Fall 2024 Course Syllabus
Course: COMM-2366 (Section: 2E, CRN: 92681)
Film Appreciation 		LSCPA Logo Image
Instructor Information
Instructor Danielle Nicholson
Email nicholsondm@lamarpa.edu
Phone (409) 681-4312
Office Press Building - Room: 105C
Office Hours Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Wednesdays, 8:30 am - 2:30 pm
Additional Contact Information
Course Information
Description Survey and analyze cinema including history, film techniques, production procedures, selected motion pictures, and cinema�s impact on and reflection of society. (Cross- listed as DRAM 2366).
Required Textbooks Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

Film Appreciation: American Cinema American Culture, 5th Ed, McGraw Hill, 2017 
Additional Materials/Resources Students will be asked to watch films outside class. Most films can be found on popular streaming services or at a library.
Corequisites/Prerequisites None
Learning Outcomes
  • Analyze film through written response.
  • Demonstrate a basic knowledge of film history, form, and genre.
  • Describe the collaborative nature of cinema and the many jobs required to develop a motion picture.
  • Discuss/Describe the relationship of cinema to society as it relates to his/her perspective.
Core Objectives
Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and/or visual communication.
Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions.
Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view.
Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
Lecture Topics Outline
  • Welcome and syllabus overview
  • History of Cinema
  • What makes a movie?
  • Film Form, Content, and Genres
  • Film Narrative 
  • Cinematography and Art Direction 
  • Today’s Film
Major Assignments Schedule

  • Week 1 - August 27 and 29

    • Introductions

    • Welcome survey (required)

    • Course expectations, syllabus, and major assignment discussion

  • Week 2 - September 3 and 5

    • Introduction to Film. What is it, its history, early cinema. 

  • Week 3 - September 10 and 12

    • Film Narrative

    • Mise-en-scene, Cinematography, Art Direction

  • Week 4 - September 17 and 19

    • Classical Hollywood Cinema

  • Week 5 - September 24 and 26

    • Genres of Film: Introduction

    • Genres of Film: Silent Films, Musicals

  • Week 6 - October 1 and 3

    • Genres of Film: Comedy, Westerns

  • Week 7 - October 8 and 9

    • Mid-term exam 

    • Genres of Film: War and Cinema

  • Week 8 - October 15 and 17

    • Genres of Film: Film Noir, Drama, and Arthouse

  • Week 9 - October 21 and 24

    • Genres of Film: Post World War II, Post Cold War 

  • Week 10 - October 29 and 31

    • Genres of Film: Horror and Science Fiction. 

  • Week 11 - November 5 and 7

    • Film in the 21st Century

  • Week 12 November 12 and 14. 

    • Film Today and the Role of Social Media 

  • Week 13 November 19 and 21

    • Final Exam - Group work study 

  • Week 14 - December 3 and 5

    • Final Exam
Final Exam Date December 3, 2024 - 8:10 AM   Through  December 3, 2024 - 9:25 AM
Grading Scale

This course is a points based course, where 

100-90 points = A

80-89 points = B 

70-79 points = C 

60-69 points = D 

Below 59 points = F 

Extra credit option 1 = 10 points

Extra credit option 2 = 10 points
Determination of
Final Grade

  • Projects, exams, and participation points are assigned throughout the semester. The following projects, exams, and participation points are assigned as follows. 

    • Weekly Quiz = 24 points 

    • Mid-Term Exam = 26 points

    • Final Exam = 50 points

    • Extra Credit = Provide a testimonial video promoting Lamar State College - Port Arthur’s dual credit program for future students = 10 points 

  • Students may monitor their point accumulation via Blackboard.

Course Policies
Instructor Policies

Office Hours are Tuesdays, 12:30 - 2:30pm, Wednesdays, 8:30am - 2:30pm and Thursdays, 12:30 - 2:30pm

Additional times are available by appointment. I recommend you book a time with me in advance through this webpage and include the topic of the meeting so that I can gather any needed resources prior to the meeting. 

Feel free to email me at nicholsondm@lamarpa.edu at any time or call my office number ??(409) 681-4312 and leave a voicemail. 

I highly recommend that you contact me during office hours and share your thoughts and ideas about your projects and what you are learning in class. If you foresee any barriers to completing your assignments, please raise these concerns early with me so that we can find a suitable solution if possible.
Attendance Policy To be successful in this course, students must not only attend, but also participate and complete all assignments to receive credit. The weekly quizzes, mid-term, and final exam are all based on what is discussed in class and the weekly readings/videos.
Additional Information

  • Students will be asked to take a quiz in class each week that covers what was discussed in class and the weekly readings/videos. 

  • Tuesday, October 8 - in class midterm exam. This will be a handwritten, paper exam. No phones will be allowed in class on this day; students must leave their phones in a basket by the door upon arrival to take the exam. 

  • Thursday, December 5 - Final exam. Extra credit opportunities are due by 11:59 pm. No exceptions.
Institutional Policies
MyLSCPA Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
ADA Considerations The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
COVID 19 Information The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition directly to their local health department. Students should also contact their course faculty to report their quarantine status. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings when directly exposed to COVID 19 in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Facility Policies No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
HB 2504 This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
Clery Act Crime Reporting For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.
Grievance / Complaint / Concern If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Department Information
Business and Industrial Technology
Chair:Dr. Blas Canedo Gonzalez
Email:canedoba@lamarpa.edu
Phone:(409) 984-6547