Symposium: Issues in RTVF (398-0-20)
Topic
American Independent Film
Instructors
Nathaniel Rossi
Meeting Info
Louis Hall 119: Wed 3:00PM - 5:50PM
Overview of class
This course examines U.S. independent film - that is films produced and/or distributed within the U.S. and outside the direct control of the major Hollywood studios since the 1980s. A purposefully vague description, one of the main questions this course asks is what does it mean to be "independent" or "indie" as it pertains to American filmmaking and culture at large. In other words, we will ask what did/does it mean to make film art outside of conventional Hollywood norms and ideologies? We will focus on key films, filmmakers, and companies that have propelled the indie movement, consider the industrial, formal-aesthetic, economic, and socio-political factors involved, as well as the complex relationship between the indie film movement and mainstream Hollywood. Through course screenings and readings, students will think critically about the nature of art, artistry, and voice; gain textual analysis or close-reading skills; through critical and historical analysis address issues of representation, reception, and the cultural discourse generated by indie films and the various indie film movements discussed; and evaluate the role of contemporary independent filmmakers and their responses to current social, political, and environmental crises. Students will also have an opportunity to visit one of the oldest independently run cinemas in Chicago, The Music Box Theater.
Evaluation Method
Attendance
Class participation
Paper, final
Readings
Discussion Posts
Class Materials (Required)
No textbook, readings will be available on Canvas
Class Notes
The three hour class period will be split between discussion and screening.