Choose a film on which to write. It can be Public Enemy if you like, but feel free to pick a film you really enjoy. When making this choice,
Goal: You are expected to explore how a specific filmic technique creates another level of meaning for a scene within a film.
For this essay assignment, please follow these steps:
Choose a film on which to write. It can be Public Enemy if you like, but feel free to pick
a film you really enjoy. When making this choice, remember that you cannot assume that
your reader has seen the film or is familiar with the scene. You will need to be very
precise in your explanations of scenes of the film to avoid losing your reader.
Choose a film technique (editing, film composition, use of shots (i.e. tracking shots,
close-ups), mise-en-scene, sound, etc…) to focus on for the entire paper. Choose only
one film technique. Be sure to define this technique at some point early in your paper to
demonstrate how you understand it to guide your reader.
Develop a thesis explaining how this technique creates another level of meaning for the
film. You will need to describe exactly what the level of meaning is to ensure a focused
paper and to bring your reader along in the essay.
o Example 1: Stanley Kubrick uses aerial shots to convey a greater supernatural
force at work in the Overlook Hotel in the horror film, The Shining.
o Example 2: James Wan’s use of aerial shots and rapid-fire editing sequences
creates a general disorientation for the viewer that comments on the incoherence
of the world and the precariousness of life in Furious 7.
Develop support paragraphs outlining and supporting this thesis and creating a line of
argument. Feel free to use multiple scenes within the same film to prove your point.
Answer preview for Choose a film on which to write. It can be Public Enemy if you like, but feel free to pick a film you really enjoy. When making this choice,
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