Final Exam Update

I've just completed creating the Final Exam and you will have 65 minutes to answer 80 questions worth a total of 200 points and 2 extra credit questions worth 2 points each.  The test is a bit longer than the 75 questions I anticipated, but I've given you an extra 5 minutes for the additional 5 questions.

The Final Exam

Although it is still a few days away, I wanted to take a moment to go over what you should expect on the Final Exam.  After all, it's never too early to start preparing for it.

Discussions and the Critical Analysis give you the opportunity to demonstrate your critical thinking skills in relation to the films, film movements, and directors we've studied.  The Final Exam, on the other hand, is designed to see who has watched the films and read the assigned readings closely.  Indeed, some questions are designed simply to tell if you watched the film vs. just read about it.  And others are designed to see if you really did the assigned readings.

To help give you a better idea of what you're going to need to know, here are some examples of the type of material I will be testing you on.

1) Questions about the films themselves 

Key plot items.  For example, you should be able to tell me who was killed or who killed someone in a film. Or who was in love, who got who pregnant, who betrayed who, etc.

Themes.  For example, you should be able to tell me which film emphasized the theme of the superficiality of modern life.

Cinematography/Editing.  You should be able to tell me what was special about a film's cinematography and editing.  Or whether the film was in color or black and white?  Or which film featured montage? etc.

Things associated with a film.  If I say "chess board" you should be able to tell me which film it most applies to.

Characters.  You should be able to tell me important things about the characters.  For example, if a character walks with a limp or always wore black or changed their name, you should know that.

Key lines of dialogue. You should be able to identify key lines of dialogue and who said them.

Setting.  You should be able to tell me where a film took place, how long a period of time it covered, etc.

Sound.  You should be able to tell me if a film did something special in regards to sound or the lack thereof.

Background on the films.  For example, you should be able to tell me who wrote the screenplay and who directed the film.  And you should be able to tell me if the film was a critical or commercial success when it was originally released.

2) Questions about the films movements

Characteristics of each film movement.  You should know what defines each of the film movements.

The various schools or groups within the movement. If there are different groups within the movement, you should be able to identify them. 

Influences upon the film movement.  You should know how historical forces, other film movements, and technological developments influenced the film movement. 

How the film movement/subgroup influenced filmmaking.  You should know how each movement influenced filmmaking in general.  At times, certain subgroups have developed their own rules for filmmaking that have been influential.  You should know these.

The history of film within national cinemas.  You should understand how filmmaking developed within each national cinema.

3) Questions about major directors whose films we watched

Basic biographical information.  You should know any relevant biographical information about the director.

What the director is known for in general and re the film(s) we watched.  For example, you should know how Ozu and Kurosawa have different approaches to cinematography.

Challenges, controversy, and awards.  You should know any particular challenges the director faced in making the film(s), any controversy generated by the film(s), and any major recognition the director received.

Other films by the director.  You should be familiar on a more general level with other films made by the director, particularly those that were discussed at length in the text.

4) Questions about directors whose films we haven't watched 

There will be a few questions about other major directors who are discussed in the text, but whose films we didn't have time to watch.  

What the director is known for.  For example, in Soviet Montage, we studied Eisenstein, but a question was asked about Pudovkin because he was known for a different approach to montage.

Significant films.  You should know a film that was important in film history, even if we didn't study it.  For example, Godard's Breathless is one of two seminal films in the French New Wave.  We didn't watch the other one, made by Truffaut, but I would expect you to know its title, that he made it, and why it was important.

The Final Exam consists of 80 questions worth 200 points (plus two extra credit questions worth a total of 4 points).  You take the exam on blackboard by clicking on the Assignments link, then clicking on  Final Fall 2011.

The Final is made up of True/False, Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer, Fill-in-the-blank(s), and Matching questions.

You will have 65 minutes to take the exam.  You should set your own timer, so that you do not exceed the time limit.  You will lose one point for each minute you go over the time limit.

You will receive the questions one at a time.  Once you pass a question by, there is no going back to it.

The Final is open book/open note, but given the time constraints you won't have much time to go searching for answers.

And you must close all other windows and browsers before and during the exam, as multiple windows or browsers will cause the exam to crash.  Also, be sure your browser it up-to-date.

If you have technological problems for reasons other than multiple windows or browsers when taking the exam, email me ASAP.

Good Luck!