| Unit name | EcoCinema |
|---|---|
| Unit code | FATV20028 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Ryan |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Film and Television |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit asks how cinema can engage with the ecological condition of our contemporary world, and how filmmakers might respond to and shape perspective on environmental issues, local, regional and global. It also helps students to develop awareness of matters pertaining to sustainability and environmental responsibility more widely.
An Overview of Content
Screenings and readings introduce various critical frameworks for understanding the relationship between cinema and the environment. Seminars and workshops explore the aesthetic properties of film, including image, soundscapes, editing techniques, narrative and non-narrative organisation, genre, theme and rhetorical framing, to discover how questions and perceptions pertaining to ecological topics and the environment are shaped by formal means. The unit involves a practical component and the production of a short film engaging with ecological themes and ideas.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students who have engaged with this unit will show an increased critical understanding of how film can respond to and shape environmental issues and perspectives.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify how films may engage and shape perceptions of ecological issues and the 'natural world'
2. Illustrate critical perspectives on the relation between cinema and the environment
3. Apply practical filmmaking skills to the communication of ecological themes and ideas
4. Review self-produced creative work with reference to sociopolitical movements and formal efficacy
Teaching will be delivered through seminars and workshops, supported by regular screenings.
Screenings introduce various case studies for understanding the relationship between cinema and the environment. Seminars explore pertinent readings and analyse how questions and perceptions pertaining to ecological topics and the environment may be shaped by formal aspects of film. Workshops help students develop ideas and plans for practical work and to reflect on their aims and choices.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Film or related audio-visual work, 10 mins (60%) [ILOs 1-3]
Reflexive account, 1500 words (40%) [ILOs 1, 2 and 4]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. FATV20028).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
