The Universal Plots (20386)
Degree/study: Degree in Audiovisual communication
Year: 1st
Term: 3rd
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 100 hours
Teaching language or languages: catalan
Teaching Staff: Xavier Pérez / Alan Salvado
1. Presentation of the subject
The Universal Plots subject is aimed to familiarize students with a set of traditional stories previous to the audiovisual, and proposes each one of these stories as a plot model to ascribe these to other similar stories, in order to create a general taxonomy in function of these chosen models. The question that has to be answered when approaching any subject is: which are the common elements that configure a determinate narrative pattern?
The method applied in the unit schedule is based on the proposal to study a series of main story pieces on which a determinate plot reason have crystallized in a transcendent way in the history of fiction.
2. Competences to be attained
Skills in collecting and interpreting relevant data (both within and outside the field of study) so as to be able to form conclusions that includes reflecting on different significant social, scientific and ethical subjects.
Learning skills that allow continuing studies in a self-directed or autonomous way.
Capacity and skills in handling techniques for the construction of audiovisual scripts.
Skills in creating and analysing audiovisual stories, linear as well as not linear ones.
Capacity to read and analyse texts in each one of the communication media and in digital supports.
3. Contents
Analysis of myths, dramas and stories that have configured the main plot models.
4. Assessment
Assessment areas
- Participation in class activities
- Individual partial test (text analysis)
- Individual final test (audiovisual fragment analysis)
- Individual assignment
Assessment system
The assessment system is the average grade between the individual assignment and the two written tests, with a qualitative correction depending on the interventions of students in class debates.
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
BALLÓ, J.; PÉREZ, X. La llavor immortal. Els arguments universals en el cinema. Barcelona: Empúries, 1995. (Traducció al castellà: La semilla inmortal. Los argumentos universales en el cine. Barcelona: Anagrama, 1997).
BETTELHEIM, B. Psicoanálisis de los cuentos de hadas. Barcelona: Crítica, 1990.
CAMPBELL, J. El héroe de las mil caras. Psicoanálisis del mito. Mèxic: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1992.
FRENZEL, E. Diccionario de argumentos de la literatura universal. Madrid: Gredos, 1976.
FRENZEL, E. Diccionario de motivos de la literatura universal. Madrid: Gredos, 1980. MAY, R. La necesidad del mito. Barcelona: Paidós, 1992.
5.2. Complementary bibliography
Bou, Núria (1996): La mirada en el temps. Mite i passió en el cinema de Hollywood. Barcelona: Edicions 62. BOU, Núria (2004): Deesses i tombes. Mites femenins en el cinema de Hollywood. Barcelona: Proa. (2006): Diosas y tumbas. Mitos femeninos en el cine de Hollywood. Batcelona: Icaria. González Casanova, J.A. (1994): Casablanca. Una historia y un mito. Barcelona: Kairós. GUBERN, Román (1993): Espejo de fantasmas. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe. Leyra, Ana María (1993): La mirada creadora. Barcelona: Península. Lorente-Costa, Joan (1989): "El sueño contemporáneo del héroe: Hermes en el cine" dins VERJAT, Alain (Ed.), El retorno de Hermes. Hermenéutica y ciencias humanas. Barcelona: Anthropos. MARIMON, Joan, RAMOS, Jesús. (2002): Diccionario del guión audiovisual. Barcelona: Océano. ROSALES, Emilio (2002): Últimos viajes y aventuras. València: Pre-Textos. SÁNCHEZ-ESCALONILLA, Antonio (2002): Guión de aventura y forja del héroe. Madrid: Ariel. SÁNCHEZ-NORIEGA, José Luis (2004): Diccionario temático del cine. Madrid: Cátedra. Vogler, Christopher (2002): El viaje del escritor. Las estructuras míticas para escritores, guionistas, dramaturgos y novelistas. Barcelona. Robinbook. (1992)
6. Metodology
Master classes
Tutorship
Individual work
Personal study
7. Planning of activities
Week 1
UNIT 1. Methodology introduction
Class activities: Master classes, fragment viewing, debate
Out-of-class activities: Bibliographic and audiovisual research
Weeks 2 and 3
UNIT 2. THE JOURNEY
Subunits: Treasure hunting. Come back home. The labyrinth. The promised land.
Class activities: Master classes, fragment viewing, debate
Out-of-class activities: Bibliographic and audiovisual research
Weeks 4 and 5 and 6
UNIT 3. THE COMUNITY AND ITS CONFLICTS
Subunits: The beneficiary visitor. The destructor foreigner. The apocalypses culture, avengers and martyrs. The old and the new. The family.
Class activities: Master classes, fragment viewing, debate
Out-of-class activities: Bibliographic and audiovisual research
Weeks 7 i 8
UNIT 4. LOVE PLOTS
Subunits: Prohibited love. The feelings circle. Seduction. Adultery.
Assessment: Register final assignment in the Aula Global in Moodle. Partial individual test (text analysis).
Class activities: Master classes, fragment viewing, debate
Out-of-class activities: Bibliographic and audiovisual research. Preparation and writing of the final analysis assignment.
Week 9
UNIT 5. THE THIRST FOR POWER
Subunits: The social climbing. The Faust project.
Class activities: Master classes, fragment viewing, debate
Out-of-class activities: Bibliographic and audiovisual research. Preparation and writing of the final analysis assignment.
Week 10.
UNIT 6. IDENTITY
Subunits: The divided individual. The Oedipus search
UNIT 7. CREATION
Subunits: Artificial life creation. Orphic Hymns.
Class activities: Master classes, fragment viewing, debate
Out-of-class activities: Bibliographic and audiovisual research. Preparation and writing of the final analysis assignment.
Last day of class:
Presentation of a methodology model for the study in depth of a film.
Exams period
Assessment: Hand in the analysis assignments through the Aula Global in Moodle
Assessment: individual final test (audiovisual fragment analysis).