This course introduces the foundational concepts, approaches, and analytical frameworks of film and media studies. Through a range of analytical frameworks and research methods—from genre, auteur, and star studies and semiotics through content analysis, discourse analysis, archival research, interviews, survey research, and ethnographic methods such as participant observation—students develop the skills to critically analyse media texts, production processes, and audiences. The course also offers practical, step-by-step guidance on conducting research, taking students through the full arc of an inquiry: identifying a topic, designing research questions, writing a literature review, and preparing a research proposal.