the teaching of film as a visual art

The Teaching of Film as a Visual ArtAuthor(s): Sally ChappellSource: Art Journal, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Winter, 1972-1973), pp. 184-185Published by: College Art AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/775736 .

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Michigan and one with an M.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit. The third art historian is at Oakland Commu- nity College and teaches only art appreci- ation. In the twenty-six other schools, the art history courses are taught by people who also teach studio courses.

The fact that many of the art depart- ments depend on studio people for the art history courses would obviously seem to affect the emphasis on, and the interest in, art history. Certainly, many M.F.A. studio people have strong backgrounds in art history, but if their interests are di- vided, art history is likely to suffer. From the superficial point of view of the students, studio courses are the more popu- lar and this popularity, reflected in enroll- ment figures, is supported by administra- tions. Frequently art history is treated as a step-child or perhaps a "necessary evil." That art history has such a reputation in many of these colleges, is all the more rea- son, it seems to us, that art historians should be hired to teach courses in art history. Another difficulty in the develop- ment of art history courses, is the need for a large collection of slides and photo- graphs and a good art library. Frequently administrators are not sympathetic to the large expenditures necessary to build sub- stantial slide collections, purchase art books and acquire projection equipment.

There are many needs for sound art history programs in the community colleges. Perhaps the first is the need of the transfer students. Many students will transfer to four-year institutions, after ob- taining their basic courses at the community college. For the art student who transfers, it is certainly advantageous to have already taken introductory courses. In fact, he will be at a disadvantage, if he has not had these courses. Every community college should at the least offer an introduction to art, plus the basic chrono- logical survey to art history. If they were to develop these courses in conjunction with art history programs offered at four- year institutions-particularly the Uni- versity of Michigan, Michigan State Uni- versity, and Wayne State University-the transfer student would be better prepared for junior status.

On a broader level, and perhaps more consistent with the community-service function of the two-year school, well-developed basic art history courses taught by art historians would serve another function. The art history course would offer exposure to an area of art which is not generally taught on a high school level and which might very well stimulate his thinking. Art history courses might also develop in the student an interest in museum or gallery work, or in architectural and historical restoration courses or fu-

Michigan and one with an M.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit. The third art historian is at Oakland Commu- nity College and teaches only art appreci- ation. In the twenty-six other schools, the art history courses are taught by people who also teach studio courses.

The fact that many of the art depart- ments depend on studio people for the art history courses would obviously seem to affect the emphasis on, and the interest in, art history. Certainly, many M.F.A. studio people have strong backgrounds in art history, but if their interests are di- vided, art history is likely to suffer. From the superficial point of view of the students, studio courses are the more popu- lar and this popularity, reflected in enroll- ment figures, is supported by administra- tions. Frequently art history is treated as a step-child or perhaps a "necessary evil." That art history has such a reputation in many of these colleges, is all the more rea- son, it seems to us, that art historians should be hired to teach courses in art history. Another difficulty in the develop- ment of art history courses, is the need for a large collection of slides and photo- graphs and a good art library. Frequently administrators are not sympathetic to the large expenditures necessary to build sub- stantial slide collections, purchase art books and acquire projection equipment.

There are many needs for sound art history programs in the community colleges. Perhaps the first is the need of the transfer students. Many students will transfer to four-year institutions, after ob- taining their basic courses at the community college. For the art student who transfers, it is certainly advantageous to have already taken introductory courses. In fact, he will be at a disadvantage, if he has not had these courses. Every community college should at the least offer an introduction to art, plus the basic chrono- logical survey to art history. If they were to develop these courses in conjunction with art history programs offered at four- year institutions-particularly the Uni- versity of Michigan, Michigan State Uni- versity, and Wayne State University-the transfer student would be better prepared for junior status.

On a broader level, and perhaps more consistent with the community-service function of the two-year school, well-developed basic art history courses taught by art historians would serve another function. The art history course would offer exposure to an area of art which is not generally taught on a high school level and which might very well stimulate his thinking. Art history courses might also develop in the student an interest in museum or gallery work, or in architectural and historical restoration courses or fu-

ture jobs. Certainly where community colleges are located in or near large metro- politan areas, such as Detroit, a well-developed basic art history program com- bined with studio work would create possible career opportunities for the student, as well as prepare him for transferring to a four-year institution.

In conclusion, we would recommend that the College Art Association have an official look at the two-year colleges, both as a source of potential jobs for art historians, particularly those with the M.A., and as a place where art history can be introduced to students. With interest from CAA, the community college administrators, especially of the larger colleges, may become more aware of art history and more inclined to hire full-time art historians for teaching art history courses. These colleges would benefit from the interest and suggestions from CAA. Al- though the two-year college can never offer a fully developed program of art history, it can and should provide a stimulat- ing beginning. The latter ideal does not now seem to be the case in Michigan.

The Teaching of Film as a Visual Art

Sally Chappell The day has come when all modern art,

humanities and general survey courses should include film art as a unit in the syllabus. College students have demon- strated such an eagerness to learn about what may well be the major art form of the twentieth century that it is the responsibility (and the delight) of the art historian to provide them with some basic information.

For the last four years I have included a cinema unit in an elementary humanities course at De Paul University entitled "The Visual Arts." After some experi- menting I found the following procedure a satisfactory introduction. It involves two very short, readily available films.

To begin I announce that I will show a short work of film art that communicates entirely with visual imagery, that is, it is non-verbal, but it has some "statements" to make about the human condition. The general, rather vague comment is deliber- ate, for it can spoil the film if the teacher makes pedantic comments on it before- hand. I then show the National Film Board of Canada's Toys (color, 8 minutes, 16 mm. purchase $135, rental $12.50). The impact of this classic film has inevitably been so stunning that the students cannot participate in a class discussion immediately afterwards. This may sound like poor pedagogy to some, but to

ture jobs. Certainly where community colleges are located in or near large metro- politan areas, such as Detroit, a well-developed basic art history program com- bined with studio work would create possible career opportunities for the student, as well as prepare him for transferring to a four-year institution.

In conclusion, we would recommend that the College Art Association have an official look at the two-year colleges, both as a source of potential jobs for art historians, particularly those with the M.A., and as a place where art history can be introduced to students. With interest from CAA, the community college administrators, especially of the larger colleges, may become more aware of art history and more inclined to hire full-time art historians for teaching art history courses. These colleges would benefit from the interest and suggestions from CAA. Al- though the two-year college can never offer a fully developed program of art history, it can and should provide a stimulat- ing beginning. The latter ideal does not now seem to be the case in Michigan.

The Teaching of Film as a Visual Art

Sally Chappell The day has come when all modern art,

humanities and general survey courses should include film art as a unit in the syllabus. College students have demon- strated such an eagerness to learn about what may well be the major art form of the twentieth century that it is the responsibility (and the delight) of the art historian to provide them with some basic information.

For the last four years I have included a cinema unit in an elementary humanities course at De Paul University entitled "The Visual Arts." After some experi- menting I found the following procedure a satisfactory introduction. It involves two very short, readily available films.

To begin I announce that I will show a short work of film art that communicates entirely with visual imagery, that is, it is non-verbal, but it has some "statements" to make about the human condition. The general, rather vague comment is deliber- ate, for it can spoil the film if the teacher makes pedantic comments on it before- hand. I then show the National Film Board of Canada's Toys (color, 8 minutes, 16 mm. purchase $135, rental $12.50). The impact of this classic film has inevitably been so stunning that the students cannot participate in a class discussion immediately afterwards. This may sound like poor pedagogy to some, but to

those who believe in art as living experi- ence the silence that fills the classroom after the showing of that film is precious.

I then pass out a list of some elementary techniques used in the film and dis- cuss them briefly. The list is as follows:

1. The Shot. The shot, like a noun, names a person, place or thing, but the shot, unlike a noun, also sets up a context. The context can be descriptive, in- structive or evocative. For example, one of the opening shots of David Lean's Law- rence of Arabia is a slow "pan-shot" estab- lishing the fact that the context of the story is the desert. Instead of having a narrator make some banal statements such as "the desert is hot, it glares, it is unmitigatingly horizontal, it is frighten- ingly dry, it does awful things to people, it is lethally endless," he evokes all this with one long shot in which the camera moves very slowly in a horizontal direction. In Toys the director uses the glass window separating the children from the toys to establish the toystore idea and to set up the mood. Later this glass window will be involved in the ironic contrasts that help to form the statement of the film's theme.

2. Sequence. This part of film-making is principally the creative selection of which film footage to use, and its ordering into meaningful patterns. The changing position of the camera, the angle of the camera in relation to the subject, and where the subject is included in the "frame" of the camera lens are some of the factors in each sequence.

3. Montage. The ordering of sequences often involves imaginative and compel- ling visual juxtapositions, which are called "montage" effects. In this stage of the process the film artist works with scis- sors and splicing tape. In Toys the artist cut several feet of children's faces up into sections and put sections of shots of toys- in-action in between, so that on the screen this gives the impression of the children being involved with what the toys are doing more intensely than one long shot of the children looking at the toys-in-action would have. Sometimes montage is called "editing" or "cutting."

4. Rhythm: Each sequence or montage has a rhythm, depending on how long each section runs in relation to the other sections. In class discussion I illustrate this by showing a film clip of Leni Rief- enstahl's Olympia (black and white, 5 minutes, 16 mm. $6 rental). The rhythm of this montage is climactic. It begins with mundane, straight-on-shots of faces in a crowd, cutting to divers doing simple twists photographed at obtuse angles. Gradually, however, the complexity in- creases, the divers do double back-somer- sault-twists, the camera angle becomes in-

those who believe in art as living experi- ence the silence that fills the classroom after the showing of that film is precious.

I then pass out a list of some elementary techniques used in the film and dis- cuss them briefly. The list is as follows:

1. The Shot. The shot, like a noun, names a person, place or thing, but the shot, unlike a noun, also sets up a context. The context can be descriptive, in- structive or evocative. For example, one of the opening shots of David Lean's Law- rence of Arabia is a slow "pan-shot" estab- lishing the fact that the context of the story is the desert. Instead of having a narrator make some banal statements such as "the desert is hot, it glares, it is unmitigatingly horizontal, it is frighten- ingly dry, it does awful things to people, it is lethally endless," he evokes all this with one long shot in which the camera moves very slowly in a horizontal direction. In Toys the director uses the glass window separating the children from the toys to establish the toystore idea and to set up the mood. Later this glass window will be involved in the ironic contrasts that help to form the statement of the film's theme.

2. Sequence. This part of film-making is principally the creative selection of which film footage to use, and its ordering into meaningful patterns. The changing position of the camera, the angle of the camera in relation to the subject, and where the subject is included in the "frame" of the camera lens are some of the factors in each sequence.

3. Montage. The ordering of sequences often involves imaginative and compel- ling visual juxtapositions, which are called "montage" effects. In this stage of the process the film artist works with scis- sors and splicing tape. In Toys the artist cut several feet of children's faces up into sections and put sections of shots of toys- in-action in between, so that on the screen this gives the impression of the children being involved with what the toys are doing more intensely than one long shot of the children looking at the toys-in-action would have. Sometimes montage is called "editing" or "cutting."

4. Rhythm: Each sequence or montage has a rhythm, depending on how long each section runs in relation to the other sections. In class discussion I illustrate this by showing a film clip of Leni Rief- enstahl's Olympia (black and white, 5 minutes, 16 mm. $6 rental). The rhythm of this montage is climactic. It begins with mundane, straight-on-shots of faces in a crowd, cutting to divers doing simple twists photographed at obtuse angles. Gradually, however, the complexity in- creases, the divers do double back-somer- sault-twists, the camera angle becomes in-

184 184



creasingly acute, the cutting becomes so rapid that all build-up material is elimi- nated and we have only the climax of dive after dive after dive, with "backlit" lighting, the framing adjusted so that the only background is the sky, and the com- pelling effect of this stepped-up climactic rhythm simulates that breathless gasp that accompanies the Olympian wonder.

5. Totality. The totality of the film is the artist's whole statement. It includes the summary of the images or shots, the impact of their juxtapostions, the propor- tions, and the appropriate use of montage for such expressive purposes as contrast, irony, parallelisms, etcetera.

At this point, I show Toys again and let the students point out specific exam- ples of the techniques used. The total rental cost of the materials for this session Toys and Olympia, is $18.50, but they are much more effective than any other films I have found, and shorter and cheaper than most. Student evaluations over the years have almost unanimously rated the films as excellent, and a majority of students have stated that Toys must be shown twice, but Olympia need only be seen once. Toys is available at most dis- tributors, but the Olympia film clip is available only from the Museum of Mod- ern Art, I believe.

College Art Association News

A number of recent developments in the policies and activities of the CAA will be of special interest to the membership.

NEWV SERVICES TO MEMBERS

Two insurance programs, flexible and low in cost, are being made available through membership in the CAA. Infor- mation on 1) a disability income protec- tion plan, and 2) a life insurance plan is being mailed out to members in Novem- ber.

Charter flights to Europe during the summer months are being planned in ac- cordance with the preferences indicated in the replies to the questionnaire on this subject. An announcement of specific charter flights was mailed out in Decem- ber.

There were special CAA Insurance and Summer Charter Flights booths in the exhibition area of the 1973 Annual Meeting where attending members had an opportunity to make inquiries or sign up.

Institutional membership will henceforth entitle the holder to use of the CAA Placement Service at annual meetings free of charge. This policy went into effect with the 1973 Annual AMeeting in New York.

creasingly acute, the cutting becomes so rapid that all build-up material is elimi- nated and we have only the climax of dive after dive after dive, with "backlit" lighting, the framing adjusted so that the only background is the sky, and the com- pelling effect of this stepped-up climactic rhythm simulates that breathless gasp that accompanies the Olympian wonder.

5. Totality. The totality of the film is the artist's whole statement. It includes the summary of the images or shots, the impact of their juxtapostions, the propor- tions, and the appropriate use of montage for such expressive purposes as contrast, irony, parallelisms, etcetera.

At this point, I show Toys again and let the students point out specific exam- ples of the techniques used. The total rental cost of the materials for this session Toys and Olympia, is $18.50, but they are much more effective than any other films I have found, and shorter and cheaper than most. Student evaluations over the years have almost unanimously rated the films as excellent, and a majority of students have stated that Toys must be shown twice, but Olympia need only be seen once. Toys is available at most dis- tributors, but the Olympia film clip is available only from the Museum of Mod- ern Art, I believe.

College Art Association News

A number of recent developments in the policies and activities of the CAA will be of special interest to the membership.

NEWV SERVICES TO MEMBERS

Two insurance programs, flexible and low in cost, are being made available through membership in the CAA. Infor- mation on 1) a disability income protec- tion plan, and 2) a life insurance plan is being mailed out to members in Novem- ber.

Charter flights to Europe during the summer months are being planned in ac- cordance with the preferences indicated in the replies to the questionnaire on this subject. An announcement of specific charter flights was mailed out in Decem- ber.

There were special CAA Insurance and Summer Charter Flights booths in the exhibition area of the 1973 Annual Meeting where attending members had an opportunity to make inquiries or sign up.

Institutional membership will henceforth entitle the holder to use of the CAA Placement Service at annual meetings free of charge. This policy went into effect with the 1973 Annual AMeeting in New York.

MEMBERSHIP DUES

An annual billing cycle, based on the calendar year, was adopted beginning January 1, 1973. Procedures have been set up for adjusting existing memberships on a quarterly basis. New members may join at any time of the year with provision made to bring them into the annual cycle.

An amendment to the dues schedule has been adopted, effective January 1973, in order to reflect the Association's intent that the lowest dues category be truly a student membership. Henceforth, the lowest-cost $14 membership will be available only to students submitting a copy of their i.d. card or other proof of student status. In this connection, the following income range for a $24 membership has been changed from $6000-$12,000 to $0- $12,000.

MENMBERSHIP ON THE BOARD

As a concrete expression of their desire to be a "working" Board, the Members have amended the by-laws of the Associa- tion to provide that any Director who has missed attendance at three consecutive meetings without an appropriate excuse will be dropped from the Board and a re- placement found.

DISTINGUISHED TEACHING OF ART AWARD

A new annual award to an artist- teacher, carrying a cash prize of $500, has been established. A committee to select the first recipient is in process of formation.

ANNUAL LISTING OF ART HISTORY PH.D. DIS-

SERTATIONS

A regular annual listing of dissertations will appear in one designated section of the Spring issue of the ART JOURNAL. Un- der this system, the responsibility for sup- plying the information required for each listing falls squarely upon the individual student who will fill in and mail standard CAA Dissertation post cards supplied, in a standard procedure, by art history de- partments granting Ph.D. degrees at the time of approval and completion of a dissertation.

SLIDE PROJECT

In response to the need of many colleges for good, inexpensive slides, the CAA is conducting an Educational Lan- tern Slide Project, under the direction of Sterling A. Callisen. An initial series of slide strips for an introductory art history course is presently being compiled. 10 rolls of 30 color slides have already been produced. One roll of 250 black and white slides should be ready in early 1973.

NANETTE RODNEY,

Executive Secretary, CAA

MEMBERSHIP DUES

An annual billing cycle, based on the calendar year, was adopted beginning January 1, 1973. Procedures have been set up for adjusting existing memberships on a quarterly basis. New members may join at any time of the year with provision made to bring them into the annual cycle.

An amendment to the dues schedule has been adopted, effective January 1973, in order to reflect the Association's intent that the lowest dues category be truly a student membership. Henceforth, the lowest-cost $14 membership will be available only to students submitting a copy of their i.d. card or other proof of student status. In this connection, the following income range for a $24 membership has been changed from $6000-$12,000 to $0- $12,000.

MENMBERSHIP ON THE BOARD

As a concrete expression of their desire to be a "working" Board, the Members have amended the by-laws of the Associa- tion to provide that any Director who has missed attendance at three consecutive meetings without an appropriate excuse will be dropped from the Board and a re- placement found.

DISTINGUISHED TEACHING OF ART AWARD

A new annual award to an artist- teacher, carrying a cash prize of $500, has been established. A committee to select the first recipient is in process of formation.

ANNUAL LISTING OF ART HISTORY PH.D. DIS-

SERTATIONS

A regular annual listing of dissertations will appear in one designated section of the Spring issue of the ART JOURNAL. Un- der this system, the responsibility for sup- plying the information required for each listing falls squarely upon the individual student who will fill in and mail standard CAA Dissertation post cards supplied, in a standard procedure, by art history de- partments granting Ph.D. degrees at the time of approval and completion of a dissertation.

SLIDE PROJECT

In response to the need of many colleges for good, inexpensive slides, the CAA is conducting an Educational Lan- tern Slide Project, under the direction of Sterling A. Callisen. An initial series of slide strips for an introductory art history course is presently being compiled. 10 rolls of 30 color slides have already been produced. One roll of 250 black and white slides should be ready in early 1973.

NANETTE RODNEY,

Executive Secretary, CAA

HONORARY TREASURER

With real regret the Board of Directors of the College Art Association of America announce the resignation of John Straus from his position as Honorary Treasurer. Mr. Straus has served the Association for eighteen years during which time it has grown from a small group of less than 500 members to a truly international organi- zation numbering over 7000. Through this period of active change he miracu- lously kept the Association in excellent financial health, making it possible today to offer to the members new activities and services. Those of us who have worked closely with Mr. Straus will always remem- ber him as the man who brought us back to earth when our imaginations began to soar too far above the realms of the possible. We will miss his presence among us, but we will not easily forget his warnings to look at each penny on both sides.

Just three years ago Mr. Straus became the Administrative Vice President of the State University of New York, College at Purchase. There he has been working on the formation of a new college of the arts -a fascinating challenge, but one which has demanded more and more of his time and made it increasingly difficult for him to continue his work with the CAA. If we must lose his active assistance, it is a com- fort to know that we have not lost his warm concern for the Association, and that the field of art will continue to benefit from his work on the Purchase cam- pus. He has already invited us to visit the College when the Association next meets in New York City, and many of us look forward to seeing there the results which his leadership will surely obtain.

At the request of the Board of Directors Richard S. Ravenscroft has agreed to fill John Straus' unexpired term as Honorary Treasurer. Mr. Ravenscroft is Executive Vice President of the Philadelphia Na- tional Bank and President and Director of the Philadelphia International Invest- ment Corporation. A graduate of Yale University, he joined the Philadelphia National Bank as a trainee in 1960 while continuing his studies at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Richard and his wife, Susan, a banker at Morgan Guarantee Trust in New York, are actively interested in the arts and spend their free moments visiting New York and Philadelphia museums and gal- leries and traveling throughout the world. At a time when the finances of the CAA are daily becoming more complex we are very fortunate to have as our new Honor- ary Treasurer a man who combines out- standing abilities in his field with a warm interest in ours.

ANNE COFFIN HANSON, President, CAA

HONORARY TREASURER

With real regret the Board of Directors of the College Art Association of America announce the resignation of John Straus from his position as Honorary Treasurer. Mr. Straus has served the Association for eighteen years during which time it has grown from a small group of less than 500 members to a truly international organi- zation numbering over 7000. Through this period of active change he miracu- lously kept the Association in excellent financial health, making it possible today to offer to the members new activities and services. Those of us who have worked closely with Mr. Straus will always remem- ber him as the man who brought us back to earth when our imaginations began to soar too far above the realms of the possible. We will miss his presence among us, but we will not easily forget his warnings to look at each penny on both sides.

Just three years ago Mr. Straus became the Administrative Vice President of the State University of New York, College at Purchase. There he has been working on the formation of a new college of the arts -a fascinating challenge, but one which has demanded more and more of his time and made it increasingly difficult for him to continue his work with the CAA. If we must lose his active assistance, it is a com- fort to know that we have not lost his warm concern for the Association, and that the field of art will continue to benefit from his work on the Purchase cam- pus. He has already invited us to visit the College when the Association next meets in New York City, and many of us look forward to seeing there the results which his leadership will surely obtain.

At the request of the Board of Directors Richard S. Ravenscroft has agreed to fill John Straus' unexpired term as Honorary Treasurer. Mr. Ravenscroft is Executive Vice President of the Philadelphia Na- tional Bank and President and Director of the Philadelphia International Invest- ment Corporation. A graduate of Yale University, he joined the Philadelphia National Bank as a trainee in 1960 while continuing his studies at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Richard and his wife, Susan, a banker at Morgan Guarantee Trust in New York, are actively interested in the arts and spend their free moments visiting New York and Philadelphia museums and gal- leries and traveling throughout the world. At a time when the finances of the CAA are daily becoming more complex we are very fortunate to have as our new Honor- ary Treasurer a man who combines out- standing abilities in his field with a warm interest in ours.

ANNE COFFIN HANSON, President, CAA

185 185



the teaching of film as a visual art

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