Moving Images, Understanding Media

vi Preface

Organization

Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Media off ers a series of

thematically driven units that provide opportunities for collaborative learning,

enhancement of creativity, and development of higher order thinking. Th e

textbook is made up of eight chapters that are designed for approximately

one month of coursework each. Th us, each four-chapter half of the book

corresponds roughly to a semester of work. Chapters are arranged thematically,

so students investigate topics to develop a basic understanding of motion

picture technology, history, and artistry through selected examples that

illustrate each subject. Th ey complete analytical work and creative exercises

to develop skills in evaluation, cooperative problem solving, writing, and

visual storytelling.

In the fi rst half of the book, students are introduced to the essential building

blocks of motion picture communication: the language of moving images,

the technical development of cinema, the integration of sound, and the

fundamentals of cinematography.

In the second half of the book, students deepen their perspectives on the

range of opportunities and sources in motion picture communication. Th ey

consider formats and genres of movies, including narrative or non-narrative

and fi ction or documentary. Th ey are introduced to a wide range of fi lmmakers

working in a variety of cultural and professional contexts. In the fi nal units,

students deepen their skills in evaluating and writing screenplays and then

explore the full production process.

Th e text is organized so that skills are built incrementally and topics are

explored from paired themes. Chapters 1 and 2 revolve around the growth

of visual communication; Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the craft and technical

underpinnings of moviemaking; Chapters 5 and 6 investigate the forms

that movies take; and Chapters 7 and 8 concentrate on the development

and production of stories on the screen. Following is a brief overview of the

chapters.

Chapter 1: Motion Picture Language

In the fi rst unit of the text, students are introduced to basic methods of

communication through motion pictures. Th e class members learn essential

concepts linked to framing and sequences, and they complete exercises

designed to develop skills in creating basic shots and series of images.

Chapter 2: Inventions and Origins

Having explored the concept of motion picture language, the students are

introduced to the birth of photography and the cinema. Th ey learn about

the physical process of fi lmmaking and the discoveries and creations of early

fi lmmakers. Th ey write character descriptions, shoot their own non-dialogue

fi lms, and analyze a variety of silent movies.

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