Film analysis
Pick one film—and it has to be a film, not a television series or web series; it can be any film, as long as it is not listed on the syllabus, but it should be something you would identify as one of your favorite films (or at least one you liked a lot)—and write a two- to three- page (no fewer than two full pages, no longer than three full pages) personal essay explaining why you have chosen it. First, write at least two paragraphs about why you selected this film: what it’s about, what you like about it, why you decided to write about it. Then, select one scene and write about it in detail: Identify all of the primary characters (those who have significant dialogue or perform significant actions); the visual scheme (are the colors bright or subdued? are the characters dressed stylishly or realistically? if the film is a period piece, how can you tell this from the set design and costumes?); the cinematography (is the scene brightly and evenly lit or does it have a lot of shadows? are all elements of the shot in equally sharp focus or are objects in one plane in sharper relief than others? does the camera move a lot or is it still?) and editing (does it cut from one shot to another quickly or do the takes seem to last awhile)? [unique_solution]Then explain why you have chosen this scene: why does it stand out to you? Does it exemplify the reasons you appreciate the film? This exercise is designed to get you to think about the experience of watching a film, to notice the elements that you might otherwise miss or take for granted as you watch it—but also to begin to demonstrate the difference between opinion and argument. I am not interested in your opinion—your reaction, your basic positive or negative attitude toward the film; instead, I am interested in the argument that supports that opinion—the considered reasons that explain why you like the film. Do not review the film. Statements like “Girls Trip is my favorite film because it makes me laugh so hard” won’t be enough for the assignment; “Girls Trip uses raunchy humor to illuminate the close bonds the four women feel” is. Do not tell me that you think the film is a masterpiece or a classic; such comments are irrelevant to this assignment. Think about why you respond to the elements of the film; go beyond your initial reaction. And while you should write about a film that you feel a personal connection to, pleasant thoughts of watching it with family members or friends aren’t good arguments for this assignment; presumably, you have watched a lot of movies with family members or friends, so why is this particular film so memorable? Focus on the elements of the film—not the context of viewing it. Much of what you are asked to analyze here will be covered in more detail in subsequent weeks, so don’t worry about getting everything exactly accurate. Use the glossary in the back of the book for proper definitions of terms like shot, take, tracking or dolly shot, and pan. Essays will be graded on how well they explain the arguments made therein.