Follow the Follow the Yellow Brick Yellow Brick

RoadRoadSpeaking Their Language: Speaking Their Language:

Film in AP CoursesFilm in AP Courses

Film FlubsFilm Flubs

Wall StreetWall Street– 1987, Oliver Stone1987, Oliver Stone

Cold MountainCold Mountain– 2003, Anthony 2003, Anthony

MinghellaMinghella

Star Trek VStar Trek V – 1989, William Shatner1989, William Shatner

SpidermanSpiderman– 2002, Sam Raimi2002, Sam Raimi

62% have access to a television, VCR/DVD player, video 62% have access to a television, VCR/DVD player, video game equipment, game equipment, andand a computer in their homes a computer in their homesspend almost 6.5 hours a day using these mediaspend almost 6.5 hours a day using these mediaspend approximately 19 hours a week in front of the spend approximately 19 hours a week in front of the television alonetelevision alone72% see a movie in a theater at least once a month72% see a movie in a theater at least once a month62% watch a movie on video or DVD at least once a 62% watch a movie on video or DVD at least once a weekweek32% have not read a single book in an entire year32% have not read a single book in an entire yearFor every book the average teenager reads, he will have For every book the average teenager reads, he will have seen at least 20 moviesseen at least 20 movies

Children between 13 and 17Children between 13 and 17

RATIONALERATIONALE

Statistical CitationsStatistical Citations

Woodard IV, Emory, Ph. D. and Gridina, Woodard IV, Emory, Ph. D. and Gridina, Natalia (2000). Natalia (2000). Media in the home 2000: Fifth Media in the home 2000: Fifth annual survey of parents and childrenannual survey of parents and children. . Annenberg Public Policy Center of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.University of Pennsylvania.

Bradshaw, Tom, and Nichols, Bonnie (2004). Bradshaw, Tom, and Nichols, Bonnie (2004). Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in AmericaReading in America. National Endowment for . National Endowment for the Arts.the Arts.

““Reading at RiskReading at Risk merely documents and quantifies a merely documents and quantifies a huge cultural transformation that most Americans have huge cultural transformation that most Americans have already noted – our society’s massive shift toward already noted – our society’s massive shift toward electronic media for entertainment and information. … electronic media for entertainment and information. … most electronic media such as television, recordings, most electronic media such as television, recordings, and radio make fewer demands on their audiences, and and radio make fewer demands on their audiences, and indeed often require no more than passive participation. indeed often require no more than passive participation. Even interactive electronic media, such as video games Even interactive electronic media, such as video games and the Internet, foster shorter attention spans and and the Internet, foster shorter attention spans and accelerated gratification.”accelerated gratification.”

-Dana Gioia-Dana GioiaChair of the National Endowment for the ArtsChair of the National Endowment for the Arts

Use What Use What Works!!Works!!

““Reading at RiskReading at Risk merely documents and quantifies a merely documents and quantifies a huge cultural transformation that most Americans have huge cultural transformation that most Americans have already noted – our society’s massive shift toward already noted – our society’s massive shift toward electronic media for entertainment and information. … electronic media for entertainment and information. … most electronic media such as television, recordings, most electronic media such as television, recordings, and radio make fewer demands on their audiences, and and radio make fewer demands on their audiences, and indeed often require no more than passive participation. indeed often require no more than passive participation. Even interactive electronic media, such as video games Even interactive electronic media, such as video games and the Internet, foster shorter attention spans and and the Internet, foster shorter attention spans and accelerated gratification.”accelerated gratification.”

-Dana Gioia-Dana GioiaChair of the National Endowment for the ArtsChair of the National Endowment for the Arts

PASSIVE

Grossed $250 Million Grossed $250 Million dollars worldwidedollars worldwideOver 130 million people Over 130 million people have seen the filmhave seen the film121 separate 121 separate occurrences of cigarette occurrences of cigarette smoking in the filmsmoking in the film78% of those 78% of those interviewed exiting the interviewed exiting the film could not name a film could not name a single specific instance single specific instance of smoking of smoking in the in the filmfilm

1994 Quentin

Tarantino

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/

PURPOSEPURPOSE

EMPHASIZE ACTIVE versus PASSIVE VIEWING

FACILITATE FACILITATE INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERACTIONINTERACTION

PURPOSEPURPOSE

ACTIVE versus PASSIVE VIEWING

-Legal Ramifications-Legal Ramifications

-Popular Media Lemmings-Popular Media Lemmings

PURPOSEPURPOSE

INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERACTIONINTERACTION

-Time-Time

-Conceptual Carryover-Conceptual Carryover

PURPOSEPURPOSE

MEDIA MEDIA LITERACYLITERACY

PRACTICALITIESPRACTICALITIES

Copyright LawsCopyright Laws– Library copyLibrary copy– Offline tapingOffline taping

Hall Davidson at http://www.mediafestival.orgHall Davidson at http://www.mediafestival.org

IMPORTANT!

not so important . . .

RatingsRatings– ClearPlayClearPlay– ExcerptsExcerpts

2002 T.E.A.C.H. Act

-www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/legislative/teachkit

-www.washington.edu/classroom/emc/fairuse.html

PRACTICEPRACTICE

Choosing the FilmChoosing the Film

Showing the FilmShowing the Film

Analyzing the FilmAnalyzing the Film

PRACTICEPRACTICE

Choosing the FilmChoosing the Film– Appropriate Age GroupAppropriate Age Group

– Multiple ViewingsMultiple Viewings

– Instructional PurposeInstructional Purpose

– Interdisciplinary GlueInterdisciplinary Glue

Instructional PurposeInstructional Purpose

Atmosphere – BackgroundAtmosphere – Background

Adaptation – ReenactmentAdaptation – Reenactment

Metaphor - ApplicationMetaphor - Application

Instructional PurposeInstructional PurposeAtmosphere Adaptation Metaphor

LITERATURE

Instructional PurposeInstructional PurposeBackground Reenactment Application

ECONOMICS

Instructional PurposeInstructional PurposeBackground Reenactment Application

HISTORY

USE MOVIES USE MOVIES asas

INTERDISCIPLINARYINTERDISCIPLINARY“GLUE”“GLUE”

A Beautiful A Beautiful MindMind

The CastJOHN NASH . . . . . . . . . . Russell CroweSYLVIA NASH . . . . . . .Jennifer ConnellyWILLIAM PARCHER . . . . . . . .Ed HarrisCHARLES HERMAN . . . . . Paul BettanyDr. ROSEN . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Plummer

directed by Ron Howard.Universal Pictures, 2001. 135 minutes. PG-13

The CrucibleThe Crucible

Henry VHenry V

Empire of the SunEmpire of the Sun

The Power of OneThe Power of One

Other People’s MoneyOther People’s Money

Unique CombinationsUnique Combinations

Great GatsbyGreat Gatsby

Things Fall Things Fall ApartApart

All Quiet on All Quiet on the Western the Western FrontFront

Wall StreetWall Street

Mr. JohnsonMr. Johnson

GallipoliGallipoli

PRACTICEPRACTICE

Showing the FilmShowing the Film– Written SummariesWritten Summaries

– WorksheetsWorksheets

– SubtitlesSubtitles

– Jump Start PointsJump Start Points

PRACTICEPRACTICE

Analyzing the FilmAnalyzing the Film–FactualFactual

–ThematicThematic

–CinematicCinematic

PleasantvillePleasantville

The CastDAVID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tobey MaguireJENNIFER . . . . . . . Reese WitherspoonGEORGE PARKER . . . . . William MacyBETTY PARKER . . . . . . . . . Joan AllenBILL JOHNSON . . . . . . . . . Jeff Daniels

directed by Gary Ross.New Line Cinema, 1998. 124 minutes. PG-13

FactualFactualAccuracyAccuracyBackgroundBackgroundCostumesCostumesLanguage Language Plot Plot CharactersCharactersSettingSettingPoint of ViewPoint of View

Factual AnalysisFactual Analysis

What is the plot?What is the plot?

Who is the protagonist?Who is the protagonist?

From whose point of view From whose point of view is the story told?is the story told?

In what year does the film In what year does the film take place?take place?

Does the film present the Does the film present the era accurately in terms of era accurately in terms of art, dress, and music?art, dress, and music?

Does Pleasantville reflect Does Pleasantville reflect reality or television?reality or television?

PleasantvillePleasantville

US HistoryUS HistoryLiteratureLiterature

ThematicThematic

ImagesImages

SymbolsSymbols

ThemesThemes

ChangeChange

MetaphorsMetaphors

ConnectionsConnections

Thematic AnalysisThematic Analysis

Is there a shift in power Is there a shift in power between the siblings between the siblings during the course of the during the course of the film?film?Which characters are Which characters are round and which are flat? round and which are flat? Does this change during Does this change during the course of the film?the course of the film?Why do the characters Why do the characters change color?change color?

How are the changes in How are the changes in the film representative of the film representative of changes in American changes in American society in the fifties?society in the fifties?Compare the rules about Compare the rules about ‘coloreds’ in Pleasantville ‘coloreds’ in Pleasantville to Jim Crow laws.to Jim Crow laws.How does the tension in How does the tension in Pleasantville foreshadow Pleasantville foreshadow the 1960s in the United the 1960s in the United States?States?

PleasantvillePleasantville

US HistoryUS HistoryLiteratureLiterature

CinematicCinematic

Techniques and terminology Techniques and terminology – Types of shotsTypes of shots– Camera anglesCamera angles– Camera movementCamera movement– Shot durationShot duration– TransitionsTransitions– SoundSound

Mise en Scene versus MontageMise en Scene versus MontageAuteur TheoryAuteur Theory

Cinematic PracticeCinematic Practice

ConceptConcept

ScriptScript

StoryboardStoryboard

Mise en SceneMise en Scene“To Put into the Scene”“To Put into the Scene”

Mise-en-sceneMise-en-scene is the relationship between the camera is the relationship between the camera and what is being framed in its sights. This relationship and what is being framed in its sights. This relationship includes spacing, angle and movement. Mise-en-scene includes spacing, angle and movement. Mise-en-scene is the organization of an unbroken is the organization of an unbroken shotshot..Historically, mise-en-scene meant directing plays, and Historically, mise-en-scene meant directing plays, and later became used in film to express how the frame is later became used in film to express how the frame is organized. organized. Mise-en-scene items include lighting, actors, costumes, Mise-en-scene items include lighting, actors, costumes, props, special effects, sound effects and the action of the props, special effects, sound effects and the action of the camera within the scene It encourages the audience to camera within the scene It encourages the audience to focus on what is in the scene in a specific way. focus on what is in the scene in a specific way.

*Braudy, L. and Cohen, M. (1999) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. NY: Oxford University Press.

MontageMontage“To Build”“To Build”

MontageMontage is the editing together of disparate shots in is the editing together of disparate shots in order to create meaning. It is the fluid integration of the order to create meaning. It is the fluid integration of the camera's total range of shots, from extreme close-up to camera's total range of shots, from extreme close-up to distant panorama, so as to produce the most coherent distant panorama, so as to produce the most coherent narrative sequence, the most systematic meaning, and narrative sequence, the most systematic meaning, and the most effective rhythmic pattern.the most effective rhythmic pattern.Montage involves a "dialectical" process that creates a Montage involves a "dialectical" process that creates a new third meaning from combining the meanings of the new third meaning from combining the meanings of the two original shots. two original shots. A major purpose of montage is to create a narrative or A major purpose of montage is to create a narrative or specific chain of events. It is also used to manipulate specific chain of events. It is also used to manipulate time, transcend vast spaces, and make connections time, transcend vast spaces, and make connections between concurrent stories. between concurrent stories.

*Braudy, L. and Cohen, M. (1999) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. NY: Oxford University Press.

The Auteur TheoryThe Auteur Theory“Auteur theory was articulated in the 1950s by French film critics, most notably by Francois Truffaut. The concept describes the mark of a film director in terms of: thematic or stylistic consistencies, personal aesthetic vision, recurring themes, established technique, a defined view of the world and a significant degree of control over production. The works of an auteur director are stamped by the personality and unique artistic vision of its creator, and are as recognizable and distinctive as the creators of any other work of art. In auteur films, it is the director who controls the artistic statement, takes credit for the film, and is primarily responsible for attracting the audience.”

Ebert, Roger. 2002. The Great Movies.

Chicago: Broadway Publishers.

Cinematic AnalysisCinematic Analysis

How does the director use montage (editing How does the director use montage (editing techniques) in the beginning of the film?techniques) in the beginning of the film?

Why does this change during the course of the Why does this change during the course of the film to emphasize mise en scene?film to emphasize mise en scene?

Why is the Mayor always seen from a low angle?Why is the Mayor always seen from a low angle?

What is the point of view of the director and how What is the point of view of the director and how is he trying to influence the way you see modern is he trying to influence the way you see modern society?society?

PleasantvillePleasantville

ApplicabilityApplicability

MultidisciplinaryMultidisciplinary

MultimediaMultimedia

The End of the The End of the Yellow Brick RoadYellow Brick Road

WHO IS BEHIND WHO IS BEHIND THE CURTAIN?THE CURTAIN?

Film FlubsFilm Flubs

Wall StreetWall Street– 1987, Oliver Stone1987, Oliver Stone

Cold MountainCold Mountain– 2003, Anthony 2003, Anthony

MinghellaMinghella

Star Trek VStar Trek V – 1989, William Shatner1989, William Shatner

SpidermanSpiderman– 2002, Sam Raimi2002, Sam Raimi

Challenger disaster Challenger disaster took place in 1986took place in 1986

Inman is walking northInman is walking north

Kirk’s uniform Kirk’s uniform changes colorchanges color

Two Empire State Two Empire State buildingsbuildings