The latvian academy of culture

The Name of the Course: Contemporary Theatre: Theory and Analysis

The Scope of the Course: 32 hours (22 lectures, 10 hours of seminars).

4 credit points. Type of Assessment: a written examination.

I.The Author of the Course: Prof. Valda Čakare, Dr. Phil.

Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Course: All the tests passed in “The History of Theatre”.

The Content of the Course: The course “Contemporary Theatre: Theory and Analysis” introduces students to the experimental experience at the theatre of the 20^th century. The objective of the course is to develop the students’ theoretical understanding of the practice of the contemporary theatre.

Thematic Planning:

THEMES	Week	Type of classes and hours
Nakedness in the postmodern theatre. Typology.	1	L2
Sexuality and socially constructed gender at the theatre.	2, 3	L2;S2
Theatre anthropology.	4	L2
E. Barba’s International School of Theatre Anthropology (ISTA).	5	L2
Myth and ritual at the contemporary theatre.	6, 7	L2;Š2
Interculturalism at the theatre.	8	L2
Transculturalism and aculturalism at the contemporary theatre.	9	L2
The interaction of Eastern and Western cultures at the contemporary theatre.	10, 11	L2;S2
The theatre and technology.	12	L2
The culture of media at the contemporary theatre.	13	L2
The simultaneity of the functioning of the sign system in the performance. The director’s role in the provision of simultaneity.	14, 15, 16	L2;S2;S2

Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Credit Points:

The students have to attend all the seminars.

The examination is in a written form. It includes a report on a theoretical question related to the aesthetic practice.

Literature:

1. 
   Barba E. and Savarese. N.A. Dictionary of Theatre Antropology. London: Routledge, 1991
   
2. 
   The Cambridge Guide to Theatre. Ed. By Martin Banham. Cambridge University Press, 1992
   
3. 
   Barba, E. Land of Ashes and Diamonds. Black Mountain Press, 1999
   
4. 
   Birringer, J. Theatre Theory, Postmodernism. Indiana University Press. Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1993
   

The Name of the Course: Film Production

The Scope of the Course: 30 hours (24 hours of lectures, 6 hours of practical classes and individual work)

2 credit points. Type of Assessment – a test.

The Author of the Course: Lecturer Arvīds Krievs

Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Course: The knowledge in the art of film and its creative professions.

The Content of the Course: The objective of the course is to provide general knowledge in film production, the development of film industry in the contemporary world and the prospects of film industry in Latvia.

Thematic Planning:

THEMES	Week	Type of classes and hours
The film as the branch of art and industry. Film production in the last decades in Europe and Latvia.	1	L2
The national culture programme: film branch. Administrative structures of film industry in Latvia and Europe.	2	L2
Basic principles of the technology of film production. Production group. Creative and technical personnel. Technological basis.	3	L2
Types and genres of films. Feature films as the basis of the branch. National films and coproductions “Eurimages”.	4	L2
Film companies and their structure. Production companies. Independent producers. A producer as a new profession in the post-communist countries. The role of the state in film production: its history and future prospects.	5	L2
The budget of a film and its calculation. The production cycle of a film. Pre-production. Shooting. Editing and sound recording. The copartnership of the scriptwriter in each of the stages.	6	L2
The script of a film from the viewpoint of production. Regulations and requirements. Types of the writing of the script. The contract of the script. The workout of a film project. Schedule (calendar plan) and general estimate.	7	L2
The distribution of films and demonstration in public. The cinema and video network in Latvia. “Piracy” and copyright.	8	L2
Subtitling and dubbing of films. The terminology of the branch. Laws on the film branch.	9	L2
The film and money. Principles of funding. Types of support. National and international funds, their availability and current opportunities. Public assistance. Film festivals and fairs. Markets of projects.	10	L2
The organisation of film industry and principles of funding in Nordic countries, France, Germany, England and Ireland. Their experience which is suitable for Latvia.	11	L2
The prospects of the development of film industry in Latvia and activities required for the development the branch. Cooperation: the Baltic States– the Nordic countries – Western Europe and preconditions for the implementation of the cooperation.	12	L2
Practical tasks applying the acquired knowledge.	13
A script of a short film for an 8 – 10 min feature film in compliance with the requirements of production and current possibilities.	14	P2
The budget of a film (an estimate). The calculation of the actual budget of all expenses in accordance with one’s own script for the implementation of the film.	15	P2
A report. The need to support film industry in Latvia. The students are required to clearly substantiate prospects of films as a branch of culture and industry.	16	P2

Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Credit Points:

A positive assessment of the test which includes a script of a short film that meets the production requirements and the budget calculations (an estimate) for the implementation of this script, and a written report on the necessity of the development of film industry in Latvia.

Literature:

1. 
   Honnthener E.L. The Complete Film Production Handbook, London, 1997
   
2. 
   The Development of the Audiovisual Landscape in Central Europe since, 1989
   
3. 
   When Audiovisual Meets Finance, Audiovisual Eureka, Brussels, 1998
   
4. 
   The Hollywood Guide to Film Budgeting and Script Breakdown, L.A., 1988
   
5. 
   Ward E., Silver A., The Directors Team, N.Y., 1988
   

The Name of the Course: Introduction to Journalism

The Scope of the Course: 64 academic hours ( 32 hours of lectures, 32 hours of seminars).

4 credit points. The form of assessment – a test.

The Author of the Course: Lecturer Inese Voika
Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Course: Prior knowledge in the basic speciality of the students.
The Contents of the Course: The programme is designed for students whose basic speciality is not journalism, namely, for the Theatre, Cinema and TV Drama subprogramme. The goal of the course is that students acquire the basis of journalism, understand its specific features, and the characteristic features of the genre. Besides the theory the students will learn certain practical elements of the profession: news writing and interviewing skills.
The Thematic Planning:

LXXXIX.Theme	Week	Type of classes and hours
Journalism as a mass communication means, its importance in a democratic society.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5	L2; L2; L2; S2; S2
Journalism as a development of the fourth power in the post-totalitarian countries.	6, 7, 8, 9, 10	L2; L2; L2; S2; S2
The development of Latvian journalism in the 80ies – the 90ies, its media system.	11, 12, 13, 14, 15	L2; L2; L2; L2; S2; S2; S2; S2
The genres of journalism, their specific features.	16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21	L2; L2; S2; S2
The specific features of news writing, the significance of sources in journalism.	22, 23, 24, 25	L2; S2; S2; S2
Methods of information gathering, the peculiarities and subjectivity of event selection.	26, 27, 28, 29	L2; S2; S2
The role of the Latvian mass media in event presentation.	30, 31, 32	L2; L2; S2

Requirements for the Acquisition of Credit Points:

A successfully completed practical task.

The Name of the Course: Introduction to Theatre Semiotics.
The Scope of the Course: 32 academic hours (18 hours of lectures, 14 hours of

seminars)

2 credit points. The type of assessment: a written examination.

The Author of the Course: Prof. Valda Čakare, Dr. Philol.
Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Course: Passed tests in the history of theatre and the theory of drama.

The Contents of the Course: The objective of the course is to form an understanding about the functionality of sign system in the theatre.

Thematic Planning:

XC.Theme	Week	Type of Classes and Hours
Introduction. Comprehension of the notion. Semiotics as a system of knowledge about signs and creation of meanings.	1.	L2
Signs in the theatre. The structuralism of Prague and the sign of the theatre. The typology of signs.	2.,3.	L2;S2
The systems of theatre communication. Primary (sound, linguistic, visual) and secondary (smell, touch) systems.	4.,5.	L2;S2
The sign systems of “a framework”. A place. Architecture. Interior. The foyer. The place for the performance. Intellectual, historical and social “framework” systems.	6.,7.	L2;S2
Public sign systems. Factors influencing perception. The ticket price. Social relations. The significance of a performance. The public as a sign system. The theatre as a social event.	8.,9.	L2;S2
The sign systems of performers. Personal relations. Charisma. The spoken word and its quality. Mimics. A gesture. A movement and its elements. Make-up. Hairdo.	10.,11.	L2;S2
Visual sign systems. Space. Relations in space. Stage design. Costumes. Properties. Lights and their quality. Colour code.	12.,13.	L2;S2
Sound sign systems. Sound semiotics. Sound effects. Music. Smell and touch sign systems.	14.,15.	L2;S2
Simultaneity of the functioning of sign systems and the role of the director in its provision.	16.	L2

Requirements for the Acquisition of Credit Points:

1. Compulsory attendance of all seminars.

2. A written examination including the analysis of a theoretical question in connection with the aesthetic practice.

Literature:

1.Barba, E. and Savarese. N.A. Dictionary of Theatre Antropology. London: Routledge, 1991

2.Eco, U.ATheory of Semiotics. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1076

3.Elam, K., The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama. London: Methuen, 1980

4.Grotowski, J.Towards a Poor Theatre. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968

5.Kott, J. The Theatre of Essence. Northwestern University Press/ Evanston, 1984

6.Pavis ,P., Languages of the Stage. NY: Performing Arts Jaurnal Publications, 1982

7.Whitmore, J., Directing Postmodern Theater. Ann Arbor/ The University of Michigan Press.

The Name of the Course: Non-traditional Drama

The Scope of the Course: 32 academic hours ( 32 hours of lectures).

2 credit points. The form of assessment – a test.

The Author of the Course: Lecturer Baņuta Rubess
Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Course: The previously acquired course in The Theory of Drama.
The Contents of the Course: The programme is designed for the students of the Theatre, Cinema and TV Drama subprogramme, which they are introduced to the drama of theatrical performances and musicals, the latest tendencies of the world drama and the characteristic features of the alternative theatre and cinema. The programme of the course also provides research in the fringe disciplines of the art of play. The aim of the course is to give an insight into the non-traditional forms of drama, their creation and classification.

The Thematic Planning:

Theme	Week	Type of classes and hours
Theatrical performance, their scenarios, structure, requirements.	1	L2
The drama of musicals.	2, 3	L2; L2
The latest tendencies in the world of the theatre, its drama techniques, the new ways of expression, technical possibilities.	4, 5, 6	L2; L2; L2
The latest tendencies in the world of the cinema drama, fringe disciplines, influence of TV, video art and the genre advertising.	7, 8, 9, 10	L2; L2; L2; L2
The fringe disciplines of drama. Performance.	11, 12, 13	L2; L2; L2
The notes, text and language of non-traditional drama.	14, 15, 16	L2; L2; L2

Requirements for the Acquisition of Credit Points:

Attendance of lectures.

Literature:

Bruks P. The Shifting Point, 1989

Serā P. The Avantgarde and the Theatre, 1988

Silkvuds Dž. Drama without Words, 1991