Essay #1: Smoke Signals

Paper should include:

• An introduction that includes the title, director, genre, screenwriter
  
• A description of the plot integrating examples of foreshadowing, Symbolism, Character, Theme, Cultural Persepective as they arise in the film.
• Your evaluation of the film

Also include when possible:

• comparisons of characters/other films
• biases present in the film
• how the movie fits into the time it was filmed, it represents and/or the present

These papers are the culminating activity for the content covered in this course. The work produced in this paper requires and integrates all the skills practiced up to this point. Each of these papers is to include ALL of the items listed below. Note the distinctions between Minimum and Beyond minimum expectations. Please do not treat the expectations below as a list. Integrate the information in a logical manner into your paper.

This following work must be turned in to receive full credit: a rough draft, a final draft. Each paper is to be typed, double-spaced, size 12, Courier New (or Times New Roman) font. 5% bonus for turning in drafts on disk or e-mail.

Decoding

Minimum

· Recognizes the genre of the film (comedy, tragedy, documentary, drama, etc.)

· Identifies the elements of story telling (foreshadowing, symbolic imagery, plotting, pacing, etc.)

Comprehending

Minimum

· Accurately discusses the content of the film (who, what, when, where, why)

· Selects well-chosen examples to illustrate in-depth comprehension of the film using clear, specific language and terms

Beyond minimum

· Responds beyond the question- evaluating the film as an experienced viewer and reader

Realizing Context

Minimum

· Who created the messages in the film and why?

· Discusses the social context of the film (gender roles, portrayals of race, ethnicity, etc.)

· Views film from a multicultural perspective when necessary

Beyond minimum

· Discusses external influences on the film (political, economical, etc.)

· Recognizes the film’s embedded values and points of view, when appropriate

Interpreting

Minimum

· Consistently supports analysis with well-chosen examples, quotes, and/or events

· Recognizes the intent of the film’s message

Beyond minimum

· Comments on how different people might view the film differently

· Cites examples, quotes, events from the film and connects strongly to the analysis

· Responds beyond the question to engage the bigger picture by creating a framework of historical significance, cultural importance, or universal theme

· Reflects on the intent of the author’s strategies (i.e. speculates, makes inferences about the writer’s intent, suggestions new approaches) and also evaluates the author’s effectiveness for different audiences

· Assesses alternative interpretations of text using different schools of thought or criticism

Synthesizing Information

Minimum

· Recognizes and analyzes significant cause/effect or compare/contrast relationships

Beyond minimum

· Integrates personal experience and background knowledge with the film to create a synthesis of the film plus personal knowledge

· Integrates background knowledge of film criticism or media criticism with the film to create a synthesis

Critiquing and Evaluating

Minimum

· Raises questions about the film when necessary

· Addresses his/her own considered judgment about the film

Beyond minimum

· Evaluates critical reviews on the film

· Evaluates the film to assert a strong voice in the film analysis

· Challenges the ideas of the creator or source by noting bias, distortion, and/or lack of coherence, when appropriate

Adapted by Rob Slater from original ideas of Darin Detwiler