Course Syllabus

Mission Statement: Regent University serves as a center of Christian thought and action to provide excellent education through a Biblical perspective and global context equipping Christian leaders to change the world.

SECTION 1: COURSE OVERVIEW

Regent University

School of Communication and the Arts

CTV604 Redemptive Cinema 3 hours

Spring Semester

January 12 to April 27, 2015 (16 weeks)

Location: Campus

Instructor: Andrew Quicke

Location: Regent campus

Office hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 10-noon & 2-4pm

Phone: 757-352-4226

Fax: 757-352-4291

Email: andrqui@regent.edu

Communications Policy

Response time for emails is usually 24 hours but not at weekends; preferred method of contact is email.

Course Description

CTV 604 Redemptive Cinema (3) Historical/critical investigation of the production of religious films both for specialized evangelistic and didactic purposes, as well as the religious dimensions of the secular film industry. Study for the latter will focus on the works of Bergman, Bresson and Dryer and modern ethical Hollywood directors such as Allen, Spielberg and Beresford. May be taken online if student can verify access to the films required.

Program Outcomes (General)

Program Learning Outcomes

MA in Cinema-Television, Concentrations in Production and Producing

1. The student will be able to integrate their Christian faith into their professional-quality media work.

1. Students will be able to evaluate film and television theories and aesthetics

1. Students will be able to conceptualize and produce scripts for short format productions.

1. Students will be able to analyze film and television through a historical-critical lens and a Christian worldview.

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply production techniques to the process of creating film, television, and web projects.

1. Students will be able to integrate appropriate personnel roles within the creation of various media forms.

MFA in Cinema-Television, Concentrations in Producing and Directing

1. The student will be able to integrate their Christian faith into their professional-quality media work.

1. Students will be able to evaluate film and television theories and aesthetics.

1. Students will be able to produce quality projects from conception to delivery in a breadth of contemporary media formats.

1. Students will be able to analyze film and television through a historical-critical lens and a Christian worldview.

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply research skills to the process of creating media projects.

1. Students will be able to integrate appropriate personnel roles within the creation of various media forms.

1. Students will be able to evaluate the major components of production.

1. Students will create a professional body of work competitive with the marketplace that includes interaction with professionals in the field.

MFA in Film & Television, Concentration in Script and Screenwriting

1. Graduate students who integrate their Christian faith into their professional quality media work.

1. Incorporate applied film and television theories and aesthetics into multiple categories of scripts.

1. Produce quality projects from conception to script in a breadth of contemporary formats.

1. Apply research skills to the process of creating media projects.

1. Professionally pitch and present work in a manner that demonstrates a clear understanding of the business side of script and screenwriting.

1. Create a professional body of work competitive with the marketplace that includes interaction with professionals in the field.

MA in Film & Television, Concentration in Scriptwriting

1. Graduate students who integrate and apply the Christian faith and Biblical truth and principles to the study and practices of mediated communication.

1. Articulate the process and elements needed for the various aspects of writing for media, which includes development, research, scriptwriting, character development, scene analysis, and storyline development.

1. Incorporate applied film and television theories and aesthetics into scripts.

1. Explain current business practices in script and screenwriting, including model professional pitching techniques.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES SPECIFIC TO THE REDEMPTIVE CINEMA COURSE

On completion of this course students should be able to:

1. Discuss the nature, history and scope of religious films and explain the functions they perform for diverse audiences and consumers

2. Recognize and analyze religious symbols, images, myths, themes, and codes as they appear and function in film

3. Distinguish various perspectives on religion in film and video, and discuss the dialectics of Christian faith in cinematic culture

4. Demonstrate an understanding of cultural variables (class, gender and race) as they play in recreating religious faith in their own images

5. Think critically about the relationship of personal faith to the cinema, and articulate a Christian posture and vision about the phenomenon of film.

Relationship of course to Regents Mission

Mission: Regent University serves as a center of Christian thought and action to provide excellent education through a Biblical perspective and global context equipping Christian leaders to change the world.

1. Biblical Perspective: In this course, we will study film and television from a Biblical perspective, understanding it as a meaningful expression of human experience, as a means of pursuing Gods truth, and as an act of love and community. The readings and assignments focus on cultivating your understanding of the art of film and televisionwhat it means to communicate with others through film and television in the written word and thus engage more deeply what it means to be human? In our class dialogue, we will apply Biblical truth to the issues in film and television that are addressed in the course. The writing assignments allow you to develop your skills in film and television criticism, thus practicing the Biblical call to love others (even through the act of creating film and television product brilliantly) and to live in community (even when the community is cultivated through film and television texts).

2. Global Context: In this course, we will study film and television as an expression of the human condition, a method of communicating human experience that crosses the boundaries of time and place. In seeking to understand and appreciate film and television communication by ourselves and others, we will cultivate love and empathy, both of which are essential to interacting in a global context.

SECTION 2: COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Course Learning Outcomes (with match to Program Outcomes)

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Discuss the nature, history and scope of religious films and explain the functions they perform for diverse audiences and consumers. CLO1

2. Recognize and analyze religious symbols, images, myths, themes and codes as they appear and function in film. CLO2

3. Distinguish various perspectives on religion in film and video, and discuss the dialectics of Christian faith in cinematic, televisual and internet culture and storytelling. CLO3

4. Demonstrate an understanding of cultural variables (class, gender and race) as they play in recreating religious faith in their own images CLO4

5. Think critically about the relationship of personal faith to the cinema, and articulate a Christian posture and vision about the phenomenon of film and television. CLO5

Submission of Assignments

Unless otherwise instructed, all assignments for this course must be submitted via the Assignment link found on Blackboard. All files should be submitted using the following naming convention:

YourName_Assignmentname_ (e.g. John Smith_Essay 1)

Papers should be in MS word format (.docx) compliant with MLA writing style guide;

Scripts should be in Final Draft software format.

No assignment will be accepted if submitted in any other way that Blackboard. Assignments are due no later than 6am on Mondays. It is recommended that students give themselves a buffer of time before the deadline to allow for trouble-shooting should your upload attempt fail. Students should check the assignment submission page to verify that the submission was successful.

Course Objectives (specific tasks/assignments with match to CLOs)

Course Learning Outcomes

Assignments

CLO1

CLO2

CLO3

CLO4

CLO5

Assignment 1 first film critique for your group

x

x

X

Assignment 2 second film critique for your group

x

x

Assignment 3 third film critique for your group

x

x

Assignment 4 fourth film critique for your group

x

x

Assignment 5 fifth film critique for your group

x

x

Assignment 6 half term paper/illustrated PowerPoint

x

x

x

Assignment 7 final paper/illustrated PowerPoint

x

x

x

Assignment 8 Redemptive film visual recognition test

x

x

How Faith and learning will be integrated in the course.

This cours