How To Close Read a Film

Date: 

Wednesday, September 16, 2020, 3:00pm to 4:00pm

How To Close Read a Film Workshop

Wednesday, September 16th, 3:00-4:00 PM EST**

 
Films are often designed for passive absorption: dazzling vision while rendering their own construction invisible. Students typically begin to break down these designs by noting familiar literary characteristics carried into cinematic narratives. But in order to become fully active, critical viewers, we must learn how to close read films as films: as unique audio-visual media forms demanding unique forms of apprehension and analysis.
 
How do we become these viewers? Where do we start? This workshop is designed for first-time film analysts and for those who would like to refresh their close reading abilities. Although we will focus on filmic media, these skills will help participants begin to think about close reading broad varieties of visual culture, as well as time-based media like music or video art.
 
Students must sign up for the workshop at least 24 hours in advance of the seminar through this Google form. (By Tuesday, September 16th, at 3:00 PM EST.) Participants will be sent some short reference materials to look at beforehand.
 
**If a student would like to join this seminar, but cannot make the time slot due to another commitment, they are encouraged to email the AFVS Departmental Writing Fellow, Nathan Roberts (nathanroberts@g.harvard.edu), who will, depending on interest, either schedule a duplicate seminar or encourage students to meet with him individually.
afvs_close_read_film_workshop_1.pdf141 KB