The Language of Hollywood: Storytelling, Sound, and Color

By now I have already finished around 20 MOOCs, and people around me sometimes ask me how it is possible. Easy! It's because of courses like "The Language of Hollywood: Storytelling, Sound, and Color " which are very entertaining without really asking much effort from you. No obligatory quizzes, no writing assignments - just a multiple question exam at the very end. If you watch the videos at twice the speed as I usually do, then a course like this takes around 1-2 hours per week which is a time you would have otherwise spent on TV series or JUST doing dishes, JUST cooking, JUST commuting to work etc.

Despite there not being too many incentives to pay close attention to what is being taught in the lectures, this course allowed me to gain appreciation for some films of the Hollywood mostly made prior to 1950. My greatest discovery: the Marx Brothers! Yes, I had somehow managed to live several decades on this earth without once seeing a film by Marx brother - now I cannot believe it either ... The course asked us to see just Monkey Business - but I was so impressed that I watched two additional ones. 

OK, back to serious stuff! What I'm taking with me from this course: 1) the appreciation for the silent films - their emotional intensity and "feel it first" motive ; 2) I now know what a classic Borzage shot is (ok, kiddin' , but still...); 3) the concept of using color temperatures in film: had no idea previously; 4) what happens when new technologies disrupt the status quo (I'm even taking a whole Coursera class on this subject - if I finish it, you'll get the review); 5) related to that - novelty,  then normalization, then re-awakened potential of the new technologies.  

In all, I would probably have preferred some stricter structure and a bit more discipline (I require a test or assignment otherwise my memory just doesn't retain that much), but content-wise the course was good!

7/10

P.S. Ah yes, it is written 95% on my statement of accomplishment - that feels a bit undeserved, my first final exam quiz was just 50%, and then I got it to 95% by the second attempt  ... :)