Writing a Journal

Write on Jaws (1975) and Jurassic Park (1993) and cite the appropriate technical and critical terms from the readings and lectures. You always have to cite your sources. The amount of outside research depends on the film you write on and what kind of paper you are writing (e.g., historical research, film analysis). As the format and subject are open, you may choose whether to focus on historical or formal/textual aspects of the films. However, I do expect the paper to include close analysis of 3–4 sequences from the film(s) you are addressing. In all cases, it is good to have more sources.

Here are some questions or prompts you may wish to consider in your journal: What are some historical aspects of the film’s production and reception and how do they relate to our understanding of its use of film aesthetics? How are filmic techniques and strategies deployed in the films in specific scenes or sequences? How do these techniques correspond to or diverge from the theoretical and critical analysis offered in the readings? What methods does the author use in his/her analysis? What are the problematic aspects if any in terms of the author’s argument and his/her use of outside historical and theoretical sources?