Visual Illusion By Editting

Cultural Analyses: 2 of your essays will be short (2-3 pages), focused analyses of the cultural significance of carefully selected topics from the range of contemporary world cinema – that is, cinema produced since (approximately) 2000. Both of these essays must engage with examples from outside of class, but placed in relation to class texts and topics. That is, you should explicitly extend material covered in class readings and discussions to relevant examples selected from outside of class.

A crucial aspect of this assignment is carefully choosing a rich, suggestive topic for analysis: this might be a complete film, but might be more productively limited to a key portion of a film (a scene, a character, a special effect, a credit sequence, etc.) that connects to the larger topics, trends, or techniques covered in class. However, if the relevance of an example seems immediately obvious, it’s probably not a good choice, since there will then be little to say about it. (Simply noting that “another example” of something exists isn’t very satisfying.) On the other hand, avoid any topic that is clearly too large or complex for a brief analysis. A contradictory, ambivalent, or curious example will often be more productive for analysis than one that simply confirms a claim. An example you find yourself confused or intrigued by, and perhaps simultaneously attractive and troubling, might function best for a rewarding analysis. (In short, write about something that fascinates you rather than something that mildly interests you!)

Once you have selected a text, you should carefully but briefly introduce it and then explore its meaning and significance within the context of contemporary cinema. Don’t assume that your analysis can be exhaustive or comprehensive: part of the challenge of this assignment is to offer a focused analysis within a compact, concise essay. If you raise compelling but unresolved questions about your topic, this can be as rewarding as simply asserting an interpretation that is not convincing.