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Spring 2008
COM FT 533 B1 (undergraduates)
COM FT FT723 B1 (grad. students)
American Independent Film – New, Unreleased, or Neglected Films
Tuesday 2:00 – 4:00pm SAR 102 (Sargent College)
Thursday 2:00 – 5:00 pm PHO 206 (Photonics Building)

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This semester of American Independent Film will be devoted to viewing and discussing new, unreleased, or neglected recent American independent films. Very few of the works that will be viewed in the course are available on disk or tape, many of these films have not been screened outside of film festivals, and some have not even been screened in festivals. Many are being provided specially to the course by the filmmakers themselves. Films to be viewed and discussed will include: David Ball’s Honey, David Barker’s Afraid of Everything, Nick Peterson’s Yellow and selected shorts, Randy Walker and Jennifer Shanin’s Apart from That, Ronald Bronstein’s Frownland, So Young Kim’s In–Between Days, Mike Gibisser’s Finally, Lillian and Dan, and others.

Note: Since the content of this course does not overlap with previous offerings of COM FT 533 A1 or COM FT FT723 A1 those who took previous versions of Prof. Carney’s American Independent Film are allowed to take this new version for credit.

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CLASS SCHEDULE

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The Rules of the Game:

Attendance is required and will be taken. (If you are unable to make a class for an exceptional reason, you must speak to the T.A. at least one class prior to the absence and receive permission.) Please do not leave messages on my office machine or email me about absences. Each absence that is not officially approved and authorized will result in your final evaluation being lowered.

Promptness at all classes is absolutely mandatory to avoid disrupting class discussions or screenings. (Light and noise streaming in from opening and closing doors and bodies moving up and down rows and aisles are extremely distracting.) A reasonable degree of quiet and focus must be maintained during all class meetings, including during screenings. It is rude to your classmates to talk during screenings, unless it is a serious comment you would like to share with the entire class. Sleeping or other forms of inattentiveness during classes or screenings will be reflected in your final evaluation.

When you enter the classroom for the start of class, please have already attended to all personal needs (medications, rest room visits, drinks of water, food, need to smoke, cell phone calls or PDA entries, etc.) to avoid disrupting other members of the class or distracting yourself from class activities. Please note that your presence, attention, and focus is just as important when a film is being screened as it is during a discussion or presentation. In other words, you are not allowed to “step out” to make a call or do something else during a screening or any other part of the class. Whenever possible, I will schedule a 10–minute break at the halfway point in the class.

You will have three major outside–of–class duties/responsibilities:

1) You are responsible for writing a number of short (3 page) papers. Topics will be discussed and distributed during the course of the semester, based on subjects that come up in class discussions (or subjects that we do not have time to deal with adequately in class). No extensions may be given.

2) You are to keep a running “journal” (to be submitted at the end of the course) of your critical and artistic reactions to each of the films screened in class. This journal should not be merely a transcript of the notes you take while you watch the film. It should represent a summary and condensation of your impressions in a series of well–organized, well–written sentences and paragraphs. (500 words per film would be sufficient, but you are not constrained to limit yourself to this length.) It is up to you exactly what form the journal takes, but at a minimum it should contain: Separate pages (and entries) for each film, headed with the name of the film and the name of the director; critical and artistic observations about the overall “feel” of the style and mode of presentation of the film and its most interesting moments or scenes; critical and artistic observations about the film’s greatest strengths or value; critical and artistic observations about the film’s possible weaknesses, problems, or limitations (with possible comparisons and contrasts with other films being shown in the course); your recommendation for or against its inclusion in a future retrospective of the “greatest films of the first decade of the 21st century,” with reasons justifying your verdict. What makes a film matter? What makes a film great? (A suggestion: Use class discussions to “test” your ideas on your classmates and to pick their brains for new insights.)

3) You will be responsible for several outside writing assignments or “exercises,” which will be promulgated during specific classes, usually for completion by the following class. These assignments will often involve quick turn–arounds. They may, on occasion, require viewing copies of films in the Mugar Library viewing area. Some of these exercises will be collected on the day they are due, others will not. However, all exercises should be retained in a folder throughout the semester and turned in at the end of the semester.

With regard to your duties: Note that the screening schedule and exercise due dates on the syllabus are subject to change without notice. If you miss a class, come in late, or leave early, be certain you have contacted the teaching assistant or another student to familiarize yourself with what has been assigned for the following class. These assignments will be an important component of your final grade and must be done in time for the appropriate class since they will often be the basis for class discussion. There will be no opportunity to make up this work if it is not done when it is assigned. No extensions may be given.

Any wit, wisdom, and passion you bring to class discussion will count as “extra credit” to raise your grade. The reverse is also true: Missed classes, tardiness, inattentiveness during classes or screenings, and lackluster class participation will lower your grade.

A general point: Be expressively brave. Use your exercises, papers, and class comments to formulate and test new ideas. Consciousness cannot precede expression. Use class discussion to refine your consciousness.

There will be no mid–term or final exam. Your final evaluation will be based on your class participation and attentiveness, your exercises, and your papers.

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Spring 2008
COM FT 533 B1/ FT723 B1
American Independent Film – New, Unreleased, or Neglected Films
Mr. Carney

Exercise #1

As noted in class, Aaron Katz punctuates Quiet City with a series of static shots – views of trees, the sky, and cityscape streets and skylines.

Consider how these shots affect our experience of the film, and write a thoughtful but brief discussion of their effect on the viewing experience.

Be prepared to submit your response at the beginning of class on Tuesday, January 29.

Length: one page (250 words)

Spring 2008
AM 501 A1: Special Topic in American Studies:
Issues of Form, Genre, and Audience: Twentieth-Century Fiction on the Page and the Screen
Mr. Carney
Tues. and Thurs. 12:30 - 2:00 P.M.
Room B–06, 226 Bay State Road

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We will read fiction by important twentieth-century American authors and view selected cinematic (and television) adaptations of their work, attending to some of the artistic and cultural issues that arise when images replace words, corporate decision-making processes substitute for personal acts of creation, and idiosyncratic works of art are turned into movies and TV shows intended to appeal to mass audiences.

Authors whose works will be considered include Henry James, Dashell Hammett, Ernest Hemingway, John Cheever, and William Burroughs.

This course fulfills the American studies senior research seminar requirement and is also open to graduate students (who will be required to complete a special research project).

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Required texts:

Henry James, Daisy Miller and Other Stories, (Daisy Miller, “Pandora,” “The Patagonia,” and “Four Meetings”), Oxford World’s Classics, 1985, ISBN 978-0-1-9283543-7

Henry James, Washington Square, Oxford World’s Classics, 1982, ISBN 978-0-1-9283518-5

Henry James, The Turn of the Screw and Other Stories, (The Turn of the Screw, "Sir Edmund Orme," "Owen Wingrave," and "The Friends of the Friends," and journal entries, etc.), Oxford World’s Classics, 1992, ISBN 978-0-1-9283404-1

Dashell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon, Random House, 1989, ISBN 978-0-6-7972264-9

Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea, Simon and Schuster, 1952, ISBN 978-0-6-8480122-3

John Cheever, The Stories of John Cheever, Random House, 1978, ISBN 978-0-3-7572442-8

William Burroughs, Naked Lunch (Restored Text), Perseus D, 2001, ISBN 978-0-8-0214018-0

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CLASS SCHEDULE (* indicates a film title)

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The Rules of the Game:

Attendance is required and will be taken. (If you are unable to make a class for an exceptional reason, you must let me know at least one class prior to the absence and receive permission.) Each absence that is not officially approved and authorized will result in your final evaluation being lowered.

Promptness is absolutely mandatory to avoid disrupting class discussions or screenings. (Light and noise streaming in from opening and closing doors and people finding seats during discussions and screenings are extremely distracting.)

When you enter the classroom for the start of class, please have already attended to all personal needs (medications, rest room visits, drinks of water, food, need to smoke, cell phone calls or PDA entries, etc.) to avoid disrupting other members of the class or distracting yourself from class activities. Please note that your presence, attention, and focus is just as important when a film is being screened as it is during a discussion or presentation.

You will have two major outside–of–class duties/responsibilities:

1) You are responsible for writing several papers. Topics will be discussed and promulgated during the course of the semester, based on subjects that come up in class discussions (or subjects that we do not have time to deal with adequately in class). No extensions may be given.

2) You are responsible for several outside reading, writing, or viewing assignments which will be promulgated during specific classes, usually for completion by the next class. Several of these assignments will involve quick turn–arounds of material handed out in the previous class. Several will require viewing tapes of independent films in the basement viewing area of Mugar Library. Some of these exercises will be collected on the day they are due, others will not. However, all exercises should be retained in a folder throughout the semester and turned in at the end of the semester.

With regard to the preceding duties: Note that the screening schedule and exercise due dates on the syllabus are subject to change without notice. If you miss a class, come in late, or leave early, be certain you have contacted another student to familiarize yourself with any changes or what has been assigned for the following class.

Any wit, wisdom, and passion you bring to class discussion will count as “extra credit” to raise your grade. The reverse is also true: Missed classes, tardiness, inattentiveness during classes or screenings, and lackluster class participation will lower your grade.

A general point: Be expressively brave. Use your exercises, papers, and class comments to formulate and test new ideas. Consciousness cannot precede expression. Use class discussion to refine your consciousness.

There will be no mid–term or final exam. Your final evaluation will be based on your class participation and attentiveness, your exercises, and your papers.

Spring 2008
COM FT 554 E
Special Topics:
The Films of Mike Leigh

Mr. Carney
Room B5
College of Communication
9:00–11:30 AM Tues. and Thurs.

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An in-depth examination of the work of one of the most important living English-language filmmakers. The course will survey Mike Leigh’s entire dramatic oeuvre—including his radio work, his writing for the stage, his short films, and his features. We will read the scripts of several of his plays, the texts of a number of his interviews, and listen to tapes of several unpublished interviews. Films to be viewed will include: Bleak Moments, Hard Labour, Abigail’s Party, Nuts in May, Home Sweet Home, “ Five–Minute Films” (selected shorts), A Sense of History, High Hopes, Life is Sweet, “The Short and Curlies,” Naked, Secrets and Lies, Topsy–Turvy, and more recent works.

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Required texts:

Ray Carney, The Films of Mike Leigh, Cambridge University Press, 2000, ISBN 978-0-5-2148518-0

Howie Movshovitz, Mike Leigh: Interviews, University Press of Mississippi, 2000, ISBN 978-1578060689

=============================================================

CLASS SCHEDULE

=============================================================

The Rules of the Game:

Attendance is required and will be taken. (If you are unable to make a class for an exceptional reason, you must speak to the T.A. at least one class prior to the absence and receive permission.) Please do not leave messages on my office machine or email me about absences. Each absence that is not officially approved and authorized will result in your final evaluation being lowered.

Promptness at all classes is absolutely mandatory to avoid disrupting class discussions or screenings. (Light and noise streaming in from opening and closing doors and bodies moving up and down rows and aisles are extremely distracting.) A reasonable degree of quiet and focus must be maintained during all class meetings, including during screenings. It is rude to your classmates to talk during screenings, unless it is a serious comment you would like to share with the entire class. Sleeping or other forms of inattentiveness during classes or screenings will be reflected in your final evaluation.

When you enter the classroom for the start of class, please have already attended to all personal needs (medications, rest room visits, drinks of water, food, need to smoke, cell phone calls or PDA entries, etc.) to avoid disrupting other members of the class or distracting yourself from class activities. Please note that your presence, attention, and focus is just as important when a film is being screened as it is during a discussion or presentation. In other words, you are not allowed to “step out” to make a call or do something else during a screening or any other part of the class. Whenever possible, I will schedule a 10–minute break at the halfway point in the class.

You will have two major outside–of–class duties/responsibilities:

1) You are responsible for writing a number of papers. Topics will be discussed and distributed during the course of the semester, based on subjects that come up in class discussions (or subjects that we do not have time to deal with adequately in class). No extensions may be given.

2) You are responsible for a number of outside reading, writing, and viewing assignments which some of which are on the syllabus, others of which will be promulgated during class meetings, often for completion by the next class meeting. Many of these assignments will involve quick turn–arounds. Some of these exercises will be discussed or collected on the day they are due, others will not. However, all written exercises should be retained in a folder throughout the semester and turned in at the end of the semester.

With regard to the preceding duties: Note that the reading assignments, screening schedule, and paper or exercise due dates listed on the syllabus are subject to change without notice. If you miss a class, come in late, or leave early, be certain you have contacted the teaching assistant or another student in order to familiarize yourself with any changes in what has been assigned for the following class. These assignments will be an important component of your final grade and must be done in time for the appropriate class since they will often be the basis for class discussion. There will be no opportunity to make up this work if it is not done when it is assigned, and no extensions may be given.

Any wit, wisdom, and passion you bring to class discussion will count as “extra credit” to raise your grade. The reverse is also true: Missed classes, tardiness, inattentiveness during classes or screenings, and lackluster class participation will lower your grade.

A general point: Be expressively brave. Use your exercises, papers, and class comments to formulate and test new ideas. Consciousness cannot precede expression. Use class discussion to refine your consciousness.

There will be no mid–term or final exam. Your final evaluation will be based on your class participation and attentiveness, your exercises, and your papers.

============================

Spring 2008
COM FT 554 E
Special Topics: The Films of Mike Leigh
Mr. Carney

Paper #1 (in four parts):

1. Re–view Bleak Moments in Mugar Library. As you do it –

2. Make a list of the “jokes” that Sylvia tells, does, or plays in Bleak Moments. The list need not be exhaustive. But make sure that it contains at least ten entries.

3. Make a list of the “jokes” that Mike Leigh presents in Bleak Moments. The list need not be exhaustive. But make sure that it contains at least five entries.

4. Write about Sylvia’s sense of humor in Bleak Moments. Some issues you are encouraged to discuss or deal with:

a) Which characters employ humor and which do not?
b) What is the reaction of the non–joking characters to the jokes of the other group of characters?
c) What does a character’s use of humor tell us about him or her?
d) What does a character’s lack of humor tell us about him or her?
e) Where does Mike Leigh use humor in the film (i.e. not where a character uses it, but where the director/writer uses it)?
f) What does Mike Leigh’s sense of humor tell us about his view of experience?

Write a well–organized 3–page discussion of Sylvia’s sense of humor in Bleak Moments. Be prepared to turn–in your paper and your two lists at the beginning of class on Tuesday, January 29.

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COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the act of representing someone else's creative and/or academic work as your own, in full or in part. It can be an act of commission, in which one intentionally appropriates the words, pictures or ideas of another, or it can be an act of omission, in which one fails to acknowledge/document/give credit to the source, creator and/or the copyright owner of those words, pictures or ideas. Any fabrication of materials, quotes, or sources, other than that created in a work of fiction, is also plagiarism.

Each student is responsible for performing all of his or her own work. All quotations, paraphrases, or borrowings from others (whether they originally appeared in printed, broadcast, or oral sources) must be formally acknowledged in a footnote or citation. If you are in doubt, be certain you acknowledge or explain the borrowing or indebtedness at the time the work is submitted.

Plagiarism is the most serious academic offense that you can commit and can result in probation, suspension or expulsion.

(An addition by Prof. Carney: Plagiarism also occurs when you borrow or recycle statements made by other teachers or classmates. If your spoken or written observations in this class borrow someone else’s comments, whether spoken or written, be sure to acknowledge that fact.)

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STATEMENT ON RECORDINGS DURING CLASS

Please note that, due to copyright laws, privacy regulations, the need to minimize the distraction from ambient sounds and ancillary activities, and general classroom policies, mechanical recording devices (including laptop computers and cell phones) are not allowed to be used in the classroom, the viewing booth, or any other spaces connected with the classroom or screening area, except with the instructor's explicit, advance written permission on specific dates and times. Note also that in rare cases where permission for recording has been granted, specific classroom proceedings (but not film screenings) may be recorded.