A few notes on Essay #1:
- Due date: Friday, February 11th
- Length: 3-5 pages will probably do it (700-1200
words or so); typed, double-spaced.
- What to include:
- A two-pocket portfolio;
- The essay;
- A cassette tape (I record my comments to you);
- A “Dear Jimbo” letter that lets me know how the course
is going for you (plus anything else you want to say or ask).
- What are you writing: This is an essay on either
Citizen Kane or Casablanca, or both. This essay focuses on the
elements of film-making that are at work in these films: mise en scene,
cinematography, editing, sound, acting, writing. This is not an evaluative
essay (“Citizen Kane is brilliant because…”) or an interpretive essay
(“The symbolism of the sled in Citizen Kane…”). Rather, this is an
essay that observes in very specific ways what is going on in these movies.
- A very good essay…
- will follow the MLA format;
- will be closely proofread and free of mechanical
errors;
- Keep commas and periods inside of periods (I like
the name “Tom.”)
- Use the correct it’s and its;
- Italicize (not put in quotes) the titles of movies.
- will have an introductory and concluding paragraphs,
plus body paragraphs that are stitched together with transition sentences.
(These are the first sentences of paragraphs, and they express some kind of
connection between the previous idea and the new idea coming up.)
- will have a title on two lines. The first line is
clever and creative (and ends in a colon); the second is more factual and
informative.
- will have a depth of understanding of the film;
- will use some of the technical terms;
- will be full of specific examples;
- may focus on one specific scene;
- will make some references to other movies for points
of comparison;
- will demonstrate a mind at work;
- will be written with flare and vividness (yes, these
needn’t be dull things).
- Grading: No less than 100 points; no more than
150. Here’s a rubric I used last semester:
/ 25 Mechanics
(MLA format, grammar, punctuation, etc…)
/ 25 Essay format
(intro, conclusion, body paragraphs, transition sentences…)
/
50 Content: depth of understanding, range of terms, frequency of
examples, knowledge of movie, …)
/
50 My overall impression
/
150
Total / 10 “Dear
Jimbo” letter