Course coordinator
Dr Bonnie Evans
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Communication & Arts School
An introduction to screen studies which explores the relationship between film and television and provides techniques for analysing screen texts, understanding the industrial and institutional history of film and television, and exploring the impact of aesthetic style, stardom, and genre on meaning and audience responses.
Introduction to Film and Television Studies is designed to teach students how to carefully observe, closely analyse, and critically evaluate motion picture artworks. After introducing students to the concepts of production, distribution, and exhibition, the course will be devoted to exploring the principles by which films and television shows are made, and exploring topics in film and television studies.ﾠ We will focus on narrative form and audiovisual style, examining on a distinct element of film form or style each week and gradually developing an understanding of artistic techniques and norms within the artform as well as a vocabulary to describe and analyse them. In order to facilitate these tasks, we will screen a range of innovative, classic and contemporary Australian and international films and television programs.
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
CCST1300
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Bonnie Evans
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Whilst every effort is made to place students in their preferred activity, it is not always possible for a student to be enrolled in their tutorial of choice. If you require assistance, please ensure that you email timetabling.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au from your UQ student email with:
- Your name
- Your student ID
- The course code
- A list of three tutorial preferences (in order of preference)
- Reason for the change – e.g. timetable clash, elite athlete status, SAP
Teaching staff do not have access to change tutorials or help with timetables; all timetabling changes must be processed through the Timetabling Team.
Aims and outcomes
Students completing this course will have acquired the analytical and research skills needed to pursue further study in the field of film and television studies.ﾠ Questions to be addressed by the course include: How does the formal organisation of a film or television program (i.e., its technical, aesthetic, and narrative conventions) contribute to the way viewers think about and engage with it?ﾠ How can we account for both similarities and differences in the way that individual viewers respond to the same text?
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Explain and apply the technical and analytical terms used in relation to film and television
LO2.
Use the language of film and television criticism and analysis in effective written and verbal communication.
LO3.
Critically analyse films and television programs
LO4.
Demonstrate an understanding of the industrial and institutional contexts of film and television production and reception.
LO5.
Apply the skills of film and television analysis to a variety of research problems and critical approaches in screen studies and adjacent disciplines.
LO6.
Build upon your introduction to and further develop your familiarity with films and television programs of different nations, cultures, and languages.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution |
Weekly Tutorial Writing Exercise
|
30% 10 exercises x 3 marks |
Week 2 - Week 13
Due in your tutorial each week. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique | Scene Breakdown and Analysis | 30% 800 words (+/- 10%) |
12/09/2025 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique |
Comparative Analysis Essay and Process Notes
|
40% 1500 word essay (+/- 10%) |
10/11/2025 4:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Weekly Tutorial Writing Exercise
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 30% 10 exercises x 3 marks
- Due date
Week 2 - Week 13
Due in your tutorial each week.
Task description
Each week in your assigned tutorial, starting in week 2, there will be a timed writing exercise that must be completed on the provided sheet. Responses must be handwritten unless there is an accessibility requirement. (You are responsible for bringing your own pen or pencil.) Students are not permitted to access electronic devices of any kind during the writing task, but may consult printed or handwritten notes. There are 10 total tasks. You will receive three marks for each completed response, 1.5 marks for a partial answer, and zero marks for responses that are incorrect or incomplete (whether unsubmitted because of non-attendance, submitted but blank, submitted but not responding to the prompt, illegible, etc.). You will also receive zero marks if you have not followed an instruction to put away your device.
Content Tasks (Week 2 - 9):
For 6 weeks, you will be given a specific prompt for each exercise that will refer to content from the reading, screening and lecture. The question may be related to a still image or brief clip presented in tutorial. Feedback will be given informally via peer groups in the tutorial immediately after writing. Tutors will collect the worksheets afterwards to record completion of the assessment task. To check this grade during the semester, please ask your tutor or email the course coordinator.
Process Notes (Week 10-13)
In the final 4 tutorials, you will complete a series of writing exercises related to conceptualising your essay. They will be designed to support your learning and assessment planning. Submission of 2/4 of these tasks will be a hurdle requirement to pass the Comparative Analysis Essay assessment.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Submitting 2/4 of the "Process Notes" portion of the task is a hurdle for passing the Comparative Analysis Essay.Submission guidelines
Submission in your tutorial each week.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Please note: this is a class assessment item and students are NOT able to apply for an extension via the Unitask portal. Please contact your tutor or course coordinator directly to see if alternative arrangements are available.
Late submission
Late submission is not possible for this piece of assessment.
Scene Breakdown and Analysis
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30% 800 words (+/- 10%)
- Due date
12/09/2025 4:00 pm
Task description
For this assessment, you must complete a breakdown and write a short essay analysing the allocated clip/s uploaded to Blackboard.
After watching the designated film clip/s posted to Blackboard, your task is to break down the scene into its constituent parts, noting and naming stylistic features and techniques, and analysing the stylistic choices and the effect they seem designed to have on the audience, with reference to the course readings. You must analyse mise-en-scene and cinematography.
Using the template provided, paste a screen grab of each shot into a document. Caption each shot with its number in the sequence (e.g. "Shot 1," "Shot 2," etc.). For each shot, you must identify the stylistic features and techniques used in the shot, separating them under "Mise-en-Scene" and "Cinematography" and describe how they are used. In your notes, please underline or bold-face terms from Film Art, the course textbook, and indicate in brackets the page number of the book where they are defined.
On a separate page, you will write an analytical discussion of the sequence you have annotated (800 words, plus or minus 10%), explaining how the techniques you have written about create particular effects in the scene. Your discussion should have a thesis statement, an introduction and conclusion, and be presented in paragraphs. Your work should present an argument about how form and style creates a particular effect in the clip, carefully describing particular aspects of style (e.g.: mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing) AND making a claim about how these aspects function together. You should use quotations or paraphrasing from Film Art to support your argument.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submit via TurnItIn link on Blackboard.
TurnItIn Receipts:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Comparative Analysis Essay and Process Notes
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40% 1500 word essay (+/- 10%)
- Due date
10/11/2025 4:00 pm
Task description
For this assessment, you must answer one of the research questions posed on Blackboard in an essay that closely analyses sequences from two (2) films from the course. Additional instructions will be available on the task sheet and on Blackboard. You must ALSO submit process notes completed in class.
Essay: For this assignment, you will choose one of the essay questions posted on Blackboard and write a response to this question in the form of an essay. You will answer the question primarily through close analysis of film form and style (including mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound and editing). Your essay must have a central argument and make a claim about how aspects of form and style function together via a thesis statement. As we are asking you to look at two films, this argument should also be comparative – you should compare the form and style of the two clips. You must demonstrate your understanding of the terms and concepts in the course textbook Film Art by including references to the textbook in your essay. You must also use appropriate research to support your argument, using a minimum of two (2) academic sources outside of the course readings.
Your referencing and formatting style must adhere to that which is stipulated in the 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, Author-date style. Please refer to the task sheet for more guidance on formatting.
A task sheet and rubric will be made available on Blackboard.
Please do NOT include still images in your essay.
Process Notes: In tutorials, you will complete a series of writing exercises related to conceptualising your essay. These are marked as part of the "weekly tutorial writing task" series, but are a hurdle requirement for the final essay -- you must submit 2/4 of these tasks in-person to pass the essay. The word count does not apply to the process notes.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Hurdle requirements
Submitting 2/4 of the "Process Notes" portion of the Weekly Writing Tasks assessment is a hurdle for passing the Comparative Analysis Essay.Submission guidelines
Submit via TurnItIn link on Blackboard.
TurnItIn Receipts:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
- Where fractional marks occur in the calculation of the final grade, a mark of x.5% or greater will be rounded up to (x+1)%. A percentage mark of less than x.5% will be rounded down to x%.
- Where no assessable work is received, a Grade of X will apply.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
- Further information regarding the assessment, including marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
- Marks Cannot Be Changed After Being Released: Marks are not open to negotiation with course staff. If you wish to discuss the feedback you have received, you should make an appointment to speak with the Course Coordinator.
- Assessment Re-mark: If you are considering an Assessment Re-mark, please follow the link to important information you should consider before submitting a request.
- Integrity Pledge: Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin. Before submitting any assignments for this course, you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Modules.ﾠIn uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
- Withholding marks prior to finalisation of grades: Per UQ Assessment Procedures – Release of Assessment Item Marks and Grades: The final assessment item and the marks for the assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Please find all resources (including readings and screening) via the Course Reading List through the UQ Library.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 1 Lecture Introduction: Thinking Analytically about Film and Television. Reading: Film Art Chapter 1 "Film as Art: Creativity, Technology, and Business" by Bordwell, Thompson and Smith. |
General contact hours |
Week 1 Screening This is Not a Film (2011, dir Jafar Panahi). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 1 NO TUTORIAL Tutorials start in Week 2. |
|
Week 2 (04 Aug - 10 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 2 Lecture Form in Film and Television. Reading: Film Art Chapter 2 "The Significance of Film Form" by Bordwell, Thompson and Smith. |
General contact hours |
Week 2 Screening Parasite (dir. Bong Joon Ho, 2019). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 2 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 3 (11 Aug - 17 Aug) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Week 3: NO CLASSES - PUBLIC HOLIDAY |
Week 4 (18 Aug - 24 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 4 Lecture Narrative and narration in Film and Television. Reading: Film Art Chapter 3 "Narrative Form" by Bordwell, Thompson and Smith. |
General contact hours |
Week 4 Screening Citizen Kane (dir. Orson Welles, 1941). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 4 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 5 (25 Aug - 31 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 5 Lecture Mise-en-scene. Reading: Film Art Chapter 4 "The Shot: Mise-en-Scene" by Bordwell, Thompson and Smith. |
General contact hours |
Week 5 Screening In the Mood for Love (dir. Wong Kar-Wai, 2000). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 5 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 6 (01 Sep - 07 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 6 Lecture Cinematography. Reading: Film Art Chapter 5 "The Shot: Cinematography" by Bordwell, Thompson and Smith. |
General contact hours |
Week 6 Screening La Chimera (2024, dir. Alice Rohrwacher). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 6 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 7 (08 Sep - 14 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 7 Lecture Editing. Film Art Chapter 6 "The Relation of Shot to Shot: Editing" by Bordwell, Thompson and Smith. |
General contact hours |
Week 7 Screening Beau Travail (dir. Claire Denis, 1999). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 7 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 8 (15 Sep - 21 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 8 Lecture Sound. Reading: Film Art Chapter 7 "Sound in the Cinema" by Bordwell, Thompson and Smith. |
General contact hours |
Week 8 Screening Sweet Country (2017, dir. Warwick Thornton). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 8 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 9 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
General contact hours |
Week 9 Screening Frances Ha (2012, dir. Noah Baumbach). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
Lecture |
Week 9 Lecture Performance, Acting, and Stardom. Guest Lecture: Dr Simon Hall. Reading: Chapter 3: Notes on Acting in Cinema, pp. 49-57 in James Naremore's book An Invention without a Future: Essays on Cinema. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 9 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Mid Sem break (29 Sep - 05 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-Semester Break |
Week 10 (06 Oct - 12 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Week 10 - NO CLASSES King's Birthday Public Holiday on Monday |
Week 11 (13 Oct - 19 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 11 Lecture Digital Effects and Digital Animation. |
General contact hours |
Week 11 Screening Ex Machina (2014, dir. Alex Garland). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 11 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 12 (20 Oct - 26 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 12 Lecture Documentary. Reading: Chapter 1 "How Can We Define Documentary Film?" in Bill Nichols' book Introduction to Documentary. |
General contact hours |
Week 12 Screening Cameraperson (dir. Kirsten Johnson, 2015). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 12 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
|
Week 13 (27 Oct - 02 Nov) |
Lecture |
Week 13 Lecture Film Genre. Reading: Chapter 14 "Questions of Genre" by Steve Neale (p. 178-203) in the Film Genre Reader IV, edited by Barry Keith Grant. |
General contact hours |
Week 13 Screening The Babadook (dir. Jennifer Kent, 2014). Can also be viewed on Kanopy. |
|
Tutorial |
Week 13 Tutorial Please do the reading, watch the screening and view the lecture prior to coming to tutorials. Tutorials are designed to consolidate student's knowledge of film and television concepts from the readings and lecture, and build their analytical skills. Each week there is a graded tutorial writing task, followed by tutorial activities carried out individually, in groups, and as a class. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
Course guidelines
Communication Expectations
While you are a student at UQ, all communication must be conducted according to the UQ Student Code of Conduct. The UQ Library has a helpful Communicate and collaborate online module.
- Email is the primary way for you to send messages to, and receive information from, the School and our staff.
- You must use your UQ email address (not a private address) to communicate with staff.
- You should add a clear subject line, including course code, and a 2-3 word statement.
- You can send email at any time, however, please do not expect responses outside normal working hours (Monday to Friday from ~8am to ~5pm).
- Emails that constitute bullying, harassment or discrimination against staff contravene the Student Code of Conduct. Emails like this will be reported to the University, and the matter will be pursued as misconduct.