Unit 1 Essay Instructions:Overview:Forour first Unit, you will be composing a film review. The film you want to review is entirely your choice, so choose wisely. This essay builds on many key elements of composing an essay: structure, argument, counterargument, primary vs. secondary sources, source integration, and MLA conventions. In addition, this essay will introduce us to being more audience aware; who we want to reach influences how we say it.
Essay Content / Support:To help us along with this essay, I have uploaded two reviews about the original Star Wars from 1977. There will be a discussion board activity with this reading. In addition, I have also uploaded an example essay from a previous class with some annotations on how it was constructed. This example is from a 1301, but it is also applicable to our work here in 1302.Requirements:
•Length: 900 –1000 words in total length.
•Primary Source: you will be drawing examples from a movie of your choice, and your essay must have both of the following:oAT LEAST One scene summarized and correctly cited.oAT LEAST One direct quote of dialogue and correctly cited.
•Secondary Source: at minimum 1 professionally published review. Additional outside sources are allowed, but the secondary source total cannot exceed 3.
•MLA (version 8) is required for in-text citations and works cited page.
Unit 1: Establishing CriteriaFor this first unit, we are entering our work with argument, using sources, and being aware of audience (and their expectations).
With this in mind, here’s a basic break down of how to structure this essay:Establish Criteria: why you like or dislike the film:Establishing criteria: you will want to explore good, concrete examples from the film to help support your insights andstance. Thus, aim for selecting good criteria like some of the following;
•Acting: performances of leading or supporting cast members•Cinematography: how the film looks•Script: good lines, good story, depth of character for example
•Music: a good score or soundtrack can really enhance our viewing
•Sound: effects of things like explosions.
•Editing: was the film arranged in a logical way and nicely paced?
•Costumes: what those folks wore on screen•Set Design: did it look real and appropriate for the story and / or setting?Weak Criteria to Avoid:You will want to avoid vague criteria points like:
•Relatable: seriously, what the heck does this even mean?•Plot: this runs that risk of your review turning out to be a 2.5 page story recap.•Overly generalized statements like trying to develop a main point on: it is a good movie….why?Structuring Your Review:Each bullet point would be a paragraph that needs developing:
•Introduction
•Main Point #1: specificcriteria•Counterargument to #1
•Main Point #2: next criteria•Counterargument to #2
•Main Point #3: the last specific criteria
•Counterargument to #3
•ConclusionParts / Paragraph Content Explained:
Introduction: this is where you will want to provide pertinent information about the film like title, director, leading performers (if needed), when released, etc. Next, you will also want to provide a BRIEF recap of the story to either entice us or refresh us.
This should only be a couple sentences long. Finally, I typically look for the thesis at the end of the intro, and the thesis will provide film title and stance. You may provide your criteria in the thesis if you wish.Main Points: the main point and its counterargument need to be related, so I could give this as an example:
•Criteria 1: the acting ofThe Empire Strikes Backprovides both depth of character and supports a dynamic story especially with Harrison Ford reprising his role of Han Solo and Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian.
•Counter to #1: Despite the strong performances of Ford and Williams, Mark Hamill, as the hero Luke Skywalker, does not deliver enough depth to fully execute his responsibility as the film’s leading role.
Both of these paragraphs are focused on acting as a criteria point. My next move into a second main point would want to act as a rebuttal against this counter of weaker acting. This move could be something like recognizing how
Hamill does execute the fight scenes quite well.Conclusion:What do you want your reader to know or do at the end of your review? Will a newer film carry on in popularity and become a classic? Is an older film worthy of re-watching? Will the film become a cult classic?
Final Thoughts:To start, you will be planning on having three main points to focus in on for your criteria. However, final drafts do not need to have 3 main points.
Next, the counterargument will be in its own paragraph, so the bullet points listed above are all individual paragraphs. Finally,you will need to think about how to transition from one point to the next especially when moving from argument to related counter and then into a different main point.
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