Viewing Films Actively

Written Responses to Motion

Pictures
Paige Mayhew
Oklahoma Writing Project

The schools do not have the power to change public

acceptance of the visual media. Training students to
understand and use them would be far more productive
than to endlessly deplores the quality of television and
film.
-Marion Blue

As students view a film, we want

them to pay special attention to those
areas of the film we consider
important and to draw conclusions
from their experience with the film.
Only then does a passive viewer
become active; for by thinking about
the films content, the student is
interacting with the film.
-Resch and Schnicker

According to
Corrigan
Writing about films
can serve one or
several functions. It
can help you:
Understand your own response to a movie better
Convince others why you like or dislike a film
Explain or introduce something about a movie, filmmaker, or a
group of movies that your readers may not know
Make comparisons and contrasts between one movie and others,
as a way of understanding them better
Make connections between a movie and other areas of culture in
order to illuminate both the culture and the movies it produces.

Analyzing Films

Three ways of
looking at a
movie

Literary Aspects of Film

Those aspects that

films share with
literature:

plot
characters
setting
themes
point of view
recurring images
symbols

Questions to ask when viewing

on a Literary Level:

Who are the characters?

What is the setting?
What is the plot?
From whose point of view is the story
told?
What is the films theme?
Are there any symbols or recurring
images?

Dramatic Aspects of Film

Those elements film

shares with live
drama:
actors portraying
characters through
dialogue, costumes,
and makeup
sets and/or locations
directors who leave
personal stamp on
final product

Questions to ask when viewing

on a dramatic level:

How effective is the acting? Why?

How does the set affect understanding
and enjoyment of the story?
How are the costumes and makeup
effective in establishing a character?

Cinematic Aspects of Film

Elements unique to
film
Requires some
knowledge of
technical terms

Examples of Technical Terms

Close Up (CU)

A shot of one face or

object that fills the
screen completely.
Gives importance to
object
Allows us to see the
emotion of a
particular character
USUAL SUSPECTS

High Angle (h/a)

HIGH NOON

Angles are defined

by where the
camera is placed
Camera looks down
on what is being
photographed
Takes away power
of the subject of shot

Long Shot (LS)

A relative term
A shot taken from a
sufficient distance to
show a landscape, a
building, or a large
crowd

BULLIT

Helpful Hints:

It is helpful to show clips of familiar

films, so students can focus on
cinematic elements
Show clip a second time, after some
discussion
View clip without sound

Putting It All Together

Ways of looking at a film on all 3 levels:

Use different color notecards
Use a viewing guide

Writing Exercises

Film Review

Plot Summary
Literary Analysis
Dramatic Analysis
Cinematic Analysis
Complete Review
Summary, analysis,
and evaluation of film

Sample Assignments
Personal Essays

Write a letter to the director or writer of

the film. This letter can be negative or
positive, but it is important that you
support your thesis with specific details
from the film. If you do write a negative
letter, do so without being disagreeable.
Watch your tone.

Analytical Essays

Students can discuss possible topics for

a particular film and write their own
thesis statement or the teacher can
provide a essay topic
Typical Essay Topic: Explain the
significance of Rosebud in Citizen Kane.
Is the word important to the film or is it a
red herring?

Imaginative Writing

Students can be asked to create a

background or future for a particular
character based on his/her behavior in
the film.
Students can expand on the cultural
aspects of what they observe in the film.

Film Treatments, Scripts, and

Storyboards

Students can write film treatments and

scripts or design storyboards for
possible sequels or prequel of a certain
film.
Students can create new scenes they
feel could add information about the
characters or story.

Other Ways to Organize a Film

Study

Genre Studies
Film History
National Cinema (Culture, Politics, Etc.)
Auteurs (Directors)
Foreign Films
Thematically

film is one medium which cuts

across diversities of ability,
student background and
communication modes. When
film is effectively integrated into
the curriculum, it touches upon a
wide variety of skill areas.
Resch and Schicker

Film,
the most powerful medium in the
world, is awesome in its ability to
change thinking and behavior. It has no
peer in its power to impart concepts,
ideas, and information quickly,
interestingly, and, if it is well crafted
indelibly.
-Marion Blue