An examination of how directors use shot types in romance

Documentary Film Script

Daddy’s Little Girls Remembrance

A Close-Up Into Love Shots

An examination of how directors use shot types in romance films

with the objective of fulfilling genre expectations.

Rationale:

Times have changed yet the popularity of romance films remains.

The secret of the success of the romance film genre lies in the

camera shot types. This technical aspect of film often goes

unnoticed by an audience yet its significance lies in the

ability to create an emotional meaning and lead to the synthesis

of new ideas. Through the formalist theory, my documentary will

examine the use of shot types in romance films with the objective

of fulfilling genre expectations. This will be accomplished

through the examination of Daddy’s Little Girls by Tyler Perry

and Remembrance by Anna Justice.

Word Count: 99

Films Director Country Year

Daddy’s Little

Girls

Tyler Perry USA 2007

Remembrance Anna Justice Germany 2011

VIDEO AUDIO

1

Cut to wide shot of black

screen with the words

Close-Up Into Love Shots

white bold print, Courier

New font, and size 28.

(Black screen fades )

Cut to close shot of Youtube

video of 5th avenue shops

and stores in Manhattan, New

York City at 2:57-3:00 in

which people walk aimlessly

in front of the camera.

VOICE OVER OF NARRATOR

Times have changed yet the popularity

of romance films remains. What’s the

secret behind the success?

(Low-level Franz Schubert Symphony No.

5 in B-Flat Major, D. 485: II. Andante

con moto at 2:03:21-2:03:46 begins)

Cut to two shot of Good Deeds

at 51:24-51:36 during which

the two main characters argue

over their differences.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Is it the relationship problems we

witness? The ones that mimic our

everyday reality?

Cut to medium shot of Good

Deeds at 1:43:40-1:43:46

during which the two main

characters kiss.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Is it the kissing and intimacy? The

ones that make us inwardly smile and

experience a wave of satisfaction?

Cut to close-up of

Remembrance at 31:25-31:34

during which Hannah’s husband

proposes a toast.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Or is it the romantic dinners and

wondrous parties full of longing

stares, sneak peaks, and bashful

smiles?

Cut to close-up of Daddy’s

Little Girls at 1:34:28-41

during which Monty is

freed and celebrates with

Julia, his kids, and the

community.

NARRATOR (V.O)

The secret lies in the efforts of

satisfying genre expectations which

are expressed through selective camera

shot types such as frequent two shots

and close-ups.

(Music stops)

Track into an excerpt of

a Daddy’s Little Girls at

29:02-29:10 during which

Monty prefers not to talk

but remain in his thoughts,

which is viewed through a

looking glass.

NARRATOR (V.O)

When looking at a film through

formalism, one examines how a director

uses specific elements such as camera

shots. The use of these elements is

then analyzed to see their impact

on the audiences’ emotions, thoughts

and how they interpret the film’s

characters and meaning.

VIDEO AUDIO

2

Cut to close-up of a photo

of a woman staring at her

reflection.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Directors use formalism with the intent

of mirroring reality, revealing a

hidden truth and to emphasize the

film’s form or subject. Elements of

formalism include artificial lighting,

special effects, and editing.

Zoom into a picture of on the

right side Lev Kuleshov with

his name on the bottom right

corner and Sergei Eisenstein

with his name on the left

side corner.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Lev Kuleshov, heavily influenced by

D.W Griffith’s film Intolerance, and

his student Sergei Eisenstein were

significant filmmakers who contributed

to the makings of the formalist theory

through their studies on montage.

Cut to wide shot of a

picture demonstrating the

Kuleshov Effect through the

juxtaposition of two images

leading to the synthesis of

new ideas.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Both showed the effect montage and shot

arrangement has on manipulating the

audience’s thoughts and feelings. In

accordance with formalism, shot types

create meaning which is communicated to

the audience.

Cut to close shot of Daddy’s

Little Girls film poster and

Remembrance film poster.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Two examples supporting the claim

that shot types fulfill the genre

expectations of romance films are

Remembrance and Daddy’s Little Girls.

Let’s see how!

Cut to close-up of Daddy’s

Little Girls at 08:07 which

shows Idris Elba.

NARRATOR (V.O)

In an interview, Idris Elba, aka Monty,

reveals that Perry "relates to each and

every character" in this film including

"the female character" and "the kids".

He"s "very in tune to his audience" and

vice versa.

Cut to medium shot of photo

while Tyler Perry directing.

NARRATOR (V.O)

"That’s something he brings to his

films and filmmaking".

VIDEO AUDIO

3

Cut to long shot from Daddy’s

Little Girls at 2:17-2:30

during which we are shown

Monty’s walking in his

neighborhood.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Perry’s muse for this film, as

explained in an interview with Niambi

Sims, was a friend who worked for him

yet constantly talked on the phone

with his three daughters. This friend

inspired Monty.

Cut to wide shot of a split

screen with a picture of

Gabrielle Union in her role

as Julia and one in which she

is not.

NARRATOR (V.O)

On the other hand, Perry had a friend

complaining "she can’t find a man"

despite being in "corporate America"

leading Perry to think,"What if this

woman from the Upper Eastside met the

hood and they got together". That

is exactly what he did. As shown by

the previous excerpt, Monty is the

stereotypical hood guy.

Cut to tilting shot

of Daddy’s Little Girls at


Monty examines Julia.

NARRATOR (V.O)

In this excerpt, Julia is introduced to

the audience through Monty’s male gaze.

The camera tilts up showcasing her as

an Upper Eastside woman with wealth and

beauty. Already, Perry has juxtaposed

the two characters who are complete

opposites.

Cut to medium shot of Daddy’s


during which Julia looks at

him with distaste.

NARRATOR (V.O)

The following close-up of his face

after his examination of her shows

he is transfixed by her yet he is met

with her cold, superior attitude and

immediate dislike.

Cut to close-up shot of

Perry filming Daddy’s Little

Girls.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Perry’s goal when with this film is

summarized by the phrases he says when

filming as revealed by Idris Elba.

These phrases include, "No, they’re not

gonna like that" meaning his audience

or "They ain’t gonna do that or "They

ain’t gonna understand that" regarding

the roles.

VIDEO AUDIO

4

Cut to medium shot of excerpt



Julia and Monty walk down a

street after she represented

him in court.

NARRATOR (V.O)

With that goal in mind, Perry sets

out to create a realistic create love

story between a wealthy woman and man

from the hood. By the juxtaposition

of shots of Monty and Julia, Perry

has established them as complete

opposites. In the romance genre,

complete opposites falling in love is

expected.

Cut to image of an African

American household.

NARRATOR (V.O)

In an interview with Michel Martin,

Gabrielle Union, aka Julia, thinks

Perry was accurate in his portrayal of

African-American households

Cut to zooming shot into the

father in the picture.

NARRATOR (V.O)

by showcasing the stereotype that

"black men don’t want to take an active

participation in the lives of their

children" and "if they do" there is an

ulterior motive".

Pan to the right to show the

mother in the same image.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Also, he shows the stereotype that "if

a woman speaks her mind she’s somehow

not getting enough sex, and that’s

cure-all" or she else becomes "an ice

queen".

Track into image of a winding

path that travels on for

miles.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Love is not an easy journey nor is it

one without obstacles. Audiences love

romantic films that mirror the real

world, problems and all.

Cut to long shot


1:13:47-1:13:50 during

which Monty and Julia stroll

through an aquarium.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Perry uses class and typical

stereotypes as an obstacle whereas

Justice uses the environment. In this

excerpt, Perry tempts the audience with

the potential of this relationship.

VIDEO AUDIO

5

Cut to a paused long shot

clip of Daddy’s Little Girls

at 1:13:44 displaying Monty,

Julia, and the three girls

together.

NARRATOR (V.O)

In this long shog, there is little

distance in between the characters

suggesting a close bond.

Cut to a paused clip of

Daddy’s Little Girls at

1:13:53 during which Monty

has an arm wrapped around

Julia’s neck.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Even after the girls leave, Julia and

Monty remain happily attached to each

other. There is a now a proximity

between the two which was not here

before.

Cut to medium shot


1:13:55-1:13:57 of Julia’s

friend and family who are

unexpectedly here too.

NARRATOR (V.O)

This shot leads the audience to believe

they’ve overcome their economic and

social differences, or have they?

Cut to medium shot of

Daddy’s Litle Girls at

1:13:57-1:14:09.

NARRATOR (V.O)

The romantic moment and closeness

established by Perry in the previous

excerpt is ruined when Julia"s friend

stumbles upon her date at the aquarium.

The close-ups of her face show her

immediate distaste and disbelief!



1:14:01-1:14:11 during which

Julia’s friend makes her

presence known to Julia and

Monty.

NARRATOR (V.O)

As her friend walks into the screen,

a medium close-up shows a forming gap

between Julia and Monty. Her friend

represents the differences between

them.

Cut to medium close-up

of Daddy’s Little Girls

1:14:17-1:14:30

NARRATOR (V.O)

The camera switches between close-ups

of Julia and her friend as she plants

seeds of doubt in Julia’s head, warning

her to snap out of it and to realize

her status is too high for a man like

Monty, a guy from the hood.

Cut to a close-up of


1:14:36-1:14:40.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Close-ups reveal the effect her words

have on Julia’s. Her happiness, like

a bright light, has dimmed. Her

confidence in her relationship is

replaced with uncertainty.

VIDEO AUDIO

6

Cut to a close-up of an

archer loading a bow and then

releasing it at 1:02-1:09.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Perry aimed to make Julia and Monty,

two seemingly different people fall in

love, despite the external forces going

against them.

Cut to close-up of the arrow

sailing out of the frame at

2:16-2:19.

NARRATOR (V.O)

He aimed and he hit his target thus

satisfying generic expectations!



of Tomasz walking Hannah out

of the concentration camp as

a pretend guard.

NARRATOR (V.O)

When making the film Remembrance, Anna

Justice reveals in an interview how

she set herself "the challenge of not

making just another concentration camp

film".

Cut to medium shot of a photo

of Anna Justice.

NARRATOR (V.O)

A challenge requiring her to condense

everything she learned in her "immense"

research about Poland in 1944 "into

very few scenes".



during which Hannah tries

to speak Tomasz’s native

language to his mother.

NARRATOR (V.O)

And at the same time, a challenge

requiring authenticity which she

achieved by "by having all the

characters played by nationals of

whichever country, Germans, Poles,

Americans, speaking their original

language".


4:32-4:41 during which Hannah

is in line with the other

prisoner girls as they’re

being yelled at.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Her efforts to make this film unique

and authentic are not unnoticed. A

review in the Jewish News describes the

film as "unforgettable", "a "Holocaust

saga that hits unusual and unexpected

notes" and has a "cross-cultural love

story with historical insight and

depth".

VIDEO AUDIO

7

Cut to following shot of


as Hannah and Tomasz walk

during the night after their

escape.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Unlike Perry, Justice throws us in the

middle of the love story. It’s unknown

how they met or when they met except it

primarily takes place in the camp.

Cut to Remembrance at

3:24-3:35 during which we

are shown some of the tasks

prisoners had to do in the

camps.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Similarly to Perry’s film, Hannah and

Tomasz have to face external conflicts

which work to keep them apart yet make

up this forbidden love story.



Hannah and Tomasz stand on

opposite sides of a fence.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Remembrance has many close-ups as this

one of Hannah and Tomasz with a barrier

between them. In this excerpt, both are

on opposite sides of the screen with a

fence as a physical barrier.

Cut to Remembrance

12:22-12:27 which is a

continuation of the last shot

in which the fence prevents

contact.

NARRATOR (V.O)

The close-ups reveal how they long to

touch each other and physically be with

each other yet cannot. In Daddy’ Little

Girls, the characters were free to

touch yet in this film they can’t which

shows how powerless they are.

Cut to close up

of Remembrance at 12:35-12:40

during which Tomasz plans

their life together once

they escape and are free of

barriers.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Their imprisonment in the camp is

another barrier preventing them

from being together. Justice uses

barriers to communicate a physical

and symbolically imprisonment of both

characters and their love.


46:35-46:40 during which we

see Tomasz introduces Hannah

to his mother.

NARRATOR (V.O)

After escaping from the camp, Tomasz

heads to visit his mother, eagerly

wanting to introduce her to the woman

he loves. The camera switches between

close-ups of Tomasz

VIDEO AUDIO

8


45:45-45:50 during which his

mother is opposed to Tomasz

being with a Jew.

NARRATOR (V.O)

and his mother showing his initial

excitement and happiness dwindles until

its reduced to confusion. His mother is

opposed to them being together as shown

by her grim face and crossed arms.



Tomasz is angry with his

mother.

Unlike previous shots at the camp, a

medium shot shows Tomasz and Hannah

standing together on opposite sides

of his mother, an opposing force. The

shift in close-ups and medium shots and

the change in subject communicates they

will not back down. They’ve come too

far.



Tomasz is warned against his

escape plan because it’s too

risky.

NARRATOR (V.O)

In a forbidden love story, you expect

sacrifices to be made. The close-up

of Tomasz face is mostly in the dark

revealing his lack of innocence. What

he has done and will do must remain in

the darkness and in the shadow in order

for his their love to surface and come

to light.

Cut to medium shot


during which Tomasz ensures

all is in place for their

escape.

NARRATOR (V.O)

If the guard learns of his plan to

escape with Hannah, it will lead to

both of their deaths... but it’s a risk

he is willing to take for the woman he

loves as shown by the shot showing his

determination.


32:10-32:18 during

which Hannah and Tomasz run

away from the camp.

NARRATOR (V.O)

A long shot emphasizes Hannah and

Tomasz’s freedom and joy as they run

together hand in hand. The long shot

shot shows the vast amount of space

that surrounds them a stark contrast

from the dark, confined shots they were

in previously. Finally, their love has

room to grow.

VIDEO AUDIO

9


9:40-9:45 during which Hannah

and Tomasz kiss.

NARRATOR (V.O)

The kissing scenes in Remembrance are

more frequent and frantic compared to

Daddy’s Little Girls. Hannah and Tomasz

are aware that death is around at every

corner.



Hannah and Tomasz kiss after

they have escaped from the

camp.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Every chance they get, they use to show

their love for each other. Through the

close-ups, Justice emphasizes their

intimacy and closeness despite all the

darkness.



Hannah and Tomasz walk

through the woods.

NARRATOR (V.O)

There is an urgency in every shot taken

in Remembrance that isn’t present in

Daddy’s Little Girls. Justice did this

to emphasize the danger Hannah and

Tomasz and everything they do it to

survive whereas Monty and Julia’s love

grows in typical conditions.

(Begin Beautiful By Me’Shell

Ndegeocello at 2:19)


1:46:00-1:46:13 during which

Hannah and Tomasz stare at

each other after it has been

years since they have last

seen each other.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Remembrance shows that love blooms even

in the darkest of places.

Cut to Daddy’s Little Girls

at 1:13:37-1:13:40 during

which Julia apologies for

not letting Monty explain his

past.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Daddy’s Little Girls shows that love

overcomes all.

Zoom out of a close-up of

cookies made with a cookie

cutter.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Not every romance film is the exact

same. However, directors like Tyler

Perry and Anna Justice fulfill romance

genre expectations to satisfy the

expectations of the audience.

VIDEO AUDIO

10

Cut to two shot at

40:36-40:42 of Tomasz and

Hannah sitting closely

together in the car as he

drives.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Both films have many close-ups mostly

containing the couple. The proximity of

the couples in the each shot reflects

the stage of their relationship.

Cut to two shot of Daddy’s


during which Julia sits in

the backseat and reprimands

Monty in the front seat.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Tyler Perry emphasized the distance

between Monty and Julia at first

and shows the progression of their

relationship over the film as they grow

closer using shot types.

Cut to medium shot


during which Tomasz has snuck

Hannah some food.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Contrarily, Anna Justice starts with

close proximity in the beginning of the

shots and communicates a love story

that blooms in the darkness of the

Holocaust.


1:34:21-1:34:21 during which

Hannah calls Tomasz after

her long search and the two

finally talk.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Time has moved on and contact has

been lost yet the love that grew years

before still remained.

Cut to medium shot

of Remembrance at

1:25:47-1:25:58 during which

Hannah sees Tomasz as a

figment of her imagination.

NARRATOR (V.O)

No matter how the directors chose to

use shot types it was with the purpose

of communicating an idea, a message, or

a feeling.

Cut to close-up of


1:18:30-1:18:40 during which

Julia reveals why she has

been holding back.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Perry wanted his audience to believe in

the existence of a love story between

a hood guy and an Eastside woman, an

idea we would normally consider to as

unlikely!


1:44:42-1:44:52 during which

the camera switches focus

from Tomasz driving his car

and Hannah riding the bus as

they head towards each other.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Justice wanted his audience to believe

in the existence of a love story

in the midst of the Holocaust and

surviving human brutality, aging, and

time.

(Music ends)

(Fade to black )

Independent Study Annotated Bibliography

Works Cited:

1. “5th Avenue Shops and Stores, Manhattan, New York City, 4K

Video.” YouTube, New York City Files, 26 Feb. 2016.

<www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCdwFgeO2o4>.

2. Schubert, Franz. “Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D. 485:

II. Andante Con Moto.”

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IKqmLG7v1w&t=1424s>

3. Meads, Alexis. “A Woman's Reflection.” I Am That Girl.

www.iamthatgirl.com/dating_you_relationships_reflect_oursel

ves.

4. “Photo of Lev Kuleshov.” Filmmaker IQ.9 Jan. 2017.

<filmmakeriq.com/lessons/birth-soviet-cinema-

kuleshovworkshops/>

5. “Photo of Sergei Eisenstein.” Senses of Cinema.

<sensesofcinema.com/2004/great-directors/eisenstein/>

6. Press, John P. “The Birth of Soviet Cinema and the Kuleshov

Workshops.FilmmakerIQ.com.” Filmmaker IQ.9 Jan. 2017.

<filmmakeriq.com/lessons/birth-soviet-cinema-

kuleshovworkshops/>.

7. “Kuleshov Effect.” AS Media Studies. 7 Oct. 2015.

<alevelmedialessons.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-

kuleshoveffect.html>.

8. “Daddy's Little Girl Film Cover.” The Cocoa Lounge. 11 Jan.

2007.

<cocoalounge.blogspot.com/2007/01/tyler-perry-attempts-

three-peat-with.html>

9. “Remembrance Movie Poster.” Flicks.CO.NZ.

<www.flicks.co.nz/movie/remembrance/poster/>

10. “Photo of Tyler Perry during Filmmaking.” The San Antonio

Observer.14 Feb. 2017.

<www.saobserver.com/single-post/2017/02/14/Need-a-JobTyler-

Perry-is-Reportedly-Hiring-at-His-Studios-in-

Atlanta>.

11. “Photo of Julia In a White Suite.” Hotflick.Net.

<www.hotflick.net/movies/2007_Daddy_s_Little_Girls/gabriell

e_union_2.html>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IKqmLG7v1w&t=1424s



http://www.flicks.co.nz/movie/remembrance/poster/



http://www.hotflick.net/movies/2007_Daddy_s_Little_Girls/gabrielle_union_2.html




12. Sandell, Laurie. “A Photo of Gabrielle Union In a Casual Red

Dress.” Glamour.7 Jan. 2014.

<www.glamour.com/story/gabrielle-union-dos-and-donts.>

13. “A Photo of Tyler Perry Filming .” Blackfilm.Feb. 2006.

<www.blackfilm.com/20070209/features/tylerperry.shtml.>

14. Ward, Joe. “An African American Family.” Houston Agent

Magazine.28 Mar. 2017.

<houstonagentmagazine.com/2017/03/28/renting-popularowning-

houston-study-shows/>

15. Interview with Michel Martin -"'Daddy's Little Girls'

Actress Gabrielle Union.".NPR. 9 Feb. 2007. NPR. Web. 12

May 2017.

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=73046

20>.

16. “A Photo of Winding Road.” Daily Compass.31 May 2013.

<www.dailycompass.org/2013/05/31/the-long-and-windingroad/.>

17. “Archery in Slow Motion S01E02 BONUS: Tan Ya-Ting (Coach

Cam).” YouTube.14 Sept. 2017.

<www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7jJuWTQ6CQ.>

18. Simon Kingsley. “Casual Photo of Film Director Anna

Justice.”Cineuropa - the Best of European Cinema.26 June

2014,

<www.cineuropa.org/it.aspx?t=interview&l=en&did=259320>.

19. Jewish News of Northern California -“Wartime Love, Escape

Propel Immersive Remembrance – J.” J. The Jewish News of

Northern California.29 Dec. 2016.

<www.jweekly.com/2011/10/21/wartime-love-escape-

propelimmersive-remembrance/>.

20. “Jigsaw Cookie Cutter.” Awesome Inventions.

<www.awesomeinventions.com/shop/jigsaw-puzzle-

cookiecutter/.>

21. Ndegeocello, Meshell. “Beautiful.” 24 Aug. 1999.

<www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev8E9rolRMc>

Annotated Bibliography:

Written Sources:

Film Genre IV - Grant, Barry Keith. “Genre.” Film Genre Reader

IV, University of Texas Press, 2012, pp. 3–11,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev8E9rolRMc



This source was used to better understand film genre and

how it's used in cinema. This helped me better understand

the romance genre and how the two films I have chosen to

analyze fit into this genre and then reflect on how the

shot types relate to the genre too.

Electronic Sources:

Broadwater, Casey. “Daddy's Little Girls Blu-Ray.” Blu-Ray.com,

20 Sept. 2009.

<www.blu-ray.com/movies/Daddys-Little-Girls-Blu-ray/430/.>

This was used for insight on the effect produced by the

shot types on the film. Also, a photo contained on this

page was used in this documentary which was important for

visual purposes.

"Documentary Filmmaking." Elements of Cinema – A Student's Guide

to the Fundamentals of Filmmaking. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr.

2017.

<http://www.elementsofcinema.com/film_form/documentary_film

making.html>.

This source was used to learn about the elements of

filmmaking which I can incorporate into my independent

study. This helped me effectively use voice overs and

interviews in my documentary.

Dequina, Michael. "Daddy's Little Girls - Idris Elba." The Movie

Report. N.p., 6 Feb. 2007. Web. 12 May 2017.

<http://mrbrownmovies.com/daddyslittlegirls/idris.html>.

This source was used to receive Idris Elba’s perspective on

the film Daddy’s Little Girls and working with Tyler Perry.

I was able to use quotes from this interview to support the

claims made in my documentary and understand the director’s

choices and intent.

Dunlevy, T'Cha. “Movie Review: Concentration Camp Escapees Wait

for a Resolution in Remembrance.” www.montrealgazette.com,

19 Sept. 2014,

<www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/Movie+review+Concent

ration+camp+escapees+wait+resolution+Remembrance/10214811/s

tory.htm l . >

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Daddys-Little-Girls-Blu-ray/430/













http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/Movie+review+Concentration+camp+escapees+wait+resolution+Remembrance/10214811/story.html






This source was for insight on the film Remembrance through

a review. It provided insight on the plot yet it also

offered another perspective on the film.

Hall, Sandra. "Remembrance Review: Potent Tale of Love against a

Backdrop of Horror." The Sidney Morning Herald n.d.: n.

page. 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 12 May 2017.

<http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/remembrancereview-

potent-tale-of-love-against-a-backdrop-of-horror-

20131023-2w1k9.html>.

This source was used to gain insight on the sequences in

the film Remembrance and their aims relating to the romance

genre. Also, it helped me understand the director’s focus

when telling this concentration camp story and the effects

of her artistic decisions.

Jacobs, Christopher P. “Film Theory and Approaches to Criticism,

or, What Did That Movie Mean?” Film Theory & Approaches to

Criticism.

<und.edu/faculty/christopherjacobs/_files/docs/theory-and-

analysis.pdf.>

This was used to gain insight on the formalist theory. It

compared formalism with realism allowing me to see the

difference between the two in terms of approach and

analysis of a film.

Martin, Michel."'Daddy's Little Girls' Actress Gabrielle

Union.". NPR. 9 Feb. 2007. NPR. Web. 12 May 2017.

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=73046

20>.

This source was used to receive Gabrielle Union’s

perspective on the film Daddy’s Little Girls. I

incorporated quotes from this interview transcript into my

documentary to support the claims made. Also, I learned

about her take on the issues the film deals with and how

Tyler Perry does that.

“Modes of Film Making.”

<filmstudies.uncc.edu/sites/filmstudies.uncc.edu/files/medi

a/modes_of_filmmaking.pdf.>

This source was used to gain insight on the formalist

theory. It provided me with key elements of formalism and

filmmakers who contributed to this theory.

Press, John P. “The Birth of Soviet Cinema and the Kuleshov

Workshops.FilmmakerIQ.com.” Filmmaker IQ.9 Jan. 2017,

filmmakeriq.com/lessons/birth-soviet-cinema-

kuleshovworkshops/.

This source was used to learn more about Koleshov. I gained

understanding on the contributions he made to the formalist

theory and his importance and influence on Sergei

Eisenstein.

Simon Kingsley. “Anna Justice. Director.” Cineuropa - the Best

of European Cinema.26 June 2014.

<www.cineuropa.org/it.aspx?t=interview&l=en&did=259320.>

This source was used to understand Anna Justice’s style as

a director. In this source, she reveals what she was trying

to accomplish in the film Remembrance and the challenges

she had to overcome to do so. This was very important and

was used for support.

Sims, Niambi. "TYLER PERRY’S DADDY’S LITTLE GIRLS: An Interview

with Director Tyler Perry." Blackfilm. N.p., 12 Feb. 2007.

Web. 28 Apr. 2017.

<http://www.blackfilm.com/20070209/features/tylerperry.shtm

l>.

This source was used to gain insight on Tyler Perry’s

artistic vision for Daddy’s Little Girls. Also, it

explained the factors influencing the choices he made in

relation to the film.

“Wartime Love, Escape Propel Immersive Remembrance – J.” J. The

Jewish News of Northern California.29 Dec. 2016,

<www.jweekly.com/2011/10/21/wartime-love-escape-

propelimmersive-remembrance/>

This source was used to offer a perspective on the film as

a whole. It was important because it revealed the approach

Justice used in the film and the effect it has on the

audience.

http://www.cineuropa.org/it.aspx?t=interview&l=en&did=259320



http://www.jweekly.com/2011/10/21/wartime-love-escape-propel-immersive-remembrance/
















Wohl, Michael. "THE LANGUAGE OF FILM." THE LANGUAGE OF FILM.

N.p. 30 June 2008. Web. 12 May 2017.

<http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/language_of_film.html

>.

This was used to help me understand how different shot

types communicate different meanings. The examples with

accompanying explanation helped me understand how to

analyze the shots in a film and draw meaning from it.

Filmography:

Daddy's Little Girls. Dir. Tyler Perry. Perf. Gabrielle Union

and Idris Elba. Lionsgate, 2007. Netflix.

This was the first film I chose to analyze in my

independent study. I chose to analyze this film because it

exhibits clear characteristic of the romance genre. The

shot types vary in the film and were easily to analyze.

Remembrance. Dir. Anna Justice. Perf. Alice Dwyer, Dagmar Manzel

and Mateusz Damiecki. 2011.Netflix.

This was the second film I chose to analyze. I chose it

because similarly to Daddy’s Little Girls, it is in the

romance genre and exhibits common characteristics of the

romance genre. However, it is different from the first film

I chose because Justice rearranges the order the love story

is told yet she uses shot types in a similar manner.

Overall, the film frequently uses close ups and medium

shots such as Daddy’s Little Girls.

Good Deeds. Dir. Tyler Perry. Perf. Tyler Perry and Thandie

Newton. Tyler Perry Studios,2012.

I chose to incorporate scenes from Good Deeds in my

independent study to demonstrate typical scenes one would

expect to see in a romance film such as a couple arguing

and kissing. It was a visual way of displaying two of the

many expectations in the romance genre.

Documents

An examination of how directors use shot types in romance