Documentary Film Analysis Essays
Film: Something Ventured.
Media is a part of culture and functions as an agent of socialization. All films, even documentaries, containideas about politics, society, and morality. Democratic societies require informed, reflective and engagedparticipants who can use their individual skills, beliefs and experiences to construct their own meaning frommedia messages. Thus, it is essential that we engage in active inquiry and critical thinking about the messageswe receive.The primary goal of this assignment is to identify and understand the ideologies embedded in films, whetherthey are explicit or implicit. To do this, it is important to know something about who made the films, whosaw the films, and how the audience reacted to them. But it is vital that you look for evidence of these valuesin the films themselves. This might involve explicit endorsements of certain values or explicit criticisms ofothers. Just as easily, however, a film might depict values in the background context, or might make certainpresumptions about what is right and wrong, good and bad, etc.
Present a clear and insightful thesis in the introduction, which addresses key reflection questions (see below)and offers readers a deeper understanding of the film. Support major claims with persuasive evidence fromthe video, its companion website (if applicable), and any other relevant external sources (such as interviews).Each documentary film analysis essay should be 1000-1500 words. Essays with fewer than 1000 words willhave the score docked for "failure to complete the assignment." Essays should not go over 1500 words bymore than 10%. On average, your written essays will be about 1250-1300 words.
Logistics
In order to complete these assignments well, I suggest you watch the film at least twice.
The first time you watch it you can keep a note pad and jot down some basic information, but you shouldmainly relax and enjoy the movie without thinking too hard about it. You can think harder on the next andsubsequent viewings. The first time, to let the experience "wash" over you-take in the big picture, takewritten notes here and there, take mental notes. On the second (or third) viewing, pay more attention todetails, take more detailed notes, pause, rewind, playback, analyze. When watching your documentary, takenotes on overall themes, and mark key scenes with hour-minute timestamps (e.g., 0:38). Watching anddiscussing films with others is strongly encouraged, but each essay must be written independently.
Key Questions to address in your essay
Authorship: Who made this film?
Context: When was this made? Where or how was it shared with the public?
Economic Interests: Who paid for the production / advertising / distribution of this film?
Goal / Purpose: Why was this made? Who is the target audience? How do the film-maker's hope to influence them?
Key Content: What is this film about? What is the intended message? What ideas, values, information, and/or points of view are overt?
Which implied? Is anything left out of the film that might be important to know?
Credibility: Is the message of this film fact, opinion, or something else? How credible is the film (or its filmmakers)? How credible are their sources?
Impact: Who stands to benefit by the message / meaning of this film being conveyed? Who could be harmed by this message? Has the film - or any particular scenes or factual claims - been praised or criticized in wider media, common debates, or everyday public awareness?