Final Project – Written or Video Essay (30%)

Final projects will address key themes and topics from the course that are then integrated into your own critical discussion and research. Students are not limited to material screened/read in class and are encouraged to incorporate external sources in their detailed analysis of their research area. The research topic will have been approved upon completion of the Proposal & Bibliography assignment. You have the choice of submitting a 3-5-minute video essay or a 10-12-page research essay. I encourage you to book a meeting with me well in advance to discuss your ideas. Final projects are due on December 12, 2019.

Re: The Video Essay. You will choose the video essay for your final project if you want to explore one of the course’s topics through relationships between images, written and spoken words and sounds in greater intimacy. The video essay might lend itself in interesting ways to various themes we will explore in class (early cinematic exhibition venues; activist film groups; touring cinematic initiatives; film festivals; critics groups; film societies; alternative screening collectives; outdoor screenings; thematic screening series; online community groups, etc.). If you choose this format to explore your research question, you will also be evaluated on your engagement with the question of why you chose this form. Think about: what is it about this format that allows you to explore your topic in interesting and challenging ways? Video essays must be submitted with a 4-page artist statement, answering this question and synthesizing research and process findings. Remember, this is not “the easy way out.” This option will be evaluated with the same amount of academic rigour as a traditional academic paper.