Overview

This unit introduces students to contemporary national and international cinema that will inform and enrich their film making capabilities. This unit will provide opportunities for students to engage with contemporary cinema from different cultures and explore production processes that differ from mainstream models.

Requisites

Prerequisites

Bachelor of Film and Television (Honours)

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
02-March-2026
31-May-2026
Last self-enrolment date
15-March-2026
Census date
31-March-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
21-April-2026
Results released date
07-July-2026

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Discuss the production values of contemporary national and international cinema
  • Describe a critical framework for measuring and categorising film and television
  • Compose a critical response to contemporary film culture from around the world
  • Write critical opinions in response to contemporary national and international cinema
  • Identify cultural and social concepts as expressed in cinematic language including narrative, character, visual and sound aesthetics

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Class		3.00 12 weeks 36
On-campus
Class		1.00 12 weeks 12
Specified Activities
Various		2.00 12 weeks 24
Unspecified Activities
Various		6.50 12 weeks 78
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
EssayIndividual 50% 2,3,5 
PortfolioIndividual 40% 2,3,4,5 
ReviewIndividual 10% 1,2,5 

Content

  • Contemporary national and global cinema
  • Core concepts of cinema studies
  • Cultural and social concepts as expressed in cinematic language
  • Histories of production processes
  • Graduate Attribute - Communication Skills: Verbal communication
  • Graduate Attribute - Communication Skills: Communicating using different media

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.