FAVz023 Media Industry Studies and the Case of Miramax

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 5 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: k (colloquium). Other types of completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Alisa Perren (lecturer)
Mgr. Viktor Palák (alternate examiner)
doc. Mgr. Petr Szczepanik, Ph.D. (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Petr Szczepanik, Ph.D.
Department of Film Studies and Audiovisual Culture – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Petr Szczepanik, Ph.D.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 120 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/120, only registered: 0/120, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/120
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 15 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- be familiar with the current media-industry research and its methodological approaches
- have an understanding of the operation and history of the Miramax company and its place within largel media context of the US media industry
Syllabus
  • This course begins by providing an overview of the emerging field of media industry studies, outlining the key theories and methods being employed by a diverse set of film and media studies, communication, sociology and cultural studies scholars. A media industry studies approach will then be applied to an analysis of the rise and fall of Miramax (1979-2010). Through a case study of Miramax’s trajectory, we will explore a range of issues, including the shifting relationship between Hollywood and independents; key developments in production and distribution of niche-oriented films; the ongoing cultural struggles over the meaning of “indie” film; the interdependence of Hollywood’s film and television industries; and the problematic conflation of “American” and “Hollywood” cinema in much scholarly discourse. The course concludes with a discussion of the current crisis in the independent film business in particular and in Hollywood more generally in the face of myriad challenges including the emergence of new technologies, a hostile financial climate, and changing audience consumption practices. Class #1 Media Industry Studies: An Overview
  • Class #2 A Media Industry studies approach to Miramax; The Hollywood-Independent Relationship – A Brief History
  • Class #3 Independents in the 1980s; Miramax – The Early Years, 1979-1989
  • Class #4 The Rise of Indie Film and the Dawn of the Age of Miramax (1989-1998)
  • Class #5 The Fall of Miramax and the Collapse of the Indie Film Business (1999-2009)
  • Class #6 Future Visions for Indie Film and for Media Industry Studies
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Perren, Alisa. "A Big Fat Indie Success Story? Press Discourses on the Making and Marketing of a 'Hollywood' Movie." Journal of Film and Video 56 2 (2004): 18-31.
  • Tzioumakis, Yannis. American Independent Cinema: An Introduction. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2006.
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars.
Assessment methods
written test
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: Full time students: 100% presence at the lectures is required. Distance students: two absences are tolerated.
The course is taught only once.
The course is taught: in blocks.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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