The Art and Craft of Film Adaptation
FILM 453
Spring 2024
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01
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Film adaptations of literary texts have been a staple of cinematic production from the silent era to the present day, and remain both an enduringly popular phenomenon and an occasional source of derision or disbelief: Can the movie ever be as good as the book? In this course we will interrogate the long-held assumption that source materials for adaptations are the authoritative texts while secondary works are necessarily inferior. Adopting a lateral approach that allows us to examine how stories change and are changed by new iterations and new mediums, we will examine the varied modes, motives, and techniques of film adaptations, analyzing how filmmakers transform character, plot, setting, and point of view as they adapt varied source material into feature films. Students will be asked to annotate and analyze literary sources, film scholarship, screenplays, and films, and should expect to spend several hours reading, writing, and video editing outside of class time per week. In addition to film analysis assignments, in-class writing exercises, and presentations, students will develop, pitch, and write original adapted screenplays as well as works of videographic criticism (e.g. audiovisual work that critically reappropriates existing works of film and media). Familiarity with Adobe Premiere Pro is helpful but not required. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA FILM |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: FILM304 AND FILM307 |
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Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (FILM-MN)(FILM) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Selected novels, short stories, screenplays, plays and scholarly articles available via course Moodle. Weekly film screenings, including films directed by Pedro Almodovar, Audrey Diwan, Asghar Farhadi, Barry Jenkins, Ang Lee, Elaine May, Marjane Satrapi, Agnes Varda, Denis Villeneuve and others.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Film analysis, screenwriting, video editing, in-class presentations, adaptation video essay |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course is designed for Film majors and minors.
You must submit a POI request in order to be considered for this course:
Permission of instructor approval will be granted by the instructor during pre-registration through the Electronic Portfolio. Click "Add to My Courses" and "To request a POI electronically, click here" to submit your request.
In addition, interested students should fill out this Google form application ASAP during pre-registration indicating your academic interests, why you hope to enroll in this course and your prior experience, if any, with creative writing and/or video editing.
Google Application Form: https://forms.gle/91XQbq52onFUtN577
No experience is required but strong interests in film analysis, screenwriting and video editing, as well as a willingness to read and give feedback on your classmates¿ work, will be necessary. Students who submit the Google form application without requesting a POI electronically or vice versa will not be considered. If you are applying after pre-registration, you should also send an email to Professor Shepard to indicate your interest: sshepard@wesleyan.edu.
POI: Interested students will fill out a Google form application ASAP during pre-registration indicating your academic interests, why you hope to enroll in this course and your prior experience, if any, with creative writing and/or video editing. No experience is required but strong interest in film analysis, screenwriting and video editing, as well as a willingness to read and give feedback on your classmates' work, will be necessary. Students who submit the Google form application without requesting a POI electronically or vice versa will not be considered. |
| Instructor(s): Shepard,Sadia Quraeshi Times: ...W... 01:20PM-04:10PM; .M..... 01:20PM-04:10PM; Location: CFS100; CFS116; |
Permission of Instructor Required
Enrollment capacity: 10 | Permission of instructor approval will be granted by the instructor during pre-registration through the Electronic Portfolio. Click "Add to My Courses" and "To request a POI electronically, click here" to submit your request. |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 4 | 1st Ranked: 2 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 1 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 1 |
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