University of Southern California



CTCS 510 New Indie Cinema

Spring 2016 Syllabus

Monday, 10-1.50 SCA 216

Professor Ella Taylor

Office: CTCS 318 Office hours: M, Th, 2-3 pm

E-mail: gabrielt@usc.edu

TA: Cheny Ng E-mail: chenyng@usc.edu Office hours: Th, 2-3 pm.

This course analyzes the rapidly changing landscape of independent cinema in the context of its history and shifting relationship to studio filmmaking, and how it carves out a place in America’s changing cultural conversation. In Part I, attention will be paid to the changing patterns of financing, production, distribution, exhibition and reception as the boundaries between studio and indie filmmaking grow ever hazier. Part II examines independent genre cinema and the rise of micro-budgeted and digitally made films at home and abroad in light of broader cultural changes including the Internet, social media, trans-media and shifts in film criticism. In Part III we focus on the way independent film, interacting with the studio system, addresses rapidly changing social identities of youth, gender and race.

Course requirements: Students are expected to read the assigned material by the date on which it appears in the syllabus and to participate fully in class discussion. Attendance will be taken and is essential to the success of the course, which will include lively discussion. You must attend screening seven if you have seen the film before.

There will be one final paper, TBA.

Students will also sign up in pairs and collaborate to lead one 15 minute class discussion, in which they analyze (not summarize) that week’s reading, generate 2-3 questions about it for class discussion, and, where possible, locate the film screened that week on the Indiewood continuum with information about its production and reception. A sign-up sheet will be passed around in the first week.

The independent film industry is changing at a rapid clip. Accordingly I have not assigned a textbook, because they date very quickly. All readings will be posted on Blackboard OR as web links in the syllabus, and should be read by the date on which they are posted. I will monitor developments and may add or change readings as necessary. Please make sure to plan your reading in advance. Your final paper should reflect that reading, and others from the list below and beyond.

Cheny and I will communicate with you by e-mail, so please monitor your inbox and make sure it is not full.

In addition to the weekly assigned readings, some general texts on independent cinema are as follows:

Sherry B. Ortner, Not Hollywood: Independent Film at the Twilight of the American Dream, Duke University Press, 2013

Alisa Perren, Indie, Inc: Miramax and the Transformation of Hollywood in the 1990s, Texas University Press, 2012

Mark Harris, Pictures at a Revolution, Penguin Press, 2008

Geoff King, American Independent Cinema, Indiana University Press, 2005

Geoff King, Indiewood, USA, I.B. Tauris, 2009

John Pierson, Spike, Mike, Slackers & Dykes, Miramax Books, 1997

Peter Biskind, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Simon & Schuster, 1998

Peter Biskind, Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film, Simon & Schuster, 2004

Emanuel Levy, Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Independent Film, NYU Press, 1999

Greg Merritt, Celluloid Mavericks: A History of American Independent Filmmaking, Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2000

Grades: Class Presentation and Participation 30%

Final Paper 70%

Statement on Academic Conduct and Support Systems

Plagiarism - presenting someone else's ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words - is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in SCampus in Part B, Section 11, Behavior Violating University Standards and Appropriate Sanctions, accessible here: . Other forms of academic dishonesty are equally unacceptable. See the university policies on scientific misconduct: .

Discrimination, sexual assault, and harassment are not tolerated by the university. You are encouraged to report any incidents to the Office of Equity and Diversity or to the Department of Public Safety via either of these forms: or "". The Center for Women and Men provides 24/7 confidential support, and the sexual assault resource center webpage describes reporting options and other resources.

Help with scholarly writing is provided by a number of USC's schools. Check with your advisor or program staff to find out more. Students whose primary language is not English should check with the American Language Institute , which sponsors courses and workshops specifically for international graduate students.

Help arranging accommodation for students with disabilities is provided by the Office of Disability Services and Programs

Emergency information will be posted at . If an officially declared emergency makes travel to campus infeasible, this website will provide safety and other updates, including ways in which instruction will be continued by means of Blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technology.

Course Exam, Project and Paper Retention Policy

It is the responsibility of all students in Critical Studies courses to retrieve all papers, projects, assignments and/or exams within one academic year of completion of a course. These records may be essential in resolving grade disputes and incompletes as well as assist in verifying that course requirements have been met. The Critical Studies Division will dispose of all records from the previous academic year in May of the current academic year. No exceptions. Please be in contact with your TAs about collecting these documents while you are taking the course.

1/11/2016 WEEK 1 Course overview, conceptual framework. Industry-form-cultural context.

Reading: You have two weeks to complete reading for this week and week 2!

Independent film today:

Why we need independent film: Mark Harris,

Screening: Modern Times (Charlie Chaplin)

1/18 HOLIDAY NO CLASS

1/25 WEEK 2 PART I: THE CHANGING CONTEXTS OF INDEPENDENT FILM

1969-1980

Reading: Geoff King, “How Independent?” and “Industry” Blackboard

Thompson and Bordwell on studios and independents: pp196-200, 309-312, 473-493 Blackboard

Screening: Five Easy Pieces (Bob Rafelson)

2/1 WEEK 3 1980-2000

Reading: Geoff King, “Indiewood in Contexts” Blackboard

Thompson and Bordwell, pp. 662-693 Blackboard

John Pierson, “Stranger Than Paradise and the First Golden Age” Blackboard

Screening: Stranger than Paradise (Jim Jarmusch)/Sex, Lies and Videotape (Steven Soderbergh)

2/8 WEEK 4 Indiewood 2000- present

Guest speaker: Scott Foundas, former chief film critic for Variety, currently acquisitions executive at Amazon

Reading: Geoff King, “Being Charlie Kaufman” Blackboard

Thompson and Bordwell on digital technology: pp. 714-728 Blackboard

Salon on indie film today:

Indie distributors on the new distribution map:

Screening: Adaptation (Spike Jonze)

2/15 HOLIDAY NO CLASS

2/22 WEEK 5 PART II CASE STUDIES IN 21st CENTURY GENRE AND FORM

From documentary to non-fiction film

Reading: Thompson and Bordwell, Documentary since the late 1960s, pp. 537-547 Blackboard

A.O. Scott on documentary films

Ella Taylor on The Hunting Ground and agitprop indies:

Screening: The Hunting Ground (Amy Ziering, Kirby Dick)/ The Wolfpack (Crystal Moselle) Please note that “The Hunting Ground” is a documentary about campus sexual assault. If that is a problem for any student, please get in touch with me in advance.

2/29 WEEK 6 World Cinema and the Independent Film

Reading: Thompson and Bordwell on global film culture, pp. 694-710 Blackboard

A.O. Scott, What is a Foreign Movie Now?”

A. O. Scott, “A Golden Age of Foreign Films, Mostly Unseen,”

Screening: Force Majeure (Ruben Ostlund)

3/7 WEEK 7 Art and Experimental Cinema

Reading: Thompson and Bordwell, pp. 155-168, 290-294 Blackboard

Low budget cinema:

Screening: Heart of a Dog (Laurie Anderson)

3/14 SPRING BREAK NO CLASS

3/21 WEEK 8 Romantic Comedy

Reading: Linda Holmes on romantic comedy: ,

Amy Nicholson on romantic comedy in Indiewood:

Ella Taylor on Results:

Screening: Results (Andrew Bujalski)

3/28 WEEK 9 PART III IDENTITIES IN CONTEMPORARY INDEPENDENT FILM AND TELEVISION

Reading: Wesley Morris,

Chris Jones on lesbian and gay cinema pp. 298-328 Blackboard

Screening: The Crying Game (Neil Jordan), Transparent

4/4 WEEK 10 Youth and teen identities

Reading: Alex Petridis on youth cultures today:

James Poniewozik on streaming and binge-watching:

Mark Harris on comic-book franchises:

Screening: Diary of a Teenage Girl (Marielle Heller)

4/11 WEEK 11 Women behind and in front of the camera

Reading: Jill Nelmes, “Gender and Film,” pp.261-296 Blackboard

Jessica Ogilvie,

Maureen Dowd,

Screening: Obvious Child (Gillian Robespierre)

4/18 WEEK 12 Race and ethnicity

Reading: Wesley Morris on race at the movies:

Wesley Morris on Selma:

Manohla Dargis on Ava Duvernay and Selma:

Screening: Dear White People (Justin Simien)

4/25 WEEK 13 Summing Up

Reading: Mark Harris on Hollywood, franchises and the future:

Tad Friend on fresh trends:

And

Screening: TBA

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