Film Analysis

Paper  (Film/TV Analysis) 

What is the assignment?  In your third paper, you will research and analyze a TV series or movie that matters to you in some way.  Because film/tv analysis can take many forms, I am going to ask you to focus on social or historical context–that is, the ways in which the series or movie is shaped by or reflects concerns of the moment—instead of something more technical.  We will look at examples of this kind of analysis in class, so you will have a better idea of what you need to do.  

Please note.  I would like you to take the I-Search approach with this paper.  This should simplify the task; instead of having to offer an ostensibly definitive analysis of a series or film, you can talk about why you’re interested in it and discuss what you found when you read several articles about it.

What kind of series or film should I write about?  You may write about any series or film you’d like.  (The one exception would be pornography.)     

Your paper should probably have three parts:

a first section in which you discuss how you got interested in your series/film;

a second section recounting your research (i.e., where you looked for information, your judgment about the quality of the material you found, and what you learned);

a third section in which you sum up what you’ve learned (or not) and discuss avenues for more research (if applicable).  

Note: You should not try to do each section in one paragraph

How long should my paper be?  Your final draft should be about 4 typed, double-spaced pages.  Use a reasonable font and make sure that when you submit your work in Canvas, you submit a text file.  (We will go over this in class.)

How many sources do I need to use?  You need to use at least three (3) quality (i.e., reliable) sources.  You might consider a mix of sources, i.e., a review, a popular press analysis (i.e., from a magazine or website), and an academic source.