Film Studies Daily Log

Monday, February 1

Students received the course syllabus, and were asked to read it carefully tonight.

Students also received a five-page packet covering the beginnings of cinema and assigned to read it carefully as well, in preparation for a brief quiz over it on Tuesday.

Mr. P read students a brief account of the first public showing of a projected film, in December, 1895 at the Grand Cafe in Paris, after which we wached a few very brief and very early films. These included "actualities," or purely documentary clips, such as "The Arrival of a Train" and "The Snowball Fight" and their opposite, pieces of trick photography such as "Explosion of a Motor Car."

HW due Tuesday:
Read the packet on the early history of film. Quiz over it to begin Tuesday's class.