Scene Analysis
Assignment
Understanding a documentary film requires not only a comprehension of its overall themes, techniques, and ideology, but how each element contributes to the whole. As a way of practicing your analytic skills on a smaller (but no less important) scale, you will choose and critically analyze one scene from Michael Moore's film, Roger and Me (1989). I recommend renting a copy of the film (many video rental stores own a copy) or borrowing the Media Center's reserve copy (which you cannot take home but can view at the Media Center). You probably will need to watch your scene several times to notice different aspects of the scene and to take good notes.
In your analysis of about 250 words (no fewer than 200, no more than 300), respond, in essay form (not individual answers), to the following questions:
- Each scene of a documentary film is like a paragraph in a written paper: it presents one main idea that helps support the main idea or argument of the entire film. What is the main idea or purpose of your chosen scene? How do you know?
- What sights and sounds does Moore present in the scene? How do they convey the main idea of the scene?
- What filmmaking techniques (camera movement, focus, narration, music and other sound, mise-en-scene, etc.?)
Assume that your reader has seen the film. You do not need to describe everything in the scene. Instead, say just enough about the scene so your reader knows which scene you are discussing. The rest of your paper should be analysis, not description.
Your analysis must be a typed, double-spaced Microsoft Word document, which you will submit electronically. It is due no later than 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 7. Late electronically-submitted papers will be accepted until 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12, with a ten-point penalty. No late papers will be accepted after 1:15 p.m. on March 12. You will not have a chance to revise after submitting your paper, so write and revise before submitting it. I recommend consulting the Writing Center. (See <http://www.bothell.washington.edu/writingcenter/>.)
Needless to say, your work must be original. Using another person's words or ideas (even if paraphrased) without proper credit constitutes plagiarism and will result in a zero on this assignment.
To submit your paper online, carefully follow these instructions exactly:
- You must have an electronic copy of your paper on the computer you use to submit the paper electronically. That means the paper needs to be a Microsoft Word document located on your computer's hard drive (if you have Internet access at home or work) or on a floppy disk or Zip disk that can be inserted into a computer on campus. Allow time for that. (If you do not own Microsoft Word, you sometimes can purchase a deeply discounted copy through ASUWB <http://depts.washington.edu/asuwb/> or else use one of the campus computer labs.)
- Name your Word file exactly in this format: LastnameFirstinitialProp. For example, if you name were Susan Husky, your filename would be "HuskySScene" (but without quotation marks). Note that there is no space between the last name and the first initial or between the first initial and the word "Scene."
- Log onto the BLS 347 Blackboard area at <http://bb.bothell.washington.edu>.
- Click on the "Tools" button.
- In the "Tools" area, click on the "Digital Drop Box" button.
- Click on the "Send File" button (not the "Add File" button).
- In the box labeled "Title," type your last name (with only the first letter capitalized), then a space, then your first initial (capitalized), then a space, and then the word "Scene" (capitalized but without the quotation marks). For example: "Husky S Scene" (but without the quotation marks). Note that for this title, you need to use spaces, unlike the name of your Word document, which cannot have spaces in it.
- Use the "Browse" button to find your computer file that contains your paper. Leave the "Comments" box blank (unless, for some reason, you need to tell me something about your document).
- Press the "Submit" button. You should then arrive at "digital receipt" page. I recommend that you print and save this receipt page.
- After your document is submitted,
log out of Blackboard and close the browser window to protect
your Blackboard account.
Note: A five-point penalty will apply for electronic copies submitted late (after 1:15 p.m. on March 7) , and no late papers will be accepted after 1:15 p.m. on March 12.
Be sure to allow some time for unforeseen problems with the electronic submission. I recommend trying to submit it at least a day or two early. I use electronic copies of papers for four reasons: (1) If I misplace your paper copy, I always have access to the electronic copy; (2) I can keep a copy of your paper after I return the graded version in case I need to refer to it or want to compare it to other papers in the future; (3) I can more easily put the papers online; and (4) I can use plagiarism-detecting software if necessary to make sure that all of your classmates are being as honest as you are. (I believe in the "trust, but verify" principle.)
Analyses will be graded as follows:
Completeness (responds
appropriately to the requirements) 20 percent Depth of response
(quality of detail and support; sophistication of ideas
and argument) 65 percent Quality of writing
(organization; spelling, grammar, diction,
punctuation) 15 percent TOTAL 25 pts.
This page last updated February 28, 2002.
