WRHC Introduction to Film Comparison of Cinematic Techniques Discussion

Michael Smith

Intro to Film – Harper

Midterm Paper

The midterm paper is to be an analytical essay between three and five pages in

length. You must provide a separate cover sheet (that I will not be counting as part of the

length of the paper) featuring your name, the name of this class and the title of your

paper. The paper should be double-spaced and written in 12-point font. You must use and

cite TWO sources (one of which must be a print source) using the MLA format. A print

source is a source that originated in print (e.g., a book, newspaper article, magazine

article, etc.).

In the first half of this class we have studied the history of world cinema from an

international perspective – beginning with narrative continuity in the silent era (Our

Hospitality) and concluding with the Screwball Comedy (The Awful Truth). In your

midterm essay, you will compare and contrast one film you have chosen to view outside

of class with one of the films that we have seen inside class. Both films should belong to

the same historical movement (i.e., the same country and era). I would like for you to pay

particularly close attention to film style. Please note several characteristics of the style of

the films you are analyzing (i.e. mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, lighting, sound

design, set design, acting styles, etc.) and draw meaningful points of comparison and

contrast between these aspects of film style in terms of how they are utilized in each film.

Remember in your analysis to always cite specific evidence from the films.