Short Essay
sa3p14
JohnEMoscowitz1-prepartionforfilmcriticism.pptxJohn E. Moscowitz
“preparation for and the process of Film Criticism”
Spring 2015
Moscowitz’s chapter
Presents a methodical preparation for film criticism
Objective and subjective components of film criticism
Awareness of different audiences, approaches, styles, and lengths
Suggests different procedures to take
Points to …
The glossary of cinematic terms
Preparation
Why watch cinema/film?
Watch movies for entertainment and/or information
To write about film
one must reflect, analyze film
To analyze film,
one must watch film critically, not passively
One must watch film with the writing purpose in mind
Having A Purpose
Why critique a movie/film?
To provide tangible proof of critical viewing of the film
To relate what happened, when, and to whom … in proper sequence
To demonstrate understanding of why and how something occurred
To demonstrate whether film portrays life accurately, neutrally, apolitically, or fairly
Develop A Plan for Criticism
Be aware of your audience, etc:
Is library research necessary for writing about the film?
who are you writing for?
Who will read the critique?
How much do they know about the film?
How long should the review/critique be?
What kind of review/critique: formal essay, informal account?
Watching Film For Criticism
Active watching … critical viewing
Remember your expectations of the film
See and discuss expectations on page 4 of Moscowitz
Note the “boilerplate” … standard relevant information … near beginning of film
See and discuss Moscowitz’s steps for critically viewing a film … page 7 … page 8 … page 9
The BST 353u Film Review
Assume:
Professor is somewhat familiar with the film
Focus on your reaction to the film
Adopt a structure similar to …
“Boilerplate”
Here focus on standard information common to most review
Beyond the “Boilerpalte”
Here focus reaction on one/two aspects of the film
Other Issues to Consider
What other issues should you consider in your review
Be the owner of what you submit: NO Plagiarism … responses may be submitted to software to check on ownership
Be mindful of the word count requirements of our reviews
Submit your responses on time; late reviews will be downgraded by 20%
