Rififi

Examine Rififi through a feminist lens. Use at least one quote from a feminist film theory essay (either the Laura Mulvey essay or Anneke Smelik's essay.) Read the film by analyzing one five-minute scene. Be sure to discuss the film's meaning as a whole (through the feminist lens) and the scene's relation to that meaning. Why did you choose the scene? I also want you to mention your favorite part of the movie and what cinematic techniques you learned you could use in your own productions. Minimum of 2 paragraphs.

And, check out these cool production design pictures from the movie!

Due: Monday, January 27

Screenwriting

Sit down and read some scripts...

Go Into the Story--85 free, legal scripts for download

The Daily Script--a collection of movie scripts and screenplays to serve as a resource for writers and actors and those who simply enjoy reading movie scripts.

The more scripts/screenplays you read, the better you will be at writing them.

Everyone in class is required to write a 5-7 page screenplay. You have a choice of topics. Be sure to keep your screenplay simple so that your group can film it.

Main Character finds a magical object. What happens?

Main Character missed his/her curfew again and it's final exam time. What happens?

Main Character runs into his/her best friend and he/she is doing something very uncharacteristic. What is he/she doing and why? What happens?

Main Character is obsessed with orange soda. For whatever reason, orange soda is temporarily unavailable in Buffalo. To what lengths does the MC go in order to satisfy this obsession? What happens?

Main Character's best friend has just revealed an earth-shattering secret to him/her that changes everything about their friendship and may be pertinent to others as well. What is the secret? Does MC tell anyone? What happens?

Have fun. Be sure to write your script in script format with 12 pt. courier font.

Film Noir--Double Indemnity

Having read Paul Schrader's Notes on Film Noir, please discuss Double Indemnity and your choice of another film noir that Schrader talks about (check Netflix, Internet Archive, Amazon Prime, YouTube). Discuss, in at least 4 well-developed paragraphs, the films' implicit meanings and how the directors portray these meanings cinematically. Be sure to use a lot of visual examples (camera angles, shot composition, movement, editing, sequencing, lighting, mise-en-scene, etc.). Look at the representations of the characters and issues. Ask yourself, Why? For example, Why did the director choose to light a scene a certain way? Why is a particular character dressed the way he/she is? What is the purpose of the setting? Etc. Include one quote from Schrader's essay.

In order to make this a manageable task, choose a 5-minute scene from each film and focus on that scene and how it relates to the film as a whole. Also, find a review written at the time of the film's release and include one quote.

Remember, this exercise is preparing you for the Presentation assessment (only one year away!).

In case you don't have the Schrader essay, you can find it here:  http://ubuntuone.com/0eij9pdtWkxT2y7P7xpASD

Due: Monday, January 13