Syllabus
Assignment Sheet: Group Podcast
Example Student Podcasts
All Bark, All Bite is a lighthearted, but sometimes serious podcast where we dive deep into animal horror films. Our podcast establishes a connection between the monsters that exist in film, and the monsters of our natural world. Hosts Mirielle Dogini, Daniel Holman, Nayonika Banerjee, and Rikhil Seshadri discuss and examine these elements. Get ready to gain a deeper understanding of animals and what they mean to society one bite at a time.
Authors: Mirielle Dogini, Nayonika Banerjee, Daniel Holman, Rikhil Seshadri
Is the idea of watching a whole horror movie intimidating for you? Fear not, because this is the podcast for you; suitable for all ages, and safe to listen to before bed without worrying about nightmares. Humoring Horror is the best way to become engaged in horror movie plots without that roller coaster feeling for 2 hours straight.
Authors: Carlos Silva, Amy Nguyen, Ariel Young, Lucille Zhu
Screaming Through the Decades is a podcast exploring individual films and how the socioeconomic conditions of the past have influenced the horror films of that time. Every full moon, Georgia Tech student (and amateur film critic) Kaitlyn and her college companions discuss the historical and cultural contexts of their favorite horror movies as they neglect their academic responsibilities over a cup of matcha. Why cram for your finals when you can curl up with your favorite blanket, turn on your fairy lights, and scream along with your new best friends!
Authors: Zoe Fitzgerald, Kaitlyn Banh, Chris Hardie, Ansley Reich, and Mina Koo
Assignment Sheet: Film Pitch
Example Student Film Pitches
Cô Dâu/The Bride
In a ghost story reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940), Cô Dâu follows a new bride in 1960s Saigon who is at first terrified by the ghost of her new husband’s first wife but eventually learns that the ghost is only there to warn her of less supernatural evils to which the first bride herself was subjected after marrying into this wealthy, prestigious family.
Author: Kaitlyn Banh
Build a B*tch
Inspired by Karyn Kusama’s Jennifer’s Body (2009), Build a B*tch examines body dysmorphia through a young woman who kills her friends and steals their body parts to fix the flaws that she perceives in her own appearance. The students pitching the film plan to cast Megan Fox in a minor role to celebrate the importance of Jennifer’s Body as an influence.
Authors: Amy Nguyen, Nayonika Banerjee, Naia Waters, Sarah Massey
Assignment Sheet: Researched Multimedia Blog Post
Example Student Blog Posts
Choose Your Own Adventure
In every class, I incorporate an independent inquiry project to encourage deeper student engagement with course content. The assignment is for students to complete a project related to course content in whatever form, genre, and medium they choose (subject to my approval, of course). For my horror class, I naturally called this assignment Choose Your Own Adventure, modeled on the Goosebumps books that are many young people’s first entry into the horror genre.
Prompt: Choose your own adventure and complete some independent communication project related to horror cinema. This could be a report on a cultural event related to the class, a summary of an academic article, or something else. These documents would then be shared with the class. If you have an idea, schedule a meeting with me at least two weeks before the deadline, and I will give you advice on the nature of your project.
Example Student CYOA Projects
The Tomb of Zar, a text-based choose-your-own adventure game inspired by course content
INK Horror, an online gallery detailing the many ways in which horror cinema inspires the music, appearance, and stage presence of the band Ice Nine Kills