For your midterm project, you will produce a write-up in short essay format with an annotated bibliography, which you will use to produce your final project (a short video or slide presentation). The write-up explains your topic & question and how you plan to approach it in your final project. NO LINKS PLEASE–upload all files here.
Requirements:
Writeup in short essay format
Annotated bibliography with full citations of sources used in your writeup and any additional sources you plan to use in your final project. “Annotated” means that you can include notes about sources you think will be useful, in addition to those you have already used.
Important notes:
1. In the write-up, make sure to distinguish clearly between your critical voice and those of your sources, This means including proper citations for all material drawn from your sources (ideas, data, terms, paraphrases, quotes) and discussing them in your own words.
2. Keep in mind that your project must address film & media; it should not be a historical overview without analysis of film & media materials. You are welcome but not required to include other types of primary source materials according to your research interests (visual art, performance art, literature, etc.).
3. Acceptable secondary sources include academic articles & book chapters. You are welcome to use online academic resources such as the Women Film Pioneers Project. However, please DO NOT use any dictionary, encyclopedia, or Wikipedia, or rely on my powerpoints, which are intended only as overviews/guides for reflection. I want to hear your own critical perspectives and analyses, backed up by your own research!
The project will be graded. Rubric below.
Topics
You can choose any topic from the course modules or bring your own topic:
—Early Asian American cinema and its context in early Asian immigration (Quon Gwon and/or other early films you find through your research)
–Portrayal of early Asian immigration history in film & media (Coolies and/or other documentary or feature films exploring early immigration)
—Portrayal of Asian American history in California in film & media, including but not limited to: the Punjabi Mexican community and/or the Ghadar movement; the Japanese internment; the Filipinx farmworker movement
—The Asian American Movement and the emergence of Asian American cinema; Chan is Missing and/or other films of the 1970s-90s
—The model minority myth and counternarratives in film & media (possibilities are many)
–Intersections of race and other forms of difference in film & media (such as but not limited to gender, sexuality, disability)
–Recent developments in Asian American film & media and activism
–Research film & media by and about communities, locations, historical moments, or topics we have not yet explored extensively in the course modules–for example, Korean, Southeast/South/Central Asian Americans; Asian Americans in Hawaii, the Caribbean, Latin America, Alaska or Canada; Asian Americans and environmental justice; etc. Have a topic you would have liked to learn more about in this class? Research it and share your knowledge & perspective here!
Whichever format you choose, the most important thing is your critical engagement with the material. You can go back to the class discussion questions to get started. Please feel free to ask me questions before the due date. I will be happy to answer questions via email or in-office hours.
Writeup guidelines
1. Make sure that your research question and working thesis & argument are articulated clearly in the writeup. Your thesis may change by the time you finish your final project–that’s ok.
2. Discuss how your final video or presentation will likely approach the topic.
3. Support your thesis and claims with evidence from your sources. You can add more evidence and/or additional sources for the final.
4. Analyze the material to communicate your perspective.
5. Please remember to cite any sources you use for text or images, including materials from course modules, the Internet, libraries, etc., and include them in the bibliography.
Video guidelines–for planning purposes only at this point
Think about the following as you plan your video:
What will you use to tell your story? This includes:
Technology: No worries if you don’t have much equipment—whatever you have is good enough; in fact, working with limitations can make a project more creative.
Visual subjects: Do you want to be on-screen or off-screen? Do you have people around who can participate safely in your video (given COVID restrictions)? Make sure to ask their permission, of course. Or do you want to focus on objects, textures, spaces?
Audio: Do you want to do a voiceover, use interviews, dialogue, sound effects, or music, or will your video be silent?
How will you tell your story or approach your topic? Is your video fiction, documentary, or experimental?
Last Completed Projects
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