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How to Write a Film Analysis Essay

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Most students are used to writing analytical essays about books, but not about films. When you think about it, films and books have a lot in common. Both include characters, setting and themes. The difference is the vehicle used to tell the story. Here are some areas to consider when crafting a film review essay:. Pause, rewind and re-watch to capture as much detail as possible.

There are many different angles to choose when analyzing a film. Acting is an important component of any film.

Are the actors acting in a stylized and specific way? Are the characters fully developed? How does the filmmaker use the camera to tell the story? Are there wide panning shots? Is it esthetically beautiful? Does he forgo the use of big budget effects in preference of handheld cameras and natural lighting like the filmmakers who signed the Dogme 95 Manifesto? My major is not moviemaking.


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If the plot has holes, then mention an example of a situation or scene when that was evident. Also, if the character s is poorly developed or bad casting affected the movie quality, name examples too. Provide examples when commenting dialogues, locations, plot, everything.

Be careful to do so accurately, and use quotation marks. Develop an idea for a thesis, which for film analysis may be as simple as recommending the film or not recommending it. Choose a thesis that you know you can defend with explanation, examples and logic. Keep the focus narrow: You don't have to write about every aspect of the film.

For a movie analysis, place the thesis in the first paragraph, or save it for the last paragraph. Set valid criteria by which you will evaluate the film. Theme, plot, characterization, and the use of lighting are all examples of valid criteria. Compare apples to apples. Arguing that the film fails because it's a western and you prefer modern crime dramas is not valid. Instead, consider the viewer's expectations of theme, genre, a lead actor or the director. Include a short paragraph, either as the opening paragraph or the second paragraph, that mentions basic background, such as who the director is, who the key actors are, when the film was made, whether it's based on a book -- or other contextual information that may be of value to the reader.

Alternatively, include all the same information, but weave it into the rest of your essay, mentioning it as necessary.

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Film analysis vs. critical review. A film analysis is not the same as a film review and a critical review of a film is not something that is generally requested in academic circles. Writing movie reviews is generally best left to the media.

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Writing film analysis is similar to writing literary analysis or any argumentative essay in other disciplines: Consider the assignment and prompts, formulate a thesis (see the Brainstorming Handout and Thesis Statement Handout for help crafting a nuanced argument), compile evidence to prove your thesis, and lay out your argument in the . Example of an introduction for a movie analysis; How to write body paragraphs; Tips for writing body paragraphs; Example of body paragraphs for a movie analysis essay; How to conclude; Example of a conclusion for a movie analysis; Writing a movie analysis requires critical thinking and analysis skills when supporting an articulated argument. Movie .

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When creating an outline for your analysis, start with a list of ten elements that either make or break the movie. For most formal analysis papers, you’ll likely use five or six of those to complete the work. You can, of course, add more if you’re tasked to write longer. Film Analysis Essay Guidelines Guide to Critical Assessment of Film The following questions should help you in your critical evaluation of your .