STEP ONE –

Make a list of every machine that helps
you in your life.
› eg. This might start with an alarm clock when
you wake up, or an electric blanket that
helps you through a cold night.

STEP TWO:
What would life be like
without these machines? (100150 words)
STEP THREE: Thinking about the future,
what do you think could be a machine
people will need? Create a machine
that does not exist at the moment
which you think future
generations will find crucial to living.
Draw your invention and label it to
make it clear
what it is supposed to do.
CAST LIST AND IMPORTANT
DETAILS
Tom Cruise – Chief John Anderton
Colin Farrell – Danny Witwer
Max Von Sydow – Director Lamar Burgess
Samantha Morton – Agatha
Stephen Spielberg – Director
Philip K. Dick – Short story author the film was based on.
Oscar nominated – Awards
FILM PROGRESS
1st viewing – 0.22 minutes
2nd viewing – 1.04
4th viewing 1.44
 On
separate pieces of paper, write down
any questions you have about the film.
 These
questions will be drawn out
anonymously, so there are no stupid
questions!
Timeline
 Create
a timeline that plots out the ten
most important events in the film.
 Make
order.
sure they are in chronological
Watching the film…
Write a synopsis of the film
in exactly
123 words.
 Every
element in a film is a purposeful decision by
the director for a certain effect. They want the
audience to feel a certain way about an idea or a
character.
 These tools or techniques
can be subtle or obvious and
build up through the movie to
leave us with an idea or theme
in our minds, even if we don’t know it!
 Can anyone think of what some of these
techniques might be?
Camera shots and angles
Camera shot
Description
Extreme close up
Camera shot showing the face or parts of it. Used to
show emotions, reveal private information.
Close up
Shot showing the neck and head. Can reveal detail
clearly.
Medium close up
The basic shot of television. Shows some background,
with good facial detail.
Medium or mid shot
From knees (or hips) up. Can show action and give
some facial expression. If used too much, it makes
people seem remote.
Wide shot
Can establish an overall view of a scene. Shows the
entire person.
Extreme wide shot
Often used as an establishing shot, telling the viewing
where the scene is set.
Birds eye view
A shot that looks down on the character or scene.
High angle
A high angle shot looks down on the figure.
Low angle
A low angle shot looks up at the figure
 Directors
have even
more tools at their disposal…
on the match up sheet, try and match the film
technique on the left with its definition on the right.
 When you’re done, try and
think of any examples for any of
these from movies you’ve already seen.


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In groups try to come up with as many
themes as possible.
Our overarching theme is the future but the
film has many other themes as well.
Try to think about what the director wants us
to think.
Write a paragraph explaining what
this theme means to you.
Try to include an example from the
film.
Use the essay style paragraph
writing. SEXY
Characterisation
Lighting
Symbolism
Dialogue
Cinematography
Themes
In small groups you are going to do a Character Inside/Out
About John Anderton
1. Draw an outline of John Anderton, the space inside the outline should be
roughly equal to the space outside.
2. Label the outside ‘Physical’ and label the inside ‘Psychological/Emotional’.
3. On the outside of the outline you are going to make points about all
the physical characteristics of John Anderton as a character.
(Costuming, Make-Up, Body Movement, Voice)
4. On the inside of the outline you are going to make points about
all the emotional/psychological characteristics of John Anderton.
(Emotions, Feelings, Dreams, Aspirations, Insecurities)
* We will gather all the data from the smaller groups into one huge Inside/Out which you will need to take down as notes.
In The Minority Report, lighting plays an important role in showing
characterisations and themes. In the below box make a list of all the
ideas that are represented through ‘darkness’ and ‘light’ in the film.
(You must come up with at least three for each side.)
Darkness
Light
TASK: You need to put the following quotes into order of importance.
You then need to analyse the most important quote by explaining
why it is so important to our understanding of the film.


Howard Marks: I didn't do anything! I wasn't gonna do anything!
Dr. Iris Henimen: “You shouldn't. You shouldn't trust anyone. Certainly not the Attorney General who just wants
it all for himself, and not the young Federal agent who wants your job. Not even the old man who just wants to
hold on to what he created. Don't trust anyone. Just find the Minority Report.”

Dr. Iris Hineman: Sometimes, in order to see the light, you have to risk the dark.

John Anderton: There hasn't been a murder in six years. The system, it is perfect.

Agatha: [to John Anderton] You still have a choice.


John Anderton: You see the dilemma don't you. If you don't kill me, precogs were wrong and precrime is over. If
you do kill me, you go away, but it proves the system works. The precogs were right. So, what are you going to
do now? What's it worth? Just one more murder? You'll rot in hell with a halo, but people will still believe in
precrime. All you have to do is kill me like they said you would. Except you know your own future, which means
you can change it if you want to. You still have a choice Lamar. Like I did
John Anderton: [to Agatha] Everyday for the last six years I've thought of only two things. The first is what Sean
would look like if he were alive today, if I would recognize him if I saw him on the street, the second is what I
would do to the man who took him if I ever found him. You're right... I'm not being set up.

Lamar Burgess: “Think about all the lives that little girl has saved. Think about all the lives she will save. That
little girl could have saved Sean.”

Agatha: [to John] She didn't die, but she's not alive.

GAP Sign: Hello Mr. Yakamoto and welcome back to the GAP!

John Anderton: You used the memory of my dead son to set me up! That was the one thing you knew would
drive me to murder.
For two of these symbols (or one of your
own) you need to explain
a) what they teach us about the
dangers of unchecked technology
and/or the other main themes.
(75 words = A)
(150 words = M)
(200 words = E)
Remember to use the “SEXY” structure.
c) Draw a picture to make you
remember this symbol.
S= Statement. Stephen Speilberg uses eyes and sight symbollically in Minority
Report to teach the viewer the dangers of unchecked technology.
E= Example. An example of this symbolism can be seen when John Anderton
has to have his eyes removed in order to escape detection.
X= Explain. This example is important as it shows us how intrusive and
invasive technology has become in the world of the film. John, along with the
other people in the film, has his eyes scanned everywhere he goes. The eyes
are a method of identification and provide advertisers, the police and the
government information about everything from what you are purchasing to
where you are at any moment of the day. Etcetc
E= 2nd Example A second example of this symbolism is when Agatha says,
“can you see?”
X= 2nd Explanation
Y= Your opinion. Minority Report taught me how much we should value our
privacy and identity……
Or… I was shocked at how much control the police in Minority Report had
thanks to technology…
Choose one of the two themes
and try to find as many
examples of film features
camera work,
lighting, symbolism,
characterisation) that
Choice and
freewill
(dialogue,
support that theme.
Work in a group – and
be prepared to
present your findings
back to the class.
The dangers of
unchecked technology
task is to write an alternative ending to The Minority Report.
You must have at least three different language features in your writing.
(250-400 words)




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




A quote from the actual short story/film.
One simile (a comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’)
One metaphor (a direct comparison. eg. My childhood was an onion. The
more I peeled away my memories, the more insignificant it became.)
A variety of complex and simple sentences. eg. ‘I was trapped.’ is a
simple sentence. ‘I was trapped within the fears of my childhood and all
the love that I had felt was transformed into salty tears.’ is a complex
sentence.
The use of interesting adjectives and verbs. eg. ‘sauntered’ instead of
‘walked’, and ‘wizened’ instead of ‘old’. HINT: don’t overdo the use of
creative adjectives/verbs or they will seem boring, but when placed
sparingly throughout your writing they will be punchy.
Paragraphs.
Correct spelling. (HINT: have a dictionary at your side)
Neat writing.
250 - 400 words.
For each of the below words, look them up in the dictionary and
then write down the definition in your own words. Also, give an
example of how you might use the word in an everyday sentence.
1. Minority
2. Blithely
3. Methodology
4. Maliciously
5. Resolutely
6. Muzzle
7. Futilely
8. Clique
9. Neutralised
10.Prophylactic
There are some significant differences between the
short story and the film.
As we are reading, think about what is the same,
and what is different in the story.
Once we are finished you’ll be collating your
information in a group.
In groups outline as many similarities and
differences as you can
 If you finish early, pick 2 differences and
explain why you think Stephen Speilberg
made those changes…






1. What use of listing is used in the opening
paragraph?
2. What does this listing tell us about
Anderton?
3. Explain the concept of a ‘precog’. (75
words minimum)
4. By what percent has Precrime reduced
crime?
5. What do you predict will happen in the rest
of the story?



1. Who does Anderton suspect has framed him?
2. How would you explain Anderton’s reaction to
his wife calling Mr Witwer “Ed”?
3. What plan does Anderton come up with to
avoid his fate?

4. Who is Anderton supposedly going to kill?

5. What does ‘I want him neutralized’ mean?
1.
How likely do you think it is that there have been innocent people
convicted under Precrime?
2.
Who does Fleming say is behind Anderton being framed?
3.
How does the public react to there being an ‘escaped criminal’?
4.
What is a majority report? (50 words min.)
5.
What proof does Anderton find that the card is invalid?
6.
In what does Lisa say Witwer passionately believes?
7.
Why does Anderton decide he has to kill Kaplan?
8.
Name the place Lisa and Anderton are heading at the end of the story.