TecnoCampus Foundation
eCampus
University Business
eCampus

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General information

Subject type: Optional

Coordinator: Jorge Oter Gonzalez

Trimester: Second term

Credits: 6

Teaching staff: 

Jorge Oter Gonzalez
Antonio Garcia Mejuto 

Academic year: 2025

Teaching course: 4

Languages ​​of instruction

  • Spanish

Competencies / Learning Outcomes

Specific skills

  • E5_Design and make an audiovisual product (consisting of still or moving images), taking into account both its technical and artistic aspects, in all its components

  • E8_Design the lighting needs of a space according to its characteristics and the final purpose of the product to be recorded, photography or video

  • E14_Acquire knowledge of the history, aesthetics, evolution and dynamics of cinema, television, radio, press, Internet and video games, how to recognize aesthetics through viewing and analysis

Presentation of the subject

Night proposes frames of meaning within which works circulate, which we interpret, and from which we launch new creations. These frames of meaning are very diverse and refer from the characteristic discourses of mystery and negativity, to a certain physical and psychological exploration, to the relationship with nature and the stars or to generic conventions such as terror, among others. The purpose of this subject is to access an understanding of nocturnality through the creation of images according to different approaches, especially cultural ones, where the final result is the consolidation of one's own vision and a creative use of the night and nocturnal light.

The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe space, free of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory attitudes, either towards students or towards teachers. We trust that together we can create a safe space where we can make mistakes and learn without having to suffer prejudice from others.

 

Contents

The subject covers topics such as the following:

  • Visual history of the nocturnal performance
  • An approach to symbolic construction
  • Aspects of Biology, Physiology, Psychology, Sociology and Architecture related to the night
  • History and use of the figure of the shadow
  • From gothic to horror
  • The film noir
  • Photography and lighting: from lightpainting to the American night; some authors
  • Art and experimentation in relation to the night
  • Voyeurism and its representation in images
  • Night and stars
  • Night and celebration

Activities and evaluation system

Continuous assessment (70%):

Laboratory practices 20%
Final work 15%
20% film analysis
Photographic story 15%

Final exam (30%):

30% exam

To access this weighting, it is essential to have achieved an average of 5 in both the continuous assessment and the final exam. If the student has a lower average in one of the parts, he/she does not access this weighting and fails with the grade of the suspended part.

The continuing assessment portion is non-refundable. The exam part is retrievable in the make-up exam. To access the weighted calculation of the grade, it is necessary to achieve a grade of 5 in the recovery.

Failure to complete an exercise or non-compliance with the deadlines or forms established by the teachers for its completion means a grade of zero.

Identification of plagiarism is considered a serious circumstance that may result in a failing grade for an activity. In case of detection of plagiarism, the coordination of the degree will be informed so that the corresponding disciplinary measures can be taken.

Any form of academic fraud will be sanctioned in accordance with the center's assessment regulations. If signs of fraud are detected, including the improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools, the subject's teaching staff may call the student for an individual interview with the aim of verifying their authorship.

Bibliography

Complementary

Alekan, Henri (1984). From lights and shadows. The Sycamore.

Barthes, Roland (1993). Elements of semiology. paid

Calvillo Cortés, Amparo Berenice (2010). Light and Emotions: Study on the Influence of Urban Lighting on Emotions; taking as a basis the Emotional Design [Doctoral Thesis, UPC]. http://www.tdx.cat/bitstream/handle/10803/6138/TABCC1de1.pdf?sequence=1

Casanovas, Cristófol (2013). Nocturnality in the lighting of current music videos [TFM, UOC]. http://openaccess.uoc.edu/webapps/o2/handle/10609/36001

Castillo Martínez de Olcoz, Ignacio Javier (2005). The sense of light Ideas, myths and evolution of the arts and light shows up to cinema [Doctoral thesis, University of Barcelona]. http://www.tdx.cat/handle/10803/1378

Gunning, Tom (2003). Loïe Fuller and the Art of Motion: Body, Light, Electricity, and the Origins of Cinema, in Richard Allen and Malcolm Turvey, Camera Obscura, Camera Lucida. Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048505067-006

Keimig, Lance (2012). Night photography. Omega.

Metz, Ch. (2001). The imaginary signifier. Psychoanalysis and cinema. Barcelona: Paidós.

Navarro (Ed.), Nightmares in the Dark. Madrid: Valdemar.

Rubio, Mario (2014). The photographer at night. Mario Rubio.

Schrader, Paul (1972). Notes on Film Noir. Film Comment, 8(1), 8-13. [Spanish version: http://www.historiadeltraje.com.ar/archivos/notas%20sobre%20el%20film%20noir%20paul%20schrader.pdf]

Shaeffer, Dennis, and Salvato, Larry (1992). Masters of light. Conversations with directors of photography. PLOT.

Tanizaki, Junichiro (2010). Praise of the Shadow Watercress

VV. AA. (2009). the shadow Thyssen-Bornemisza.  

Vernet, Marc (2009). Photo, painting, theater : night lighting à la Triangle. Cinemaarchives. http://cinemarchives.hypotheses.org/627

Vieira, Mark A. (2019). Darkness, Darkness: The Films of Val Lewton: Looking Back at a B-Movie Master. https://brightlightsfilm.com/wp-content/cache/all/darkness-darkness-films-val-lewton-looking-back-b-movie-master/#.XI-1tShKhPY