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Running head: WHAT MAKES A MOVIE OR A TELEVISION SHOW GOOD 1

WHAT MAKES A MOVIE OR A TELEVISION SHOW GOOD 3

What Makes a Movie or a Television Show Good

Vincent McDuffie

DIRW-0493-

Ms. Anelia Fairfield

17 April 2021

What Makes a Movie or a Television Show Good

Movies and TV shows are a big part of our lives as they entertain us whenever we watch them. Good movies or TV shows that are too interesting make the viewer want to watch them repeatedly because they do not grow boring. There are a number of elements that make them good. These range from the characters who captivate the viewer’s imagination, leaving them replaying in his head even after they are long over. Others merge with the talent and creativity that goes into the making of these entertainment pieces. A good movie or TV show is one that captivates the viewer’s attention and keeps him replaying for more or recommending it to his friends to enjoy as well. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: This is a formal essay. Use the word television instead of the abbreviation throughout the document. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: Somewhat casual tone; try to stick to third person point of view Comment by Anelia Fairfield: frag Comment by Anelia Fairfield: not ever viewer is male. Be sure to be gender-inclusive.

Elements that make a movie or a TV show good

Good characters

Characters play an essential part of storytelling. As such, they give life to the movie or TV show. Characters, who are the actors/actresses, make the viewer feel like he relates to them and the story. The central character is important because he brings out the film or TV show (Barnwell, 2008). All the same, these important individuals' personality determines the success of the theme and gives meaning to the movie or the show. For me, a good character is courageous enough to take on their part head-on. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: Hold on here. It’s a standard that when we discuss characters, they are not the same as the actors (the term has become gender-neutral in most venues) who play them. The character is the role, and even a good actor may have a bad role due to the screenwriters’ ineptitude. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: Try giving at least one example of a good character.

Theme

The theme of a film or TV show is the main unifying idea. It is the factor that arouses the common human experience and engages the audience to the movie or TV show’s subject matter. It is embodied by the cinematography, plot, dialogue, and music of the movie or TV show (Barnwell, 2008). As such, a strong theme is what keeps the audience longing for more of the same film. Some examples of themes are a) love, which is well represented in the movie Titanic and b) good vs. evil, as illustrated through Star Wars. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: Movie titles should be italicized.

Plot

The plot of a movie or TV show is the order of events. Here, each one affects the other through the cause-and-effect principle (Barnwell, 2008). The plot is presented in unlinked threads, which are presented to the audience to help them understand the connection between specific actions and events, or simply, the chain of events in the film or TV show. For a movie or show to be good, the plot needs to be good as well. This is made so when it illuminates the chain of events in the story, shows spontaneous connections linking each incident, and brings together the actions and events coherently. The absence of a good plot leaves the audience confused and unable to follow the story. An example of a good plot is Liam Neeson's "Taken" which involves him tracking down the kidnappers of his sole beloved daughter, only to find that he faces an organized cartel that includes people he knows and worked with before when serving in the army. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: Again, movie titles use italics instead of quotation marks

Graphics

Graphics is the clarity of the pictures that appear on the screen (Anon, 2018). In this age of advanced technology, movies and TV shows can produce excellent quality content. Great graphics attract the viewer to whatever is playing on the screen. The younger audience is particularly attracted by good graphics and more so, when the storyline and genre match their interests. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: This is a very underdeveloped paragraph.. You need to develop it more.

Where is the conclusion?

References

Anon. (2018). Graphic Artists Guild handbook : pricing & ethical guidelines. New York, NY: Graphic Artists Guild, Inc. Comment by Anelia Fairfield: Review the capitalization in the titles for your sources; titles use different capitalization guidelines than sentences.

Barnwell, J. (2008). The fundamentals of film-making. Lausanne, Switzerland New York, N.Y: AVA Pub. Distributed in the USA & Canada by Watson-Guptill Publications.