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Unit outline_

FILM3006: Cinematic Ecologies

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit explores cinema's engagement with earth's ecologies, from its environmental impacts as a resource-intensive industry, to its capacity to shape human perceptions and relations to the more-than-human world. From the ocean waves and fluttering leaves that captivated early film audiences, to contemporary representations of ecological collapse, this unit tests film's capacity to transform the centrality of 'the human', and to activate non-anthropocentric approaches to ecological renewal. A range of critical approaches to film, including ecocriticism, animal studies and posthumanism, will be used to illuminate diverse moving-image case studies.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Film Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
12cp at 2000 level in Film Studies
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Matilda Mroz, matilda.mroz@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Multimedia and Research Essay
Theoretical essay using scholarly sources and 1-2 images
30% Formal exam period
Due date: 03 Jun 2024 at 23:59
1700 words and 1-2 images
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment Visual and Written Portfolio Submission 1
3 film stills and 1 photo accompanied by analysis (200 words per image)
20% Week 06
Due date: 28 Mar 2024 at 23:59
4 images and 800 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Visual and Written Portfolio Submission 2
8 stills, 2 photos with 200 words analysis each
50% Week 11
Due date: 10 May 2024 at 23:59
10 images and 2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2

Assessment summary

Visual and Written Portfolio: Framing Cinematic Ecologies 

In its final form, the Portfolio must consist of 10 images, each with an accompanying analysis of approx. 200 words, to add up to 2000 words total.

The images in the Portfolio will fall into two categories.

8 images will be screen-grabs/stills from films studied on the unit (required and/or recommended viewing).

2 images will be photographs that students have taken themselves, during semester, of their own environments.

The Portfolio is structured as a cumulative assessment; there are two submission points, giving students the opportunity to revise some of the work before the final submission at the end of semester.

This assessment is intended to foster continuous and on-going student engagement and peer/tutor feedback throughout the unit. Students will have the opportunity in tutorials to discuss their chosen images and analysis, creating a peer feedback network. They will develop a greater understanding of the role of cinema in framing environments aesthetically, politically, epistemologically and ethically.  

In contributing their own images to the Portfolio, students will situate themselves in a broader discourse around climate change, environmental activism, and post-human thinking. Through composing, photographing and framing their own images, students will be able to draw on their local environment, cultural experience, and socio-historical background, encouraging diversity, creativity and self-reflexivity.  

Much writing on cinema (including academic essays, film reviews and festival catalogues) uses screen grabs or film stills. Students will learn how to use such images in a critical, theoretically-engaged way. The Portfolio encourages students to form connections between the films that we are studying on the unit, the theory and critical thinking that we are deploying, and the environments and non-human life around them. Students will develop a close attention to detail and an understanding of the relationship between image and theory/philosophy/activism. 

Visual and Written Portfolio Submission 1 

Weighting: 20%

800 words and 4 images

Due: 11.59 pm March 29th

In Week 6, students will submit the first 4 images: 3 taken from films on the unit, and 1 original photograph taken by the student, each accompanied by 200 words of analysis, totalling 800 words. Tutors will give feedback that the students can carry forward into Submission 2.  

Visual and Written Portfolio Submission 2  

Weighting: 50%

2000 words and 10 images

Due: May 10th

In Week 11, students will submit the full Portfolio of 10 images (8 film stills and 2 photographs), each accompanied by 200 words of analysis, totalling 2000 words.

Portfolio Marking Criteria

1/ Demonstrates good judgement in the choice of film still or student’s-own photographed image; ingenuity, creativity and originality in choosing/framing an image will be particularly valued.

2/ Demonstrates a clear and logical justification for this choice in the accompanying caption.

3/ Demonstrates a close attention to detail and uses appropriate film studies terminology in the caption.

4/ Engages, concisely, with specific readings/scholarship on the unit, and situates the image within a wider theoretical/philosophical/political context.

5/ Demonstrates, across the Portfolio as a whole, an understanding of how cinema frames environments aesthetically, politically, epistemologically, and ethically, and the relationship between image and theory/philosophy/activism. 

6/ Demonstrates, across the Portfolio as a whole, depth of knowledge (getting to the heart of theoretical texts and films, avoiding superficiality and generalisation) and breadth of knowledge (connections between different films and theoretical approaches on the unit).

7/ Maintains a high level of presentation, including: clear prose, spelling, grammar, punctuation, proper referencing, formatting, arrangement/ordering of images, sticking to word counts.

 

Multimedia and Research Essay  

Weighting: 30%

1700 words and 1-2 images

Due: 11.59 pm June 3rd

The Essay allows students to pursue their own interests within the field of ‘cinematic ecologies’, encouraging further critical awareness of their positioning within environmental and climate-related debates, and allowing them to link the practice of ‘framing’ images to broader scholarship in this field. Students may draw on the ideas presented in their Portfolios, but must not reproduce Portfolio material verbatim.

The Essay asks students to: 

  • Collaborate with their tutors to develop a topic of their choice within the unit. Individual meetings will be arranged towards the end of semester, and students must come prepared to these meetings – at the very least, think about what topic/films/theories interest you most, and how you might go about writing on them.

  • Engage in-depth with the analytical/theoretical/philosophical scholarship on the unit; it is expected that a minimum of 3 pieces of scholarship will be used for the essay. Students are encouraged to use the required and recommended reading, which can be found on each module. If students are confident that they have demonstrated an in-depth understanding of key unit texts relevant to their topic, they may in addition conduct their own independent research, if relevant to the topic.

  • Discuss their topic in relation to 1-3 films on the unit, including required films, recommended films, and the films that have been featured in lecture and tutorial slides. If you are not sure whether a film can or cannot be discussed, please ask!

  • Use 1-2 images and integrate them into the ideas/arguments/theoretical framework for the essay. Students may use images from their Portfolios, but they may also choose an entirely new set of images to use in the essay.

Marking Criteria

Students will be marked against the following criteria:

1/ PREPARATION: Demonstrates effective collaboration with the tutor on the essay topic, which includes being prepared for their individual essay discussions with the tutor.  

2/ UNDERSTANDING: Demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the chosen topic, within the limits of what is possible in the word count. The essay should also gesture towards a broader understanding of how cinema frames environments aesthetically, politically, epistemologically, and/or ethically, and the relationship between image and theory, philosophy and/or activism. 

3/ ARGUMENTATION: Demonstrates a coherent framework or argument for the essay, and a focused examination of the topic, avoiding generalisation, superficiality, and extraneous/irrelevant material.

4/ RESEARCH: Engages in-depth with relevant written texts on the unit. The appropriateness, range, detail and accuracy of citations and references will be taken into account. The essay should be able to show how the student is getting to the heart of the arguments presented in theoretical texts, rather than relying on generalised summaries.

5/ FILM ANALYSIS: Demonstrates an attention to detail in analysing moving and/or still images; ties analysis closely to ideas/arguments and/or academic scholarship; uses appropriate film studies terminology.

6/ USE OF IMAGES: Demonstrates good judgement in the choice of images used for the essay, and uses the images to further ideas/arguments rather than simply as illustrative material.

7/ ORIGINALITY: Creativity, innovation and originality will be particularly valued. The essay should show how students can move beyond simply reiterating material that they have been taught, and thinking critically and independently about their topic. Originality might be shown in how scholarship is being used, or through original film analysis that moves beyond tutorial/lecture discussions, or via relevant, high-level independent research, and/or in the argumentation and the presentation of ideas.

8/ STRUCTURE AND PRESENTATION: Maintains a high level of presentation, including: clear prose, spelling, grammar, punctuation, proper referencing, formatting, arrangement/ordering of images, sticking to word counts. The structure and writing in the essay should be clear and logical.

 

 

Assessment criteria

Assessment Criteria

This unit uses standards based assessment for award of assessment marks.  The following grade descriptors are also available online at:

http://sydney.edu.au/arts/art_history/student_resources/

This guide indicates broadly the qualitative judgements implied by the various grades which may be awarded. Evaluation is made with due consideration of the different standards likely to be achieved by students in junior and senior intermediate (2nd year) and advanced (3rd year) units.

85%+ (High Distinction)

Work of exceptional standard.

Work demonstrates initiative and originality in research, analysis and argumentation; presents innovative, insightful interpretations of specific works of art, architecture, film and/or other media, which are used throughout to demonstrate points being made; effectively integrates visual analysis and critical engagement with scholarly debates to develop a rich and thorough analysis of its object(s) of study; indicates awareness of complexities and qualifications in argumentation; demonstrates careful thought about the critical, historical and/or theoretical context; provides evidence of wide ranging reading; is properly referenced and well presented; writing is clear, fluent, and persuasive.

A High Distinction is distinguished from a Distinction by the depth and sophistication of visual analysis deployed, and by the evidence of independent, critical thinking. Work which is awarded a mark of over 90% in senior level units of study will often contain some publishable or potentially publishable elements.

75-84% (Distinction)

Work of a superior standard

Work demonstrates an intelligent understanding of, and individual engagement with, material; visual analysis is well developed and harnessed to the argument, with thoughtful, detailed visual exposition of specific works used to demonstrate points; addresses an issue and presents a well argued, coherent case; demonstrates careful thought about the critical, historical and/or theoretical context; demonstrates an independent and critical attitude to readings; written work is properly referenced and well presented, with a clear structure and coherent overall argument; writing is characterized by individuality, clarity, and independent insight.

A Distinction is distinguished from a High Credit chiefly by the quality of its analysis of the works of art under discussion, and by its level of critical understanding and intellectual enquiry.

70-74% (High Credit)

Highly competent work demonstrating clear capacity to complete Honours successfully. This level of work is considered above average.

Work provides evidence of independent reading and thinking about relevant works of art and their contexts; demonstrates capacity to undertake close analysis of works of art and develop with c independent observations; demonstrates a sound grasp of subject matter and a good appreciation of key issues and contexts; shows understanding of relevant critical and theoretical considerations and of the conceptual issues raised; avoids summary; indicates an intelligent attempt at a critical or theoretical argument; is clearly and effectively written; is well referenced.

A High Credit is distinguished from a Low Credit chiefly by the extent of independent analysis of works of art, and by some obvious attempt to interpret the outcome of close analysis.

65-69% (Low Credit)

Very competent work though not necessarily of the standard to complete Honours. 

The work shows some understanding of relevant critical and theoretical considerations and of the conceptual issues raised by a unit of study; demonstrates some independent reading and thinking about key works of art and their contexts; uses close critical analysis; avoids summary; attempts a critical or theoretical argument; is clearly and effectively written; is adequately referenced.

A Low Credit is distinguished from a High Pass by the degree of independent discussion of works of art, the clarity of the writing and the extent to which it attempts a more general critical and/or theoretical argument.

58-64% (High Pass)

Work of a good, satisfactory standard 

Work demonstrates a broad and reasonably accurate command of the subject matter and some sense of its broader significance; demonstrates a genuine attempt at independent reading and thinking about works of art; generally avoids summary, paraphrase or unsubstantiated assertion; arguments may contain some oversimplification or superficiality; may sometimes present quotation for illustrative purposes merely, but does also present the outcome of some critical analysis; is adequately expressed; is adequately referenced.

50-57% (Pass)

Work of an acceptable standard 

Work provides evidence of having read and thought about relevant works of art and issues; attempts a coherent argument though there may be ellipses in argumentation; discussion of works of art tends towards description rather than analysis; insufficient preparation for a visual test may be indicated by missed or incorrect identifications, lack of familiarity with periods, styles, key critical issues; may paraphrase fairly extensively; tends to use quotation for illustrative purposes only; may tend towards generality in answering a question; may present simplistic comment or unsubstantiated assertions; is adequately expressed though there may be some weaknesses in this area; may contain some referencing errors.

Below 50% (Fail)

Work not of an acceptable standard

Work may fail for any of the following reasons: little or no analysis of works of art; in a visual test, an inability to correctly identify works, periods and styles; serious mistakes in identification, indicating lack of understanding of the material taught; minimal research; irrelevance of content; unacceptable levels of paraphrasing; excessive use of quotation for illustrative purposes only, without any attempt at analysis; excessive level of generality in answering a question; sloppy, inconsistent presentation; inappropriate or obscure expression; incoherent general structure; inadequate referencing; late submission of work without extension.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 PART I. ELEMENTS. Introduction to Cinematic Ecologies Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 02 Introduction to Cinematic Ecologies Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
The Wind in the Trees: From Fascination to Immersion Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 03 The Wind in the Trees: From Fascination to Immersion Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Salvaging, Foraging and the Oceanic Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 04 Salvaging, Foraging and the Oceanic Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
PART II. CREATURES. Creaturely Cinema Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Creaturely Cinema Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Vegan Cinema Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 06 Vegan Cinema Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tentacular Cinema Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Tentacular Cinema Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
The Monstrous Hybrids of the Anthropocene Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 08 The Monstrous Hybrids of the Anthropocene Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
PART III. LANDSCAPE. Imperial Landscapes Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 09 Imperial Landscapes Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Ivan Sen and the Ecologies of Colonisation Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 Ivan Sen and the Ecologies of Colonisation Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Beneath Clouds, Beneath Earth Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 11 Beneath Clouds, Beneath Earth Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
The Landscapes of Slow Violence Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 The Landscapes of Slow Violence Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Ecological Thinking and Multimedia Research: Final Assessment Guidance Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 13 Student consultations Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Student consultations Workshop (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance

According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold. If a unit of study has a participation mark, your attendance may influence this mark. For more information on attendance, see https://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/arts/rules/faculty_resolutions_arts.shtml.

Class Requirements

All lectures for this unit will be conducted in-person and available later as recordings. All tutorials will take place in-person. There is no zoom option for tutorials and they will not be recorded. 

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.

Required readings

NB. The information below, including lecture titles, required reading and viewing, is subject to change.

 

PART I: ELEMENTS

Topic 1: Introduction to Cinematic Ecologies

Required Reading: Adam O’Brien (2018). Film Studies and the Natural Environment. In Film and the Natural Environment: Elements and Atmospheres. Wallflower Press.

 Jane Bennett (2009). Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. Duke University Press. [extracts]

Topic 2: The Wind in the Trees: From Fascination to Immersion

Required Reading: Laura Marks (2000). The Skin of the Film: Intercultural Cinema, Embodiment and the Senses. Duke University Press. [extracts].

Jane Bennett (2009). Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. Duke University Press. [extracts]

Required Viewing: Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold, UK, 2009)

Topic 3. Salvaging, Foraging and the Oceanic

Required Reading: Carolina A. Díaz (2021). Ecologies from Below: Politics and the Memory of Water in Patricio Guzmán's The Pearl Button.  ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, 28.4

Stacy Alaimo (2012). States of Suspension: Transcorporeality at Sea. Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and the Environment, 19.3.

Required Viewing: The Pearl Button (Patricio Guzmán, Chile, 2015)

PART II: CREATURES

Topic 4: Creaturely Cinema 

Required Reading: Anat Pick (2011), Creaturely Poetics: Animality and Vulnerability in Literature and Film. Columbia University Press. [extracts]

Michael Lawrence and Laura McMahon (2015), 'Introduction: Animal Lives and Moving Images', in Animal Life and the Moving Image, ed. M. Lawrence and L. McMahon. BFI; Palgrave.

Required Viewing: Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold, UK, 2009); Wuthering Heights (Andrea Arnold, UK, 2011)

Topic 5: Vegan Cinema

Required Reading: Anat Pick (2018). Vegan Cinema. In E. Quinn and B. Westwood (Eds.). Thinking Veganism in Literature and Culture: Towards a Vegan Theory. Springer Verlag.

Required Viewing: Cow (Andrea Arnold, UK, 2021); American Honey (Andrea Arnold, UK, 2016)

Topic 6: Tentacular Cinema

Required Reading: Joseph Jenner (2019), Towards a Chthonic Spectatorship: Becoming-With the Aquatic in EvolutionFilm-Philosophy 23(3).

Donna Haraway (2016). Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene. Duke University Press [extracts].

Required Viewing: Evolution (Lucile Hadžihalilović, France, 2015)

Topic 7. The Monstrous Hybrids of the Anthropocene

Required Reading: Susan Schuppli (2015). Slick Images: The Photogenic Politics of Oil. In M. Mirca and V.W.J van der Gerven Oei (Eds.). Allegory of the Cave Painting. Mousse Milan.

Cameron Butler (2021). Shimmering in the Swamp: Wetlands, Danger, and Ecological Refractions in Annihilation. ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment 29.4 (Winter 2022), pp. 1121–1144.

Required Viewing: Annihilation (Alex Garland, USA/UK, 2018)

PART III: LANDSCAPE

Topic 8: Imperial Landscapes

Required Reading: W. J. T. Mitchell (2002). Imperial Landscape. In W. J. T. Mitchell (Ed.). Landscape and Power. University of Chicago Press.

Joanne Barker (2019). Confluence: Water as an Analytic of Indigenous Feminisms. American Indian Culture and Research Journal 43(3).

Required Viewing: Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock (Josh Fox, James Spione, and Myron Dewey, USA, 2017).

Topic 9: Ivan Sen and the Ecologies of Colonisation

Required Reading: Anne Rutherford (2019). Ivan Sen’s Cinematic Imaginary: Restraint, Complexity and a Politics of Place. In F. Collins, J. Landman & S. Bye (Eds.). A Companion to Australian Cinema. John Wiley & Sons.

Melissa Lucashenko (2013). Mullumbimby. University of Queensland Press [extracts]

Required Viewing: Goldstone (Ivan Sen, Australia, 2016); Mystery Road (Ivan Sen, Australia, 2013).

Topic 10: Beneath Clouds, Beneath Earth

Required Reading: Tyson Yunkaporta (2021). All Our Landscapes Are Broken: Right Story and the Law of the Land. Griffith Review.

Tyson Yunkaporta (2019). Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World. Text Publishing. [extracts]

Required Viewing: Beneath Clouds (Ivan Sen, Australia, 2002); Limbo (Ivan Sen, Australia, 2023)

Topic 11. The Landscapes of Slow Violence

Required Reading: Rob Nixon (2011). Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor. Harvard University Press. [extracts]

Required Viewing: Timbuktu (Abderrahmane Sissako, France/Mauritania/Qatar, 2014)

CODA

Topic 12. Ecological Thinking and Multimedia Research: Final Assessment Guidance

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. Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of cinema’s historical and contemporary engagements with ecologies, environments and animals
  • LO2. Engage with current theoretical approaches concerning the intersections between cinema, environment, and non-human life
  • LO3. Demonstrate complex, subtle analyses of practices of framing across documentary, fiction, and experimental cinema
  • LO4. Produce peer-reviewed and independent, creative and analytical, content in visual and written formats
  • LO5. Demonstrate a self-reflexive understanding of your own role and capacity as a cultural agent to intervene in scholarly, practitioner and activist work on climate change and other ecological issues.

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 content and structure has been streamlined and assessment criteria clarified further.

Additional costs

Students may be required to rent or purchase films for this unit. Much of the content taught in this unit is online, and can only be rented or purchased by individuals. We have tried to keep costs to an absolute minimum and will warn students in advance where purchases might be necessary.

Disclaimer

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