The Film “Back to the Future”
In your introductory paragraph,
Explain genre theory in your own words, using the textbook definition as support, and why this is a useful approach to the study of film.
Tip: review and quote from Chapter 3.1 in Film: From Watching to Seeing for clear explanation of genre and why genre theory is one useful approach to the study of film.
Describe the common conventions (story, theme, mise-en-scène) of the genre you have selected.
Example: Western films often display themes of man v. nature or good v. evil and are visually recognizable by being set in dusty towns, under natural light (or low-key light to establish a villain in a saloon), and featuring a man, a horse, and an adversary.
Identify a feature-length film that fits your selected genre and state the year it was produced, its director, cinematographer (or director of photography), and top-billed cast.
Tip: place film titles in italics throughout your paper.
Develop a thesis statement that argues how specific elements of your chosen film fit or expand the conventions of the genre and sub-genre(s) and establish an overarching theme or message.
Tip: visit the Writing a Thesis Statement Links to an external site. resource from the UAGC Writing Center.
Tip: Film Title displays [story convention], [thematic convention], and [visual convention—think: setting, lighting, world] that places it firmly within the [primary] genre and suggests that it expands the boundaries of that genre by incorporating elements of [secondary / sub-genre].)
In the body of your paper (at least three paragraphs),
Summarize the movie. As you develop this summary, remember to distinguish between the film’s story and the film’s plot and be sure to highlight specific genre elements (theme, story, mise-en-scène—actors, set, world, lighting).
Tip: your plot summary should be brief—no more than one paragraph—as you want to spend the most of your time analyzing the specific conventions beyond plot (setting, costuming, actors, lighting, editing, sound) that tell us what genre and sub-genre of the film.
Interpret at least two genre conventions exhibited in your chosen feature-length film that help classify it in the selected genre. Be sure to provide a specific example of each convention (e.g., the elements used in a scene, type of story, plot component, or theme).
Example: The Spaghetti Western film A Fistful of Dollars (1964) is set in a Mexican town, in a remote, dusty landscape, under in natural light. In the scene, “Get Three Coffins Ready,” The Man With No Name (Eastwood), wearing a cowboy hat and poncho, saunters slowly down the town’s one main street, puffing on the stub of a cigar.
Evaluate a third convention (e.g., the elements used in a scene, type of story, plot component, or theme not yet addressed) from your chosen feature-length film and how this convention expands the boundaries of the specified genre.
Example: In Cowboys & Aliens (2011), when gunslinger Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) wakes up with a futuristic metal shackle around his wrist, this unusual addition to his otherwise conventional costume suggests that two genres are about to collide.
In the conclusion of your paper,
Connect each element of your chosen film and how it contributes to the film’s overall genre classification, whether it displays the conventions of multiple genres or sub-genres, and how these elements are effectively used to convey a particular theme.
Tip: your conclusion should restate your thesis and remind the reader which specific examples demonstrate the conventions of the genre and how it expands that genre into new territory.
The Film Analysis: Genre Theory and Genre Conventions paper
Must be 1200 words in length and formatted according to APA Style Links to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft Word Links to an external site.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Your first and last name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number (e.g., ENG 225: Introduction to Film)
Instructor’s name
Due date
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice Links to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions Links to an external site. and Writing a Thesis Statement Links to an external site., refer to the Writing Center resources.
Must use at least two scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources Links to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view the Quick and Easy Library Research Links to an external site. tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper guide. Links to an external site.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List Links to an external site. reso
