Teaching Auteur Study
by David Wharton and Jeremy Grant
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Auteur study is a key element of Film Studies, and has become increasingly important in Media Studies, thanks to the popularity of cult auteurs such as Tarantino and Fincher. However, this theoretical aspect of film can seem obscure and difficult to communicate. Teaching Auteur Study provides a coherent and clear approach to the topic.
Using examples throughout, the guide outlines the main elements of Auteur theory, provides an overview of how it developed, summarising some of its main proponents, and considers the influence it has had in the way we think about film. It summarises the criteria for defining a filmmaker as an auteur and explores issues of creative control. The guide also looks at the idea of film authorship from the point of view of the audience, and how it influences audience expectations and marketing campaigns.
Contents include:
- Introduction: Assessment contexts; Why auteur study?; Schemes of work
- Background: Definitions; Cahiers du Cinéma ; Auteur theory; The influence of critical theory; Issues in film authorship
- Case studies: Alien and multiple authorship; Genre and authorship; Lynne Ramsay as director; Dustin Hoffman as actor-auteur.
About the Authors
David Wharton has been teaching since 1991. He was subject co-ordinator of Media Studies at Gateway College, Leicester for two years, and is currently in charge of Film Studies there, having set up the department in 2001. Additionally, he continues to deliver courses in Media Studies and English. David has provided teacher workshops on film authorship for the BFI. He has been an examiner for three of the British exam boards.
Jeremy Grant has taught in Spain, Poland and the UK since beginning his career in 1995. Since 2000, he has worked at Gateway College, Leicester, where he teaches Film Studies, Media Studies and English. He worked jointly with David Wharton to set up the Film Studies department at Gateway, which in its first four years has consistently achieved results significantly above national average.
Ordering Information
Catalogue no: BR153 £24.95
Buy online from the BFI Filmstore or phone Palgrave Macmillan Orders on 01256 302866.
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