Teaching Creativity: A Practical Guide for Training Filmmakers, Screenwriters, and Cinema Studies Students

• Published in: Journal of film and video 2019-04, Vol.71 (1), p.51-62
• Main Author: Tomasulo, Frank P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artists; Cinema and Film Studies; Cocteau, Jean (1889-1963); Creative ability; Creativity; Curricula; Debates; Essays; Film schools; Film studies; Filmmakers; French literature; Learning; Motion Pictures; Motivation; Pedagogy; Scorsese, Martin; Screenwriters; Students; Study and teaching; Teachers; Teaching; Theme; Theory; Training
• ISSN: 0742-4671; 1934-6018
• DOI: 10.5406/jfilmvideo.71.1.0051

[...]learning modules by which creativity can be taught to students in cinema studies courses—that is, history, theory, and aesthetic classes for which no artistic assignments are required—will be provided. [...]instructors can do what Eisenstein claimed the Soviet filmmakers did to Griffith's "intuitive" montage: they made it scientific by learning its patterns and uses, especially in the conflict between adjoining shots—a classic example of bisociation. [...]because many students are young or have limited life experience, they frequently have little information on the multifarious aspects of human nature and individual characteristics. [...]the first Egri chapter, titled "Premise," defines theme and provides numerous examples from classical and contemporary drama to illustrate the concept, which is at the basis of any work of dramatic or comedic writing. [...]whatever one may think of the proposals and recommendations proffered in this article, it is hoped that the importance of the creative process to our pedagogical practice will be appreciated and that methodologies will be developed to better motivate our students to explore their artistic capabilities.