Screen your assigned film. You will likely need to view it more than once.
Organize and write your essay.
Introduction: State a thesis that offers your interpretation of the film's implicit meaning and briefly assert how the film's formal and stylistic components contribute to and shape that meaning. Be very clear about your argument/thesis and how you will support it.
The Body of the Paper: Discuss the film's meaning, character, themes, motifs, narration, and techniques categorically in order to best convey your interpretations. Analyze details of details of mise-en-scène, camerawork, editing, and/or sound to back up your points.
Conclusion: Do not simply repeat your introduction. Rather, restate your thesis in a conclusive manner and discuss its broader implications.
Go bigger than the implicit meaning. The symptomatic meaning should address the ideologies and social values that the film conveys to us. Example: "This film valorizes heterosexual love to the exclusion of homosexuality, which is a symptom of hetero-normative ideologies." Think in terms of race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, post-colonialism, etc. in relation to your film; what is the film subconsciously teaching us about one, two, or more of these? Or think about why the film was made when it was; what social issues does the film respond to, even if it's not explicitly or implicitly addressed by the film? For example, is it a war film that surreptitiously supports a more recent or current war? What does the film betray about its social context?
Cautions and requirements for your paper:
Avoid trying to discuss the film chronologically. A categorical or thematic organization will allow you to be more concise and to resist the temptation to simply provide a plot summary. NO PLOT SUMMARY is necessary for this assignment. Get right to your analysis and your interpretation of the film, referring to plot elements only to illustrate and/or situate your examples within the film.
Your primary task in this assignment is to demonstrate your sensitivity to visual and aural techniques as they relate to the film's overall form and meaning. You must demonstrate your mastery of the material by thoroughly employing the terms we've learned.
Do not catalogue all of the techniques and features you noted as you watched the film. Discuss ONLY those techniques that are outstanding and contribute significantly to the meaning of the film. For example, if you find that the lighting in the film has no particular logic or pattern which makes it support your interpretation, do not discuss it in your paper.