Visual literacy vs close reading of cinema

21 Outubro 2020, 14:00 • Cecília Maria Beecher Martins

Comparison of analysis of film stills - visual literacy (mise-en-scene and framing) and close reading of scenes and excerpts which envolves  visual literacy (mise-en-scene and framing) but also post-production elements (film editing, sound editing, addition of score, visual effects etc).

Introduction to Visual Literacy applied to film still analysis

19 Outubro 2020, 11:00 • Cecília Maria Beecher Martins

Introduction to Visual Literacy applied to film still analysis

Structure of narrative film and reading the opening of the film "The Talented Mr. Ripley"

15 Outubro 2020, 14:00 • Cecília Maria Beecher Martins

Structure of narrative film and reading the opening of the film "The Talented Mr. Ripley"

Literary analysis

14 Outubro 2020, 14:00 • Cecília Maria Beecher Martins

Analysis of chapters 17-20 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird first in literary terms and then in light of Miranda Fricker's theory of testimonial injustice.

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird illustrating testimonial injustice.

12 Outubro 2020, 11:00 • Cecília Maria Beecher Martins

Presentation and discussion of social power – the capacity people have as social agents to influence the perception of events as well as how these unfold in our socially interconnected world.  

Discussion of the active and passive "application" of power in "balanced" dyadic relationships by discussing Fricker's presentation of the traffic warden and how the traffic warden (and law) can have an active operation (issuing traffic fines) and a passive operation (people avoid parking in areas where they know they may be fined because of the law and the operation of the law). This is a balanced situation because everyone knows what the law, when it is broken, or when someone uses influence to get away with breaking the law.  

This was compared with structural power - where the balance of power and the way people operate it is not inherently balanced but based on assumed and accepted positions of identity power. Depending on a person’s social class, age, genre, etc. they may be attributed credibility excesses or credibility deficits in their capacities to be knowers and tellers of their truths. Discussed the advantages and disadvantages of credibility excesses or credibility deficits. 

People subjected to credibility deficits are generally victims of testimonial injustice. 

They are classed as either liars (Tom Robinson – Mocking Bird) or unhinged (Marge Sherwood - The Talented Mr. Ripley) because those you hear them consider what they say cannot be true (even though it is) because their race (Tom), and gender/age /occupation (Marge) lead them to suffer from credibility deficits. 

We examined the court scene in the film version of To Kill a Mocking Bird. While, it was never favourable, the mood in the court really turns against Tom Robinson when he says that he “felt sorry for Maybelle Ewell” – how could a black man feel sorry for a white woman, no matter how dismal her circumstances? 

We began discussing why/how 2 figures – Atticus Finch and Scout Finch – in this book appear to remain neutral in their assessment of events, i.e. they appeared to operate testimonial justice. 

This is where we will continue in the next class.