Short Film Practical Analysis: Directing 2

Display Schedule

Code Completion Credits Range Language Instruction Semester
311SFP2 ZK 3 2T English summer

Subject guarantor

Name of lecturer(s)

Vít Poláček

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The course is intended for the students who are preparing their own short films but also for those, who want to understand the short film as a form.

Mode of study

Seminar, discussion

Prerequisites and co-requisites

No

Course contents

What is short film? What can we express with a short film? What film techniques and film language is suitable for short film? What is the position of short film in the film industry and what is the audience usually expecting from short films? How were the short films presented 30 or 60 years ago and how are they presented now? The second semester will be more focused on camera, sound, acting and practical producing questions in making short films.

Together, we will be looking for the answers to those questions and probably many more. We will be analysing all the aspects of various short films and discuss how to write a short film, how to deal with the dramaturgy of the short film and how to direct it. We will be learning not only about some masterpieces created by the best directors in the history of cinema, but also about contemporary ones.

Recommended or required reading

Required Reading:

Katz, Steven. Shot by Shot, Michael Wiese Production, 1991

Reading for the mid-term test:

Chapter 9: Staging Dialogue Sequences (p. 173-193)

Chapter 13: Depth of the Frame (p. 229-238)

Chapter 14: Camera Angles (p. 239-258)

Chapter 15: Open and Closed Framings (p. 259-266)

Chapter 17: The Pan (p. 279-286)

Chapter 19: The Tracking Shot (p. 295- 305)

Assessment methods and criteria

Final

Written assignment: Maximum three pages of analysis of one of the aspects of a self-selected short film (the film must be accessible to the lecturer). The paper has to be submitted by the 20th May 2022. Send it by email (no paper copies) to: vit.polacek@gmail.com. Papers not submitted via email will not be graded.

Grading:

The course grade will be calculated as follows:

Active participation in seminar discussions 40%

Final writing assignment60%

Note

CET Program Note: The subject consists of 28 contact hours in Spring 2022, recommended transfer to 2 US credits.

Schedule for winter semester 2021/2022:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2021/2022:

06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
room 107
Room No. 1
(Lažanský palác)
Poláček V.
19:00–22:15
(lecture parallel1)
once in 2 weeks, Starts Feb 14
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Date Day Time Tutor Location Notes No. of paralel
Mon 19:00–22:15 Vít Poláček Room No. 1
Lažanský palác 		once in 2 weeks, Starts Feb 14 lecture parallel1

The subject is a part of the following study plans