Comp Lit 301--Autumn 2003
First Paper Assignment

Due: October 30, 2003

In this first part of the quarter, we have been talking about the sorts of techniques that give a film its expressive qualities. More specifically, we have been looking at the notions of mise-en-scène (setting, costume, lighting, and acting, and the placement of these elements in space and time), cinematography (qualities of the photographic image, of the framing of shots, of camera movement, and of the duration of individual shots), and editing or montage (the relation of shot to shot). All these elements go into giving a film its particular look.

Take two films: the first a film that we have seen in class in the last several weeks, and the second another film, of your own choosing. Describe, briefly and concisely, the elements of mise-en-scène, cinematography, and editing that dominate the style and look of each of these films, and the ways in which these elements contribute to the films' overall meanings. The overall length of the paper should be four or five pages, typed and double-spaced.