• TITLE THIS BLOG POST: IB Text Analysis: NAME OF FILM
• DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s ALL UPPERCASE INSTRUCTIONS

Guidance for Your Work

“The TA is an exam. Failure to turn in the work within the 4 weeks, unless the teacher requests extenuating circumstances directly from the IB, should be considered a fail.” – IB Film

Summary

A guide to planning, researching, and creating your IB Film Text Analysis

• Follow the directions for each step below
• Include for your notes, where required

(Pick ONLY One for your TA)

Past Sample Student Work

Pan’s Labyrinth

• Neil’s Post
• Dexter’s Post
• Sam’s Post (She completed the work a little differently)

13.5 Hours To Complete

• Please track how long it took you for each stage

Step 1 – Preparation: Spend 2 Hours

Total Time:

Date Complete: 

• Thoroughly read the TA requirements in IB Film Guide PDF (including rubrics) (15 minutes)
• Review the TA Task Details
  • Clear cover page with the Title of the Film & Timecode (5-minute film extract)
  • Sans serif 12 point font
  • In-text citations
  • List of all sources
  • The textual analysis (1,750 words maximum) is intended to be a formalist exercise rather than a thesis-driven
    essay.
  • The focus of the work should be on how meaning is conveyed through the use of film elements in
    the chosen film text, with consideration of the cultural context of the film and communicated through the
    use of relevant and accurate film vocabulary common to the study of film and appropriate for film analysis.
  • In this task, the examiner is looking for evidence of the extent to which the student is able to demonstrate an
    understanding of:
    1. The cultural context of the chosen film text
    2. The use of film elements to construct meaning in the selected extract, using appropriate film vocabulary
    3. How the identified film elements in the selected extract relate to the cultural context of the film, to the film text as a whole, and, where appropriate, to other films, as identified by the student
  • At the start of the textual analysis, students should clearly state which film elements they are going to
    discuss.
  • The list of all sources used is excluded from the textual analysis word limit
• Read Examples and Scoring Guides (45 minutes)
  • Textual Analysis Example 1 (scoring)
    
  • Textual Analysis Example 2 (scoring)
    
  • Textual Analysis Example 3 (scoring)
    
  • Textual Analysis Example 4 (scoring)
• Review the Big List of Film Terms (15 minutes)
• Review the Text Analysis Worksheet (PDF) (5 minutes) – Used in Peer Review, too
• Explore the CHS Library: capital.osd.wednet.edu/academics/library (5 minutes)
• Explore The Moving Image Source Research Guide: www.movingimagesource.us (5 minutes)
  • The Moving Image Source Research Guide is a gateway to the best online resources related to film, television, and digital media
• Explore Mr. Le Duc’s Film Resources Page (5 minutes)
• Examine the TA Poster 1 (PDF) (5 minutes)
• 
• Examine the TA Poster 2 (PDF) (5 minutes)
• 

Step 2 – Pick a Film, Watch It, and Write Notes: Spend 4.5 Hours

Total Time:

Date Complete: 

The goal of IB Film is to expose students to films from all over the world and to increase their critical and practical understanding of film as a creative art form and reflection of its time period, society, and political and cultural environment. As a result, this class requires the viewing of a wide variety of films. In some cases, these films may carry an R rating, or, in the case of films made before 1968 and some foreign films, will have no rating at all. Please be assured that all the films selected for this course have a high degree of artistic merit and that many have won numerous awards and are considered part of the film canon. However, if you object to any film shown that does carry an “R” rating, you will always have the opportunity to request that an alternative film be assigned, and/or be excused from class and not view the film.

1. Watch the trailers and pick ONE of these films  (10 minutes)
2. Review Drew’s TA Guide Sheet (he scored very high!) (10 minutes)
3. First Viewing: Watch the film and record your reactions (2 hours)
   • Take notes (below in this post)
     • How does the film (various scenes) affect you?
     • Remember every scene is like a mini-movie
     • Pay attention to which scene best represents the film, for you
4. Second Viewing: Notice the cinematography, mise en scene, actor movement, wardrobe, sound (diegetic, non-diegetic, music, etc.) choices (2 hours)
   • Review the Big List of Film Terms for cinematic elements, mise en scene (what’s represented on screen), and sound
   • Write notes (below in this post)

Step 3 – Choose Your Extract, Watch It, Write Notes, and Research: 2.5 hours

Total Time:

Date Complete: 

1. Open your TA Bibliography Google Doc (In Your IB Google Drive Folder – Mr. Le Duc created)
   • You will add your MLA sources as you research
2. Choose your 5-minute extract (scene)
3. Re-watch this scene numerous times and write notes in the Task Analysis Guide (below) (15 minutes)
   • Narrative (Le Duc will fix this link)
   • Camerawork: Angles, and Movements
   • Composition
   • Lens: Depth of Field (Le Duc will fix this link)
   • Mise-en-scene
   • Blocking / Position of characters
   • Acting/body language
   • Acting style / method
   • Lighting / Cinema Lighting
   • Color scheme
   • Set/location/props
   • Set design
   • Costume, hair, makeup, class, gender fabric, color
   • Sound Design
   • Soundtrack/Score
   • Editing
4. Research to support your notes (1 hour)
   • Re-read Criterion A (Cultural Context) Rubric
   1. • Cultural context Evidence: Textual analysis and sources
        • Answer these questions:
          • To what extent do you demonstrate an understanding of the cultural context of the film text?
          • To what extent do you support your understanding of the cultural context with research from appropriate and relevant sources?
   • Add to your notes in the Task Analysis Guide
5. Re-watch your scene numerous times and add to your notes (15 minutes)
6. Research to support your notes (1 hour)
   • Re-read Criterion B Film Elements Rubric
     • Evidence: Textual analysis and sources
       • To what extent do you evaluate how the extract makes use of film elements to convey meaning in the chosen film?
       • To what extent do you support your observations with the appropriate use of relevant film vocabulary?
   • Write notes (below in this post)

Step 4 – Compose A Rough Draft within the Text Analysis Guide below: 2 hours

Total Time:

Due June 9 before class (Mr. Le Duc will look over your progress in class)

Date Complete: 

1. Watch Mr. Le Duc’s Convert a Table into Text with Editpad.org tutorial and do the following: (5 minutes)
   1. Copy and paste the two columns of your Text Analysis Guide notes (below) into editpad.org
      • This will convert your two-column table layout into a regular text document
   2. Copy and paste from editpad.org into your Google Docs TA Paper Template
2. Thoroughly re-read and examine your work with the Text Analysis Rubric (PDF) (10 minutes)
3. Compose your rough draft (1.75 hours)
   • Weave in your research the following
   • WHAT: Your observation about a film element in the 5-minute scene
   • WHY: Relate the film element to the shot or scene’s emotional or narrative importance
   • HOW: Explain how the film element works in the context of this scene
   • SO WHAT: Justify it with the cultural context, as needed

Text Analysis Guide (For your 5 Minute Scene)

TASK COMPONENTS (INQUIRY)	NOTES WRITE NOTES IN THIS COLUMN
The extract may be up to five minutes in length and must be a single, continuous sequence of the film
Time of 5-minute clip	PLACE 5-MINUTE TIME INTERVAL HERE…
PART 1 –  The film, your scene, why it is of interest, and how your scene relates to the whole film.
Brief Summary of Exposition Writer, Director, Producer, studio, year released Main characters, conflict, identify the genre. Identify the aspect ratio.
Context of Extract in Film – briefly describe the scene At what times does your scene occur, how it begins, and how it ends. Do not describe it further. The judges have seen the movie.
The Rationale for Selection – relation to the entire movie Why is it interesting and why does this scene best illustrate the themes of the whole movie?
PART 2 – Remember to integrate the Director’s intent with each of the following areas in this section
Narrative
Script – Not just dialogue but in terms of being the spine of the story Explain how this scene advances the plot. How do the events of this scene clarify/complicate matters? How does this scene affect/cause future events? What new information is revealed or suggested about a character? Is there anything deliberately withheld? Is anything unusual in the dialogue? Word choice? Delivery? Accents? Repetition?
Cinema Photography
a) Camerawork – describe shots in specific terms Shot size: ELS, LS (stage), full shot, MS, CU, ECU. Camera angles: bird’s eye, high angle, eye level, low angle or Dutch (oblique), camera movement: pan, tilt, dolly or tracking, handheld, Steadycam, or moving crane. Invisible V conspicuous. Are tracking shots motivated by character movement?
b) Composition Open/closed composition, aspect ratio, rule of thirds, Kubrick single-point perspective.
c) Depth of Field Consider foreground, mid, ground, and background. Deep focus is associated with wide-angle lenses. Could be flat. Narrow ranges of focus may be the result of telephoto lenses.
Mise-en-scene – The overall look and feel of a movie
a) Position of characters and objects Identify the dominant, does movement guide our focus, character proxemics patterns (intimate,  personal, social, and public distances). How does the director add meaning to these choices? Is one character encroaching on another’s space? Watch for space being used to portray relationships/changes in relationships. Watch for windows, doors, and parallel lines that frame people or objects.  Entrapment. Look for actor placement. Front – actor facing camera, greatest intimacy. One-Quarter Turn – very popular. Profile – character lost in the moment, a bit more distant than the previous two. Three-Quarters Turn – useful to convey anti, socialness, Back of Head, most anonymous shot.  Creates a mystery or feeling of alienation.
b) Lighting Low or high key. How does the director use light to focus our attention? The Key light, fill light, and backlighting. What is the source of lighting in the context of the scene?
c) Color scheme How does the director use color and what is the director’s intent for doing so? Look for color symbolism or color associated with characters. Color to suggest a mood. Color as foreshadowing. Contrasting colors ( the monolith v white room)
d) Set/location/props Set design. Studio or on, location, describe props, scenery, what was the Director ́s intent for using them? How dense is visual information? Stark, moderate, or highly detailed?
e) Costume, hair, make up Period, class, gender (emphasize or diminish), age-appropriate, silhouette (close-fitting or baggy), fabric (plain, sheer, rough, delicate), accessories. Color is very important in relation to character.
f) Acting/body language Acting style, body language, blocking, period, or contemporary. Individualized (Joker), Stylization. Look for subtext (the character says one thing but means something else). Consider typecasting as a shortcut to characterization.
Sound – watch scene w/o picture Live sound, sound effects, and music. Sound can be diegetic, meaning characters would hear it, or non, diegetic, meaning that characters would not hear it, such as narration or music over the credits. Explore the relationship between diegetic and non, diegetic sound when appropriate.
Music Is the music telling you what to feel?  Music can be used as a counterpoint to the action.
Editing Ellipsis (time compression) and cross-cutting, fades, dissolves (fades between scenes), wipes,  matching cuts, straight cuts, dialogue overlap, and sound bridges. Consider how long each shot lasts.
Part 3: Analyzing the Film as a Product
Sociocultural Context In what way was this movie a product of its time? What does the audience learn about the culture or historical context of the film?
Target Audience Teens/adults or male/female age group, college education art crowd, liberal, conservative, Christian
Generic Expectations http://www.filmsite.org/filmgenres.html Also research  http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Tropes
Themes Man V Man, or one of the others, is this film an allegory?
Motifs/Symbols What specific devices support your definition of the theme? Look for recurring elements.
Film Criticism Both contemporary and current. Use brief quotes from two different sources. Record the details:  reviewers’ names and publication names/dates
TASK COMPONENTS (ACTION)
Compose Paper
Part 4: Sources
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Source 5
Source 6
Source 7
Source 8
Source 9
Source 10
TASK COMPONENTS (REFLECTION)
Revision 1	Proofreader:
Revision 2	Proofreader:
Revision 3	Mr. Le Duc

Step 5 – Get Draft Peer Reviewed: 30 Minutes

Total Time:

Due June 12 before class (we will be peer reviewing in class)

Date Complete: 

1. Get it peer-reviewed with the TA Worksheet (PDF) (30 minutes)
   • Peer Reviewer: Look for evidence of each section of the document
   • Look for WHAT, WHY, and HOW for each statement in the paper
     • There should be at least one WHY or HOW or every WHAT statement
   • Look for cited research to support statements, where it makes sense
   • Write comments to help the author
     • Add them as “Add Comments” on the side, so you do not add to the word count of the document

Step 6 – Revise: 1 Hour

Total Time:

Date Complete: 

1. Revise your draft (1 hour)

Step 7 – Get Feedback from Mr. Le Duc and Revise: 30 Minutes

Total Time:

Due June 13 before class (Mr. Le Duc will have feedback by June 16)

Date Complete: 

1. Get feedback from Mr. Le Duc
2. Make final revisions and check format (30 Minutes)

Step 8 – Finalize Paper: 15 Minutes

Total Time:

Date Complete: 

1. Clear Title of the Film & Timecode (5-minute film extract)
2. Sans serif 12 point font
3. In-text citations
4. Less than 1,750 words maximum

Step 9 – Finalize Bibliography and Check Format: 15 Minutes

Total Time:

Date Complete: 

1. Update your TA Bibliography Google Doc (In Your IB Google Drive Folder)
   • Finish and check the format of your MLA sources as you research

Step 10 – Upload to Turnitin.com: 10 Minutes

Total Time:

Due June 20 before midnight

Date Complete: 

1. Upload your TA paper (from Your IB Google Drive Folder)
2. Upload your TA Bibliography Google Doc (from Your IB Google Drive Folder)

External Assessment Criteria SL and HL

• Thoroughly re-read and examine your work with the Text Analysis Rubric (PDF)

Peer Review Checklist

• Use the TA Worksheet (PDF) for review of core elements for the peer review
• Use the TA Marksheet (PDF) for the inclusion of all needed elements in peer review

• TITLE THIS BLOG POST: Film Analysis: NAME OF FILM
• IF YOU WANT, PLACE A CREATIVE COMMONS IMAGE RELATED TO THE FILM FROM SEARCH.CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG AT THE TOP OF THE POST
  • WATCH MR. LE DUC IMAGE PLACEMENT TUTORIAL
• REVIEW THESE ANALYSIS POST EXAMPLES:
  • Josie’s analysis of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
  • Lindsay’s analysis of 6 Underground
  • Stuart’s analysis of Ford vs. Ferrari and Greenland
  • Naomi’s analysis of 13 Going on 30
  • Robbie’s analysis of Gojira (Orginal Godzilla) and Space Battleship Yamato 2199
  • Malachi’s analysis of Ratatouille
  • Giovanni’s analysis of Iron Monkey
  • Avery’s analysis of Just Mercy and Terminator 2: Judgement Day
  • Meredith’s analysis of Mother
  • Jaden’s analysis of Baby Driver
  • Reese’s analysis of Paul Blart: Mall Cop
  • Cooper’s analysis of Die Hard, Bird Box, Forrest Gump, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 3, Wonder, and The Blind Side
  • Katherin’s analysis of Bedtime Stories
  • Jack’s analysis of Clone Wars
  • Francis’ analysis of The Sound of Music
  • Eli’s analysis of Green Book
  • Avian’s analysis of Knives Out and Notes on a Scene of Memento
  • Jakob’s analysis of Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • Isaac’s analysis of Ratatouille
  • Aidan’s analysis of Jaws
  • Nick’s analysis of Marvel Movies
  • Dylan’s analysis of Toy Story 4, Avengers Endgame, The Adventures of Sharkboy And Lavagirl, and Spiderman Far From Home, Despicable Me, and Black Panther
  • Jacob’s analysis of Death Race: Beyond Anarchy
  • Nolan’s analysis of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
  • Coletrane’s analysis of American Psycho
  • Will’s analysis of The Conjuring and 2022 Batman
  • Kyle’s analysis of Breaking Bad
  • Adia’s analysis of Leon the Professional
• DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s ALL UPPERCASE INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ABOVE

Summary

• IN ONE TO TWO SENTENCES, DESCRIBE WHAT FILM YOU ANALYZED FOR THIS PROJECT AND WHY YOU CHOSE IT
• DELETE ALL OF MR. LE DUC’s ALL UPPERCASE INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE

Film Analysis

Film Title	PLACE YOUR RESPONSES IN THIS COLUMN (DELETE THIS MESSAGE BEFORE YOU WRITE)
Year
Director
Country
Genre
If you could work on this film (change it), what would you change and why?

Film information can be found at imdb.com

As you view films, consider how the cuts, camera angles, shots, and movement work to create particular meanings. Think about how they establish space, privilege certain characters, suggest relationships, and emphasize themes. In addition to shot distances, angles, editing, and camera movement, note details of the narrative, setting, characters, lighting, props, costume, tone, and sound.

Ask yourself the following questions:

TOPIC	YOUR NOTES
1. Who is the protagonist?
2. Who is the antagonist?
3. What is the conflict?
4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words)
5. How is the story told (linear, non-linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing, characterization, camera movement, etc.)? Why does the film encourage such reactions?
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized? What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?
9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character?
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?
11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically?
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music?
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film? Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sources. Example: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015.
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements. Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene. Example: from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00. Explain why you chose this scene.	PLACE THE TIME STAMP FROM THE SCENE HERE… Example: 00:00:00 – 00:05:00
16. In the selected scene: write a sentence for each of the elements below to justify why this scene best represents the film:
a. Screenwriting:
b. Sound Design:
c. Camera Movements/Angles:
d. Light Setup:
e. Soundtrack/Score:
18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film?

This worksheet was developed with ideas from many IB Film teachers, thus should remain in the Creative Commons

Mr. Le Duc’s Film Analysis Resources

• Diigo.com Film Analysis Links
• YouTube Film Analysis Playlist