In a 3 page essay, describe and reflect on one of the videos (or films,identify in your discussion whether the work was produced in film or video formats) you have watched in class thus far. You may write about any of the videos shown uptil Week 4 of the syllabus. If I showed a clip of the video in class, you must watch the video in its entirety before you can adequately describe it. All videos are available for viewing on my shelf at Pitzer Audio Visual Services (McConnell Center 100, M-F 9:00am-9:00pm). Remember, these videos must remain within A/V Services at all times, and you cannot remove them from the premises, so give yourself enough time to view the tape. There are viewing stations within the facilities for this purpose.

In writing about media, it is important to begin with the film or video itself and your experience of it. Your essay should contain the following components:

1. Introduction - What is the title of the video, who made it, when was it produced? Identify all titles by year of production. How long is the tape? A lot of the information can be found on the syllabus and the box of the tape. Also, is there noteworthy information about its production? For example, was it the first video the maker has produced? And why did s/he make the tape?
2. Description of the video - what is the audio and visual language of the video? What kinds of shots does it contain, and how are they editing together? Is it in color, black and white, or both? Are the colors bright, muted - is there a dominance of a certain shade or color in the video? Is there music, narration, dialogue on the soundtrack? Is it loud or soothing? What takes place in the video - is there a story, action, performance, interview, narration? Are there characters? Is the videomaker in the video? If so, what are they doing and saying in it?
3. Reflection on your viewing experience - after describing the form and content of the video, discuss how the particular combination in this video makes you, as a viewer, react. Does it evoke a certain emotion in you? Is the video difficult to watch? If so, discuss why? Do you think your particular response to the video is different from others, or do you think it is similar? When the tape was screened in class, what kinds of reaction do you notice in your class mates? This discussion should move from a specific (your personal response) to a larger context (your classmates' reaction, your speculation of how the work addresses its viewers and situates itself within a social context).
4. Conclusion - combining your insights from the first three sections, you can now discuss the tape as a whole. Why did the videomaker make the choices that he or she made in this tape? Do you think your reaction to it is what the maker intended? If so, why do you think this video makes you react the way you did? What is it trying to say? Or if not, why? Consider the maker's intentions, (if the information is available) the form and the content of the tape in your discussion.

All papers have to be typed and double-spaced. Please use fonts that are 12 to 10 points in size. The document should have 1 inch margins on the sides, and 1-0.5 inch margins on the top and bottom. Outside sources and references are not required for this assignment. However, if you choose to cite other sources, including the class reading, use a standard citation format, such as the Chicago Manual or MLA-style, in documenting them (see A Writer’s Reference or another style manual, available at the Writing Center and all campus libraries, for specifics) Please hand in the assignment via email. All assignments should be in MS Word format (with a ".doc" or ".docx" suffix) Assignments are due by 5PM the day of the deadline, please make sure your email includes a day/time stamp.

Your grade will be based on your ability to describe the video clearly and correctly. You may have to watch it more than once to understand all its elements. In addition to your description of the form, your articulation of the viewing experience and your synthesis of these observations will also be crucial to the success of this assignment. Be specific - use actual scenes and images from the tape as examples to support your observations. Write simply and clearly, avoid using words which meaning you are not sure of. Look up unclear words before you use them. Use spell-check and proof read the paper more than once before handing it in, I highly recommend you bring the paper along with this assignment to the Writing Center and get a tutor's feedback on it.

Please turn the paper in on time, and follow the format I outlined: papers that are too long or too short, late papers, hand-written papers, etc. will lower your grade.

<Back to Course Listing

Back to top