For this critical essay, you will be asked to analyze, in a paper of 4-6 pages in length, the. way in which film form contributes to the meaning of a particular film. The film selected is your choice, but should be another film from a director screened in class.
Alfred Hitchcock
Alan Pakula
Orson Welles
Spike Lee
Sam Mendes
Barry Jenkins
Ana Amirpour
You may choose to analyze the film’s mise-en-scene, cinematography, OR editing. This paper is asking you to connect form to function: to identify a specific cinematic element and analyze exactly how it contributes to the meaning of the film (just like we constantly do in class). Be sure to use cinematic terminology from the Bordwell and Thompson textbook to argue your position.
A critical essay is an essay with a thesis and a defense of that thesis. Build a series of arguments to support your thesis and convince the reader of the validity of your position. Your thesis (in an essay of this length, aim for one sentence) should be stated clearly in the beginning of your essay, optimally in the first paragraph and it should directly address the assigned topic: how does a specific element in the film’s cinematic design contribute to its meaning?
Sample Thesis: Billy Wilder’s Doubly Indemnity utilizes core aspects of mise-en-scene such as low-key lighting, deep-space composition, and figure positioning to symbolize power dynamics and to synthesize an atmosphere of fatalistic dread in the scene where Walter and Phyllis first meet.
A critical essay is a kind of formal writing and it requires formal diction. [Diction refers to the actual words you choose and syntax to the order you put them in.] Avoid colloquial diction which makes your writing repetitious and imprecise. In order to complete this assignment, you will need to screen your film more than once and you will need to look at specific part(s) of the film several times. It is up to you to procure the film.
Requirements:
All papers must be typed, double-spaced, and utilize 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, 1” margins. Outside research is not required (or even recommended) for this assignment. However, if you do use any outside research, you are required to document your use.
Make sure your paper conforms to MLA standards.
Recommendations
I highly recommend students focus their paper on one specific scene or sequence, or narrow scope to discuss one particular element (i.e. Composition or Lighting). Trying to make a case for a whole component of film form (i.e. cinematography) across an entire feature film would surely require more examples and rigorous analysis than the 5-to-7 page limits of this paper.
Sample of an essay if needed
No Plagrism pls!
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