**An alternate source for this material is available upon request.
You are to take the semester and evaluate one film in major detail on the AFI (American Film Institute) Top 100 Films of all time or one of the American Society of Cinematographers 100 Milestone Films.
Guidelines and expectations are listed below.
Make sure that you cover the following within your evaluation/research paper:
- Your external sources and research should help provide support about:
- Awards presented to this film
- Background on the cast & crew
- Audience & general critic reaction
- Examine the hero’s journey and identify which hero (type) is best represented by the lead character(s). *This should also tie in to the understanding of character & story arc and development.
- Which Blake Snyder formula best represents the film? Why? Explain and dissect in detail.
- Which Universal theme (or life lesson) is best represented in this film?
- Evaluate the following in detail:
- The script/the narrative/the story
- What is the genre of the film (drama, action, comedy, sci-fi, biopic, etc.)? Explain why you feel this way.
- Examine the acting.
- Did the character(s) experience real change? If so, explain how?
- Explore the conflicts and their impact on the character.
- Examine and evaluate the technical aspects in detail:
- Cinematography/color theory/lighting
- Sound design & Musical score
- Production/set design
- Special visual effects (if used)
- What was your overall impression of the film after the detailed evaluation? Why? What were the overall strengths and weaknesses? What grade or report card score would you give this film?
- Who is the intended audience for this film? Explain.
- What was the director hoping to achieve with this film? Defend your answer.
- Do you feel that the critical classification of this being one of the “best-ever” films is warranted (personally)? Defend your answer.
- Does the film hold up to our current society (and or cultural landscape)? Why or why not?
Research, format and writing expectations:
- Your final paper should be based on four (4) – six (6) strong sources outside of the film you view (print, online articles, audio, and video sources are acceptable). Do not use Wikipedia. You may use IMBD as a general background source, but you should still add 4-6 more sources.
- The paper should be written in APA or MLA style throughout your work including in-text citations. There are numerous APA/MLA citation generators available online to assist you if needed. You will find detailed support through the Tutoring Center & the Rose Library.
- You will also need a bibliography/references page at the end of your paper (APA or MLA style) identifying your sources (including the film you view).
- 12 pt font (Georgia, Times, or Palatino).
- Header at the top of your paper (on each page) should include the name of your project, your selected film-study and your name.
- Number the pages in the upper right hand corner of each page.
- Category headings or subheadings as needed throughout the paper.
- Line spacing should be 1.5
Timeline to assist you in staying on track
Feb.11 – Propose Semester Project film you would like to explore this semester. Select from the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest Films of All Time list (10th Anniversary Edition) or the American Society of Cinematographers 100 Milestone Films.
Feb. 18 – Finalize Semester Project Film from the AFI list, and begin background research on the film and the filmmakers. 
Feb. 25 – Identify 4 – 6 (four-six) strong research sources for your semester project film (print, online articles, audio, and video sources are acceptable). Do not use Wikipedia. You may use IMBD as a general background source, but you should still add 4-6 more sources. If you need guidance, ask me well before this date. The Rose Library has a variety of research options available.
March 7 –You should have viewed your semester project film by this date and started making detailed research and critique notes.
March 23 – Semester Project Notes – By this point you should be ½ way complete with your semester project including: general film evaluation, character/narrative dissection, fine tuning universal theme(s) understanding and incorporation of research notes into paper. *Note: You may submit your draft to me for feedback at this point.
April 7 – Semester Project Notes – By this point you should be ¾ complete with your semester project including: film evaluation, character/narrative dissection, universal theme(s) understanding and incorporation of research notes into paper. *Note: You may submit your draft to me for feedback at this point.
April 28 – April 29 – (11:59 pm) – Semester Project Due (no late work accepted) – (follow posted guidelines)
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Additional Reading Sources
Carfagno, V. R., Higgins, M., & Rafael, C. M. (1972). Character Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.wilhelmreichtrust.org/character_analysis.pdf
Davis, D. R. (2008, February 28). How to write a character analysis. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from Teaching college English: The glory and the challenges, http://www.teachingcollegeenglish.com/2008/02/28/how-to-write-a-character-analysis-and-a-personnel-review/
Harcourt, H. M. What are the differences between an epic hero and a Romantic hero? Retrieved June 29, 2016, from Cliffnotes, https://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/subjects/literature/what-are-the-differences-between-an-epic-hero-and-a-romantic-hero
Hemingways code hero powerpoint presentation. (2002, November). Retrieved June 28, 2016, from http://www.xpowerpoint.com/Hemingways-Code-Hero–PPT.html
How to write a character analysis in 10 easy steps – eNotes.com. (n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2016, from http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-character-analysis
Lopez, E. (n.d.). Responding to literature: Understanding character analysis | Scholastic.com. Retrieved June 28, 2016, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/responding-literature-understanding-character-analysis
Morris, A. (n.d.). Character analysis in literature: Definition & examples – video & lesson transcript | Study.com. Retrieved June 28, 2016, from http://study.com/academy/lesson/character-analysis-in-literature-definition-examples-quiz.html
Purdue owl: Writing a literary analysis presentation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/697/01/
Ray, R. (n.d.). What is an epic hero? | Characteristics of an epic hero. Retrieved June 28, 2016, from http://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/education/english/epic-hero
The Film Critic 