Film History Teacher Resources

Beasts of No Nation, a gripping tale of child soldiers, is the focus of an analysis that examines the techniques director Cary Joji Fukunaga uses to create his horrifying yet deeply compassionate film.

Young filmmakers watch a short overview of the major studios, players, and political events of the period between 1894 and 1929. In addition, the video narrator briefly outlines the Hollywood scandals that lead to the development of the...

Cranes, dollies, steadicams, and special lenses. Viewers focus on the world of the cinematographer with the eighth episode of a playlist on film production. The video details the various responsibilities of the Directory of Photography...

Conservatory approach or liberal arts film approach? Or self-taught? That is the question prospective filmmakers must decide when considering a film school. A helpful video ponders whether it's better to study a single craft within the...

The biggest blockbuster of the year, the funniest romantic comedy, and the most emotional independent film all started in the same way: on the page. Young filmmakers learn about the role of the screenplay, as well as important parts of...

The movies and television shows we enjoy always look effortlessly professional, but the truth is, the work involved in film production is anything but effortless. A thorough video on film production explains the departments below the...

Who's the most important person on a film set? The legendary actor? The influential producer? The head electrician? Or the person who needs to understand the roles of all three? A Crash Course video on film production focuses on the...

If you've ever been convinced to see a movie because of a compelling trailer, intriguing poster, or positive review, you have the film marketing industry to thank! Learn more about the ways marketing executives attract audiences to...

Gorgeous cinematography is the result of painstaking, detail-oriented work by many different departments of a film production. An informative video shines a light on the grip and electric departments, the ways they use filters, gels, and...

Lois Weber's ground breaking Where Are My Children is the focus of a film criticism video that explores not only Weber's treatment of the subject of abortion but also the techniques she developed to enhance the impact of her tale.

English-speaking viewers don't need to read the subtitles to understand Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood For Love. The colors, the music, and the framing of the shots so beautifully express the emotions of the characters that dialogue, in any...

The narrator of a film criticism episode on Sofia Coppola's bittersweet Lost In Translation asks viewers to consider the many aspects of relationships that Coppola suggests are lost in translation.

Movies have come a long way since the first talkies. The credits that roll at the end of a movie lists a bewildering number of titles for those involved in sound production. Learn everything you want to know about what these roles entail...

Special effects have come along way since the spectacular illusions of Georges Melies. Young filmmakers learn about the three major types of special effects: mechanical or practical effects, optical effects, and computer-generated imagery.

Everyone knows that films have producers, but not everyone knows exactly what a producer does. An informative video explains what an executive producer, line producer, senior producer do, who can end up with an honorary producer credit,...

The most impressive movie you've ever seen can't compare to the astonishment audiences felt when feature films began to synchronize sound with the picture. Learn about the complex path to the talkie, including the invention of the...

If you are previewing the film Glory for your young historians, this packet may help you spark ideas for discussion and offer some interesting facts and quotations that may add to your presentation of this Civil War narrative. It...

Students observe and evaluate evidence of Alaska Native cultural symbols and artifacts. They research historical data from a variety of primary resources, including the Harriman expedition journals, related web sites, oral accounts,...

Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...

Students observe and record botanical details from the plant specimens. They identify plants using sorting key and field guide and classify specimens for preservation and display purposes.

Students explore their role as consumers and conservationists and what roles they play in today's economic climate. They explore resource allocation issues. Students analyze data and draw comparisons between historical and present-day...

Students recognize modes of transportation. They research historical data from a variety of primary and secondary sources including the Harriman expedition journals, related web sites, and photographs from the expedition. Students...

Learners acquire a working knowledge of the geographical concepts: absolute location, relative location, longitude and latitude. They analyze primary sources that shows the physical and human characteristics of the places along the 1899...

Students evaluate maps using the TODALSIGs basic map analysis system, explained on the worksheet. They create a map of Alaska using TODALSIGs. Students brainstorm the elements of maps.