The goal of the assignment is to provide you with grader feedback–again, no grades at all–on your ideas about the final Close Analysis.
There are several grading criteria for the “Close Analysis” essay (see the assignment for the full list). But this assignment will focus on:
Choice of specific scene or element that reveals some aspect of the film that helps us understand the theme(s), character(s), or the element’s narrative function(s)
Descriiption of specifically cinematic elements and their patterns of use, correctly and precisely employing the terminology of the course
To complete this assignment, do the following:
Choose a film from the list on the Close Analysis assignment
Choose Option A (a scene) or Option B (an element)
Tell the grader which film and which option you have chosen. This is your first sentence.
Write one sentence about why this scene or element matters. How will your analysis of this scene or element help us understand the film? It is okay if you are not entirely sure at this point. The exercise and feedback will help you get there. But take a guess and make it the second sentence of your essay.
Option A: In 500 words, describe the scene, making sure that you describe what you see, not just what is happening. (Include the time codes for the start and end of your scene.) Remember, if the descriiption sounds as if it could describe a scene in a novel, you’re doing it incorrectly. Hit on all the elements you think are salient. Then answer the question, What patterns do you see at play in this scene?
Do it about the movie Wadjda