film response paper example
Here is a report written by a student in an introductory psychology course. Look at the paper closely to see how it follows the guidelines for report writing described above.
- Apply the four basic standards of effective writing (unity, support, coherence, and clear, error-free sentences) when writing the report.
- Make sure each major paragraph presents and then develops a single main point. For example, in the sample report that follows, the first paragraph summarizes the book, and the three paragraphs that follow detail three separate reactions of the student writer to the book. The student then closes the report with a short concluding paragraph.
- Support any general points you make or attitudes you express with specific reasons and details. Statements such as “I agree with many ideas in this article” or “I found the book very interesting” are meaningless without specific evidence that shows why you feel as you do. Look at the sample report closely to see how the main point or topic sentence of each paragraph is developed by specific supporting evidence.
- Organize your material. Follow the basic plan of organization explained above: a summary of one or more paragraphs, a reaction of two or more paragraphs, and a conclusion. Also, use transitions to make the relationships among ideas in the paper clear.
- Edit the paper carefully for errors in grammar, mechanics, punctuation, word use, and spelling.
- Cite paraphrased or quoted material from the book or article you are writing about, or from any other works, by using the appropriate documentation style. If you are unsure what documentation style is required or recommended, ask you instructor.
- You may use quotations in the summary and reaction parts of the paper, but do not rely on them too much. Use them only to emphasize key ideas.
- Publishing information can be incorporated parenthetically or at the bottom of the page in a footnote. Consult with your instructor to determine what publishing information is necessary and where it should be placed.
Since your primary audience may be people who have not seen the movie, you should usually provide a brief plot summary before moving into your evaluation. “Brief” is the key word; it can be easy to get carried away with a summary. When writing a plot summary for a movie response, the author includes the most essential plot points without revealing any information that could spoil the film or its ending for viewers. Austin Peay State University suggests mentioning at least five events in order to cover the broad panorama of the story.
For more than a century, people of all ages have enjoyed watching a good movie. However, watching a movie purely for enjoyment and writing a critical response to one are different experiences. Acting, directing, cinematography and other elements all contribute to a movie’s success. In writing a movie response, your goal is to explain to readers why a movie is worth seeing by evaluating its strengths and weaknesses in these areas, providing essential background information and giving an overall evaluation.
You should also do the same with the movie’s weaknesses. Make a list of what was unsuccessful. Maybe an actress gave a particularly bad performance, perhaps the plot twists were to convoluted and unbelievable, or maybe the ending didn’t live up to expectations. Once you’ve made a list of the film’s weaknesses, like its strengths, you will be able to select and use your chosen points in your paper with more ease.
Next, you need to write about the film’s strengths. What was good about it? Perhaps a particular actor gave an exceptional performance, maybe the cinematography was the finest you’ve seen, or the special effects may have been out of this world! Before you begin writing your paper, make a list of the strengths of the movie, so you can then select and craft them into this segment of your paper.
Avoid retelling the story.
Proofread your essays.
The story of Anastasia is about a Russian girl with Russian men, Dimirti and Vladimir. Then why doesn’t Anastasia and Dimitri look Russian! Both of the main characters look more English or American then they do Russian. This unconsciously shows that the United States and Britain are more important then other countries. When the main characters get to Sophie’s house there is a maid who is dressed up in an extremely sexy maid outfit. This is a stereotype that shows French maids are all sexy and wear skimpy clothes. The characters go showing in Paris before they go to the play, where they sing a song called “Paris Holds The Key To Your Heart.” During the song there show many stereotypes against the French. For example most of the people on the streets are in love and when they go into a bar, there are Can-Can dancers. Not everyone in Paris is in love or a Can-Can dancer! The lyrics for the song also confirm that all French people must be in love, “There’s love in the air/ The French have it down to an art/ When your heart says don’t/ The French say do!”
In this family, the mother is the one with the authority and all of the agency. The girls are attentive to the instructions of their mother and follow them with haste. There are several things that the girls did to help their mother around the house and around the woods: “Show-white sat at home with her mother and helped her in the household …[ they] kept their mother’s cottage so beautifully clean and neat that it was a pleasure to go into it…the mother sent the children into the wood to collect fagots…the mother sent the two girls to the town to buy needles, thread, laces, and ribbons.” This shows their obedience because the children did what their mother told them without hesitation or argument. In an adult-centered text, children understand that adults know better than children so they must follow what adults say. Another example when the children listen to the knowledge from their mother is when the mother tells them, “‘Rose-red, open the door quickly; it must be some traveler seeking shelter.’ Rose-red hastened to unbar the door… ‘Snow-white and Rose- red, come out; the bear will do you no harm; he is a good, honest creature.’” The text ends with the mother being correct when the bear’s “skin suddenly fell off, and a beautiful man stood beside them, all dressed in gold.” By listening to the mother and her knowledge, the story had a happy ending. This shows the readers that children should listen to their mothers or other adult figures because, of course, they know more than a child. This adult-centered trait is highly visible throughout the text.
References:
http://education.seattlepi.com/write-movie-response-essay-1424.html
http://www.coalitionforeducationalfreedom.org/5-keys-to-creating-an-outstanding-film-response-essay
http://www.iwriteessays.com/essays/how-to-write-a-movie-response-essay
http://www.longwood.edu/staff/mcgeecw/sampleresponsepapers.htm
http://frankwbaker.com/mlc/language-of-film-symbolism/