Film analysis revision

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Film 20A: Intro to Film Studies (Fall 2018, UC Santa Cruz) First Assignment: Sequence Analysis Essay.

Due, Wednesday October 24, 4.00pm, in class. (Hard copy only)

Maximum 1500 words

ASSIGNMENT:

Write an essay in which you analyze the given sequence closely, explaining how the mise-en-scène, cinematography, and editing function together to tell the story and create particular meanings for the viewer. Your essay should make a simple argument about the sequence, and your analysis should support that argument. For example, you may wish to begin by stating the importance of the sequence in understanding something about the direction of the narrative or the interactions of its characters. You might assert that the sequence is typical of the film’s visual style. You might concentrate on the role of the setting, on a pattern of cinematography, or of a particular use of lighting. Whatever you argue, you should have a simple thesis that enables you to closely analyze how that thesis is supported visually in the sequence. Even if you choose a certain element to concentrate on (for example, camera movements, or blocking) your paper should clearly demonstrate an understanding of its relationship to the other elements of filmic discourse that we have studied. Your paper should apply the techniques of close analysis that we have learned in class and in the text. You must first prepare a detailed shot-by-shot breakdown of the sequence and submit it to your TA in section before the essay due date (i.e. by Oct 18/19). IF YOUR SHOT BREAKDOWN IS NOT RECEIVED, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT YOUR PAPER AND WILL RECEIVE A FAIL GRADE. Your shot breakdown will not receive its own grade but you will receive feedback on it in section and lecture. Helpful resources:

• On note-taking and shot breakdown, see Corrigan and White pp 414-16. • See the notes on our Canvas website, in the Assignments folder. • Your TA and professor: ask questions, go to office hours.

CLIP: Chungking Express, dir. Wong Kar-wai, 1994. The sequence is available in the library and online through the Film & Digital Media Department’s clip archive:

• Go to http://slugfilm.ucsc.edu/classarchive/ • Under “Choose Cart” scroll down to “20AFall18 Sequence Analysis” • Click “Get Cart” • Enter password: pineapple. Select the small “play” button.

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• The clip is 3min and 01 second (From the shot of the red bucket to #663’s “Chef’s salad, boss!”).

• If you wish, on a Mac, you can click on the film still in your browser window to open the sequence in QuickTime Player or VLC.

David Kirk Media Center, McHenry Library: DVD 6813 (Reserve) Chapter 12: 41min 34secs—44min 19secs (From the shot of the red bucket to #663’s “Chef’s salad, boss!”). DVD 6816 Time codes approximately the same as above. A note about YouTube: you are strongly encouraged NOT to use a YouTube clip of the film for this assignment. The quality is not as good and you cannot guarantee that you will find the correct segment that way. The references given above are the only accurate measure of the sequence. Formal Requirements for Paper: Approx. 1500 words—that means not significantly more or less. Use a 12-point font and type your paper Leave a 1" margin at the left for comments. Double space, single sided, number your pages, staple upper left corner. Your name, TA's name, Section time at top of page. Underline or italicize film titles No outside reading is required. If you choose to cite Corrigan and White directly, you need to add a Bibliography in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style. See https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT POLICY

Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, or facilitating academic dishonesty. Acts of academic misconduct during

the course, including plagiarism, will result in failure of the course. Your case will be reported to the College Provost as per the Academic Integrity guidelines found

on the web at: https://www.ue.ucsc.edu/academic_misconduct