Film Studies 497N - ST- New York on Film

"New York on Film" is a course offered under the auspices of the New York Professional Outreach Program (NYPOP), College of Humanities & Fine Arts. New York City's celluloid skylines have long been a crucible for the seventh art. On the one hand, this course examines the role of NYC in a wide range of films; on the other hand, it considers NYC as a cultural center for the production of cinema. We will explore multiple representations of the city's dramatic streetscapes and hidden histories, international and multiethnic spaces, architecture and landscapes, with a focus on shifting portrayals of the city from the silent era to the present in diverse genres and temporalities. How do filmmakers of different classes, races, and genders represent social and cultural spaces? What is the role of the city in the creative, programming, exhibition, and distribution process? What interactions take place between film artists and the city's infrastructure? The course will include weekly screenings of narrative fiction, documentary, and experimental genres inspired by, set in, and designed with New York in mind. Required readings will complement these screenings.

UMASS UNDERGRADUATE FILM STUDIES CERTIFICATE CATEGORY: IIB, IV, V

Open to Film Studies certificate students only. This course is designed for Film Certificate students or for those with previous experience studying film. Please contact the professor if you have any questions: bspence@umass.edu

The central field component of this course will involve three trips to New York City: a daytrip on Feb 8 (Friday), and two overnight trips March 1-2 and April 12-13 (both on Friday-Saturday). On these trips we will: attend film screenings at iconic and culturally significant cinemas; visit museums such as the American Museum of the Moving Image and the Museum of Modern Art; tour an independent film production company; connect with film professionals; experience the architecture, food, and vibrant street life of one of the most cinematic cultural capitals of the world.

PLEASE NOTE:
Attendance on all three trips is mandatory.

For each trip there will be a bus chartered by the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The cost to students for each (roundtrip) bus trip is $25.
In addition, students must find their own accommodations during the two overnight trips.