Skip to main content
Unit of study_

FILM3000: Cinematic Transformations

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

What is cinema in the twenty-first century? Where do we locate the essence of a medium that has undergone such a radical transformation? This course examines the intersection of film, digital cinema, and new media platforms such as YouTube, mobile cinemas, and virtual reality technologies. Where many have spoken of the death of cinema in a digital era, we will conceptualise the complexity of cinema's evolution from its earliest celluloid incarnation to the technologies of digital simulation.

Unit details and rules

Unit code FILM3000
Academic unit Art History
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
ARHT3601
Prerequisites
? 
12 credit points at 2000 level in Art History or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Film Studies or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Digital Cultures or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Critical Studies
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Stuart Cottle, stuart.cottle@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Bruce Isaacs, bruce.isaacs@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Research Essay
Research Essay
40% Formal exam period
Due date: 01 Dec 2020 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Assignment group assignment Special Journal Issue: Project Proposal
Groups develop a structure and argument for their final project.
20% Week 06
Due date: 30 Sep 2020 at 23:59
750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment group assignment Special Journal Issue: Digital Special Journal Issue Submission
Final project submission in Google Sites/ Presentation in Wk 12 seminars.
25% Week 11
Due date: 11 Nov 2020 at 23:59
1000 words or equivalent
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Assignment Special Journal Issue: Critical Reflection
Students reflect on the project development and group collaboration.
15% Week 12
Due date: 18 Nov 2020 at 23:59
750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

To be completed by faculty.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

 

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Cinema in the Digital Century Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2
* There are no seminars in week 1. Seminar (2 hr)  
Required Film Viewing: The Matrix (The Wachowskis, 1999) Independent study (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 02 The Perfect Digital Allegory: "My name is Neo..." Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Course Introduction; Groups Formation; Film History: From Celluloid to Digital Technologies Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Required Film Viewing: La Jetee (Chris Marker, 1962 - short film); Russian Ark (Sokurov, 2002) Independent study (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 03 From Potential to Crisis: The Indexical Argument Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO5
The Digital Turn: The Matrix Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Required Film Viewing: The Great Gatsby (Luhrmann, 2013) Independent study (2.5 hr) LO2 LO5
Week 04 Digital Excess: Adapting Fitzgerald's Gatsby Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
David Rodowick's Argument: La Jetee, Russian Ark; Group Project Proposal Workshop Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Required Film Viewing: This is Not a Film (Jafar Panahi, 2011) Independent study (2 hr)  
Week 05 Digital Counter-cinema: Jafar Panahi Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Digital Hyper-reality: The Great Gatsby; Group Project Proposal Workshop Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Required Film Viewing: Tangerine (Baker, 2015) Independent study (2 hr)  
Week 06 Digital Counter-cinema: Sean Baker Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
The Cinematic Object: This is Not a Film Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
Required Film Viewing: Blade Runner 2049 Independent study (2.5 hr)  
Week 07 The Post-Human: Digital Subjectivities Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Digital Fluidity: Tangerine Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Required Film Viewing: The Social Network (Fincher, 2010) Independent study (2 hr)  
Week 08 Digital Cultures Online class (1 hr) LO3 LO5
Replication: Blade Runner 2049 Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Required Film Viewing: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Amirpour, 2015) Independent study (2 hr)  
Week 09 Digital Remeditation: Genre, Text, Image Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2
New Culture Industries: The Social Network; Group Project Development Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Required Film Viewing: Avatar (Cameron, 2009) Independent study (2.5 hr)  
Week 10 Virtual Selves, Virtual Worlds Online class (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
Remediation: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night; Research Essay Workshop Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
Required Film Viewing: Southland Tales (Kelly, 2010) Independent study (2.5 hr)  
Week 11 Post-Cinematic Affect: Arguing with Jameson and Shaviro Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
VR: Avatar Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO4
Required Film Viewing: Tree of Life (Malick, 2011) Independent study (2.5 hr)  
Week 12 Nostalgia for a Lost Object Online class (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Required Film Viewing: Cinema Excursion (COVID permitting!) Independent study (2 hr)  
New Affect Regimes in Jameson and Shaviro: Southland Tales; Groupwork Project Presentations Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. engage with current theories of cinema as text, image and new media technology
  • LO2. identify the key industrial, artistic and cultural coordinates of the ‘digital turn’
  • LO3. demonstrate complex, subtle image analysis across celluloid and digital cinema platforms
  • LO4. work within collaborative environments to develop independent, creative, and analytical content
  • LO5. demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the impact of digital and virtual technologies on contemporary social and cultural life

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The unit texts and films have been changed based on student feedback. We have also integrated 2 additional workshops for the group project assessment task.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.