Course Resources Archive

The module will be organised into a series of distinctive but related themes. Firstly, it will introduce students to the notion of the ‘Entertainment Industry’. It will examine the integration of film, popular music and television into an economically and culturally co-dependent industry. It will explore concepts of synergy, tie-in and cross-pollination that explain the emerging economic and cultural connections between visual and aural texts and commodities (e.g. through rockumentaries, soundtracks and music videos).

The module will also explore the theme of youth, music and film. It will locate how music film and television have played a role in archiving histories of youth and youth culture (from 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll films, to Punk movies of the 1970s and beyond), as well as stimulating controversies around the development of youth cultures and popular music. Finally, the module will examine the form of pop films and pop television. It will examine how texts that combine image and sound work to create meaning. Specialist tools of textual analysis (e.g. the concept of synaesthesia) will be critically evaluated and employed in a range of contexts, including application to music video and MTV.

i. Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of this module students should be able to:
a) critically evaluate the connections between the histories of film, television and popular music
b) evaluate the key cultural and economic determinants that have underpinned synergies between pop, film and television as an ‘entertainment industry’
c) analyse the impact of popular music on the form and aesthetics of film and television and vice versa
d) deploy specialist skills of textual analysis related to the study of music film and music television
e) critically reflect upon the role of music television and pop films in constructing and reflecting youth culture
f) develop appropriate theoretical and methodological frameworks for undertaking small-scale research into specific textual and contextual issues outlined in the module

ii. Skills
By the end of this module students should be able to
a) further develop their analytical and research skills
b) work autonomously and with others and be able to share ideas confidently in formal and informal learning contexts
c) develop their ability to select, review and evaluate theoretical material in an informed and critical manner
d) develop appropriate frameworks for research by identifying coherent research problems and creative approaches to interrogating them
e) enhance ICT skills through the use of WebCt in the delivery and assessment of the course

Staff/student contact: approx 20%
Independent Study: approx 80%

Please note – staff/student contact may vary from the norm in modules with larger or smaller student numbers

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.