Preparing for the Future of Film and the Audiovisual

For the last 120 years, cinema has held a dominant position as a creative and entertainment medium, a cultural institution, and an audiovisual language for understanding ourselves and our world.  How will cinema’s significance evolve in the years to come? This course explores various contemporary phenomena that are shaping what we know as cinema. Such phenomena include: social media and personal digital technologies; expanded sites of cinema including museums, galleries and urban spaces; streaming media and gaming platforms; the video essay and videographic criticism; VR / AR and AI. How does the traditional experience of cinematic spectacle on a big screen influence - and become influenced by - new forms of interactive, performative, cybernetic, personalized, essayistic and networked media, that have moved from the fringes into the mainstream of mediated life and entertainment? How will film curation and exhibition evolve in the future, considering the growing influence of streaming and online platforms on the cinematic landscape?  And finally, how will new developments change our understanding of cinema and its role in our lives?

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive survey of various contemporary forces that are shaping the future of cinema, as found in technology, industry, culture and art. 

In presenza

This course will present a range of contemporary film, video and digital media to explore how they engage technological innovations that enable new creative possibilities, expose shifting dynamics in creative institutions and industries, and respond to environmental topics and social issues that may define the future. Key theoretical approaches to new cinematic and post-cinematic forms will also be presented. The course involves weekly screenings and discussions of readings.

There will be a multiple choice midterm exam and a final exam. Assignments during the semester will include a combination of short reflections, exercises and presentations.