BART 97A88 - Cinema, Reality and Utopia

Cinema, initially conceived as a tool for objectivity, has always maintained an ambiguous relationship with reality. In this theoretical and practical workshop, we will explore how each technical and aesthetic choice – from sound to framing, from editing to special effects – contributes to shaping interpretation, and how films can be powerful mediums for disseminating political imaginaries.

Beyond critique, the workshop encourages you to harness this influential power of cinema to propose alternative visions of the world. You will be invited to question yourselves about desirable alternatives and futures, and to depict them in a short film created in groups.

Academic expectations

• Discover the steps of a short film’s production, from script to editing
• Understand the influence of cinema on the interpretation of reality and on the collective imagination
• Explore how cinema can convey political alternatives and utopias.

Session 1. : Introduction

Introduction to the issue of reality and cinema, and to the notion of utopia.

Formation of the groups for the short film and work on utopias.

Session 2. : Sound

Presentation of the narrative and persuasive functions of the sound in cinema.

Exercise : telling a story only by sound (no words).

Session 3. : Framing

Presentation of the narrative and interpretative functions of the point of view in cinema.

Exercise : filming differently the same scene.

Session 4. : Editing

Presentation of the theories on editing. Introduction to the editing software DaVinci Resolve.

Exercise : editing the scene filmed last week.

Session 5. : Script

Presentation of the narration’s effects on the interpretation of reality. Techniques of script writing.

Work in groups : starting to write down the short film’s script.

Session 6. : Tricks

Presentation of the different basic tricks in cinema.

Exercise : making disapparitions, apparitions, substitutions, compositing with green screen.

Delivery of the script.

Session 7. : Filmmaking : Preproduction

Feedbacks on the script, organisation of the production : analysis, planning, scounting.

Session 8. : Filmmaking : Work on filming

Session 9. : Filmmaking : Work on filming

Session 10. : Filmmaking : Work on editing

Session 11. : Filmmaking : Work on editing

Session 12. : Collective Presentation

Screening of the short films and general debrief on the issue of utopia.

• Short film (collective grade, groups of 4) – 60% of the final grade
• Script of the short film (collective grade, groups of 4) – 30% of final grade
• Four exercises (individual grades) : sound, framing, editing, tricks – 10% of final grade

Late work policy

Little malus on the grade (-0,5)

Late arrival policy

You will have to join the ongoing exercise.