Film Texts (shared as negotiated)

This is an oral response. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation to support your response. Integrate audio or video clips. Prepare to be taped.

Criteria for Judging Performance Students performance in text response will be judged by the extent to which they demonstrate: knowledge and understanding of the texts; clarity in identifying the characteristics of different text types (filming techniques include plot, characterisation, theme and setting AS WELL AS camera angles, costumes, lighting, sound, music, special effects, etc.) and the ways in which those characteristics are used by authors; depth of treatment in recognising the connection between their own ideas, experiences, beliefs, and values and those explored in the text; accuracy and fluency of expression in an appropriate form and register.

Concentrate on the criteria:

connecting ideas, experiences, beliefs, and values and those explored in the text

1. As a response to a film text, prepare an oral presentation (for another culture or age group from your own. Think about your film text so that you can negotiate a topic that is relevant. Make the purpose of your response clear. Adopt a real or imaginary audience. This might mean you are the creative director of a movie company talking to new production team members. You might be an automotive enthusiast talking to the local 12 year olds at a Scout meeting. You might be talking to university trained engineers. Maybe you will choose to adopt the voice of a character from the text and to speak to keen movie goers. Then find a way to present information (close references or direct quotations) from that text. Part of the task will be to negotiate the topic. Look at the diversity of ways to respond to the one question. Then make suggestions as you negotiate your topic. Show how violence against property has been evident in the film text Terminator 2. How can a film-maker justify this cost? What affect could this level of violence have on a young audience? Audience: Parents of Yr 6 children Purpose: To encourage parents to supervise their childrens viewing. Audience: Advertising executives Purpose: To manipulate ideas to sell to free to air TV stations

Audience: Local peace activists group Purpose: To encourage a group to picket the opening of a movie

Choose a movie that has won an award in a foreign film category. In what ways is this film different from American Academy Award winners? How do you feel about the way that US films dominate our screens? Can you comment on success that Australian Film-makers have had? Audience: Would be film-makers Purpose: To encourage new producers and directors. Audience: Advertising executives Purpose: To manipulate ideas to sell to free to air TV stations Audience: Local movie groups Purpose: To encourage a group to picket the opening of a movie Audience: Students of costume design Purpose: To promote careers in creative design

2. Collect a group of quotations from a movie that you have enjoyed (or disliked). Write a response to each, showing your personal reflection. How has the film-maker used dialogue to enhance the setting and theme? 3. Show how various aspects of one topic have been shown in the movie you have chosen (sport, romance, exploring relationships between characters etc.). Comment of the impact these have had on you as a viewer and how these have enhanced your understanding of the theme.

You will need to design a PowerPoint presentation that includes sound or video clips. To support this, click here. Negotiated topics 1. Educating Rita is a film text about a quest or personal journey. Write an imaginary interview with the playwright, Willy Russell. Limit yourself to 3 or four questions so that you can give a detailed response. Bring in your own experiences as you discuss this issue with Mr Russell. You might discuss what it was that Rita was seeking in this play. Ask the playwright to explain what it was that he wanting to show Rita searching for and how she found it. Discuss with him whether he thinks Frank was a good teacher and how Rita changed. Ask him what it was that Rita and Frank gained from their time together.

2. Prepare a text response for a film or a drama script in the form of a radio script of three questions. You might direct these at one or more actor, the director, the costumer or the producer. Ask questions that will allow the person to give the listener a detailed insight into the character played. You might ask about preparation before each scene, directors instructions or specific questions about interactions between other actors. Your question might include detailed information that you would like that person to comment on. Prepare the answers in the voice of that actor. Click here to see an example of a radio script. Remember to include the opening words and phrases that include station ID etc 3. Mary Poppins is a film from the early 1960s. How has language changed since this time? What elements of this film make it a timeless production? It has cult status with many film goers repeating lines verbatim. Choose 3 5 memorable sections and explain the significance of each. The word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" has cone into common use (especially at quiz nights). What other words have achieved this status. Comment on the songs, their tunes and their lyrics. If you were a costume designer for a remake, what would you keep and what would you change (and why)? The penguin dance was one early example of animation. Computer graphic animation appears in many froms today. How might a remake change the feel of the film for you? What are the time-honoured themes associated with the film you have chosen? How do you as a young adult today react to these ideas or messages?