Star studies is a thriving field within film and television studies and one that is central to all areas of the cinema and television- industrial, cultural, sociological and spectatorial. This module considers the historical, theoretical, and social-cultural paradigms that have informed the study of stars from the beginning of cinema and television through to today. After outlining basic theories and concepts in star studies, the module will examine how stardom has changed in Hollywood, the contrasting nature of stardom in other contexts, including European stardom, and the complimentary and distinct functions of television stardom. Although there will be a case-study star for each week, there is also the opportunity, through the presentations, to study other stars that fit within the week’s topic.
Biopics (biographical pictures) are one of the most enduring cinematic genres. Initially centred on great white men, the genre diversified and evolved over time, spawning variations and subgenres including the showbiz biopic, the female and the feminist biopic, the outlaw biopic and the experimental biopic. Biopics have frequently been awarded prizes (they account for around 20 per cent of Oscar winning films), while also being criticised for their falsehoods and formulaic nature. Recent critical interest has highlighted biopics as a troublesome genre at the intersection of fiction and history. As such the biopic implicates issues of historiography, collective and cultural memory, and biography.
This module will explore the historical development of the
biopic, the issues at stake in the genre, its diversification and
globalisation. It will consider the questions involved in bringing a life to
the screen and the different strategies taken by producers and directors to
achieve their purposes. It will examine the importance of casting and of star
performance to the success or otherwise of a biopic.
Students will study foundational film texts as well considering some of the many departures from and variations on the classical model. They will look at dramatising and story-telling strategies, tropes and conventions, forms of address, and issues of casting and performance.
The module will operate in a different way to many FTV modules. First, students will be given the opportunity to curate the second half of the module, by proposing and selecting the films to be studied. Second, the approach to film texts will be ‘deconstructive’ and contextual, that is to say it will focus on uncovering the ‘nuts and bolts’ of each work and on the connections (cultural, political, commercial) between the film and public impressions of the subject portrayed. Third, for the assessment, students will prepare a biopic project of their own following the guidelines set out in the Assessment section below.
Module aims
The module will:
- familiarise students with the biopic genre and its variants over time;
- explore the strategies and devices that have been employed to bring a life to the screen;
- consider the issues at stake in biopics in terms of understandings of the past, national identity, public education and entertainment;
- engage students in conceiving a biopic project of their own.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
- describe, understand and contextualise the historical development of the biopic;
- understand and interrogate the notion of film biography;
- situate the biopic in relation to a range of discursive, historiographical and cultural currents;
- understand the core debates and cultural frameworks that underscore scholarship on the biopic genre;
- understand the range of practices that have widened the nature of biopics since 2000.
Organisation of the module
The module will be held on Tuesdays and will consist of the following weekly elements:
10.00 – 11.00 lecture FABM.010
11.00 – 13.00 screening FABM.010
14.00 – 15.00 seminar A FABM.010
15.00 – 16.00 seminar B FABM.010
There may be some variations on this pattern as the term progresses though the day and start time will always remain the same.
Weekly assignments
In order to prepare for each week’s topic and film, you will be expected to read selected published materials (to include biographies, reviews, marketing information) some which will be drawn from the bibliographies on this outline. Other materials will be supplied on a week-by-week basis or will be a result of your own research.
Each week, there will be at least one padlet where
information, ideas and images can be posted that will be discussed in the
seminars. Please make an effort to contribute to these regularly.
Assessment
1 x biopic project of 5000 words (BA) or 6000 words (MA).
Students will prepare a project constituting a proposal for a hypothetical
biopic. This should take one of the following two forms:
A. a proposal for a screen biography of a subject who has already had one or more biopic treatments;
B. a proposal for a screen biography of a subject who has not been treated up to now in a biopic.
The project must consist of the following compulsory and optional parts.
Compulsory list (include ALL of these, using a sub-heading for each section):
a. An analytical review of two or more published biographies of the subject.
b. An analysis of previous biopics or screen representations of the subject (where these exist and are accessible).
c. A review of relevant academic works that place the subject in their historical, political or cultural context.
d. An explanation and justification of the period or moments of the subject's life that will be treated in the proposed film and/or the particular angle and purpose of the biopic.
e. A discussion of the aesthetic choices that will determine the style of the film.
Optional list (you must choose TWO of these, using sub-headings for the selected sections):
f. A discussion of casting options and the challenges involved in the choice.
g. A discussion of which real, composite or invented secondary characters will play a role.
h. A reflection on any autobiographical works by the subject.
i. The target audiences and marketing strategy of the film.
Students must submit an outline proposal for approval the module leader. Please submit your outline (1-2 pages) to Stephen Gundle by the end of week 4 of the Spring Term. These should be sent by email and the subject box should read ‘FTV Biopics outline’.
In weeks 9 and 10, there will be short presentations of the topics
Submission date for completed project:
BA: Tuesday 7 May
MA: Tuesday 7 May
This module will offer an exploration of contemporary Latin American cinemas. Its driving questions will be: Is there a thing such as a unified and coherent Latin American cinematic aesthetic? What characterises the cinemas of Latin America in the new millennium in terms of production processes, distribution strategies and aesthetic sensibilities? What connections can be made between cinemas produced within different countries?
To answer these questions, the module will be divided into three parts, each of which will respectively focus on the national cinemas of Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. By charting the industrial, financial, and cultural specificities of these cinemas since the early 2000s, the module will explore the way in which they fluctuate between the poles of the national and the transnational, and the local and the global. In so doing, the module will utilise such cinemas as a way of unpacking and reflecting on a number of questions, such as: representations of historical and contemporary issues, including the persistence of colonial structures, social inequality and urban violence; transnational modes of funding and address; global circuits of distribution and exhibition; and questions of national and regional (i.e. Latin American) identity.
The start of university life is exciting but can also be challenging. As first year students, you will be confronted with a variety of unfamiliar tasks and activities. You will be required to learn and practise new skills, and to adapt to a new environment as you navigate your way through your academic studies. You may also wonder how the skills you are learning at university may serve you in your future life, and what choices may be open to you as a film and television student in the world of work.
Film and Television Studies: Essential Skills is a module that has been designed to support and enhance your studies and university life at Warwick. The module will run throughout the year across all terms. This first part of the module will particularly focus on developing your scholarly skills and easing the transition to degree level study. Being a film and television student within an academic environment means much more than passively watching lectures or films. You will be expected to take notes during classes, actively participate in seminar discussions and carry out library research independently in your own time. You will also be assessed on all of your modules. FTV Essential Skills will provide you with the tools to make the most of your time both within and beyond the classroom.