ILS 4320: Film Analysis and Comparison
Assignment: The purpose of this assignment is twofold: critical analysis and comparison.
You will compare the presentation of racial identity in two separate films that we have viewed during the second half of the term. This should be a comparison of significant thematic similarities or differences. It is important to argue, however, what you see as the significance of these similarities or differences of the presentation of race. Ultimately, you must argue that one director's approach is the most effective. This will become your overall claim. Your reasons for this are your sub-claims.
You may focus on any two of the following films:
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), Planet of the Apes (1968), Do the Right Thing (1989), Fruitvale Station (2013), Moonlight (2016), Get Out (2017), and "Black Museum" from the Netflix series Black Mirror.
There are multiple ways to approach this comparison:
You may compare each director's use of film elements (or a particular film element) in their shaping of the theme or presentation of racial identity, you may make some type historical comparison of the film's presentation of racial identity as a reflection of the cultural attitudes of the time period, or any other method of comparison that you deem appropriate.
Like the previous essay, you may wish to draw from the discussion of film elements from chapter 3 of A Short Guide to Writing About Film (see course readings in Ulearn).
You are required, however, to draw upon the course readings that we have read throughout the term and must use a minimum of 4-6 sources.
In a discussion of film elements, you must argue how the director uses these elements and theme to either construst or deconstruct our cultural and historical understanding of race. This requires that you QUESTION what you see, not simply describe it. Keep in mind that you are arguing how these elements allow the director to construct MEANING (i.e., the director uses sound to construct meaning and communicate their theme by ...).
When identifying a theme, it is important to reduce it to a one word idea (i.e, loss, hope, forgiveness, etc.)
NOTE: THE IDEAS FOUND IN THIS PAPER MUST BE YOUR OWN. AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD (AND ARE REQUIRED) TO USE THE COURSE READINGS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED THUS FAR TO STRENGTHEN AND FURTHER SUPPORT YOUR ARGUMENT BEYOND A SIMPLE DESCRIPTION OF THE EVIDENCE FOUND IN THE SCENE. YOU MANY NOT USE SOURCES OTHER THAN THESE.
Purpose
In this type of paper a writer is forming an academic argument. As the writer you are arguing that your interpretation of the two films is a valid argument - not the only interpretation - in an attempt to aid the viewer in “seeing each of them in a new light, or from a different perspective, that perhaps may be different from their own. Having read your argument, though, the goal is to lead the reader to a unique perspective of the two films that they did not possess prior to reading your essay.
Overall, you must argue that one director's approach is more effective. This is your claim. Your reasons that this is a true and valid statement are your sub-claims.
Audience
Your audience is made up of academics, scholars, film critics, professors, and students (who are academics, scholars, and film critics in training much like yourselves). You should assume that they have seen the film and are familiar with its contents. Because of this you would never merely summarize the plot of the narrative because your audience is already familiar with it. This would also conflict with the purpose of this type of paper. You are to discuss underlying meaning (or potential impact), not retell the events of the story.
Because your audience is a scholarly one, your paper must be presented in a formal manner. You should use high diction and avoid first person, personal pronouns, and contractions.
Focus
The focus of your paper should be what you feel is an important idea or theme worthy of comparison in the two films that you have chosen. Specifically you should argue what you see as the significance of the similarities or differences of each director's presentation of race, but ultimately you are to argue that one director's approach to the presentation of race is more effective and why.
Development
NOTE: SEE CHAPTER 3 OF SHORT GUIDE TO WRITING ABOUT FILM IN COURSE READINGS IN ULEARN FOR IDEAS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT.
In developing your ideas, you should concern yourself with three important steps. First you must make a writerly assertion about the content of your scene (what you see as its overall theme and/or potential impact on a viewer).
You must then reinforce these ideas with quotes from the sources that we have read together this term.
Organization
Your essay should be organized in a logical manner. Even though your audience has seen the films you are examining, they don't see or understand its content in the same way that you do. Organize your ideas in a way that creates your most effective argument.
This organizational method will, of course, vary not only from student to student, but from film to film, as well as by individual scene that each student chooses.
Just remember that a sub-claim does not have to only focus on one film element (sound, for instance) if you are taking that approach. You may focus on multiple film elements in a single sub-claim.
For instance:
Spielberg's uses sound, camera shot, and symbolism in this scene to communicate the crushing oppression felt by African American women during this historical moment.
NOTE: When relating events in the scene use words such as, "Peele develops the major characters in the story..." Notice the use of the active verb "develops." Try to stick with using active verbs as you analyze the scene and sequence of events within it.
Format
•Your essay should have a title. It should also be typed, double-spaced, with one inch margins all around, Times New Roman Font, & 12 pt. See OWL PURDUE for other questions about format. Your essay should be a minimum of 4 FULL pages and no more than 6 . This page count does not include a required works cited page.
See these links for videos (in this order) for lessons on introducing sources, etc., in MLA:
This is information that you should have learned in your first two composition classes. It is your responsibility to understand it. If you feel you may not have learned it then or just need a refresher. Make sure you review the information.
If you do not properly introduce sources, properly use in-text citations, or include an appropriate Works Cited page (all in MLA format), you have plagiarized.
Your grade for this assignment will be determined as follows:
Total Possible Points: 80/
Final Draft, evaluated on the following criteria:
Focus (22 points): Does essay have a clear purpose? Overall claim stated in intro and restated in conclusion? Focus on a single idea or aspect of the literature? Is it clear how examples in body are related to the overall claim? Does the writer explain the broader implications of this claim to the text as a whole? Are the subclaims clearly related to the claim? When read together, do the intro and conclusion form one idea?
Development (22 points): Does writer support interpretation with evidence from text? Avoid giving a plot summary? Does writer explain for the reader how the evidence supports interpretation (and as a result the claim)?
Organization (22 points): Do first few sentences arouse the reader’s interest and focus their attention on the subject? Are readers expectations set and clearly met? Do paragraphs have clear focus, unity and coherence? Effective transitions? Does the writer guide the reader from beginning to end?
Style (7 points): Is language clear direct and readable? Are sentences clear, concise, and easily read by intended audience? Is word choice appropriate for audience? Do sentences reveal and sustain appropriate voice and tone? Does writer use the literary present tense to describe events in the story?
Mechanics (7 points): Are there obvious errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar? Are there patterns of error?
NO PEER CRITQUE (-7 POINTS)
NO 1ST DRAFT ON DUE DATE (-7 POINTS)
NO REFLECTION (-7 POINTS)
Grading scale:
A 72-80
B 64-71
C 56-63
D 48-55
F 0-47
