June 19 - June 20, 2003
The Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley presents a two-day intensive workshop, How to Read a Film, designed to help high school teachers prepare their students to better "read" the diverse and complex images surrounding them - from the silver screen, through the video beam, to the 3-D computer dream.
How to Read a Film exposes teachers to the basic concepts and practices of visual literacy while encouraging the productive use of media within the classroom. Yet another intention is to advance the appreciation of film and video as artforms with their own unique properties. The overarching goal of the workshop is to furnish young people with the critical viewing skills necessary to master the visual culture of the twenty-first century.
An inspiring group of film educators and media literacy experts has been assembled to familiarize workshop participants with the broad principles and practices of visual literacy. The workshop balances theoretical issues with practical classroom applications. Presentations will include demonstrations of visual "reading" practices, a cumulative sense of the sweep of contemporary media, and examples of relevant moving images.
This year's workshop includes two special sessions: "Behind the Screen: A Look at the Celebrity Industry" and "Models that Work: Effective Exercises that Combine Media Analysis and Video Production." Each participant will be given a reader containing the essential premises of visual literacy, along with selected essays and suggested activities.