Essay 1: Writing about Film Assignment Film 100 – Spring 2019
Due: March 4th at 6:30 PM Submit Your Paper on Turnitin through Canvas
Essay 1 Prompt: Read Chapter 10 – Writing about Film in Essential Cinema and watch one of the below
short Lilms then complete the following 2 page Essay. Your paper will consist of THREE parts.
Give a one-page summary of Chapter 10-1, 10-2b Crediting Sources and 10-2c MLA Format
• Part 1 on Chapter 10-1. This summary should cover all 4 sections: Understand the Assignment, Close
Reading and Taking Notes, Organizing and Writing, & Revising and Proofreading. What are the key
points and takeaways about each section? What is important for each writer to consider? How does
the chapter use speci<ic <ilm examples to support its main points? What are some of the new things
you learned from the reading?
• Part 2 on 10-2b Crediting Sources and 10-2c MLA Format. Discuss: What does the book state about
crediting sources? How do you know when to credit a source? What must you include in a MLA Works
Cited page? How do you cite a web publication? What do you type when you are citing a Lilm for the
Lirst time?
Write a a one-page Lilm analysis paper
• Part 3: Watch ONE of the below short Lilms:
‣ Breathe – Directed by Toby Meakins — https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2015/02/09/
breathe/
‣ Standby – Directed by Charlotte Reagan — https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2017/03/12/
standby/
‣ After watching one of the above Lilms, write a one-page Dilm analysis paper answering the below
questions:
‣ Discuss the style and aesthetics of the Lilm. How would you describe the tone and look
of the Lilm?
‣ Describe how is the plot structured. How is the information relayed to the audience?
Does the plot unfold chronologically or in multiple scenes? Be speciLic.
‣ What is the genre of the Lilm? How do you know it Lits into that genre? Describe the
characters – who are they, how would you describe their personalities, what are their
motivations. Describe the setting – where does the story take place.
‣ What is one of the themes the short Lilm addresses? What is the implicit and explicit
meaning of the short Lilm?
Paper Guidelines & Tips
‣ Do NOT give a detailed plot summary.
‣ You will need to watch the Lilm at least twice to be able to do this assignment well.
‣ Pause the Lilm as take notes while you watch it .
‣ Demonstrating the capacity to follow speciLically laid out guidelines is essential to getting a good
grade – no matter how much you write and how much time you spend writing it, if your essay does
not meet the assignment guidelines, you will receive a poor grade.
‣ This is not an evaluative essay. In other words, you are not discussing whether a <ilm is good or
not. If you start by complimenting or denigrating the Lilm, you have drifted from the guidelines of the
assignment.
‣ Spellcheck your essay before turning it in.
‣ Late Papers will be marked down a half letter grade for every day late.
