Thematic Analysis of Film Sequence
Definitions
Shot: the product of one uninterrupted run of the camera
Sequence: a series of edited shots unified by theme or purpose
Theme: a coherent pattern of meaning
Please remember: A sequence is a coherent unit of meaning in a film. A typical
sequence may contain about 10 to 30 shots. In the case of a long take, however, a single
shot may comprise a whole sequence. A complete scene may contain several sequences.
Writing Task
Step 1: Choose a Sequence
Your assignment is to write a 3-5 page essay (at least 1,000 words) that analyzes how a
specific shot sequence works to develop a central theme (or themes) from the film:
Parasite (2019), directed by Bong Joon Ho.
https://archive.org/details/parasite-2019
Time Stamp: 2:04:35 – 2:07:10
Your analysis should explain how specific aspects of mise-en-scène, cinematography, editing,
and/or sound design work together in the sequence to underscore its themes and those of the
film as a whole. You should incorporate into your analysis at least three relevant concepts
from Chapters 4, 5, 6 and/or 8 of Looking at Movies.
Step 2: Write an Analytical Essay
Don’t try to cover every detail from your shot list in your essay. Be
selective. You don’t need to describe the entire sequence, nor do you need to write about every
shot or technique cataloged in your shot list. Instead, select key examples to analyze how
particular techniques create specific effects in the overall design of the sequence. Above all else,
be sure your essay directly responds to the Writing Task in the shaded box on page 1 of this
assignment sheet.
Questions to Ask
Mise-en-scène: How do props and costumes help convey characters and themes? Are
particular colors dominant (or absent)? Is the setting significant? If so, how is it
presented? How does the lighting help convey the setting and the action? How is
character blocking and placement used?
Cinematography: Where is the camera placed in relation to the action? Distance?
Angle? How do particular compositions draw attention to elements of the setting,
characters or themes? How does camera movement function in the sequence? Are
different focal lengths or depths of field used? How does cinematography reinforce the
mise-en-scène?
Editing: How are the shots juxtaposed? What kinds of transitions are there between
shots? Are these always the same? Do they change? Does the editing have a particular
rhythm, and it is consistent? Does it conform to the rules of continuity, or does it seem
disjunctive or discontinuous? What spatial and temporal relations are articulated through
cutting?
Sound: What sounds are present? When does volume or pitch change? Is silence used?
Are specific sounds linked to cuts or camera movement? When and how are onscreen and
off-screen sound used? Are sounds diegetic (originating from a source within the film’s
world) or non-diegetic (originating from a source outside the film’s world)?
Tips
Avoid plot summary and extended visual description. Aim instead to analyze how
specific cinematic techniques function to underscore the film’s themes and ideas.
Organize your essay around key points in your argument, rather than a chronological
examination of the sequence.
Avoid evaluative language. (“Juan drives a beautiful car.”) Aim instead to analyze the
effects of the techniques used. (“Chiron’s perspective is conveyed by the handheld
camera, which swings its view across the dashboard and out the open window of the car
door.”)
Use precise film terminology. Is the editing transition an eyeline match cut? Is the shot a
high-angle shot or a low-angle shot? A pan shot, dolly shot, or tilt shot? Does the
sequence use an AB shot/reverse shot pattern? Consult Looking at Movies for precise
vocabulary.
Avoid vague language. (“The use of lighting in this scene is very effective” or “Parallel editing
helps to create suspense,” and so on.) Aim instead to analyze the specific effect of individual
techniques. (“By alternating between these two events and their radically different settings, this
sequence uses parallel editing and an ABAB shot pattern to emphasize the contrast between the
orderly dinner at the White House and the violent sit-in at the diner.”)
Make a strong argument about the sequence. State your thesis as an arguable claim (one that
Focus on the evidence in the sequence itself. Do not do additional research for this paper.
Use MLA style and formatting. For a model, see the sample MLA-style essay at Purdue
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