Professor Michael Green

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Professor Michael Green

Three Types of Film Writing

Part I

Remember, there are three major types of film writing:

As it suggests, descriptive writing describes a film, without evaluation or judgment.

Descriptive film writing can be found many places including

Descriptive film writing is the first essential component in all writing about film. You must be able to describe a film before you can say anything evaluative or interpretive about it.

Descriptive writing helps you build skills in

An evaluative claim presents a judgment, expressing the author’s belief that the film is bad, good, mediocre, flawed, etc.

A stronger evaluative claim includes the reasons why the evaluation is positive or negative.

Evaluative claims are always based on the evaluator’s criteria, even if they remain unstated.

Evaluative criteria is most often seen in the movie review, which takes a number of forms in print, on TV and on the Internet.

“Film studies, it seems to me, is an effort to understand films and the processes through which they’re made and consumed. Film scholars mount explanations for why films are the way they are, why they were made the way they were, why they are consumed the way they are. Most ordinary talk about movies, and most film journalism, doesn’t ask ‘Why?’ questions, or pursue them very far.”

“When film scholars talk about movies, they usually also offer interpretations: claims about the non-obvious meanings that we can find in films. Interpretations can be thought of as particular sorts of functional explanations. An interpretation presupposes that aspects of the film (style, structure, dialogue, plot) contribute to its overall significance.”

It is important to be able to clearly, concisely and efficiently articulate your evaluation of something as you often will be asked to do so in both your student and your professional work.

However, it is crucial to understand and recognize the difference between evaluative and interpretive film writing - the difference between pure opinion and a claim supported by analysis and evidence.

An interpretive claim presents an argument about a film’s meaning and significance.

After careful critical analysis, a viewer might conclude that one theme in Transformers relates to technology.

Another theme of the film is people working together to achieve goals. Are the themes related? Can we connect them in our claim?

While description and evaluation can be helpful when deciding whether to see a film, interpretive claims are important because they seek to understand the ways in which film art produces meaning and how meaning is interpreted by viewers.

A thesis statement is the central claim of your paper - an assertion or argument that you try to prove through evidence. You must support the thesis statement in every paragraph and section of your paper.

In developing a thesis, start by asking yourself questions, such as:

Though the thesis is technically your opinion, it is not evaluative the way a film review is.

In this paper, I argue that Blonde Venus (1932) presents a traditional representation of gender roles, using narrative and visual elements to perpetuate an ideology of patriarchy and naturalize the idea of women as dependent mothers and homemakers.

Despite the fact that Blonde Venus represents traditional gender stereotypes, the movie is both progressive and subversive in representing women. In this paper, I will argue that Blonde Venus, through narrative and visual style, challenges patriarchy by criticizing the traditional social roles of women as mothers and homemakers.

Once you have your thesis laid out, you need to start thinking about how you are going to support it using evidence - both from the movie or movies you are analyzing and from outside sources.

A thesis statement is the central claim of your paper - an assertion or argument that you try to prove through evidence. You must support the thesis statement in every paragraph and section of your paper.

We experience a film scene by scene, but if we want to know how the scenes work together, we need an idea of the film’s overall structure or shape.

What principles of development connect Body and Soul from one scene to another?

As you watch a film, you should also jot down brief, accurate descriptions of the various film techniques used.

For example, Body and Soul makes strong use of:

Once you have a solid idea of how the film is structured, and have carefully noted any outstanding use of film techniques, you can begin to make a case for the purpose of the structure - in other words, what meaning is being produced as a result.

At any moment in a film, so much is going on that it is easy to be overwhelmed by all the technical elements.

For example, if your thesis asserts that Body and Soul advances the idea that economically depressed neighborhoods create a criminal class, than you may want to concentrate your formal analysis on elements of the film’s mise-en-scene – props, setting, costumes and lighting.

As you watch a film, you should also jot down brief, accurate descriptions of the various film techniques used.

Broadly speaking, an argumentative essay has this underlying structure:

A critical papers must include a short introduction that concludes with your thesis statement.

Make sure that an introduction sets up your thesis in terms of the topic of your paper.

Your paper must be organized into paragraphs—the building blocks of any piece of writing.

Normally, the introduction does not include concrete evidence in support of the thesis.

In Annie’s death scene in Imitation of Life, aesthetic elements serve once again to empower whiteness and weaken racial minorities. For instance, in strategic low-angle shots, white characters tower over Annie as she dies; meanwhile deep focus photography allows us to clearly see a photo of Sara Jane, Annie’s fallen daughter and the implicit cause of her death.

As in the previous slide, be sure to use technical film language when analyzing shots, scenes and sequences.

Narrative – linear, flashback, dialogue, characters, act structure, plot, theme

The conclusion of your argumentative essay should restate your thesis – skillfully, not repetitively – and remind your reader of its value.

Whenever you critically engage specific topics and terms, you must provide definition and context for those topics and terms.

In critical film writing, understand the difference between plot and representation.

Every section in your paper must reiterate your thesis; you must weave the strand of your argument all the way through to the end, as a roadmap for your reader – and for yourself to help you stay on topic.

Every paragraph has one topic sentence (usually the first sentence) and every other sentence in that paragraph is about that topic—elaborates, analyzes, explains the topic. Don’t include more than one topic per paragraph.

Do not include more than a few lines of plot summary in your paper.

In a critical paper, don’t include opinionated language. In other words, keep evaluations of the movie out of your paper!

The revision process is fundamental to the writing process.

Read over your essay thoroughly several times after you’ve written a draft. Does it:

Of course the details matter too: proof read for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and paper formatting.

For even better results, have someone else – a friend, a family member, a writing tutor, a teaching assistant or an instructor – read over your essay.

Your paper should demonstrate depth, not breadth. Analyze a few examples in detail. Especially in a short paper, don’t try to take on the whole film.

An interpretive claim presents an argument about a film’s meaning and significance.

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Professor Michael Green

Professor Michael Green

Professor Michael Green

Three Types of Film Writing

Three Types of Film Writing

The Thesis

Gathering Ideas to Make your Argument

Structuring the Essay

Tips and Suggestions

Part I

Part I

Remember, there are three major types of film writing:

Remember, there are three major types of film writing:

As it suggests, descriptive writing describes a film, without evaluation or judgment.

As it suggests, descriptive writing describes a film, without evaluation or judgment.

Most descriptions of narrative films relay plot events, while a description of a documentary might describe not only the topic of the film, but also the approach (i.e. how the material is presented).

While descriptions do not offer judgments, they may go beyond plot summary to describe genre.

Descriptive film writing can be found many places including

Descriptive film writing can be found many places including

Its function is to give potential viewers an idea about what a movie is about.

Descriptive film writing is the first essential component in all writing about film. You must be able to describe a film before you can say anything evaluative or interpretive about it.

Descriptive film writing is the first essential component in all writing about film. You must be able to describe a film before you can say anything evaluative or interpretive about it.

Often, descriptive writing is one component of more complex forms of film writing.

Descriptive writing helps you build skills in

Descriptive writing helps you build skills in

You will use descriptive writing in all your critical papers at the university level.

Accurate, concise well-articulated description is also crucial to any job, in the film industry or otherwise.

An evaluative claim presents a judgment, expressing the author’s belief that the film is bad, good, mediocre, flawed, etc.

An evaluative claim presents a judgment, expressing the author’s belief that the film is bad, good, mediocre, flawed, etc.

Reviewer’s grades – A, B or C, two thumbs up, number of stars, etc. – often summarize the critic’s judgment, while a longer review lays out the specific reasons.

“The Dark Knight is a great film” is an example of an evaluative claim.

A stronger evaluative claim includes the reasons why the evaluation is positive or negative.

A stronger evaluative claim includes the reasons why the evaluation is positive or negative.

“The Dark Knight is a great film because it includes exciting and well-staged scenes of combat.”

This statement is more convincing than the first assertion because it provides a basis for the judgment.

Evaluative claims are always based on the evaluator’s criteria, even if they remain unstated.

Evaluative claims are always based on the evaluator’s criteria, even if they remain unstated.

Here, the unstated but implicit criterion is that exciting, well-crafted action scenes make a film great. Given the tremendous diversity of viewer preferences, it’s important to be clear about the evaluative criteria so the reader can compare the criteria to his or her own.

Evaluative criteria is most often seen in the movie review, which takes a number of forms in print, on TV and on the Internet.

Evaluative criteria is most often seen in the movie review, which takes a number of forms in print, on TV and on the Internet.

Though some critics bring a sophisticated level of film discourse to the culture, their discussion of a film generally comes down to whether they think it is “good or bad,” i.e worth your time and money.

These evaluations are often ahistorical and not very analytical.

David Bordwell, “Studying Cinema”

David Bordwell, “Studying Cinema”

It is important to be able to clearly, concisely and efficiently articulate your evaluation of something as you often will be asked to do so in both your student and your professional work.

It is important to be able to clearly, concisely and efficiently articulate your evaluation of something as you often will be asked to do so in both your student and your professional work.

In any society, it is important to be able to trade informed opinions and have an intelligent dialogue about art and culture.

However, it is crucial to understand and recognize the difference between evaluative and interpretive film writing - the difference between pure opinion and a claim supported by analysis and evidence.

However, it is crucial to understand and recognize the difference between evaluative and interpretive film writing - the difference between pure opinion and a claim supported by analysis and evidence.

An interpretive claim presents an argument about a film’s meaning and significance.

An interpretive claim presents an argument about a film’s meaning and significance.

These kind of claims address a film’s themes and abstract ideas, its social relevance, its historical context, and its influence, among other topics.

But they do more than identify themes; they go further, making an argument about what a film does with those themes.

After careful critical analysis, a viewer might conclude that one theme in Transformers relates to technology.

After careful critical analysis, a viewer might conclude that one theme in Transformers relates to technology.

An interpretive claim might suggest:

“Transformers questions the notion of technological progress by showing that technology actually controls people rather than the other way around.”

Another theme of the film is people working together to achieve goals. Are the themes related? Can we connect them in our claim?

Another theme of the film is people working together to achieve goals. Are the themes related? Can we connect them in our claim?

A more complex interpretive claim might be:

“Although an over-reliance on technology proves dangerous, Transformers assures viewers that a small group of people united by a common purpose can defeat the most powerful technological system.”

While description and evaluation can be helpful when deciding whether to see a film, interpretive claims are important because they seek to understand the ways in which film art produces meaning and how meaning is interpreted by viewers.

While description and evaluation can be helpful when deciding whether to see a film, interpretive claims are important because they seek to understand the ways in which film art produces meaning and how meaning is interpreted by viewers.

Interpretive claims can be important socially and culturally.

Finally, they can help us develop logical thinking and writing skills.

A thesis statement is the central claim of your paper - an assertion or argument that you try to prove through evidence. You must support the thesis statement in every paragraph and section of your paper.

A thesis statement is the central claim of your paper - an assertion or argument that you try to prove through evidence. You must support the thesis statement in every paragraph and section of your paper.

In developing a thesis, start by asking yourself questions, such as:

In developing a thesis, start by asking yourself questions, such as:

Such questions will help you come up with your thesis.

Though the thesis is technically your opinion, it is not evaluative the way a film review is.

Though the thesis is technically your opinion, it is not evaluative the way a film review is.

In a critical essay, your thesis is designed to help others understand:

In this paper, I argue that Blonde Venus (1932) presents a traditional representation of gender roles, using narrative and visual elements to perpetuate an ideology of patriarchy and naturalize the idea of women as dependent mothers and homemakers.

In this paper, I argue that Blonde Venus (1932) presents a traditional representation of gender roles, using narrative and visual elements to perpetuate an ideology of patriarchy and naturalize the idea of women as dependent mothers and homemakers.

Once you have your thesis laid out, you need to start thinking about how you are going to support it using evidence - both from the movie or movies you are analyzing and from outside sources.

Once you have your thesis laid out, you need to start thinking about how you are going to support it using evidence - both from the movie or movies you are analyzing and from outside sources.

You can sum up the structure of an argumentative essay with the acronym TREE: Thesis supported by Reasons, which rest upon Evidence and Examples.

A thesis statement is the central claim of your paper - an assertion or argument that you try to prove through evidence. You must support the thesis statement in every paragraph and section of your paper.

A thesis statement is the central claim of your paper - an assertion or argument that you try to prove through evidence. You must support the thesis statement in every paragraph and section of your paper.