1. ___________ approach

2. ___________ with the idea

3. ___________ professor

4. __________ thinker

5. ___________ a model

6. ___________ funds

7. a ____________ approach

8. ___________ trends

9. ___________ storytelling

10. ___________ techniques

11. ___________ craze

12. ___________ credit for

13. ___________ movement

14. ___________ conventions

15. ___________ the way

16. ___________ message

17. ___________ the context with

18. on a ____________ basis

19. ___________ hole

Exercise 12. What does the author mean by saying the following:

1. the trends bubbling up in festivals and megaplexes

2. Rather than teaching “Casablanca” and “Citizen Kane,” I might show “Borat” and “The Bourne Identity”.

3. the recent found-footage craze

4. I got more out of the class than my students.

5. this assignment gave me a second set of eyes

6. many of my favorites didn’t hold up

7. back-to-basics movement

8. their aesthetic ultimately paved the way for the recent DIY revolution

9. constraints encourage creativity

10. therein lies my biggest eye-opener

11. were still early in their journey

12. In my day job as a critic, judging others’ creative decisions comes with the territory.

13. unlock the artistic principles

                                       READING

                           AND SPEAKING

Exercise 13. a) Do you know the principles of Dogma 95 movement mentioned in the article by Peter Debruge? If not, read the reference below.

Dogme 95 (Dogme is the Danish word for dogma) was an avant-garde filmmaking movement  started in 1995 by the Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, who created the “Dogme 95 Manifesto” and the “Vow of Chastity”. These were rules to create filmmaking based on the traditional values of story, acting, and theme, and excluding the use of elaborate special effects or technology in the hope that the industry would give the power back to the artist as opposed to the studio. The goal of the Dogme collective is to purify filmmaking by refusing expensive and spectacular special effects, post-production modifications and other technical gimmicks. The filmmakers concentrate on the story and the actors’ performances. They believe this approach may better engage the audience, as they are not alienated or distracted by overproduction. To this end, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg produced ten rules to which any Dogme film must conform. These rules are referred to as the “Vow of Chastity”.

THE VOW OF CHASTITY

I swear to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGMA 95:

1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).
2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot.)
3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted.

4. The film must be in color. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera.)
5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.
6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)
7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.)
8. Genre movies are not acceptable.
9. The film format must be Academy 35 mm.
10. The director must not be credited.
Furthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste! I am no longer an artist. I swear to refrain from creating a “work”, as I regard the instant as more important than the whole. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my characters and settings. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations.

Thus I make my VOW OF CHASTITY.

Copenhagen, Monday 13 March 1995

b) Do you agree with the principles stated in “The Vow of Chastity” Why? Why not. Give your arguments on its advantages and disadvantages.

                                        READING AND

                            COMMUNICATION

Exercise 14. You are going to hold a panel discussion “Is Technology killing Art?”

a) Share responsibilities.

– Select a moderator who does not have a conflict of interest with the subject matter of the panel discussion and who will keep the conversation moving and adhere to the guidelines and rules.

– Choose knowledgeable well-educated panelists, allow them time to prepare.

b)  Write questions for the panelists. Questions should be open-ended and require more than “yes” or “no” answers. Create more questions than you think you will need in case the panel discussion proceeds more quickly than anticipated.

c) Determine the rules for the panel discussion.

That’s how you wish the panel discussion to proceed.

– Open discussion panel forums usually begin with a question and discussion between panelists.

– Set a time limit for each speaker.

– Determine how questions from the audience will be handled. Some formats allow questions during the panel discussion. Others provide time after the panel discussion for audience members to ask questions of the panelists.

d) Present and introduce the panelists at the beginning of the panel discussion. Introduce the moderator. He should inform the audience of the purpose of the discussion and provide a brief summary of the discussion format and rules. The moderator should give a short biographical introduction of the panelists.

e) Conduct the discussion as planned, following the established rules. The moderator should ask questions and coordinate the discussion as planned.

f) Conclude the panel discussion with a summary and closing remarks. The moderator should thank the audience and panelists, and give any information for follow-up activities or events.

    Exercise 15. Create your own “Dogma 20_ _” reflecting your artistic principles and your personal approach to technology. Present it to the audience and answer their questions.

                             READING, VOCABULARY

                        AND COMMUNICATION

Exercise 16. a) Skim through the article about Film, TV and Digital Media Programs and Degrees and count the number of its sections and their titles.

                  b) Scan the article to find the following information:

§ the kind of approaches film, television and digital media programs combine;

§ the difference between Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees;

§ Master of Arts as distinct from Master of Fine Arts degree;

§ the focus of attention in a PhD program;

§ the average tuition fee per year for a film program at any of the leading US universities;

§ the factors you should take into consideration while choosing a program;

§ career prospects within the film industry as assessed by Margaret Holbrough;

§ degree timing strategy;

§ the difference between Master’s and Doctorate degrees and the availability of on-line education;

§ sources of financial support for international students;

§ what distinguishes the application process to film school.