Film Analysis Part 1: First Draft Instructions

The Film Review is worth (15%) of your total grade, and is calculated as follows:

• First Draft – 5%
• Final Draft – 10%

For the FINAL draft, students will write a 1,000- word minimum, critical analysis of a film short. This is a Gordon Rule Paper and must be completed with a passing grade in order to pass this course. You’ll write a first draft which will be submitted electronically by the due date specified. You’ll receive instructor feedback so that you may revise your draft and submit your final Film Review for final grading.

First Draft Instructions:

Select a Film Short from the list provided: Film Analysis Part 3 – Select Your Short Film Students MUST select a film from this list. Film Reviews submitted on films other than those on this list will receive a score of a “0.”

The first draft is worth 5% of your overall course grade. Upload your first draft as a .doc or .docx file to the appropriate First Draft submission folder.

As with all written assignments, your Film Review must follow MLA formatting and citation guidelines. Review the MLA Guidelines and Resources for instructions and MLA template.

See associated Film Review Grading Rubric for grading criteria. Students will receive feedback using the grading rubric and any additional general comments with the assessment in order to improve upon the draft for final submission.

Requirements:

Write a first draft of the Film Analysis including the following components. Note, this is not the FULL paper format yet. The first draft requires ONLY the first two sections of the paper. You will receive

Introduction – 1 Paragraph

The introduction includes all the concrete details. It must define the film title, classification (narrative, documentary, absolute) and film genre, release date, director, and production company. Introductions might also include the date of viewing. Including the specific details about the film may be helpful for readers who are unfamiliar and provides basic contextual information. For example, you might include any awards/accolades given to the film and/or a brief description of the cultural context for the time the film was made. The introduction can include a concise, summary statement (1-2 sentences) of the overall impact and importance of the film within the socio-cultural context.

Plot Summary – 1 – 2 Paragraphs

The main body of your film review should begin with a clear and concise story summary. What is the story being told? How does the story progress? What characters does the plot follow? Avoid including extraneous plot details or getting deep into the Critical Analysis of film technique here. Focus on summarizing the main events and themes of the storyline. This is a synopsis of the film that should be no more than 2 paragraphs in length.

The Stutterer (2016) is an Oscar-winning short film that communication, like love, is never easy. (13:04)