FAMU International
ALTERNATE PERSPECTIVES
(with Editing: History, Theory, &
Practice)
Fall
2008
Contact: henry@henryhills.com
Class times: Tuesdays
9:00-12:15 classroom 3
This is an hybrid class. There are 3 options:
1). EDITING only, 2 credits (this is a required course for F.I. Directing students, and is an option for CIEE students, although limited to 10 students total). Attendance is absolutely required of first 3 classes, after that the students will do an editing exercise on their own time, booking 4-hour sessions in the first floor editing room or working on their own computers. The first 2 classes will be a rapid review of the basics of Final Cut Pro, side by side with a discussion of the phases of editing and a brief history of the invention of film editing (accompanied by screenings of early Lumiere and Edison films, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY by Edwin Porter, excerpts of D.W.Griffith’s INTOLERANCE, the “Odessa Steps” sequence from Sergei Eisenstein’s BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN original and modified study version, BALLET MECANIQUE by Ferdnand Leger and Dudley Murphy, and an early Brakhage film). Students who then feel they are not ready to begin editing on FCP on their own can book a one-on-one session with the professor to help them get started. The third class, which students of all options will attend, will be a screening and the work of Dziga Vertov. For the editing exercise, students will reduce a feature-length Marilyn Monroe movie to a 10-minute film. All students doing the exercise will meet by appointment for ½ hour with the instructor at the rough-cut stage and again for ½ hour when they feel they have completed their exercise, and again if necessary. Grades will be based primarily on the thoughtfulness and completion of this exercise.
2). ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES film history class only, 3
credits (this is open to students in ALL PROGRAMS). Supplementary to
HISTORY OF AMERICAN AVANT-GARDE, although taking that course in not a
prerequisite (and both classes can be taken simultaneously), this is primarily
an intensive viewing course, although a journal discussing the films viewed is
required at the end of the semester for a grade. Attendance of all sessions
(beginning with class 3) is extremely encouraged, although some of the films
may be available in the library for make-up viewings. Because it is a slightly
longer class and is geared towards students with an interest in experimental
film, we will occasionally view some very challenging works.
3. BOTH, 4 credits. Editing students may opt to take
the entire course, turning in both an editing exercise and a journal for a
grade.
Classes 1& 2 (Sept 23 & 30)(discussed above):
Introduction to the principles of film/video editing, basic introduction to
Final Cut Pro (the interface, how to cut and trim, keyboard shortcuts, basic
introduction to the Effects in FCP), short history of the discovery and
development of film editing in the Silent Era.
Class 3 (Oct 7):
Dziga Vertov
MAN
WITH A MOVIE CAMERA
ENTHUSIASM (Kubelka restoration)
Class 4 (Oct 14):
Isadore Isou
VENOM
AND ETERNITY
Class 5 (Oct 21):
Etienne Jules Marey CHRONOPHOTOGRAPHIES
Segundo de Chomón LE KIRIKI ACROBATES JAPONAIS
Walther Ruttmann
OPUS
1 (1921)
WEEKEND
(1928)
Hans Richter
FILM
IS RHYTHM (“1921”)
GHOSTS
BEFORE BREAKFAST (1928)
Viking Eggeling
SYMPHONIE DIAGONALE (1924)
Henri Chomette
5
MINUTES OF PURE CINEMA
JEUX
DES REFLETS ET DE LU VITESSE (Plays of Reflexions & Speed) (1923-5)
Paul Leni
REBUS-FILM No. 1 (1928)
Oscar Fischinger
SPIRALS
(1926)
STUDIE
Nr. 7 (1931)
ALLEGRETTO
(1936-43)
FOX MOVITONE NEWS OUTTAKES (30’s)
Jean Painleve LE VAMPIRE (1939)
Len Lye TRADE TATTOO (1937)
Class 6 (Oct 28):
Bunuel & Dali LA CHIEN ANDALOU and L’AGE D’OR
Class 7 (Nov 4) : VIENNESE ACTIONISM & VIENNESE STRUCTURALISM:
Kurt Kren
7/64
LEDA AND THE SWAN (Muehl)
9/64
O TANNENBAUM (Muehl)
10/65
SELF-MUTILATION (Brus)
16/67
SEPTEMBER 20th
VALIE EXPORT
MANN
& FRAU & ANIMAL (1970-73)
...REMOTE...REMOTE...
(1973)
Kurt Kren
3/60
BÄUME IM HERBST (3/60 TREES IN AUTUMN)
15/67
TV
20/68
SCHATZI
31/75
ASYL (31/75 ASYLUM)
Martin Arnold
PIECE
TOUCHEE (1989)
PASSAGE
À L’ACTE (1993)
ALONE.
LIFE WASTES ANDY HARDY (1998)
Peter Tscherkassky
MOTION
PICTURE (1984)
OUTER
SPACE (1999)
Class 8 (Nov 11): Andy Warhol
SELECTED SCREEN TESTS
Ken Jacobs TWO WRENCHING DEPARTURES
Class 9 (Nov 18): BRITISH STRUCTURALISM + : also MARGARET TAIT
Malcolm Le Grice LITTLE DOG FOR ROGER (1967)
Peter Gidal HALL (1969)
Lis Rhodes DRESDEN DYNAMO (1971)
Mike Leggett SHEPHERD’S BUSH (1971)
Chris Welsby FFOREST BAY II (1973)
Guy Sherwin AT THE ACADEMY (1974)
MAN WITH MIRROR (1976/2006)
also
Paolo Gioli
IMAGES DISTURBED BY AN INTENSE PARASITE
Class 10 (Nov 25):
Saul
Levine NEW LEFT NOTE
Leslie Thornton LET ME COUNT THE WAYS 10...9...8...7...6 (2004)
John
Gianvito PROFIT MOTIVE AND THE WHISPERING WIND (2007)
Class 11 (Dec 2) video artist and scholar KEITH SANBORN in person!!
Class 12 (Dec 9): Esther
Shub FALL OF THE ROMANOFF DYNASTY