English IV: Film Study Questions
Mr. Van Engen
Name________________________________
Date________________ Period_________
1) What film did you watch?
2) Identify two shot choices you thought were interesting and explain why.
3) Explain the narrative structure of the film.
4) What visual and aural aspects of the movie that you experience bring to the story and character(s)
as you encounter them?
5) Identify a specific shot where one of each of the following are used:
Low Angle
High Angle
Worm’s Eye
Bird’s Eye
Canted
6) Why type of lighting is used within the film? How does lighting change from scene to scene?
What does the lighting tell us in terms of mood?
English IV: Film Study Options
Mr. Van Engen
Name________________________________
Date________________ Period_________
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, action-adventure/blockbuster)
“Indiana Jones - the new hero from the creators of JAWS and STAR WARS.”
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: George Lucas
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Denholm Elliott, John Rhys-Davies
Plot: Archeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the US government to find the Ark of
the Covenant before the Nazis.
The Fugitive (1993, action/thriller)
“A murdered wife. A one-armed man. An obsessed detective. The chase begins.”
Director: Andrew Davis
Screenwriter: Jeb Stuart, David Twohy
Cast: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward, Joe Pantoliano
Plot: Dr. Richard Kimble, unjustly accused of killing his wife, must find the real one-armed killer
while avoiding Marshal Sam Gerard.
Finding Neverland (2004, Biography/Drama)
“Unlock your imagination.”
Director: Marc Forster
Screenwriter: Allan Knee, David Magee
Cast: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman, Freddie Highmore
Plot: The story of J.M. Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.
Singin’ in the Rain (1952, Musical)
“Singin' Swingin' Glorious Feelin' Technicolor Musical.”
Director: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Screenwriter: Adolph Green, Betty Comden
Cast: Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds
Plot: A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.