Film Genres: Animations Placement as a Genre

Class Syllabus

FILM 300
Fall 2018
Film Genres
Professor Rachel Mahoney

Office: TBA
Office Hours: MW 8-10:00am, 3:00-4:00pm; TTR 12:00-2:00pm; and by appointment
Email: Rachel.mahoney824@topper.wku.edu

Class Meeting Times:

Regular Class: MWF 10:30-12:30 Cherry Hall 325
Screening: M 1:00 Cherry Hall 125

Course Description
For this semesters Film Genres class, we will delve into animation and its current often-
placed status as a genre rather than medium, why that is, and the validity of calling
animation a genre. We will explore the question of animations place in cinema, its history,
and the future of animation, along with a variety of styles, examples of animation from a
broad range of countries, and some time investigating animations relationship with other
animated media such as cartoons/animated television, shorts, video games, and live action
incorporations such as visual effects, backgrounds and worldbuilding, and entire animated
characters incorporated into live action, as well as meshed live action-animation such as
Mary Poppins, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, or Holli Would, and discussing critical and
theoretical aspects of film. By reading and discussing, as a class, works by academics,
critics, and creative artists in the fields we delve into, watching and discussing relevant
films, shows, and shorts, and playing relevant video games, students will research and
challenge many stances and points of view on the subject, and be able to gain an
understanding and appreciation of animations processes, applications, motivations, and
abilities, as well as the theoretical issues surrounding it. In addition, they will create some
projects of their own, giving them the chance to explore and champion their chosen stances
on animation, and their inspirations and ideas for animations applications and uses.
This is an upper-level film course, students should be prepared to speak in group
discussion (harassment and antagonization of fellow students will not be permitted, one of
the goals of this class is to help you learn ways to voice your opinion and convince others,
but also how to listen and discuss better, and to be understanding of takes and that there
are many cases in which there is not simply one correct answer, and knowledge of multiple
sides can reveal new and enlightening information). Learning and working together as a
class is a big goal in this class. Some of your grade will come from class participation,
which is not only voicing your opinions, but asking other students about theirs, listening,
and discussing. There will be some readings involved, so please speak to me before class if
you need special accommodations for this or other things such as class screenings. We will
be watching a lot of things together, but quite a few at home as well, and it is crucial you
keep up with this. The content will be readily available, but you must make the time to
watch it. As well, we will be playing parts of several video games in this class. Dont worry
if youve never done thisyou wont be graded on your gaming skills at all. Most of this
will be done in class together, but one will be done at home, so if you somehow do not have
a pc, laptop, cellphone, or any gaming device, speak with me about this before class and we
will work something out. This course has a very strong class-discussion social element to it,
so if you are dealing with social anxiety or a similar issue, please speak with me about that
as well. I will be doing my upmost to make this a friendly, engaging, and academically
challenging and rewarding environment for everyone. We will be focusing a lot on
analytical, theoretical, critical, and creative thinking and writing, all of which are skills this
course is also intended to help develop and hone. You will be showing these skills in class
discussion and activities, smaller writing assignments, and one group, one partner, and one
solo project.
Student Learning Outcomes
A) Students will hone analytical and critical thinking skills and practice applications for
them.
B) Students will build an understanding of animation as an art form, platform, and
technique, of its history, offshoots, and of possible futures for animation, and what all of
this means to the world of film.
C) Students will be challenged to view known principles of film in new ways, experiment
with unusual forms of media in academic and creative capacities, and apply the knowledge
they gain to projects and writings in the class, as well as acquiring a grounding for future
endeavors into the world of animation, and a challenge to keep learning about it.
D) Students will be given the chance to see films from a wide variety of countries, times,
cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and formats, for a broad, engaging, enlightening,
refreshing, and hopefully personal immersion into this aspect of cinema.
E) Students will gain social, orative, and teamworking skills from in-class exercises,
discussions, and group projects. After this class, students should feel more prepared to
share their academic and creative findings and inspirations, as well as be more practiced in
group discussions and problem-solving.
F) Students will have been presented a fuller view of animation, and been exposed to it as
much more complex, academic, artistic, creative, and dedicated an art form than
animations often portrayed position as uncomplicated or basic media for children.
Course Materials
Various scans uploaded to blackboard, blogs, articles, and online essays.
Maureen Furnisss A New History of Animation.
Various films, shows, and games, provided in class or easily accessible.
You will be required to purchase and play a copy of Telltale Games The Walking Dead:
Michonne, but it is under $20 and available for Mac, Pc, Playstation, Xbox, Iphone, and
Android.
Projects
Project 1 (Group Project): Teams of four, selected by professor based on similar interests
on a questionnaire, come up with the premise to a feature, short film, or game. They will
write a mission statement for their project, a synopsis, their animation method (cell, stop-
motion, rigged, CGI, etc), and the animation style they have chosen to imitate (any
recognizable animator is fair game, from BioWare to Miyazaki to Hanna Barbera),
descriptions of their major characters, a defined genre or genres, and character designs.
The groups will assign different positionsHead of Story, Animation Head, Producer, and
Creatorand divvy up work by job. Animation Head handles creating the character
designs, Producer will write the mission statement and descriptions of their choice of
animation method and style, Creator comes up with the story and genre and advises the
others on their work, and Head of Story will write the character descriptions and story
synopsis developed from the Creators rough idea. The finished products will be presented
in class Friday of Week 4.
The purpose of the project is to give an idea of the animation industry, and offer creative
and fun outlets for exploring aspects of animation which interest you personally, as well as
finding good reasons for telling your story through animation, and why artists chose the
specific types they do for specific projects. The goal is to reach a better understanding of
animations applications and possibilities.
Project 2 (Partner Project): You and a partner will choose from one of eleven animated
shows to watch, and view the shows together outside of class (although a content sharing
site such as Rabbit is permissible absolutely if necessary). You will watch eight-twelve
episodes (depending on episode length) of the show together, and take turns, each writing
every other episode a brief 250-750 word informal commentary on what you all thought
and how observations changed or grew after discussion, or over the course of the show as
you progress. The choice of show is first-come first served and all will be taken so there are
no repeats, so choose wiselyalthough with proper persuasion a substitute show may be
assigned. (Partners assigned on Friday of Week 3. Project can be completed any time
before the last two weeks of class).
The purpose of this project is to give you a chance at more personal in-depth discussions of
animation than the limited time and large number of people in class provide, and to hone
your analytical skills in a way with is social, personal, and fun. It is also an effective way to
delve academically into the often-trivialized complexity of animated shows, including
childrens media, which not infrequently proves to at least as, and in fact often even more
well written, introspective, academic, and complex than television geared at adults.
Project 3 (Solo Project): Choose an animated piece of media that fascinates you, and get
ready to delve deep. Over the course of the semester you will write five explorative pieces
on different aspects of thisvisual mood, characterization, movement, story, and a fifth
element of your choosing, bringing in outside and/or in-class academic thoughts on the
subject (at least one per piece). These pieces will be created and curated on a blog, which
you are encouraged to expound on with related media easily added to a blogging platform.
(Blogs start Mon of Week 5).
The purpose of this project is to give you the opportunity to really investigate what draws
you to a specific work of animation, and both why and how animation as a medium has
helped it reach this place in your estimation. As a personally driven project, it should offer
a genuinely enjoyable chance to delve into a subject which interests you, and should prove
even more fascinating once really explored. Its a long-term dive into what you personally
believe animation can bring to the table. Why, where, and how it finds value.

Class Shedule
Note: Readings listed on a day are the readings due that way (IE WED: We will discuss
Alma Lenors article means have that you need to have Lenors article read by class on
Wednesday.)
Week 1
MON: No readings before our first class period. We will a Class Discussion over our pre-
conceived ideas of animation, then an in-class screening Fantasmagorie (1908), Katsud
Shashin (1907-1911), Gertie the Dinosaur (1914), and selections from Felix the Cat (1920),
Steamboat Willie (1928), The Barn Dance and The Karnival Kid (1929), Boop Oop A Doop
(1932), and Looney Tunes (1930). Also a very brief overview of some technical aspects of
animation.
SCREENING: The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926)
WED: We will discuss Alma Lenor's article THE APOSTLE (1917) QUIRINO CRISTIANI,
chapter 5 of Furnisss book, and Pamela Hutchinson's article Lotte Reiniger: animated film
pioneer and standard-bearer for women, as well as the film itself.
FRI: Intro and Chapter 1 to Furniss. Group Project 1 assigned, in-class time allotted for
planning.
Week 2
MON: Discussion on chapters 6, 7, and 8 in Furnisss book. Discuss early American
animationFleischer, Disney, MGM, WB, censorship.
SCREENING: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
WED: Jason Fraley's piece Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Jerry Roberts The
Persistence of Disney, Part 1: Snow White and the Seven Dawrfs. Discussion on early Disney,
Fleisher, and Warner Bros animation. We will discuss Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,
both as a film and an influence on animation.
Special Note: Between Wednesday and Friday find at least one book with art style similar to
A Cat in Paris and bring to class on Friday.
FRI: James Naremores intro More Than Night The History of Idea, and Paul McQueen's A
Brief History of Animated Cinema in France. In-class on pillows and with snacks viewing of A
Cat in Paris (2010) with live commentary and input from the class during the film about the
technical aspects of the films visual storytelling, as well as its function as a film Noir.
Week 3
MON: Discuss chapter 16 of Furniss and Laurena Ducas "How Disneys Little Mermaid
Turned A Disturbing Fairy Tale Into A Childrens Movie.
SCREENING: The Little Mermaid (1989)
WED: Discuss briefly Greg Kasavins review of Kingdom Hearts. In class discussion of The
Little Mermaid. Short writing analysis of your choice of song from the film.
FRI: In-class video-game round table. Kingdom Hearts I (2002). We will play the opening
to the game and discuss the opening, initial characterization, visual style, and techniques,
then be jumping forward to a later save file in the Atlantica portion of the game to discuss
the hybridization of Disneys The Little Mermaid and the game Kingdom Hearts I as original
content. Blankets, pillows, and snacks welcome (blankets and pillows provided). Group
discussion and video game participation.