Name: _____________________________________________
Period: ___________
Unit 2 – “Defining Style” Embedded Assessment 2
Style Analysis Essay
Assignment:
You will write an essay analyzing the cinematic style of director Tim Burton. Your essay will focus on the ways in which
he uses cinematic techniques to achieve a desired effect in Edward Scissorhands. This will be a summative (TEST) grade,
and the final, typed essay must be submitted on Google Classroom by 1/29 (A-Day) or 1/30 (B-Day).
Steps:
1. Using the notes you have been taking and the cinematic techniques PowerPoint as a guide, choose two cinematic
techniques that you will focus on. (Shots/Framing, Camera Angles, Camera Movements, Lighting, Editing
Techniques, or Sound)
2. Create a thesis statement in which you identify the cinematic techniques you will analyze in your paper and
explain how they affect the overall meaning of the film that Burton is trying to communicate.
Example: In the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tim Burton uses high camera angles and
low light to develop the amiable yet mysterious character of Willy Wonka.
3. Draft your four paragraph essay using this outline:
i.
Introduction – MUST:
▪ grab the reader’s attention with a hook (see sample of hooks on pg. 3)
▪ provide context for the reader by BRIEFLY describing or summarizing the film and its theme
▪ the last sentence should be your thesis statement that clearly outlines the paper’s purpose
ii.
Body Paragraph #1 – the first cinematic technique is presented from the thesis statement with TWO
examples from the film and analytical reasoning to explain how each example supports your claim.
Follow the CCER/CER structure below (see sample of CCER/CER on pg. 3):
▪ Claim- analytical statement
▪ Context #1- where in the film
▪ Evidence #1-example from film
▪ Reasoning #1 (two - four sentences)- reflective commentary
▪ Context #2- where in film
▪ Evidence #2- example from movie
▪ Reasoning #2 (two - four sentences)
▪ Transition/Conclusion Sentence- sentence of closure
iii.
Body Paragraph #2 – the second cinematic technique is presented from the thesis statement with TWO
examples from the film and analytical reasoning to explain how each example supports your claim.
Follow the CCER/CER structure below:
▪ Claim- analytical statement
▪ Context #1- where in film
▪ Evidence #1- example from movie
▪ Reasoning #1 (two - four sentences)- reflective commentary
▪ Context #2- where in film
▪ Evidence #2- example from movie
▪ Reasoning #2 (two - four sentences)- reflective commentary
▪ Transition/Conclusion Sentence- sentence of closure
iv.
Conclusion – Summarize what you said about Tim Burton’s style in your essay, explain why that is
significant to how Burton creates his films and the overall message he is communicating, tie it back to the
hook if needed, and lastly address the significance of analyzing a filmmaker’s, or any artist’s, style.
Format (your paper MUST):
- have the correct MLA heading in the top, left corner, and last name and page number in the top, right corner
- have a title, centered
- be typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, and be double-spaced
- be four paragraphs with the first line indented; not exceed two pages, typed
Grading Rubric:
CRITERIA
Thesis Statement: Student sets up essay with an effective thesis statement that is clear and concise in
their introduction. It properly introduces the focus of the essay.
Examples/Evidence from film: Writer insightfully provides two specific examples from the films in
each body paragraph. The evidence is specific enough to support their claim about Tim Burton’s style
from the film. The evidence is not vague, but also does not echo the claim. It is effectively embedded
in the sentence.
Analysis and Ideas: Student insightfully analyzes Tim Burton’s techniques and displays an in-depth
understanding of how Burton achieves his intended effect on the audience. The analysis ties the
student’s claim to each piece of evidence and explains the effect of specific cinematic elements from
this unit. The analysis is not general and does not make obvious connections, but rather makes
insightful connections to the film.
Writing/Organization: The essay is virtually error-free. Student uses appropriate punctuation;
student uses a variety of sentence structures; essay contains few grammatical and spelling errors;
movie titles are italicized; proper nouns are capitalized, etc. Essay contains an introduction, two body
paragraphs, and a conclusion. Essay displays evidence of thoughtful planning with effective
transitions throughout the paper that add to the flow and coherence of the essay.
POINTS
(Teacher-use
ONLY)
15
20
40
25
/100
Total
Peer Feedback:
-
___ You followed all the instructions correctly.
___ You did not follow the instructions.
___ You are missing more than one part of your essay (introduction, 2 body paragraphs, or conclusion).
___ Your essay is off topic, or it is not organized.
___ Too many errors make your writing difficult to read
___ Your thesis is incomplete, vague, or incorrectly formatted.
___ Your evidence does not support your thesis/ topic sentence, or you do not include evidence.
___ Your evidence is not embedded correctly, or you do not include a correct parenthetical citation.
___ Your thoughts and ideas are evident but lack the connection or explanation for a coherent essay
___ You do not have enough analysis/reasoning to fully support each claim.
Teacher Feedback:
-
___ You followed all the instructions correctly.
___ You did not follow the instructions.
___ You are missing more than one part of your essay (introduction, 2 body paragraphs, or conclusion).
___ Your essay is off topic, or it is not organized.
___ Too many errors make your writing difficult to read
___ Your thesis is incomplete, vague, or incorrectly formatted.
___ Your evidence does not support your thesis/ topic sentence, or you do not include evidence.
___ Your evidence is not embedded correctly, or you do not include a correct parenthetical citation.
___ Your thoughts and ideas are evident but lack the connection or explanation for a coherent essay
___ You do not have enough analysis/reasoning to fully support each claim.
The Hook: Help on Writing Catchy introductions
• The hook grabs the readers’ attention and catches their interest.
• It should establish a connection between readers and writers and provide background information.
• It can be, but is not limited to, an anecdote, an image, a definition, historical information, a declarative
statement, a fact or a quotation. (See below for EXAMPLES.)
Anecdote
If I wanted to write about an auctions:
Mike Cantlon remembers coming across his first auction ten years ago while cruising the
back roads of Wisconsin. He parked his car and wandered into the crowd, toward the auctioneer's
singsong chant and wafting smell of barbecued sandwiches. Hours later, Cantlon emerged lugging
a $22 beam drill-for constructing post-and-beam barns—and a passion for auctions that has clung
like a cocklebur on an old saddle blanket. "It's an addiction," says Cantlon, a financial planner
and one of the growing number of auction fanatics for whom Saturdays will never be the same.
Image
If I wanted to write about how difficult it is to teach.
Imagine that it’s one in the morning. While the rest of the neighborhood is sleeping
comfortably in bed, you are sipping cold coffee while grading your sixth set of essays about “The
American Dream”. In four hours you will have to get up, get ready, and happily bring enthusiasm
to your class. You wipe the bleariness from your eyes and continue correcting your millionth
comma splice. You are a teacher.
Declarative
Statement
Definition
If I wanted to write about the benefits of a free concert in a public park:
If you attend a concert in a city park, chances are you’re less interested in the performance
than in the whole package, in which the music, the weather, the general gregariousness and the
spirit of the moment become inseparable.
If I wanted to write an essay about recycling.
Webster’s dictionary defines “Recycling” as “to reuse or make available for reuse for
biological activities through natural processes of biochemical degradation or modification.” This
definition seems complicated, but the actual process of recycling is much easier!
If I wanted to write about cool skateboarding tricks:
In the spring of 1975, skateboarding took an evolutionary boost toward the sport that we
Historical
see today. In Del Mar, California a slalom and freestyle contest was held at the Ocean Festival.
Informatio
That day, the Zephyr team showed the world what skateboarding could be. They rode their boards
n
like no one had in the public eye, low and smooth, and skateboarding was taken from being a
hobby to a serious, exciting sport.
Quote
If I wanted to write about how to recover from making a mistake:
"You must never feel badly about making mistakes," explained Reason quietly, "as long as
you take the trouble to learn from them.” -Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
Steps:
1. Write down the most interesting things about your essay. Is there something surprising in what you have written?
Does a specific image come to mind? How could you phrase that in an interesting way?
2. If you're stuck, try completing these sentences to get started:
- An image that comes to mind when thinking of Tim Burton is ________________________.
- The definition of good cinematography is ________________________________________.
- Tim Burton’s style can be represented with this quote “ _____________________________________.”
- One of the best movies of all time is ______________ because ___________________. This is reminiscent
of Tim Burton’s style because _____________________________________.
3. If you choose to use one of the above sentence starters, reword it to suit your essay (possibly taking off the first
part), or use the chart above as a model to write your hook.
4. Write an example of each type hook that you could possibly use in your essay in the lines below:
1. Anecdote:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Image
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Declarative Statement
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Definition
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Historical Information
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Quote
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
The Claim: Help Writing Thesis Statements
• It is your position on a subject.
• It is always the last sentence of the introductory (1st) paragraph.
• It states your belief, or position, on the issue.
• It should be something you can argue/prove - not a fact!
• Avoid saying things like “I feel/think/believe…” or “This essay is going to be about.”
• It can also introduce what evidence you will be using in your essay, commonly referred to as the “essay map”
Example Thesis:
Fact:
Thesis
New York is the largest city in the U.S.
A person must make at least $40,000 a year to live comfortably in New York City.
UTA is not as big as TCU.
Students can get just as good an education at UTA as they can at TCU.
Jim McMahon is the quarterback of the
Chicago Bears.
Jim McMahon is a poor role model for the youth of America.
IN YOUR ESSAY, you will create a thesis statement in which you identify the cinematic techniques you will analyze
in your paper and explain how they affect the overall meaning of the film that Burton is trying to communicate.
Example: In the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tim Burton uses high camera angles and low light to develop
the amiable yet mysterious character of Willy Wonka.
What are some recurring things that we see in Edward Scissorhands?
- Creepy, mysterious settings
- Interesting relationships between characters (Edward and Kim, Edward and Jim, Peg and the “gossip girls”
What are some other things you noticed in the movie? List three examples.
1.
2.
3.
Now choose what topic would be the most interesting to write about and decide what cinematic techniques Burton uses to
achieve that. Put that together to form your THESIS! YAY!
Write your thesis in the lines below:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Body Paragraphs: Help Supporting a Thesis
Analytical Paragraphs OR Components of a CCER Paragraph (Claim, Context, Evidence, Reasoning)
Claim
Context
Evidence
Reasoning
Answers the question
Introduces the evidence and its’
significance
Supports the claim, but does
not simply restate it
Explains/Analyzes the
connection between claim and
evidence
Arguable (not a given fact),
but is supportable with
evidence
Explains where it appears in the Snippets of quotes embedded
passage- think of it as a
throughout, and set off by
transitionary piece
quotation marks
1 sentence long
1-2 sentences long
2-6 sentences long
Followed by an MLA
Often contains transition to next
formatted parenthetical citation CCER in an essay
What are the similarities between a thesis and a claim?
Both a claim and a thesis make an argument. A thesis is your overall position, stated as the last sentence of your
introduction. A claim supports a thesis, and is similar to a topic sentence at the start of each new body paragraph; it is one
of the many reasons why your thesis is correct. Most of the time you will need 3 to 4 claims to back up your thesis.
Sample Thesis:
In the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tim Burton uses camera angles and lighting to develop the character of
Willy Wonka.
Sample Double-Evidence Paragraph: CCER/CER
Tim Burton uses specific camera movements in order to capture important moments (claim). When Willy Wonka opens
the door to the edible room (context), the camera zooms in increasing the excitement and anticipation (evidence). By
moving in, the viewer feels like they are in the room with the characters (reasoning). Similarly, Burton zooms in on
Edward and Kim’s faces when they are embracing at the end of the movie (context) to reveal something important about
their relationship (evidence). By using zoom-in, Burton reveals how strong Edward’s feelings are toward Kim, and Kim
herself finally understands it as well (reasoning). The camera movements in the films demonstrate specific choices that
the director made to convey his vision in the films (sentence of closure).
**Help with concluding your paper is on THE BACK!
The Conclusion: Help Concluding an Essay
A conclusion should:
● stress the importance of the thesis statement,
● give the essay a sense of completeness, and
● leave a final impression on the reader.
Suggestions:
● Answer the question "So What?"
● Show your readers why this paper was important. Show them that your paper was meaningful and useful.
● Synthesize, don't summarize
○ Don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. They have read it. Show them how the points you
made and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit together.
● Redirect your readers
○ Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use your paper in the "real" world. If your
introduction went from general to specific, make your conclusion go from specific to general. Think
globally.
● Create a new meaning
○ You don't have to give new information to create a new meaning. By demonstrating how your ideas work
together, you can create a new picture. Often the sum of the paper is worth more than its parts.