Film Analysis
THE NUTS & BOLTS OF WRITING THE ANALYSIS
I want to buy a new cell phone.
What criteria do I consider when I decide what phone to buy?
Memory?
User friendly?
Camera?
?
?
Would I buy this new phone?
Criteria
My expectations
Does the new phone meet my
expectations / my criteria?
Memory
Lots of memory
+ or -
User Friendly
Easy to use
+ or -
Camera
Great camera with flash
+ or -
Battery
Battery life
+ or -
Durability
Won’t break when dropped
+ or -
 Top 2 reasons to buy?
 Top reason NOT to buy?
 Feature that outweighs the NOT reason?
Cell Phone
YOUR Film Analysis
Desire to buy a good cell phone
MESSAGE
Top 2 reasons to buy?
ARGUMENT
Top reason NOT to buy?
COUNTERARGUMENT
Feature that outweighs the NOT reason?
REBUTTAL
What do you expect to see in a film to prove
that the director’s message is effective?
Effective / Ineffective
Criteria
Elements to Consider
(ARGUMENT)
Plot engages
Sequencing
Plot development
Special effects
Music/sound/lighting
Audience impacted
Ethos
Pathos
Logos
Circumstances accurate
Historical/cultural/social
context
Setting (where/when)
Characterization genuine Believability
Appropriate to setting
Stereotype v. realistic
+
(ANALYSIS)
What does the director
do to demonstrate?
(EVIDENCE)
The Help
What is the
director’s
message?
What does this director
do in this film
to promote this message?
Consider…
Rhetorical situation
Rhetorical appeals
Design of the film
Characterization
What do you expect to see in The Help to
prove that the director’s message is effective?
Effective / Ineffective
Criteria
Elements to Consider
(ARGUMENT)
Plot engages
Sequencing
Plot development
Special effects
Music/sound/lighting
Audience impacted
Ethos
Pathos
Logos
Circumstances accurate
Historical/cultural/social
context
Setting (where/when)
Characterization genuine Believability
Appropriate to setting
Stereotype v. realistic
+
(ANALYSIS)
What does the director
do to demonstrate?
(EVIDENCE)
“A Feel Good Movie That Feels Kind of Icky”
by Dana Stevens
Read analysis in the Textbook – Pg. 775
While reading, think about the evaluation criteria we discussed.
Answer the following questions:
1.
Is Steven’s analysis of The Help in a balanced? For example, does she consider both sides of
the message? Does she have an argument and a counterargument? Rebuttal?
2.
How does the title prepare the reader for Stevens’ evaluation? Is the title an accurate
representation of the way she evaluates the film?
3.
What is the thesis/claim of the analysis? What are Steven’s arguments to prove her claim?
4.
Identify several examples of the evidence that Steven’s uses to support her arguments?
Your Film
What is the
director’s
message?
What does the director
do in this film
to promote this message?
Consider…
Rhetorical situation
Rhetorical appeals
Design of the film
Characterization
What do you expect to see in YOUR film to
prove that the director’s message is effective?
Effective / Ineffective
Criteria
Elements to Consider
(ARGUMENT)
+
(ANALYSIS)
What does the director
do to demonstrate?
(EVIDENCE)
This is the information you will need before
you can start drafting your film analysis.
Your Analysis – the Parts
Introduction
Hook
BRIEF information about the plot
◦Only enough to familiarize us with the film
◦NOT a summary
Director attribution / year of publication
Credit to writer as necessary
Thesis statement
Thesis Statement
Message
What is the director’s message?
Stance / claim
YES, the director promotes his message
NO, the director does not promote his message
What criteria is being analyzed?
How well does the film meet the criteria
Reasons / arguments – at least TWO in support of claim
Acknowledge the counterargument
What is the argument against your claim?
Body Paragraphs
Reasons / arguments – at least TWO in support of claim
◦ Evidence from the film or other sources
Acknowledge the counterargument – the opinion of others
Rebuttal – point out the FLAWS in the counterargument
◦ Evidence from the film or other sources
Conclusion
Restate your overall judgment
Link back to your hook – wrap it all up
3-4 sentences
Title
Should PREPARE the reader for what your analysis is going to be about
◦The Help -- “A Feel-Good Movie That Feels Kind of Icky”
◦Juno -- “Not Just Another Teen Movie”
Do these TITLES accurately represent the author’s analysis of the film?
Research Requirements
– 2 sources and the film
Evidence to provide background information
◦ About the historical situation
◦ About the setting (time/place)
◦ About the director
◦ About the writer
Evidence to support the arguments
Evidence to support the rebuttal
Citing Evidence
◦ Author attribution
◦ According to Foner and Garraty, editors of the Reader’s Companion to American History,
“The civil rights movement of the 1960s transformed the political climate, and in 1963,
black leaders began to plan a new March on Washington, designed specifically to
advocate passage of the Civil Rights Act then stalled in Congress.”
◦ Embedded into sentence
◦ In the 60s, “black leaders began to plan a new March on Washington, designed
specifically to advocate passage of the Civil Rights Act then stalled in Congress” as a
result of the injustice experienced by Abileen, Minnie and other blacks (Foner and
Garraty).
◦ Paraphrase or summary
◦ The continued discrimination of blacks in the 60s lead their leaders to begin plans for a
March on Washington with the goal of forcing passage of the Civil Rights Act (Foner and
Garraty).
Essay Requirements





1000 words minimum
3rd person only
Present tense only
MLA format
Works Cited
Film
2 Other sources