Currently, studying abroad in Prague, I am taking a film class that focuses on Czechoslovak cinema and culture. I took this class to fulfill one of my general education requirements and didn’t realize how much impact it would make on my studies here. Although this is a film class, you don’t need any previous knowledge of film, although that was my first mistake.
Having been a good way through the class, I've found that, although you do not need any previous knowledge of the content, having a grasp of film or film analysis is really, and I mean REALLY, helpful. Being a Media, Culture and Communication major, film is definitely not my expertise. Whenever we have discussions about films that we have watched in class or clips that were assigned, having previous film analysis knowledge proves to be extremely vital.
I feel really lost during our discussions when film students pick up on a lot of details that completely went over my head. Because of this, my analysis is a lot simpler and less in depth, making the class even more difficult for me to keep up with.
Aside from talking about the negative aspects of studying film as a non-film student, there are many positive sides. What studying film does for me is that it gives me an open eye for all the details and hints that the director hides in his/her film. Many directors have clues that normal people when watching films completely miss. I feel that now when I watch a movie or a film, I actually get my money’s worth in that I see all the cinematic techniques and skills that the director uses to get their message and point across to the audience. Now, rather than paying attention to how pretty the set design is or how nice the actors and actresses look, I am amazed at what different objects can represent and the phrases that are constantly repeated that deal with the overall message of the movie.
In addition, we watch many films in class that are open to interpretation in that they have no plot and basically just confuse you. Before this class, I never really took a liking to these types of films because I thought that they were just a waste of time. However, I see that these "open to interpretation" films are better because they leave a message that is not clearly stated and really makes me think about what I just watched. I have a new found appreciation for the directors and the efforts and time that they put into making a unique film.
However, I am not just a non-film student studying film, but I am a non-film student studying film in Prague, Czech Republic. Studying film in a different country, especially a European country really opens my eyes to the differences and similarities that are constantly played out in each country’s films. Although this is a difficult process and journey for studying film, I am extremely glad and appreciative of this unique opportunity that I get.
