Film Analysis Using the MY HERO Film Collection: Identifying Genre, Techniques, and Message
by by Jerrilyn Jacobs, Taft High School
Subject Arts - Media
Overview/Purpose:
Individual filmmakers use common film elements and techniques to create unique points of view in expressing their appreciation for personal heroes in short films. Students access films on the MY HERO site in the Screening Room, analyzing them for film elements, techniques and message, choosing a favorite film and presenting their opinions and ideas to the class.
Standards:
-Applying a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate print and non-print texts.
-Applying knowledge of media techniques, figurative language, and genre to critique and discuss print and non-print texts.
Objectives:
-Students will be able to identify film genres and their component parts.
-Students will be able to extract the message from a documentary or narrative film.
-Students will analyze the effectiveness of the production in expressing the message.
-Students will discuss how different people see film messages in different ways.
This lesson takes two days, one for viewing, choosing, and briefly writing about a favorite film, and one day for presenting and discussing chosen films.
Previous instruction: definitions of documentary and narrative films, including the common elements and techniques of each.
DAY 1
5 minutes: Warm up: (Review) Quick Write:
1) What kinds of things do you expect to see in a documentary film?
2) What kinds of things do you expect to see in a narrative film?
10 minutes: Pair Share/Class:
Students discuss their review of the elements and techniques of documentary and narrative films, while the teacher models note taking on a projected Word document (which can remain projected while students are involved in the lesson to remind them of the purpose of their viewing).
5 minute: Introduction to MyHero.com
The teacher projects the MY HERO website home page.
Class discusses the menu bars to determine where films can be found on the site. Teacher follows the links suggested by students to explore how the MY HERO site organizes films.
Assignment:
Individuals or small groups watch films of their choice on the MY HERO site.
Each student fills in the following information for each film they watch (adding on to the paper they used for the warm up): (The teacher can list this on the board.)
FILM NAME
FILMMAKER
RUNNING TIME
GENRE
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENS (SYNOPSIS)
FILM TECHNIQUES I NOTICED/LIKED
THE FILM'S MESSAGE:
10 minutes before the end of class, students stop viewing films and each individual chooses their favorite one. Students put an asterisk next to their notes about their favorite film. On the bottom of their paper they write the name of their favorite film and explain why.
MY FAVORITE FILM WAS:
BECAUSE...
Students should mention specific film elements or techniques in addition to other comments when explaining what they liked.
Collecting Student Work--The Exit Ticket
The teacher stands at the door and collects these papers as "Exit Tickets." (Students don't get out without turning it in.)
DAY 2
Teacher Preparation:
From the previous day's notes, prepare a list of the chosen films and their running time. Only a few minutes of longer works can be shown. The teacher can decide exactly how much time can be spent on each film. For larger classes a third day may be needed for additional viewing.
Teacher instructions:
-We'll watch your favorite films from the MY HERO website.
-For the film you chose, you'll identify the genre, film techniques or elements you liked, and the film's message.
Films are projected.
The individuals or small groups who chose the film identify the genre, explain the elements of the film that they liked, and describe what they thought the message was.
The teacher encourages short discussions on whether other students had a different idea about the message, enforcing the idea that different people see media in different ways.
Wrap-up discussion questions:
1) What did the films we like have in common?
2) What elements of what we saw in these films would we like to apply to films we make?
3) If we were giving film awards what awards would we give these films?
Students can vote for the class favorite film, summing up what it is about the film that makes it the best for this audience.