Eric Williams

An epic adventure-the most brilliant escape and evasion from the Nazis ever written. Eric Williams, a Royal Air Force bomber captain, was shot down over Germany in 1942 and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, the infamous German POW camp. Digging an underground tunnel hidden beneath a wooden vaulting horse, he managed to escape after ten months and, accompanied by a fellow officer, made his way back to England. In this thinly fictionalized retelling,...

Twelve -year old Will Ritter and his rag-tag army of teenage resistance fighters may have triumphed over the Zombies (alien-possessed corpses) last time...but that's the thing about the dead- they keep coming back. A new Corpse leader has crossed the rift and taken command of the invasion: The Queen of the Dead is even more brilliant and ruthless than her predecessor, and her ambitions are even deadlier. Will and the crew must somehow rescue his mother,...

Professor Williams uses Precious and The Piano, and sprinkles in theories from Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, to illustrate how relationships are established, how the relationships work, and how they create tension in film. Examining established archetypes and character types, Professor Williams shows how easy it is to make movies predictable and how intention can help subvert expectations.

Professor Williams looks at the lasting influence two films have made on every component of movie making over the last 75 years. As Professor Williams breaks down Casablanca, you'll better understand the three factors that made this movie an instant classic, suitable for repeat viewing. With Citizen Kane, he'll introduce you to seven groundbreaking film techniques that changed movies forever.

Professor Williams introduces his passion for film by explaining exactly what makes movies magic for him. He provides a brief history of movies and foreshadows elements of the course that he will be digging deeper into including music, framing, and the three-act structure, tying the whole thing together by familiarizing you with what he considers one of the most important movie elements: tension.

Professor Williams reveals the decision trees that come with crafting the point of view, starting with three central questions. Using Annie Hall, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Sherlock Holmes, No Country for Old Men, and more, you get a handle on how to decipher the POV and the reason behind it, adding a whole new dimension to your enjoyment of the story.

Professor Williams spends this lecture introducing you to the definitive list of genres based on what happens in the film and how it makes you feel. Diving deeply into the meanings and examples of movie genres can help you better define what you look for and love. As for the actual number of film genres Professor Williams has established? You'll have to watch the lecture to find out the answer.

Professor Williams demonstrates how all great villains are a distorted reflection of the hero, through movies including The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, The Silence of the Lambs, and Rocky. He unpacks why the antagonist may not always be bad, but must be present. Additionally, you'll explore the four thematic groupings (pathways) and how the protagonist and antagonist are utilized in each.

Professor Williams introduces you to the four approaches to film sound, provides eye-opening (or perhaps "ear-opening") insights into where the sound made a scene memorable in films such as The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and The Hurt Locker, and how tuning us into what our character hears provides us with more than just background noise.

Looking at a variety of films that make creative use of color and light, including Do The Right Thing, The Martian, and Schindler's List, you'll become familiar with a foundation of 12 hues, six color schemes, four characteristics of light, and three ways to use light - as well as what each means and how various combinations can alter how the audience sees the movie (literally and figuratively).