Film & Literature   

Are you confused about college football? Do announcers sound like they are speaking a foreign language? This course is designed for the person who knows little or nothing about college football.You will learn the basics like offensive and defensive positions, rules and penalties, basic formations and the jargon that surrounds the game. We will take a look at what is new like NIL, the portal and transfers.

Plan on a field trip to FSU football facilities.

 

This class will survey five works of fiction from the 20th century that are pivotal and enduring in the literary lexicon and the culture at large—but that are largely unread by modern audiences. We will discuss these books in the context of their time as well as consider their relevance to our current era and the odd perch on which these stories have alighted. 

In this course, we will consider how science fiction has indexed and investigated both social hopes and social anxieties. Lectures will survey: 1) the genre’s gothic origins and growth in dime novels and "pulp" magazines; 2) the Golden Age and New Wave of the mid-20th century; and 3) cyberpunk and the contemporary. Each week will offer historical context, deep dives on key texts, and critical frameworks for interpreting science fiction in relation to technology and society.

This class will take a chronological look at each of the thirty-six films that Steven Spielberg has directed, from his first, “Duel,” to his iconic blockbusters, such as “E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial.” The course will also explore lesser-known Spielberg films, and his award-winning dramas, such as “Schindler’s List," providing an appreciation for the work of Steven Spielberg and why he has been a most impactful filmmaker across multiple generations.

This course will look at short films (films that are 40 minutes or less) that have been nominated and/or received an Oscar. We will watch documentary, fiction, and animated shorts and discuss the themes, cinematic elements, and messages of each. We will look at the difficulties and benefits involved in making a short film instead of a feature-length one. We will discuss where to find short films. And (if those participating would like to), we will end with creating a short film of our own.