Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0213 - Directing and Performance for Film

This is a production/theory course for video and film students interested in developing and strengthening the element of performance in their work. How does performance for the camera differ from performance for the stage? How do we find a physical language and a camera language that expand upon one another in a way that liberates the imagination? This course will explore performance and directing in their most diverse possibilities, in a context specific to film and video makers. The class will emphasize the development of individual approaches to relationships between performance, text, sound, and image. We will discuss visual and verbal gesture, dialogue and voice-over, variations of approach with actors and non-actors, camera movement and rhythm within the shot, and the structuring of performance in short and long form works. Screenings and readings will introduce students to a wide range of approaches to directing and performance. We will study works by Alice Rohrwacher, Pedro Costa, Nagisa Oshima, John Cassavetes, Mati Diop, Pietro Marcello, Wong Kar Wai, and Ousmane Sembene, among others. Students will complete two short projects and one longer project.

Lab fee: $75. Students in this course can expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.