Speaking Order for Wednesday

Here is the order in which you will be speaking. If you have a presentation that requires a projector, you will set up during the presentation of the person before you.

1. Jen
2. Lyndsey
3. Tre, Colton, Grace, Haley, Cassidy, Zach
4. Makal
5. Vickie
6. Trent
7. Margot
8. Kyle
9. Talin, Chandler, Allie, Brooke
10. Dylan
11. Amanda
12. Arenda
13. Evan
14. Taylor
15. Tori
16. Draven
17. Monze
18. Lulu

As you can see, there are gong to be a TON of presentations. In order to get them all in, please limit your presentation to NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES. While being conscious of time, do not forget to have an introduction, body, and conclusion AND present in an engaging manner.

Good luck!

Rubric

 Here is the generic rubric for your final project. Note two things:

1) Getting points for your project is pretty easy.

2) The presentation of your project is worth as many points as the project itself.

Standard	ES (30)	MS (24)	AS (18)	AW (6)
SL11-12.5	Project meets standards and excels in some way (e.g. wide diversity of interview subjects, storyboarded outline, sweded film with advanced editing techniques).	Project meets requirements of assignment.	Project meets some of the requirements.	Project exists and was turned in.
Standard	ES (15)	MS (12)	AS (9)	AW (3)
SL.11-12.4	Presentation meets standards and contains pleasing turns of phrase.	Presentation of project has a clear message with and introduction, body, and conclusion.	Presentation lacks clear message, introduction, or conclusion.	Presentation lacks two or more of the following: clear message, introduction, or conclusion.
SL.11-12.4	Presentation is delivered in a manner that invites the audience to listen and be engaged.	Presentation of project is delivered at appropriate pace without verbal garbage.	Presentation contains uncomfortable pacing (too fast or slow) or verbal garbage.	Presentation has extremely uncomfortable pacing or excessive verbal garbage.
Total				/60

ALL group members MUST participate in the presentation of the project.

Let me know if you have any questions!!! Otherwise, have at it and have fun.

Final

You will be working on a final project for class the week of the 10th. Your final will be to present your project to the class.

I created your project selections based on Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory. We have been working mainly with the linguistic intelligence so far this semester (i.e. writing and speaking), and now it's time to explore our films in different ways. Choose one of the following:


Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
Analyze a scene from one of the films we have watched and report on how the filmmakers make it special or unique.

Explain the appeal of mathematical proofs and famous proofs in history.

Spatial Intelligence
Illustrate a brief vignette from your personal life based on the style of Persepolis and present it.

Provide the class with a sense of scale for Phillipe's achievement in Man on Wire.

Musical Intelligence
Study, practice and perform music from one of the films we have viewed.

Study and present the importance of a particular score to a film's success or a composer's contributions to pop culture

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
Study, practice, and perform a dance (or portion of a dance) from Singin' in the Rain.

Study, practice, and perform a feat of magic (sleight of hand not card tricks).

Interpersonal Intelligence
Swede one of the films we have watched and show it to the class.

Interview 10 people from a variety of backgrounds (young and old, jocks and nerds) about their favorite movies and present your findings.

Intrapersonal Intelligence
Create a movie log to discover what your viewing habits say about you and present your findings.

Outline and cast the movie version of your life. Present your proposal to the class.

Naturalistic intelligence
Research and report on the persistence of vision, how film takes advantage of it, and how films play with it (e.g. frame rate, slow motion, stop motion, etc.).

Create a film documenting a natural place and share it with the class.

Final option
Create a project of your own devising in consultation with me.


I will give you more information about the grading rubrics next week.

Sugar Cane Persepolis

I guess my oral instructions were unclear last week. I just wanted you to post a reaction to Persepolis using one or more of the questions discussed in class as a starting point.

I still want you to do that for Persepolis, and now also for Sugar Cane Alley. Each reaction should be 150+ words, but you can roll that into one 300+ word post on both films if you like. You may also compare and contrast the films if you do one post as well.

An Inconvenient Hero on a Wire

Write a 250 word response to one of these films: Hero, An Inconvenient Truth, Man on Wire. While you  may write about one of the following questions below, I'm really more interested in what you found in the films that was worthwhile instead of rehashing ideas we've already discussed.

1. What is a hero? Does a hero always do things that are heroic?

2. How do the filmmakers of An Inconvenient Truth try to get the audience to trust Al Gore and to want to listen to his message?

3. Where does Phillipe (the man on wire) fall in the Borden/Angier obsession debate?

Again, use those prompts if you're stuck for something to say, but I'm really just more interested in what you got out of the films than what I'm asking you to get out of them. If you got nothing, explore why that was.

Night of the Living Dead

In a 200+ word post, answer one of the following questions on your blog:

1. Why do you think zombocalypse films and media are so popular these days?

2. Are other people the biggest threat in a zombocalypse?

3. How do you plan to survive a zombocalypse if you have less than 24 hours to prepare?

4. How does this movie compare to other zombocalypse movies you have seen?

5. How does knowing that some zombocalypse movies have a basis in scientific fact affect your viewing of those types of movies?

6. Choose your own topic.

This post is due by 11/10/12.

The Nightmare before Christmas

In a 200+ word post, answer one of the following questions in a post to your blog.

1. Even though the movie isn't directed by Tim Burton, should it still be called a Tim Burton movie?  On the one hand, it was his original story idea and has some of the same elements as other Burton movies, but on the other hand, his involvement in the day-to-day decisions and work was limited if not in fact nonexistent.

2. Here are the themes suggested by your class for both Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare before Christmas:

Outsiders can find happiness but will never be deemed as normal.
In your community, be yourself because you're more accepted that way.
Be yourself.
The grass isn't greener on the other side.
Society can only take one change at a time.
It's better to just be yourself than to change.
People that don't fit into mainstream society are better left outside of society.

Using examples from the movies and your personal experience, defend one of these themes or another theme of your own choice.

3. One of Tim Burton's signature design concepts is to make the grotesque cute, charming, or appealing. What are examples of ways that concept shows up in The Nightmare before Christmas? HOW does Burton make it so appealing?

4. Christmas has shown up both of the Burton movies we've watched. What do you think Burton believes about Christmas? What message does he give audiences in his films?

5. How does knowing what goes into making this film enhance your appreciation of it? Is that true of all art forms - for example, does knowing how to play guitar make you appreciate a good guitar solo better than someone who doesn't play the instrument?

6. Choose your own topic.

This post is due by 11/10/12.

Edward Scissorhands

In a 200+ post on your blog, write about one of the following question threads:

1. If we consider Edward as an artist, what does the film say about the role of the artist in society? Where does the stand in relationship to the rest of the society? How does the artist benefit from society? How does society benefit from artists?

2. Edward Scissorhands has several references to religion -- angels, pierced hands, Christmas, and one religious neighbor. What is Burton saying about religion? How does the town relate to it? What does it mean that Edward is created by a person rather than born from a mother?

3. Tim Burton has a distinct visual style - oversized and anthropomorphic (looking like people) set pieces, unique camera angles (off eye-level), and "grotesque" looking people. How does this movie illustrate that style.

4. Since Tim Burton's background is in animation, he pays special attention to color. Black and white figure prominently in some of the main characters' wardrobe, but colors are striking in other places as well, such as the exterior of the houses and the wardrobe of the townspeople. What do the colors mean in the movie?

5. Peg is also a bit of an outcast. What are the female gender roles in this town, and how does Peg live outside of them? Since this is supposed to be a modern-day fairy-tale, are these roles accurate? If so, how? If not, then why does Burton show them in this way?

6. Could there have been a happy ending for Edward? Assume that saving Kevin (Kim's brother) made Edward a hero and got rid of Jim. Where does Edward's life go from there? Could he have gotten the girl and had a "normal" life?

7. Helena Bonham-Carter has said that Tim Burton makes movies about Tim Burton. After doing some research into Burton's films and biography, how true do you think that is?

8. Write your own topic.

This post should be completed by 11:59pm 10/26/12.

Remember as you write the post that you are writing for the worldwide web, not just for your class and me. So don't begin the post by copying and pasting the question. Write as though this is really a topic that interests you and you're sharing your thoughts with the world. Begin, perhaps, by giving us a little context. For example:

Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands, one of his earliest films, already displays some of the distinctive elements that would become his trademark.

Or to put it into less formal terms:

Have you ever noticed that a lot of Tim Burton's movies look alike? I just watched Edward Scissorhands, and I thought, "Whoa! I've seen that before."

Assume that your audience is interested in your topic, and while they might have seen the movie before, they need a little refresher about the plot of the movie or the characters or the scenes or whatever it is you're discussing. Use IMDB to find quotations, character names, or plot refresher points.

Grades

Some of you may be looking at PowerSchool with some shock right now. I just entered all the grades I had in a big batch. And there are still more coming that will have an effect on your grade (for better or for worse). There is still a chance to revise and turn in work to improve your grade, but you must follow these instructions:

1. All submissions and revisions are due by 11:59pm Friday, October 19, 2012. THIS IS A FIRM DEADLINE. NO LATE WORK AFTER THIS TIME.

2. The large research project we have been working on falls under this deadline as well.

3. You must tell me to look for these new submissions (not including the research project) and revisions by posting a reply/comment to this post. IF YOU DO NOT MAKE THE REPLY, I WILL NOT LOOK FOR YOUR NEW WORK. See below for more details

4. One large element many people missed was replying to other people's blogs. You were required to to make a total of three intelligent and respectful replies to three different people's blogs. This assignment took up about half of the first page of the grading sheet. If you choose to make this up, you must tell me (in a reply to this post) the name of the classmate and the movie you made a comment on.

5. If you revise a post in your blog, you must tell me which post you revised by replying to this post.

6. If you add a post to your blog, you must tell me that a new post was added in a comment to this post.

7. You must make sure that your name appears in the comment or reply.

8. If you have any questions, you can ask me in person, but if you tell me about improvements on your blog without also noting them in a reply to this blog post, you will not receive credit for them.

The grades for this class right now form an almost perfect U curve if plotted graphically: 12 As, 3 Bs, 0 Cs, 2 Ds, and 11 Fs. The biggest thing bringing people's grades down are not having the blogs updated with all of the required posts. This is your chance to change the look of that graph.

The Big One (Or the Biggest So Far)

 In a 1,000+ word post to your blog, delve deeply into one of the following topics:

1.      How does obsession figure into the films that we have watched so far?

·         Possible roads of inquiry could include the following: What is the line between obsession and commitment? Which characters have been “obsessed”? What good has come of their obsession? Can anything good come out of obsession? Are the trade-offs worth the obsession? What is the clinical definition of obsession? Do any characters meet those criteria? What real-life figures have been obsessed? Has their obsession delivered any lasting good?

2.      How accurate is the portrayal of Hollywood and the theatre circuit in Singin’ in the Rain?

·         Possible roads of inquiry could include the following: Histories of the transition from silent films to talkies. Descriptions of Hollywood relationships on and off the screen. Histories of theatre circuits. Biographies of the filmmakers and actors involved in the film.

3.      How should we view High Noon today – as a liberal or a conservative work of art?

·         Possible roads of inquiry could include the following: Current events reporting. News analysis and commentary. American history.

4.      In what ways does a particular film combine the visual and performing arts to create a lasting and memorable scene?

·         Possible roads of inquiry could include the following: Cinematography, sound design, music scoring, performances, and lighting. Film reviews. Critical film studies. Film blogs.

5.      What distinguishes a Christopher Nolan film from his peers’ films?

·         Possible roads of inquiry could include the following: Similarities in theme, structure, cinematography. Film reviews. Critical film studies. Film blogs.

6.      Choose a topic of your own.

Include three multimedia items (e.g. audio, video, audio-video, still image, slide show)

·         Sources must be appear in text of the blog (normally just the film title)

·         Items must be active

·         Clear labeling of what we need to look for and where we should look for it must be apparent

Include three research sources (images and clips from the movie do not count)

·         Credible, reliable sources

·         Source appears in text of the sentence

·         Hyperlink to research is active

           

Include all four voices

·         Quotations or direct, specific reference to events in the film(s)

·         Your interpretation of what the author means to say OR quotations from the filmmakers in an interview OR quotations/insights found on director’s commentaries

·         What you think about the theme, characters’ decisions, contrast between the two films

·         The insights of film critics, experts in related fields, news reports, reference materials, etc.

Projected Timeline

T 10/2 – Research

Th 10/4 – Research/ Writing

M 10/8 – Writing

T 10/9 – Writing/Editing

Th 10/11 – Informal Presentations/Blog Completion

A more detailed grading rubric is forthcoming.

The Prestige Assignment

In a 200+ word post on your blog, answer one of the following questions:

1. What genre of film does this work belong in?
2. Is Borden obsessed or committed?
3. Does anything good come of the Angiers or Borden's obsessions/commitments?
4. Is there a way to scientifically explain what happens to Angiers when he's inside The New Transported Man?
5. Borden tells Sarah's nephew, "The secret impresses no one." Is this true?
6. Answer a question of your own devising.

Nikola Tesla

Think the science in The Prestige was all fiction? Check out more about Nikola Tesla.

The Prestige: Spoiler Alert

If you want to know the secrets, click me.

High Noon

In a 200 word post to your blog, answer one of the following questions:

1. Which of the opposing arguments to Kane's position did you agree with? Why? Was it more compelling than Kane's? (I'm especially interested in seeing what those of you who thought the town's reputation was more important that fighting Frank Miller have to say.)

2. Could we say that Kane was a Christ archetype, or am I completely off the rails? Defend your answer.

3. How did the shots (size and angle) help tell the story?

4. How would you characterize Helen Ramirez?

5. Is this a film for conservatives or liberals?

6. Why shoot in black and white? Singin' in the Rain was released in the same year and it's in color.

7. Answer one of your own questions.

High Noon: Spoiler Alert

Wanna know how it ends? Click me.

Proof Assignment

Sorry about the delay in getting this assignment up. (I lost my username for this account. D'oh!)

In a 200 word post on your own blog, answer one of the following questions:

1. Is Catherine really crazy?
2. Is Hal really interested in a relationship with Catherine?
3. Did Catherine really write the proof?
4. Is Claire really an unpleasant person?
5. Maybe Catherine isn't "crazy," but how else can we explain her erratic behavior?
6. Is there really anything else you would like to write about?

Use evidence. Use the literary voices we've been talking about. Use gooder enlgish.

Proof: Spoiler Alert

For those of you who want to know the plot of the film in advance (and whether or not Catherine is crazy) can follow this link to the Wikipedia page for the film.

Singin' in the Rain Assignment

In a post of 150+ words to your blog, please answer one of the following questions:

1) As was pointed out in class, just because a movie contains music and dancing does not automatically make it artistic. What is the artistry in Singin' in the Rain? In what ways does the camerawork in the film work like the brushwork of a painter? What is the difference between this clip from Singin' in the Rain



and this clip from High School Musical? What makes one art and the other "entertainment" (or do they both belong in the same category)?


2) Should the "Broadway Melody" section have been cut from the movie? It's different in style and plot from the rest of the film and stars a woman who does not appear anywhere else in the film. What does it add or take away from the film as a whole? What does it mean?

3) Does knowing more about the background of the movie (from the post below) make the film more enjoyable? How? Should knowing about the process of the filming have any bearing on the film's overall value or worth?

4) What is the film's message about moviemaking?

5) Create your own topic.

Singing in the Rain Resources

Check out these articles for some thoughts about the importance of the film and some fun trivia behind the movie.

Check out this analysis of "Make 'Em Laugh" for practical instructions on how the camera is able to capture the most out of that dance sequence.

Check out the video below for a clip of a more "contemporary" musical: Moulin Rouge. One criticism of modern filmed musicals is that they rely more on cinematic trickery - quick edits and extreme shots (in size of subject and angle) - to create the impression that something exciting is going on in the dance number rather than focusing on the dancing. What do you think? What differences between this clip and "Make 'Em Laugh" do you see?



(One more intersting thing about Moulin Rouge and Singing in the Rain: both of them utilized songs that had been used elsewhere prior to the movie.)

The Dark Knight

In a post on your personal blog, answer one of the following questions:

·         What is the nature and importance of truth in the film?

      The most obvious example of lying in the film comes from The Joker in his multiple stories of how he got his scars, but there are many others. Is it lying when Harvey uses his two-sided coin? It seems more innocent when he's with Rachel, but what about when he's questioning The Joker's henchman? Bruce Wayne's secret identity is an elaborate lie. Gordon and Batman's decision to make Two Face into a hero is a lie. How important is the truth when the good guys use lies to further their own ends?

     (I've already had some thoughts about this topic in a more general way, if you care to read them.)

·         Who is the Joker? What does he say about himself and how much of that can we trust?

      He says he is an agent of chaos. He says he's a dog chasing a car. He says he's a man of his word. Alfred suggests he's a man who just wants to watch the world burn. Who is this guy? His background is deliberately kept a mystery since he constantly changes his backstory. What do you make of him?

·         What is Harvey’s true nature? Is a hero, a villain, or something in between?

      Gordon says that everyone knows that Harvey Dent is Gotham's White Knight, and he certainly lives up to that reputation in the beginning of the film, putting away mob bosses and showing no fear or hesitation when threatened with a gun. When his fiancee is threatened, things change; he's willing to use mental torture to get information. After his accident, he kills some of those responsible and allows others to go free. He threatens innocent people in an attempt at revenge. Does doing bad automatically outweight all of the good he's done? Does temporary insanity (if he is insane) excuse his actions?

·         Who is the star of the movie?

      There are many candidates for this distinction: Batman, The Joker, Harvey Dent. Each of them has a compelling storyline; each of the actors does a great job of inhabiting that character. Who should we regard as the star of the film and why?

• One additional question that I thought about skipping over: Some people believe that the level of violence in movies such as The Dark Knight inspired the shootings in Colorado during the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. What do you think? (Keep in mind to look at what others are saying to ensure you are giving a well-informed opinion.)

No matter which question you choose, the post on your blog should be at least 150 words and include specific references to the movie itself (character's voice). Use The Internet Movie Database or YouTube to find quotes from the movie. You should include your thoughts about what the filmmakers are trying to say using your new knowledge of cinematic techniques (e.g. angles, size of subject, camera movement, lighting, etc.) (author's voice). You should let us know what you actually think about these things, your reactions and insights (reader's voice). And if you search the web for other people to support your opinions or are inspired by someone's else's thoughts on the Internet or in class, make sure to give them credit with a mention in the text and a hyperlink where appropriate (other voices).

If you want to be really fancy, you can include YouTube links and pictures to support your thoughts by using the buttons in the posting file menu.

The Quiz

Call the shot. Tell me both the angle and size of shot used.

1. From Pulp Fiction. Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Cin. Andrzej Sekula. Miramax, 1994.

2. From Thor. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Cin. Haris Zambarloukos. Paramount, 2011.

3. From Citizen Kane. Dir. Orson Welles. Cin. Gregg Toland. RKO Radio Pictures, 1941.

4. From The Matrix. Dirs. Any Wachowski and Lana Wachowksi. Cin. Bill Pope. Warner Bros., 1999.

5. From High Noon. Dir. Fred Zinnemann. Cin. Floyd Crosby. United Artists, 1952.

6.  What is the non-diagetic sound in this clip?

7. What kind of camera movement is used in this clip?

8. What kind of camera movement is used in this clip?

9. What kind of camera movement is used in this clip?

10. Choose one: The following picture is a good example of A) high key lighting B) low key lighting C) bottom lighting D) backlighting.

PowerPoint Presentations

Click here to go to a page where you can download all of the presentations we've been working with.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

So, what do you think? Is this a movie or a film? In a 75 word reply to this post, tell me what you think. If it's just a movie, does it work as entertainment? What was entertaining about it? If it's a film, what is artistic about it? What was the deeper meaning or how was it particularly "arty"?

Share your blog

Today, you are creating your blog through the school's Google account. Follow the instructions I give you in the class. When you have finished putting your blog together, write your first post in which you introduce yourself. Remember that the whole world can see this post, so DO NOT REVEAL PERSONAL, IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF.

Bad: My name is Jeff Boyer, and I live on Wembly Road in Topeka. It's the secluded house that no one can see from the road - hardly anyone ever comes that way anyway. I'm by myself a lot - I mean A LOT - and so that's why I like to watch movies. I watch them so loud that I probably wouldn't even hear it if someone tried to break into my house.

Good: My name is Mr. Boyer. I have been watching movies for a long time. I watch many different kinds, but most often I watch superhero and action movies. Over the summer I watched over forty movies, some for fun (Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises), some to prepare for school (Gallipoli, The Prestige), and some because I'm trying to watch all of the "classic" films to better understand what they're about (The Jazz Singer, Wuthering Heights). I'm looking forward to discussing these films in greater detail with my class this semester. I hope you like what I've picked out.

After you're done writing your first introductory post, publish it and then reply to this post with a link to your blog. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF SO THAT I CAN EASILY GIVE YOU CREDIT IN THE GRADEBOOK.

Next entry question/homework: Write a second short post (50 words or more) in which you pick a work of cinema and defend why it should be labeled a film rather than a movie.

Entry Questionnaire - First Day

1. What are five of your favorite movies?
2. What TV shows do you watch/have you watched on a regular basis?
3. What are you looking for out of this class?
4. What are your career ambitions?
5. What role will the Internet play in jobs in the future?
6. What is your favorite color, and why do you like it so much?
7. If you could be any character from a movie, which one would it be? Explain your choice.
8. If film is literature, that must mean that a film is like a novel and that a television show is like a short story. Then what is this...



Click here for a recap of the discussion on movies vs. film which we had later in the hour.

Next entry question: make a list of 5 potential names for your blog