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American Film Institute
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Free Seminars (7)
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Classical Hollywood Cinema
From:
American Film Institute
This seminar introduces the most popular narrative tendencies and film genres that were developed during the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema: from the Marx Brothers to Fred Astaire; from Westerns and musicals to melodramas; and from "Singin' in the Rain" to "Frankenstein." Karen Voss, an AFI consultant and expert on critical film studies, provides a lively and thoughtful description of the rise of the major classical Hollywood studios and defines the key characteristics of seamless storytelling--the basic mode of film production used during this period.
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History Through a Filmmaker's Lens
From: American Film Institute
The indelible image of King Kong atop the Empire State Building clutching a captive Fay Wray and
swatting planes can be easily recalled by most filmgoers. However, few viewers remember how Wray's
character had gotten into such a mess in the first place. In this seminar, Patricia King Hanson
examines how films released during World War I, the Great Depression and World War II addressed,
however subtly, these major world events. This seminar will focus on these three historical periods,
using examples of American feature films developed throughout the 1910s to the 1940s to explain why
particular stars, themes and genres became popular during these years.
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Modern Film Adaptations of Shakespeare
From:American Film Institute
Teenagers, whether they are aware of it or not, have been reintroduced to Shakespearean plots
through film. Sometimes emphasizing a subplot of the original script or replacing excised text
with visual imagery and fast-paced editing, these modernized film renditions have radicalized
and re-popularized Shakespearean works in pop culture, argues AFI writer and researcher Vicki
Botnick. Of interest to literature and film buffs alike, this seminar offers an in-depth analysis
of Baz Luhrmann's 1995 rendition of Romeo and Juliet and explores some of the timeless Shakespearean
themes that have been proven successful in captivating young audiences.
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Movie Scientists: Beyond Their Time
From: American Film Institute
In this seminar from the American Film Institute, Patricia King Hanson analyzes several key
science fiction and horror films from the 1930s and 40s. Through such films as "Frankenstein,"
"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "Island of Lost Souls", Hanson provides a
filmographic analysis of the depiction of "biogenetic" research--the creation and
altering of living organisms--on the big screen.
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The Basics of Screenwriting
From: American Film Institute
In this seminar from the American Film Institute, Amy Dunkleberger guides both novice and
professional writers through the creation of an engaging screenplay. The seminar clearly and
concisely leads you through the creation of an effective premise, compelling characters and a
structure for your work. Throughout the sessions, writing techniques, presentation do's and don'ts,
screenplay terminology and film clips juxtaposed with their shooting scripts help you develop your
initial whim into your final screenplay.
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The First Fifty Years of Cinema
From: American Film Institute
In the span between Thomas Edison's short, grainy films around the turn of the century until the
dawn of the golden age of Hollywood in the 1930s, the motion picture profession in America grew
from a few curious experiments into a powerful international media industry. In this seminar from
the American Film Institute, Vicki Botnick examines the first fifty years of cinema. From scientific
experiments to sophisticated art, Botnick follows the development of film from its origins and the
growth of the American industry, through the advent of sound and color, until the 1930s and the start
of the classical Hollywood era.
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The Hollywood Star System
From: American Film Institute
In this seminar, Vicki Botnick examines the role of the Hollywood "star system,"
describing how stars, such as Theda Bara, found such great success on the screen and with the
public. Examining the careers of various stars from the 1910s to the 1940s, such as Clara Bow
and Lana Turner, this seminar explores how the major motion picture studios, publicity departments
and the ticket-buying public all contribute to the creation of the Hollywood movie star--both on and
off the screen.
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