recording for Film

Prince Stephen, Movies and Meaning, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2007, Pp.149-159, 183-226

Screening: “Rear Window” by Alfred Hitchcock

10 Dec. Midterm

17 Dec. Film Editing on Final Cut Pro.

The principles of continuity editing

Prince Stephen, Movies and Meaning, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2007, Pp.159-170

Screening: “Casablanca” by Michael Curtiz

24 Dec. Film Editing on Final Cut Pro.

Alternatives of continuity editing

Prince Stephen, Movies and Meaning, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2007, Pp.170-183

Screening: “Breathless” by Jean Luc Godard

31 Dec. Sound Editing, Captioning and Titles

Bordwell&Thompson, Film Art, New York: McGraw Hill, 1997, Pp. 327-341

Screening: “Playtime” by Jacques Tati

7 Jan. Submission of Moving Image Projects


Textbook:

Prince Stephen, Movies and Meaning, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2007

References:

Bordwell&Thompson, Film Art, New York: McGraw Hill, 1997

Attendence:

Attendance is required at all times. Students are expected to come to class fully prepared to discuss assigned readings and films. Some percentage of your final grade will be based on your attendance and class participation. Attending lectures in the other section is strictly forbidden.

Projects:

Projects constitute the main body of this course. Each student will complete shoot stills project individually. After the stories to be used in moving image projects are chosen by the instructor each student will be assigned a role in the ongoing film production projects. Each and every student has to take a role at one of the ongoing projects and complete their duties on time. Teamwork is crucial in moving image projects. Students will be both evaluated on their individual performances in their assigned roles and on the end product.

Assigned films:

Film copies will be reserved at library. Students are liable to borrow the films and watch them before they come to class discussion. There will be several pop quizzes about the assigned films.

Evaluation:

Students will receive a final letter grade according to the scale indicated in the university website. Performance shown in projects, midterm and participation will make up instructor's final opinion. Performance in the role will be evaluated individually according to the sheets (each specific to the considered role) distributed in the production lectures.

Evaluation Percent

Shoot Stills Project 10
Moving Image Project 40
Pop Quizzes 10
Attendance and Participation 10
Midterm 30


Audition and Shooting Days:

Auditions will be held no later than 28th and 29th of November. Director, producer and director of photography of the moving image project will be present in the auditions and they will give the final decision on casting.

Deadlines for shooting schedule for moving image projects are as follows:

1st project shooting day: 12th of December
2nd project shooting day: 13st of December

All shootings must be completed before these dates. Students asking for using equipment to complete their moving image projects after these dates will most likely be refused.
Students SHOULD BE present on the shooting day from its beginning till the end if they have an assigned role in it. Being absent on the planned shooting day without any material reason (a significant health problem, loss of a family member) most likely to result in failing the course.

Additional Readings and Screenings:

Additional readings and screenings might be assigned throughout the course. Necessary information will be provided in lectures.