Cinematic Technique
Students must be trained to recognize that films are created for several purposes, each genre of film serving its own type and method of meaning. The first of these types is for the purpose of entertainment; the second is didactic the third serves an aesthetic function. The aesthetic function operates for personal expression or for purposes of discovering something that is found as new.
In the beginning of this unit, students must receive instruction on cinematic vocabulary and on how to segment the film by way of scenes, shots, cuts and sound. Filmmakers decide upon ways in which the story will be revealed to viewers. The foundations of mise-en-scène will be given to students via a vocabulary list. Students will view one or two African short films such as Sembene's, Borom Sarret and/or La Noire de/Black Girl (1963) or an African-American clip from the Oscar Micheaux' film Within Our Gates (1920). We will spend 15 minutes or less for several days to receive instruction about certain techniques. Students will be attentive to technique rather than to dialogue since most will not understand the spoken language.
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