Introductory Film Studies Students' Work Published in Film Matters Magazine
May 9, 2025
Studying feature films, documentaries, television and animation from the last 10 years (with the exception of Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox from 2009), students in English Professor Alan Michael Parker’s "English 109: Contemporary American Cinema" saw their short analytic papers accepted by the undergraduate journal, Film Matters Magazine.
An introductory Film Studies course, English 109 asks its students to consider “What is a contemporary American film?” and “How is this film a contemporary American film?”
Students develop a working vocabulary for film analysis and learn to identify techniques and technical elements in relation to each film’s content.
Professor Parker's film course provided a compelling and enriching opportunity to engage deeply with the art of film analysis. As this was my first exposure to such material, I found the experience intellectually stimulating and transformative — it has fundamentally altered the way I perceive and interpret the world around me.
I learned how to closely read film, keeping in mind techniques such as lighting, camerawork, sound and mise-en-scène. Each decision made about a great film comes from under the scope of a filmmaker's focused vision.
Work for the class includes essays, a small group project and smaller 250-word analytic papers focused on a one-minute clip analyzing specific aspects such as lighting.
Analyzing films ranging from Requiem for a Dream to Uptown Girls, Manie Joses ’28, Mia Mattern ’28, Brealin Maya ’28, and Ezra Minard ’28 submitted their analytic papers to Film Matters for publication.
Film Matters is a collaborative project between a number of universities and colleges with a focus on undergraduate film studies scholarship.
“In our field, a number of venues exist for student publication, and English professors actively encourage such endeavors," shared Prof. Alan Michael Parker, chair of the English Department. "For example, last month, a senior, Ava Kleckner ’25, delivered a paper at a conference on gaming and narrative; other students will have work published shortly in a journal produced by the Academy of American Poets; another participated in a screenwriting workshop in Dublin."
This class has truly been a joy, thanks to Professor Parker’s exceptional teaching. He consistently challenges us to think critically. His engaging, thoughtful approach has made learning about film both deeply enriching and genuinely so much fun. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from Professor Parker, that I apply to both film and life in general, is to embrace ambiguity. He has helped me understand that film, like any art, rarely tells a single story.
One of the most important things I have learned from Professor Parker and this class is how to balance personal opinion with critical thinking — realizing that complete objectivity is unrealistic and at times even counterproductive to really understanding complex matters.
Professor Parker will teach "English 109: Contemporary American Cinema" again next fall.
