Cinema is an essentially geographic art, a way of “writing the world.”
By bringing a geographical perspective to examine how films evoke place, we gain a better understanding not only of how films work, but also of the ways we construct place socially in our “geographical imaginations.”

This class is intended both for students of both geography (for whom it satisfies the Human Geography requirement) and of film studies, and welcomes students from other disciplines. A diversity of student perspectives enriches our exploration of the material.

There are three ways we will consider the geography of film. The first is to consider film as a geographic practice. How have filmmakers developed a visual language to evoke viewers' experience of inhabiting and moving through space, to transport them to new places? We will closely consider the ways that various techniques of framing, camera movement, cutting, and assemblage of elements (mise-en-scène) construct cinematic space.

The second approach we'll take is to look at geography as a subject of film. We'll look at genres such as film noir, westerns, and road movies — which depend on certain conventions of framing space and motion — and consider themes such as cultural landscapes, mobilities, and the right to city.

Lastly, we'll consided film as a subject of geography, that is, as a spatially located phenomenon that circulates within modern economies. As cultural objects, films reproduce the social spaces in which we view them, whether these are theaters, homes or classrooms, so we'll plan to watch films in several ways, and pay attention to these contexts.

• identify the spatial conventions a film uses to place its audience
• draw on these techniques to effectively create sense of place in their own films
• comfortably use cinematic language to describe compositions of shots and sequences
• define the concept of genre and illustrate its application both to film and to writing
• critically discuss the role of films as objects in circulation
• know where to find resources for further research

• Clear communication, including daily use of UH email
• Regular and punctual class attendance, and prepared
• Preparation (e.g. having watching the films before class!)
• Courteous conduct and academic honesty
• Readiness to investigate resources on and off campus