ARTS 387(F) American Gothic Video (Same as English 387)
This course is a seminar in video production, concentrating on the long tradition of the Gothic in American culture. Students will examine a wide range of Gothic artifacts in different media, including literature, film, still photography and painting. Along with assigned essays and material from class discussion, these artifacts will form a basis for video and writing assignments exploring the Gothic, both as a set of formal conventions and as a counter language to dominant styles of American culture and politics. The course will develop production skills such as scripting, directing, shot composition, lighting, sound recording and postproduction editing techniques. Evaluation will be based primarily on the technical, aesthetic, and conceptual strength of the tapes and on short critical writing exercises, with some consideration given to individual development. The course includes a lab fee. Enrollment will be limited and preference will be given to junior and senior majors in Art or English. Students wishing to enroll should have had at least one of the following courses: Photo 1; Video 1; The Feature Film; Documentary Fictions; Martin Scorcese; or the equivalent. This course will satisfy the 300-level tutorial requirement for the studio art major.