Film Art Journal

The films site:

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014):

https://www.ifun.tv/play?id=vaSxD5pZ63E

The Godfather (1972): https://www.ifun.tv/play?id=zvLzz9PxKF20

Get Out (2017): https://www.ifun.tv/play?id=EZr2t7ubo3D

Psycho (1960): https://suyingtv.xyz/play/27614-1-1.html?27614-1-1

Saving Private Ryan (1998): https://www.ifun.tv/play?id=zWkJD3rNtRE

The Gold Rush (1925): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8v79UCDq6I

Six films Journal total. For each film in your Film Journal, you will be providing three pieces, and the entry for each film is 500-700 words (approximately two pages)

Provide a synopsis of the plot. This should be an objective description of what happens on screen and contain no opinion or interpretation. No more than 100 words.

1. Identify your interpretation of a theme of the film or the film’s intended effects or purpose. No more than 100 words.

2. Analyze ONE scene in the film that connects to your interpretation of theme or purpose. That scene analysis should be specific and detailed and must:

1. Identify the technical elements at work in ONE scene of the film (important – identify a single scene, typically no longer than five minutes, and NOT a trend or recurring motif in the film).

2. Explain how the director put together the scene and the effect those filmmaking choices have on the viewer.

Make sure you’re up on your reading. You’ll be looking for the technical elements that we’ve been learning about. In order to fully analyze a scene from the film, you need to watch the film carefully and write in your film journal soon after. Keep a notebook with you while you watch the film and write down notes so that you remember what you want to include in your journal. Since you’ll be watching the films at home, you’ll be able to review certain scenes over and over, as necessary. Keep track of the time stamps so you can easily refer back to specific places in the film.

You won’t be writing an essay, it’s true, but you are making an argument about an interpretation of the film and one specific piece of evidence. This WikiHow provides a good overview if you need help: https://www.wikihow.com/Analyze-a-Scene-in-a-Film (Links to an external site.)

To be successful with your Film Journal, you should provide a clear and objective synopsis, a brief interpretation of the films theme or purpose, and, most importantly, an analysis of ONE and only one scene. To do this:

Þ Take one scene you feel is crucial to the film and focus very closely on the way the director constructed it. Look at how the scene is put together and the effects that those directorial choices have on the viewer. Identify the scene specifically and give the time stamp (time stamp example: 1:20:43 would be one hour and twenty minutes and 43 seconds into the film). You always need a time stamp!

Þ Use the technical language of film (camera angles, shots, sound, editing, etc.) and point to specific aspects or details of the scene that are meaningful. Don’t just list the elements – explain how and why these elements are important. Try to focus on the elements that we’re studying in the book that week, if possible. For example, the week we read the chapter on sound, you might want to look at how sound is used in the assigned films. Your journal is one way of showing me that you’re understanding the concepts we’re learning.

Þ Discuss the role or importance of the scene and the way it was shot to the rest of the film – in particular, connect back to your interpretation of theme/purpose.

What your Film Journal should NOT include:

Þ a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” review (don’t tell us whether or not you liked the film – at all – whether or not you liked it is irrelevant to this analysis)

Þ a biography of the director or actors

Þ a synopsis of what the director/actors say in the “Director’s Cut” of the film

Þ the use of any research (everything in your journal should be your own analysis, not analysis you’ve read from research sources) — if I find anything in your journal that is from any sources, you will not earn a passing grade on the journal. This means do NOT look online anywhere for ideas. Your journal observations should be entirely your own. No research or outside sources are allowed.

Film Journal Requirements:

Þ A minimum of 500 words (about 2 pages) for each assigned film.

Þ Each film journal entry should begin with a heading/title that includes the name of the film and the name of the director, for easy reference.

Þ Use 12 pt. font and 1 inch margins and double space.

Þ Put the film journal entries in the order the films were assigned, for easy reference. So, for Journal #2, don’t turn in all of Journal #1 again.

Please read the sample journal entry to get an idea of what a strong journal entry looks like!

Grading Criteria:

I will be looking for these elements when I grade your journal:

Þ A minimum of 500 words (about 2 pages) for each assigned film.

Þ Each film journal entry begins with a heading/title that includes the name of the film and the name of the director.

Þ Journal written in 12 pt. font, double spaced, and has 1 inch margins.

Þ Journal carefully and methodically takes apart ONE (and only one) scene and discusses how the way the scene was put together effects the viewer.

Þ Student uses the technical language of film (camera angles, shots, sound, editing, etc.) to dissect the scene.

Þ Journal identifies the chosen scene with an accurate time stamp.

Þ Journal does not borrow ideas or words from any other source – it’s all the student’s own thoughts and ideas.

Journal Instructions and Format in another attachment.

CAUTION:

Do NOT look online anywhere for ideas. Your journal observations should be entirely YOUR OWN. No ANY research or outside sources are allowed. Even if you re-word an idea from a website, the idea still belongs to that site.

The instructor is a smart and tricky guy!!!

Do not use online research. If there is ever uncited content, even paraphrased, in a discussion post, it will be reported to the school as plagiarism!

Thank you so much for your hard work!

There is one more same work at the end of March.