Patrick Henry

     Welcome Film Studies Students! 

If you are enrolled in my Film Studies class then you are on the right page! I know you are all facing a lot of unknowns, so I have come up with a couple of assignments that will help boost your grade for the final nine weeks and give you a much needed artistic outlet during these troubling times. 

**Pop the popcorn and enjoy Social Distancing with some blockbuster movies**

REQUIRED ASSIGNMENT (CHOOSE ONE OPTION) - DUE APRIL 3 by 11:59PM

OPTION 1 -  FILM CRITIQUE (DUE APRIL 3) - 30 points 

• Choose one of the FREE MOVIES (with ads) linked below. 
  • Super Size Me (2004) Directed by Morgan Spurlock ***See Parent Guide on IMDB
  • With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story (2010) Directed by Terry Douglas, Nikki Frakes, 
  • The General (1926) Directed by Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton 
  • Night of the Living Dead (1968) Directed by George A Romero  ***See Parent Guide on IMDB
  • His Girl Friday (1940) Directed by Howard Hawks 
  • Nosferatu (1922) Directed by F.W. Murnau 

• Write a two-page response paper in MLA formatting. Follow these guidelines for more information - https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-format/ - papers submitted that do not follow these guidelines will be returned without credit. 

***Make sure to take notes while you watch the movie. 

• Two-page response must include the following: 
  • SYNOPSIS - 1-2 paragraphs summarizing the film - which includes the beginning, middle, and end of the play. Be sure to note the exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. 
  • PLOT STRUCTURE & DIALOGUE - 1-2 paragraphs on plot structure based on what we've discussed in class. Is the plot predictable? How so? Does the plot respond to the characters' motivations? Do the characters experience any change throughout the film? Is there an arc for any of the characters? Describe the screenplay. Is the dialogue between characters believable? Are the action and dialogue essential to the plot? Is the story plot or character-driven? 
  • YOUR IMPRESSION -  What are the most important visual and aural elements you retained? How did you feel at the end of the film? Share your thoughts. Will it have a long term impact on you? Why? When you close your eyes how many moments can you visualize in your head? What was the highlight of the film? Which moment was the weakest? What elements of the film confused you? Were there any intentions you couldn’t work out?
    
    OPTION 2 - SCREENWRITING PROMPT - 30 points  (DUE APRIL 3 by 11:59PM)
  • WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TARsoxST0tQ&t=1s 
  • BRAINSTORM (5 points) - Create a list of 20 possible screenplay ideas. From that list of 20, circle five that stand out to you. Of those five, choose 2 that will inspire a 10-minute screenplay.
  • TEN-MINUTE SCREENPLAY (25 points) - Write a rough draft of a screenplay that includes at least two characters (no more than six), sluglines, action, and dialogue. IT MUST BE 10 PAGES MIN. 
  • See this for formatting - https://screenwriting.io/what-is-standard-screenplay-format/

ALL PROJECTS SHOULD BE SENT VIA DROPBOX ON SYNERGY FOR CREDIT BY APRIL 3, 11:59PM (NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED). YOU CAN CHOOSE TO DO BOTH PROJECTS FOR A BONUS 30 POINTS TOWARD YOUR FINAL GRADE.