Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Basics of Audiovisual Arts
Teaching staff
Introduction
Over the last two hundred years, a series of formal, methodological, conceptual and technical operations have taken place in artistic practices that have led to the emergence of the audiovisual revolutions in the 20th century. But what is to be understood as audiovisual? In the development of the course, a cartography will be drawn that will allow students to acquire a panoramic vision of the genesis of this concept and the conditions that favoured its emergence. For this cartographic task, a triple instrumentation of the devices (both conceptual and technical-technological), the patterns of visual representation and the historical contexts in which the different artistic productions develop and the scope of their influences will be carried out.
Pre-course requirements
There are no prerequisites
Objectives
The main objective of the course is to study the mutations that have led from the first collective experiences inherited from the Baroque world to the new models of mass media consumption; likewise, in order to understand the conditions of emergence of the concept of audiovisuals and their interactions with the contemporary artistic sphere, a double diachronic and synchronic perspective will be taken into account, which will make it possible to alternate the linear and transversal characteristics of the historical discipline.
Secondary objectives are, therefore, access to the specific theoretical and historiographical knowledge of the history of images with that of other human sciences associated with the knowledge of visual culture; and also the interpretation of the nature of the various social, cultural and economic contexts, as well as their interrelationships, of the historical periods in which audiovisual and artistic production is situated.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 01 - The ability to adapt to varying circumstances
- 02 - The ability to understand, accept criticism and correct errors
- 03 - The ability to administer and manage human and technical resources
- 04 - The ability to work in a team and autonomously
- 05 - The ability to organise time and workspace
- 06 - The ability to develop academic rigour, responsibility, ethics and professionalism
- 07 - The ability to apply the deontology and respect for the audiovisual sector
- 08 - The ability of critical analysis, synthesis, concretion and abstraction
- 09 - The ability to objectify, quantify and interpret (data, statistics, empirical evidenceÂ…)
- 10 - The ability to confront difficulties and resolve problems
- 11 - The ability to generate debate and reflection
- 12 - The ability to meet deadlines, develop the ability to be punctual and respect for human, technical and material resources
- 13 - The ability to create spoken and written communication
- 14 - Knowledge and mastery of rhetoric and oratory to communicate own ideas
- 15 - Knowledge and mastery of body language and techniques for public speaking
- 16 - The ability to manage, analysis and reflect on content
- 17 - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze the events of social reality and to represent Contemporary History
- 18 - The capacity and development of general culture and interest in social events
- 19 - The ability of informative documentation
- 20 - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic media
- 21 - Knowledge and mastery of the digital culture
- 22 - Knowledge and mastery of the distinction between opinion and information / colloquial and cultured register
- 23 - The ability to prioritize newsworthy events and contrast information
- 24 - The ability to plan and organize both short term and long term projects
- 26 - The ability to develop a sense of taste and perfection in the aesthetics and finalization of projects
- 37 - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze the organizational structure of global communication
- 38 - The ability to understand and apply the structure of the audiovisual system
- 41 - The ability to know how the distinct elemental agencies of the audio visual sector function
- 50 - The ability to adapt, understand and apply the expressive possibilities of new technologies and future changes
- 53 - Lingustic ability in Catalan, Spanish and English
- 54 - The ability to skillfully manage the literature, terminology and linguistic structures of the English language related to the field of communication.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Within the standard thirteen-week course pattern and by the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Recognise and identify different iconic patterns.
- Analyse and contextualise the most significant samples from different thematic and historical periods.
- Introduce a basic level of argumentation through written format, oral presentation and the articulation of different documentary sources.
- Initiation in the handling and study of written texts in a language other than the student's vehicular language.
- Group work and responsibility in commitments to deliver assignments in due time and form.
- Basic introduction to professional ethical behaviour.
Syllabus
The course will be organised in two large blocks that will integrate, as argued above, in a linear and transversal way, topics such as, for example, the visual transformations integrated in the development of performance in relation to feminist activism in the sixties and seventies, the basic concepts of film and audiovisual analysis in general and specific tools for understanding how audiovisual art is developed and how to analyse it.
Part 1. Principles of audiovisual analysis.
Part 2. Different approaches to audiovisual analysis.
TIMETABLE
Principles of audiovisual analysis
1- What is criticism? What makes a good film? Criteria for a possible evaluation of an audiovisual work. Short film analysis to be carried out in class.
2- History of criticism.
3- Staging.
4- Staging and choreography.
5- How to think about a film and how to put thoughts into words. Text analysis.
6- The Theory of the Auteur.
Different approaches to audiovisual analysis.
7- The sequential nature of images.
8- Submission and presentation of the final work: comic.
9- Sequence and montage.
10- How to detect genres? Relation of the film to the genre or sub-genre to which it belongs.
11- Feminist film theory.
12- Criticism of actors and archetypes. The star as a sign: star studies.
13- What is realism?
14- Handing in and listening to the podcast.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
| Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. | 0.2 |
| Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. | 1.4 |
| Seminar. This activity will consist of taking an in-depth look at specific up-to-date topics in a monographic manner-in some cases these topics will have been debated socially-, via active work in small groups. | 0.6 |
| Meeting Point. Meetings will be organised with notable people from the professional and scientific fields or the international field, and students. These sessions will take the form of conferences, work sessions, discussions, or interviews, etc. | 0.2 |
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 2.8 |
| Peer learning. The aim of this activity is to ensure that students gain the ability to analyse and be critical. One way of achieving this is by correcting their peers' exercises and results, etc. Each student will be evaluated twice: as both a recipient and a transmitter of critical knowledge. | 1.0 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Ordinary assessment
- Continuous assessment, in which various assignments and tests will be handed in throughout the course: 90%.
- Attendance and participation and comments in class: 10%.
As far as attendance is concerned, the minimums understood as usual in the Degree in Audiovisual Communication at the UIC will be applied; unless otherwise stated, attendance will be compulsory except in duly justified cases.
All work must be discussed with the lecturer before work begins, otherwise it will not be accepted for assessment; similarly, all work that is late will not be accepted, except in situations that justify it.
Likewise, all papers that do not follow the guidelines (structure, bibliographical citations, format, etc.), whether proposed by the lecturer or those that are customary in the academic-teaching operation of the UIC's Bachelor's Degree in Audiovisual Communication, will be returned to the student and will not be assessed.
In the event that the course has to move to an exclusively online mode, the same assignments will be requested.
Extraordinary assessment
In this case, the percentage load would be as follows:
- Final exam: recovery by exam. 100%.
Note:
With regard to the administrative situation of plagiarism, the assumptions foreseen in the UIC policies will be taken into account, if not otherwise expressed, the detection of plagiarism will determine