Journal A

Notes for the Week of January 30th

1. Please return Huck Finn if you have not already done so.

2. Unfortunately, I need to ask that new journaling notebooks or looseleaf is established in class, and I can only promise to TRY and protect this batch from the abyss.

3. Please CHECK and regularly register with this blog...as assignments will be posted often. As The Oscars get closer, the Falcon might be making more regular landings...be sure you can join the conversation.

4. Journal A: Listen to then comment on what you learned from this interview, especially in light of our viewing of Midnight in Paris.

Midterm Study Guide

Based on the run time of The Help, Mr. Weisback and I have decided to omit the criticism portion of the midterm. The remaining test will be an open notes and book short-answer test with a wide variety of questions and options for the test-taker. You may come in to class tomorrow with IMDB generated cheat sheets on the characters, themes, etc of each film. Here is a run-down of what to expect.

Mandatory questions will require a working knowledge of the following: The Help, Do the Right Thing, and the films of Frank Capra.

The Road to Midterms

Tomorrow: Hard Copies of Tree of Life supporting materials and China analysis paper hard copies due tomorrow

Midterms: 9/10: entire institute views The Help, 11 or 12 (on student discretion) come to 229 or 228 to take written portion

Written portion breakdown: 1/3 = critique of Moneyball, Paris at Midnight or The Help, 1/3 = short answers on The Help in relation to other films this year, 1/3 = short answers on the concepts discussed in film this year

Class on Thursday, Jan 19 & Friday, Jan 20: Moneyball / Midnight in Paris. Any student who is not finished with their media project and needs class time to wrap shooting or edit (at discretion and under direction of Lockwood/Thomas) may do so during the films, but MUST receive permission from Costal or Weisback before leaving class.

The film criticism step 2

This is the information discussed in class for unveiling the thematic importance of your own criticism writing.

The basic formula is: WHAT - HOW - WHY!

In other words, WHAT is it in the film that evinces the theme. Be sure there is more than one, and that it covers both CONTENT and METHOD. For example, the scene in which George Bailey harrowingly appeals to his mom is content. Stewart's facial expressions within the scene is method.

1. Choose a theme (one phrase to several sentences).

2. Show how that scene is depicted (one to five examples of content AND method).

3. Why is that theme important to us as a society (paragraph or so).

Screenwriting New Book

About Screenwriter John Logan

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/01/144546063/screenwriter-john-logans-very-good-year

Listen to for homework, and prepare to discuss today.

Capra Time!

Well it's Capra time. Remember when we watch Capra's films to keep in mind his idealized vision of America. Keep looking for his portrayals of individualism vs. collective, small town vs. big city, selflessness vs. selfishness, and truth vs. deception. His vision of America is still the reason for people wanting to come here. In our time of rampant consumerism, greed and materialism, Capra's films are a refreshing reminder of the values that make us truly compassionate and human. Was America ever the 'shining city on the hill' as Capra's films depict, or was this all just surreal or fake visions of America that were never true? Remember that Capra created some great propaganda films during WWII. Capra doesn't show an actual reality of the past - we all know America hasn't been perfect, blameless, and innocent, but he shows us a vision of what America should be: a nation of honest, hard-working, self-sacrificing and generous people, united with common dreams. In Capra's films people are never means to an end - they are the end. What we have today is at the other end of the spectrum - a nightmare vision completely opposite of Capra's principles. Check out what is happening on Wall Street, health care, foreclosures, etc. It seems that we have become one huge Potterville. Where are all the Jefferson Smiths, George Baileys and Longfellow Deeds? Is Capra's dream dead?

Life In A Day

It's been ages since I've been on this but being in fashion school not many people really look at films the way we used to when I was a senior in FI. But my friends and I came across this film produced by Ridley Scott which, I believe, has such a great concept. I know that the film institute would have great interest in films like these. It's interesting to think about how the shots are all filmed by different people yet through editing it still came along very nicely. Hope you guys enjoy it!

All the best,

Yann