Course syllabus

Welcome to the practical film course at the MFA in Film at HDK-Valand!

HDK-Valand 

Master of Film

Film Reflection (MAFI14) 

Spring 2023 Course Guide

Term

Spring 2023

Course code

MAFI14

Course name

MAFI 14 - REFLECTION (7,5 credits)

Program director

Jyoti Mistry

Email

 jyoti.mistry@akademinvaland.gu.se

Course responsible

Mirka Duijn

Email

mirka.duijn@gu.se

Participating teachers (with access to the course canvas-activity)

Mirka Duijn                                                                                  mirka.duijn@gu.se

Jyoti Mistry                                                                                  jyoti.mistry@akademinvaland.gu.se

Balsam Karam (MA Forum)

Niclas Östlind (MA Forum)

 

Guest teachers: Alain Kasanda, Janaina Nagata, René Duursma, Francesco Ragazzi, Cem A, and others.

Schedule: Time Edit

Course on Canvas

MAFI 14: https://canvas.gu.se/courses/66224

Course Syllabus

MAFI 14: https://kursplaner.gu.se/pdf/kurs/en/MAFI14

Credits:

MAFI 14 - REFLECTION 1 (7,5 credits)

Grading scale: Pass (G) or Fail (U)

2023 Spring Semester

Register for your courses

Do not forget to register for the course in Ladok services.  Registration opens one week before the start of course. You must also be registered to be able access all course material published in Canvas. If you have problems with the registration or questions about your studies please contact admission@hdk-valand.gu.se

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Course Description

Throughout the course, students will be exposed to various concepts in the context of (artistic) research in and through practice. The course aims to increase understanding of reflection of work practices, methods, approaches and procedures in the making of creative work and its relation to artistic film practices.  

The course encourages the showing or revealing of thinking in and through practice which can be produced in written text and/or audio-visually.  Students are asked to develop written essays and film projects that expose their processes and their thinking with regards to their creative work and its development. Students are also expected to participate in discussions. This course provides the structure for continued examination and reflection of one’s own artistic approach(s).

The course’s educational bases and learning activities are:

MA-Forum Seminars

As a part of the MAFI14 Reflection Course MA Forum sessions will be organized. The MA Forum runs over two semesters, fall MA1, spring MA1. Each semester will have four sessions in total. The MA Forum is where Master students meet across programs (Film, Photography and Literary Composition) and are introduced to foundational concepts and theories that are valuable for developing a critical, artistic practice within a research environment. 

Being master students, you are all asked to do or think in terms of ‘research’. According to European law each master should be preparatory for a PhD, which means you should have the knowledge that is needed to conduct research. Artists and writers are propagated to do research in and through their art practice. This is research that departs from within an art practice - thinking through text, images and sounds, using art and the art practice as a conceptual framework, a methodological vehicle as well as a means of dissemination. In the MA Forum we reflect on different foundational concepts in the context of a research environment.

You will receive a brief with all information about each MA Forum session min. two weeks in advance of the MA Forum date. In this brief you will find all information about the preparation we ask you to do for the session. For the MA Forum you can i.e. be asked to read articles, watch clips or think about a proposed question.

After each MA Forum we ask you to write a short reflection, in which you are always asked to connect the theoretical propositions posed during the MA Forum back to your own practice and inquiry-led project. These reflections are the 'examinable' deliverables of the MA Forum Seminars. Deliver within one week after the MA Forum to receive feedback from your teacher. 

Intensives

The MAFI13 H23 Practical Course and the MAFI14 H23 Reflection Course are interwoven, and will be conducted through individual assignments, seminars, workshops and group discussions that are organized in five 'intensives'; Intensive weeks of study. Each intensive revolves around a specific theoretical and practical proposition. An intensive usually spans one week and is preceded by several weeks of self-study. Briefs for the preparation for intensives are shared in advance of the self-study weeks.

Individual Learning

Briefs for the preparation for intensives are shared ± three weeks in advance of intensives. In this brief you will find all information about preparation for the intensive. This usually consists of literature to read and films to watch as well as an audio-visual exercise. Please note: The weeks in between intensives are being kept free of teaching for you to prepare for the intensives. This is a full-time master, expect the workload in the weeks in between the intensives to be substantial. 

Peer Learning

A major part of the intensives will exist out of student presentations and peer-feedback sessions. You will present visual exercises and propositions for inquiry-led practices at multiple moments during the semester. On these occasions, you, as a student, will also be asked to provide feedback to other students' work.

Research-Project Development: Personal Prompt

During this semester your personal inquiry will increasingly be forefronted. In week 9 a Research-Project Development Day will be organized, in which students present the developments around their inquiries, after which feedback sessions are organized. 

One on Ones: Personal Prompt

As a part of the MAFI13 H21 Reflection Course there will be three One on One meetings with Mirka Duijn. The meetings are 45 minutes long and are designated to discuss the students' individual inquiries. The student is asked to come prepared with an agenda and, if necessary supporting textual or audiovisual materials, which should be shared with the teacher two days in advance of the meeting. 

Additional Lectures, Screenings & Artist Talks

As a part of each semester additional (public) lectures, screenings and artist talks will be organized. Announcements will be made during the semester. As a part of this spring semester this will a.o., contain: the HDK-Valand Research Day (January) in January and a public lecture by artist Cem A (February).

Course Evaluations

The course will be evaluated orally at its conclusion and also in writing and anonymously via a course development survey, where students will have the opportunity to provide your views on the course. After this, the instructor will write a course report containing a summary of the various evaluations, including key observations made by the students and the instructor’s summary, analysis and action plan for the course. 

 

2023 Spring Semester Schedule

This is the overall schedule for the spring semester. Detailed schedules of your courses are always published on our digital tool Time Edit. 

Week 2 (Fall Semester)

Tue 10/1 - Wed 11/1

Course Evaluation (Zoom)

Re-Exams (Zoom)

Week 3 (Spring Semester)

Tue 16/01 - Thu 19/1

Now that we are Back

In-Between Meeting #1: Introduction to the Spring Semester

Brief for Intensive #6

Week 4

Mon 23/1 - Fri 27/1

Intensive #6: The Archive

Research Day

Week 5

Mon 30/01 - Sun 05/02

Intensive #7 Brief

DCP Workshop

Film School Day

MA2 GIFF Exam Screenings (weekend)

Week 6

Mon 06/02 - Thu 16/02

Self-Study

MA-Forum #6

Week 7

Mon 13/02 - Fri 17/02

Intensive #7: Security Vision, Mediating Images

& Meme Cultures Workshop

Week 8

Mon 20/02 - Thu 23/02

Intensive #8 Brief

Intensive # 8 Screening


(Please note that this is scheduled on Monday and Tuesday, we advise you to stay in Gothenburg after Intensive #7.)

Week 9

Mon 27/02 - Thu 02/03

In-Between Meeting #2

Project Development Workshop (Personal Prompt)

One-on Ones: Personal Prompt #1

Self-Study

Week 10

Mon 06/03 - Thu 09/03

Production Workflow Meeting

MA Forum #7

Week 11

Mon 13/03 - Thu 16/03

Intensive #8: De-Doc-Donkey

Week 12

Mon 20/03 - 24/03

CPH:DOX

Week 13

Mon 27/03 - Thu 30/03

Intensive #9 Brief

In-Between Meeting #3

One on Ones: Personal Prompt #2

Week 14

Mon 03/04 - Thu 06/04

Intensive #9 Brief Follow Up

One on Ones: Production & Technical Assistance #1

Self-Study

Week 15

Tue 11/04 - Thu 13/04

Self-Study

MA Forum #7

Week 16

Mon 17/04 - Sun 23/04

Intensive #9: In Situ, Norway


Please note that this Intensive will not be two full weeks. It will be a one week (seven days) intensive, which will run over week 16 and 17. Precise dates will be shared at a later moment.

Week 17

Mon 24/04 - Thu 26/04

Intensive #9: In Situ, Norway

Intensive #10 Brief (Zoom)


Please note that this Intensive will not be two full weeks. It will be a one week (seven days) intensive, which will run over week 16 and 17. Precise dates will be shared at a later moment.

Week 18

Tue 02/05 - Thu 04/05

Self Study

Week 19

Mon 08/05 - Thu 11/05

In-Between Meeting

One on Ones: Personal Prompt #3

One on Ones: Production & Technical Assistance #2

Self Study

Week 20

Mon 15/05 - Wed 17/05

Intensive #10: Exam MA1

Week 21

Mon 22/05 - Thu 25/05

Intensive #10: Exam MA2

Workflow Meeting #2

MA Forum #8

Week 22

Mon 29/05 - Fri 02/06

One on Ones: Exam

One on Ones: Budget

Course Evaluation

End of the Academic Year events



Learning Objectives

MAFI 14 - Reflection II

Learning Aim:

Throughout the course, students will be exposed to various concepts in the context of (artistic) research in and through practice. The course aims to increase understanding of reflection of work practices, methods and procedures in the making of creative work and its relation to artistic film practices.  The course encourages the showing or revealing of thinking in and through practice which can be produced in written text and/or audio-visually.  Students are asked to develop written essays and film projects that expose their processes and their thinking with regards to their creative work and its development. Students are also expected to participate in discussions. This course provides the structure for continued examination and reflection of one’s own artistic approach(s).

 

Learning outcomes:

  •   by drawing from the relevant theoretical and analytical frameworks, students will be expected to formulate their about the own artistic approach
  •   to describe and give examples of enquiries from artistic research practices in a general way
  •   to be able to discuss reflective works in the field of film
  •   to identify, select and use texts, film essays of other film projects or other sources of knowledge relevant to one’s own filmic work and more generally in the field of film
  •   assess and critically analyse reflective works in the field of film
  •   relate to and critically reflect on different types of text and other sources of knowledge on the basis of their function and importance to the field of film.

Modes of Examination 

Each intensive is an official ‘exam-moment’. There are five examination occasions in the course, three during the courses itselves and one at the end. The first four occasions are at the intensives #6, #7, #8, and #9. The last exam occasion is at intensive #10, also called end-examination. Over the whole the learning outcomes will be examined through:

 

For the course MAFI 14 - REFLECTION II

1. A verbal presentation (Intensive #10) on the visual presentation of the exercises/tasks made during the workshops. Here the theoretical framework should be always considered. Length of  the presentation/discussion are described in the specified brief.

2. An exam project dossier with all necessary documentation. A detailed brief will be given prior to the task.

3  Forum: A written reflection after each MA forum session. Each session will have its own guideline for writing the reflections. In general, students are required to write 400-500 words in total for each session. Students have to submit these reflections within five days after each session.

 

Students submit their texts via CANVAS

Assessment criteria

To pass this course the student must adequately demonstrate that they have achieved the identified learning outcomes. They should have fulfilled requirements and should have submitted the requested course materials by the stated deadlines.

  • Students should submit all video files in mp4 format, files should not  exceed 500mb.
  • Students should submit all documents for each intensive and MA Forum in Word format. Either use a reliable open source word processor that can save in .doc or .docx format (LibreOffice is recommended and can be downloaded for free for all platforms) or use the free educational edition of Microsoft Word, available at: https://products.office.com/en/student/office-in-education

 

Re-examinations

Students will be informed of their course grade within 15 days of the end of the course. Students who did not sit the examination or who fail will be offered the following opportunities for re-examination:

  • Third Friday in March
  • Third Friday in August
  • Second Friday in December

In addition to the above dates, the course director may offer more opportunities for re-examination.

 

Support Structure

General information about HDK-Valand

 

Personal student information

You have a student ID and a student e-mail address. We urge you to use this email address for all your correspondence. Emails are sent using the Canvas-platform email system. 

 

Student Portal

The Gothenburg University has a student portal where you can find general information about the university as well as your courses. You can log into the portal using your student ID. 

 

Student Guide

Each new academic year a ‘study guide’ is being published in which you can find general information about our HDK-Valand faculty, and the support structures that are available. This guide is being shared during the first weeks of the semester and has been added as a pdf to your MAFI13 Course on our digital learning environment Canvas.

 

Digital Environment

Canvas

The Gothenburg University used the digital platform Canvas as the basic digital tool for learning. You have access to all your courses on Canvas upon enrollment in courses (This semester that are the courses MAFI11, MAFI12 and your Elective Course). All information about courses, all briefs and study material, as well as guides to equipment and regulations for production, are always published on this platform. 

To pass exam-moments students are also required to submit all their audio-visual or textual exercises on Canvas. Always upload text documents in word-format, not pdf. Videos should be mp4 H264, and not bigger than 500 mb. If videos can't be uploaded: upload to the designated Vimeo school-account, make the video open for download and add the link to the video to Canvas. Instructions for accessing the Vimeo Channel can be found on Canvas. 

Time Edit

Detailed schedules for courses are always published and updated on the digital platform Time Edit. Enter the code for your course (MAFI11, MAFI12 or your Elective Course) in the Time Edit search function to see the specific schedule. Information about locations for teaching can be found here too. 

 

The Premises

MA Corridor

The MFA in film has its own corridor in the HDK-Valand faculty at Vasagatan 50. This corridor is shared with the second-year students. In this corridor you will find working spaces where you can work with your own laptop, as well as several computers and editing suits. 

Other studios and spaces

HDK-Valand also has screening rooms, sound, and film studios, as well as a grading booth and several editing suits that are available to all HDK-Valand students. You can book these spaces through the HDK-Valand booking system for students. For some studios a short introduction moment needs to be scheduled to become eligible to make a booking. More information about this can be found in your MAFI11 Course on Canvas. 

Technical support

HDK-Valand offers technical support for all students in the form of available equipment as well as the possibility to get tutorials. Film equipment-lists, as well as technical tutorials and guides for all students at the HDK-Valand film unit are gathered in the AKV post-production Course on Canvas. This is an open-source course made available to support individual learning. You can find the course here: https://canvas.gu.se/courses/30491 

Join the course by clicking on the 'join the course' button in the upper right corner of the main page of the course. The course is divided into four parts so either navigate to the part you are interested in through ‘Modules’. If you have problems getting access to the course contact course responsible Samuel Malm, samuel.malm@akademinvaland.gu.se

Course development survey

The course will be evaluated orally at its conclusion and also in writing and anonymously via a course development survey, where you will have the opportunity to provide your views on the course. After this, the instructor will write a course report containing a summary of the various evaluations, including key observations made by the students and the instructor’s summary, analysis and action plan for the course. The compiled course development survey and course report will be published in GUL no later than eight weeks after the course ends.

Equal Opportunity, Equal Treatment

Equal treatment means that harassment and discrimination against students or employees on the basis of gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation, or age may not occur at the university. It is also forbidden to commit reprisals against someone who has lodged a complaint, i.e. to get revenge on someone who files a report. Students and staff may contact the head of department as their first recourse. As a student, you may also contact any other representative of the university, such as your instructor, program director, study counsellor, the student union, or the equality representative.

Course Literature

A detailed literature list will be given when briefs for Intensives are shared, three weeks prior to each Intensive. 

Student Portal

The University's Student Portal gathers information and services for you as a student. Under My studies you will find information that is specific to students at HDK-Valand – Academy of Art and Design.

Study Counselling

If you need help with planning your studies or need study support during your studies, for example when you have a disability that can effect your learning, we advise you to contact the Study Counsellors at HDK-Valand. Read more at My Studies