What is Film Studies?

Zachary Xavier
28 Nov 202007:15
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video essay clarifies common misconceptions about studying film in an academic context versus learning filmmaking techniques. It explains key components of a university film studies module, like attending lectures analyzing cinema using various critical approaches, discussing readings, and viewing illustrative films. The essay contrasts academic analysis of cinema, which comprehensively examines a film's methods and history, with more evaluative forms of film writing like reviews. It notes similarities between academic film studies and fan analysis, and proposes video essays as a promising format for communicating insights from the academic study of film.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Film studies is an academic field focused on critically analyzing cinema, not learning practical filmmaking skills
  • 🎥 Core components of film studies are lectures, seminars, screenings, and academic writing/analysis
  • 📜 It examines the artistic, cultural, ideological, historical contexts around films
  • 👥 Can analyze films through various lenses like industry, politics, culture, philosophy etc
  • 🔍 Key goal is to comprehensively and systematically analyze how films work and signify meaning
  • 🤓 Differs from reviews by not just evaluating good/bad, but contextualizing and analyzing deeply
  • 🎞 Looks at how films relate to and reflect reality and wider culture
  • ✍️ Academic analysis differs from reviews in goals, historical context, and depth
  • 🎬 Video essays are an emerging way to analyze film with unique benefits
  • 📝 Channel aims to explore film analysis through new video essay format
Q & A

  • What is the difference between film studies and filmmaking programs?

    -Film studies is an academic field focused on critically analyzing and understanding cinema, including its history, themes, and impacts. Filmmaking programs teach the technical craft of making films and prepare students for jobs in the film industry.

  • What does a typical film studies course involve?

    -A typical film studies course involves attending lectures where professors discuss different cinema-related topics, participating in seminar discussions about films and readings, and watching 1-2 relevant films per week to illustrate the concepts being studied.

  • What are some common approaches taken in academic film studies?

    -Some common approaches include historical analysis, studying the political implications of films, examining the film industry and systems of production, analyzing the cultural significance of films, and philosophical analysis of the art form and aesthetics of cinema.

  • How does academic writing about film differ from popular film criticism?

    -Academic film studies tend to deeply analyze and contextualize films rather than just evaluate their quality. They also examine films systematically within their historical contexts rather than only in relation to the present.

  • What does David Bordwell say about fans' analysis of films?

    -Bordwell observes that fans eagerly analyze films in detail similarly to academic film scholars, dissecting scenes and decoding directors' methods. This can be seen in YouTube video essays made by fans.

  • What are some benefits of video essays over written essays about film?

    -Benefits include the ability to directly show film clips, better illustrate sound design and visuals, and potentially reach wider audiences more engagingly.

  • What is the focus of the YouTube channel producing this video?

    -The channel intends to explore communicating about film through video essays, covering various cinema-related topics in this new format.

  • What type of classes do filmmaking programs focus on?

    -Filmmaking programs focus mainly on technical skills like editing, cinematography, lighting, sound design, etc. to prepare students for industry jobs.

  • What is an example of a film that would be studied under an industrial approach?

    -Richard Linklater's films which waver between independent regional cinema and Hollywood studio productions, allowing analysis of the American film industry.

  • How might a political approach study Linklater's films?

    -It could analyze how the slacker ethos in his films contends with systems of capitalism and rejects the values of presidents Reagan and Bush Sr.

Outlines
00:00
🎥 What is film studies compared to filmmaking?

Film studies is an academic field focused on critically analyzing and understanding cinema as a medium and cultural object. It involves attending lectures, discussing readings, watching relevant films, and using approaches like historical, political, cultural analysis. This differs from more technical filmmaking programs that teach practical skills like editing to work in the industry.

05:01
🎬 Key aspects and approaches in studying films

Film studies examines how and why films are made, their context and implications. Common approaches include historical, political, industrial, cultural and philosophical analysis. For example, an industrial study might analyze Richard Linklater's position between independent and studio filmmaking to observe the operations of the industry.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡film studies
Film studies is an academic field focused on the critical analysis and examination of cinema. As described in the video, it involves studying the context, history, theories, and implications of film as a cultural medium. Key aspects include attending lectures on film topics, reading academic texts, viewing and discussing films, and analyzing the artistic, ideological, industrial, technological dimensions of cinema.
💡filmmaking
Filmmaking refers to the production and technical aspects of creating films, such as editing, cinematography, directing. The video contrasts film studies programs at traditional universities with dedicated film schools that focus more on the hands-on process of making films.
💡approaches
The video discusses different analytical approaches used in academic film studies to examine and interpret cinema, like historical, political, industrial, cultural and philosophical perspectives. Each approach illuminates different aspects of how films are made and understood.
💡context
Analyzing the context of film production and reception is a key concern in film studies. This includes considering the industrial, technological, cultural and ideological context that shape how films are made and watched.
💡aesthetic strategies
Film studies is concerned with closely analyzing the specific stylistic, narrative and aesthetic techniques and choices made in a film's construction. For example, how editing, mise-en-scene, cinematography etc. create meaning.
💡video essays
Video essays are an emerging online format for analyzing and communicating about film, often focused on style and form. The video suggests academic film studies could benefit from incorporating and learning from this mode of audiovisual analysis.
💡hegemonic structures
A concept from political and cultural theory referring to the dominant ideology and power structures in a society. The video gives an example of analyzing how the slacker ethos in Richard Linklater's films engages with capitalist hegemony.
💡canonical status
Canon refers to the established masterworks and classics within an art form. The video states that academically studied films often have a canonical status, like Bicycle Thieves, an iconic exemplar of Italian Neorealism.
💡systematic
The video contrasts academic, analytical approaches to studying film, which systematically interpret cinema through detailed examination, versus film reviews which give subjective evaluations.
💡excavate
Used metaphorically to describe the in-depth analysis involved in academic film studies to thoroughly investigate different dimensions of cinema as an art form and cultural phenomenon.
Highlights

Film studies is an academic field focused on critically analyzing cinema

Film studies examines how films are made, their contexts, ideologies, philosophies and impacts

Studies adopt approaches like historical, political, industrial, cultural and philosophical analyses

Each analytical approach illuminates different facets of films and the realities they portray

Academic film analysis differs from reviews by making broader connections and avoiding value judgements

Academic studies contextualize films within film history rather than just the present

Reviews are evaluative but academic studies systematically analyze films

Academic essays have more scope to deeply excavate questions on films than brief reviews

Eager fans analyze films similarly to academic studies, dissecting scenes and methods

Video essays have benefits over written essays for discussing an audiovisual medium like film

While video essays can't replace written rigor, film studies can benefit from the form

Part of my goal with this channel is exploring video essays for communicating about film

Let me know any film topics you'd like me to cover in the comments

A link to the written version is in the description

Please subscribe if you enjoyed and want notifications on future releases

Transcripts

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