Movie narrative essay

ENG2102: Scene Analysis Essay (1200 words- 4 pages)

FORMAT: Typed and double-spaced in MLA format.

TOPIC: As we have read, formal analysis dissects the complex synthesis of cinematography, sound, composition, design, movement, performance, and editing as they are orchestrated by screenwriters, directors, cinematographers, actors, editors, sound designers, and art directors, as well as the many craftspeople who implement their vision. As such, the meaning of a movie is expressed through the complicated interplay of its many formal elements (Gocsik et al. 3).

Essay #1 is all about the Formal Scene Analysis of one of the films/shows we have screened during the first portion of our class: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974); The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003); Eastbound and Down (2009): S1, eps, 1, 2 “Chapter 1,” “Chapter 2”; Master of None (2017): S1, ep. 2 “Parents”; Fresh of the Boat (2015): S1, ep. 1 “Pilot”

This essay is to be primarily devoted to the analysis of a visual aspect of an element of film and how it works in correlation with your topic, and less so on narrative/plot elements. Each of your THREE body paragraphs will focus on a close analysis of your topic applied to a specific scene.

We are far enough into the course that your writing and analysis should start to include specific film jargon. Your essay should be broadly informed by the PDFs and the sections from out text book.

Your topic is to be supported/informed by ONE reputable source.

Paper format follows MLA conventions:

· Last name and page number in top right corner.

· MLA Header:

Name

Dr. Bajorek

ENG2102

Day Month Year (9 Sept. 2019)

Your essay should be structured thusly:

Two part title: ____broad__:____specific___director and title (date)_____

Do not use the movie’s title as your essay title.

1. Introduction- begin with a broad summative sentence that includes the director, title, and (date) of the film. If you are focusing on a show, then use either the director or writer (whichever is most applicable), the title of the series, and the title of the episode. The rest of the intro should provide contextual content from the film/show to help the reader understand your topic and how it relates to your thesis. End your intro with a strong thesis that clearly and concisely identifies your topic. *I should be able to read the thesis by itself and know what your topic is about. (1/2 page) **Hooper utilizes discordant noises as a means to create a defamiliarized space of abject horror

2. Summary of the secondary source with a particular awareness to your topic. Begin the summary with the author’/s’ name/s and full title of the article (film titles within the title will be in italics- the source title will be in quotes). (1/2 page)

3-5. Following your introduction, divide the body of your essay into 3 body

paragraphs. (1 page for each body paragraph)

· Identify the specific scene you will analyze. Explain where the scene starts and ends and (give the starting time and ending time of the scene (in parentheses) if possible).

· Focus each paragraph on one unifying concept that other body paragraphs do not explore. Describe relevant visual details, film techniques, or other elements from the selected scene you are analyzing.

· Provide supporting evidence from the secondary source and film/show. Use key points (direct quotes) from of the secondary source to help you analyze and interpret the selected scenes.

6. Conclusion. End your paper with a satisfying conclusion that leaves the reader with a

sense of what they are taking away from your research. (1/4 page)

7. Works Cited- Film, secondary source

WRITING TASKS:

1. Follow standard conventions for analysis.

· Assume the reader has seen the film/show and read the published review.

· When you reference relevant contributor(s) in your paper, whether the director, certain actors, cinematographer, etc., use each person’s full name in the first reference. For subsequent references, use the person’s last name only.

· Use present tense and past tense following these conventions:

· Use present tense when introducing quotations from the review.

· Use present tense when summarizing the events of the movie—any process that “occurs” every time you watch the movie.

· Use past tense for events that occur prior to the beginning of the movie.

· Use past tense for one-time events related to the film production.

· *The last two are set in history/the first two are set in the context of the film.

· Italicize the movie’s title and include the date the first time you reference it: Memento (2000).

2. Format your paper using standard MLA guidelines for papers.

· Set your margins, line spacing, etc., following standard conventions.

· At the end of your essay, include a Works Cited section in MLA format:

· Include an entry for the movie specifying the version/format that you watched.

· Include the secondary source.

3. Proofread carefully for grammar errors. Grammar check and spellcheck are notoriously bad.

ASSESSMENT: Grades will be on the following rubric. Each of the domains is described in terms of specific indicator of achievement level. Additionally, proper quoting, paraphrasing, summary, proper MLA format, heading, in-text citations and work cited page are required and will also be considered as part of the grade.

	Proficient	Competent	Marginal	Below Outcomes Expectations
Focus	Insightfully develops a point of view/perspective/position on the issue and demonstrates a strong awareness of audience or purpose	Develops a point of view/perspective/position on the issue and demonstrates an awareness of audience and purpose	Implies a point of view/perspective/position on the issue and demonstrates limited awareness of audience and purpose	May imply a point of view/perspective/position on the issue but with little or no awareness of audience and purpose
Support Content	Evidence of substantial, specific and/or illustrative with sophisticated ideas that are particularly well developed and supported	Evidence is sufficient and consistent with ideas that are well developed and supported	Evidence is adequate to explain some key concepts, but may lack sufficient supporting details	Contains little or no evidence to support ideas
Organization	Organization is logical and coherent, making insightful connections among ideas	Organization is logical and coherent, clearly making connections among ideas	Organization is limited, demonstrating serious problems with coherence or progression of ideas	Organization is so limited that the piece is difficult, if not impossible, to understand
Language and Style	Exhibits skillful use of language, appropriate vocabulary, and variety in sentence structure	Exhibits adequate use of language, appropriate vocabulary, and some variety in sentence structure	Use of language is inconsistent, with limited vocabulary and little variety in sentence structure	Use of language and vocabulary are limited, and piece demonstrates frequent problems in sentence structure
Mechanics and Usage	Is free of most errors in grammar and mechanics	Shows control of grammar and mechanics but may display some errors	Repeated errors in grammar and mechanics interfere with the writer’s purpose	Errors in grammar and mechanics are so prevalent that the piece is difficult, if not impossible, to understand
MLA	Uses varied and sufficient sources effectively and documents accurately	Uses sufficient sources and documents accurately	Lacks depth in research for the issue; inconsistently incorporates and/or documents sources	Fails to document sources or uses inappropriate sources