Found Footage and Collage Film

Found footage films go by many names, from mashups and culture-jamming, to détournement and collage. Artists throughout film history have hijacked images from popular culture and reassembled them to create new meanings and aesthetic effects. In this course, we will examine that history from the surrealists (Joseph Cornell, Rose Hobart, 1936) to contemporary film and video artists (Soda Jerk, Hello Dankness, 2023).

Class objectives:

• Survey the history of collage films as aesthetic and political provocations.
• Examine the stylistic approaches unique to collage cinema through discussions of short films and weekly readings.
• Apply the lessons learned above by editing a collage video (five minutes or less), using footage from internet resources. 

Editing lessons will be designed for students who are new to video editing, using the free version of Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve for iPad. DaVinci Resolve is also available for MacOS, Windows, and Linux, allowing students to complete their projects on desktops or laptops. 

Experienced editors are also welcome to take the class and use their own software/hardware, but they should be aware that some class time will be devoted to introductory editing lessons.  

Be advised that in-class screenings will include examples from the avant-garde and experimental film tradition, which often challenges the viewer with controversial images and language.

The final session will meet November 12, skipping a week for Election Day on November 5.