Professor Gillian Harkins
English 345: Studies in Film
Class Meeting: T/Th 10:30-12:30
Office Hours: TBD or by appointment
In-Person: 504-A Padelford Hall / Virtual Appointments
Studies in Film:
From Page to Screen
Course Description:
This course will explore adaptations of written work for visual media. “From Page to Screen” emphasizes our fundamental question: how does artwork originally composed in prose for print presentation translate to images, sound, and sequence through a screen? How does the transition from narrator to camera shape the experience and meaning of a work? How does a sonic landscape or sound effects transform the descriptions or syntax of a scene? When or in what ways do audiences adapt their evaluative or interpretive framework as they experience different media? When and how do you? Together we will explore a few sample short stories and novels along with their film or television adaptations to discuss these questions and build some specific short projects for you to develop your own answers in greater focus.
The course will require you to purchase or borrow a few literary works, many of which are also available as on-line files. Shared film screenings will mostly happen in class but may be required independently. Access to literary and visual works will be provided digitally whenever possible. If there are exceptions to digital accessibility, they will be marked on the syllabus and options to access those materials can be discussed in advance with the professor.
Required Books:
The final book selection may change, with a reduction in novels and focus on more short works instead. You may wish to delay purchasing books for the course until the first week’s meeting when a final syllabus will be available. Right now there are three books available through the UW Bookstore: Nella Larsen, Passing (1928); Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (1818); and Colson Whitehead, Zone One (2017). We will likely begin the course by the pairing Julio Cortazar's "Las babas del diablo" (1958) with Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow-Up (1966), then move to Nella Larsen’s Passing (1928) with Rebecca Hall's Passing (2021). The next pairings are still being decided, but may include Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) with Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) and George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) with Colson Whitehead’s Zone One (2017). If you have any questions about these materials or have covered them in a previous course, please feel free to reach out.
Add Codes:
Add codes for this course will only be available one week before the start of the course. Please wait until then to reach out and request add codes for this course.
Course Format:
The Course will meet in person on UW Seattle Campus, with the option to shift class to Zoom through the Canvas website as needed.