Quiz Tuesday, 2/8

Welcome RotMI fans, Spring 2011!

We've been thinking about the persuasiveness of visual texts. Film trailers are the perfect example of short films that are essentially commercials urging you to "buy" the film they're advertising.

There will be a short quiz in class on Tuesday, 2/8. We'll see a trailer you probably haven't seen before, and you will have the opportunity to both define and identify the following terms by citing examples from the trailer: Appeal (in general), emotional appeal, logical/rational appeal, & ethical appeal.

The challenging part is to explain HOW what you see is acting as, let's say, an emotional appeal. What emotion is the appeal connecting with? Is it tapping into your sense of patriotism? Is it trying to scare you? Fear can be a very powerful motivator.

Remember, if you fail this class you won't graduate! (Now that's an emotional appeal...)

And the winner is... (PART 2)

Hollywood may have the Oscar, but RotMI has the Baby Daz...

In stunning fashion, one film has swept the final four awards categories at the 2nd Annual RotMI Film Festival!

The Baby Dazzes for 

BEST ORIGINAL STORY

BEST MUSIC

BEST EDITING

BEST PICTURE

go to RotMI Parody (Daniel, Eli, Annie, Edward, Stella)

Congratulations, A SEED Productions! Feel free to leave your acceptance speeches in the form of a blog comment.

And the winner is... (PART 1)

The 2nd Annual RotMI Film Festival viewers have spoken, and here are the first four awards!

Hollywood may have the Oscar, but RotMI has the Baby Daz...




BEST DOCUMENTARY
Kids Are The Darndest Things. (Elana)



BEST PERFORMANCES
When The Rail Is Covered In Snow (Chang Min, Grace, Winston, Patrick, Junaid)

BEST ART PRODUCTION
Dream Vacation (Lauren, Christine V.)

CINEMATOGRAPHY
When The Rail Is Covered In Snow (Chang Min, Grace, Winston, Patrick, Junaid)

Congratulations to the winners! Check back soon for more awards!

And the Nominees Are...

The 2nd Annual RotMI Film Festival is underway! And the coveted Baby Daz awards are up for grabs.

The RotMI Film Festival Awards Committee has determined that there are 8 award categories. Click on the image to see which films have been nominated for each award.

Our Festival resumes this Wednesday and will conclude Thursday, 1/27. All class members will be able to vote at the end of class on Thursday. Of course, there's a blizzard coming. But what else is new?

Test on Thursday, 1/20

The test will focus on Some Like It Hot, Chungking Express, Cinema Paradiso, and the key terms and concepts from chapter 3 of our textbook, Understanding Movies. Also, review everything from the beginning of the course, such as the definition of "rhetoric," and literary, dramatic, and cinematic aspects, etc.

Be sure to focus on these areas in your review:

• Cinema Paradiso: Establishing shot; characterization of Toto; minor characters & how they develop (character arcs); Italian life post WWII; symbolic imagery; Magical Realism; Alfredo's 3 "magic tricks"; jump cut; final images (before & after the credits); elegy; the "Cinema of Life." Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
• Chungking Express: Hong Kong cinema (and how this film is and isn't typical of the genre), traditional comic plot structure, motifs (time, love-sickness, expiration, change & variety), freeze frame, Quentin Tarantino's DVD Special Features, web of life plot structure, painterly vs. linear style, impressionism. Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
• Some Like It Hot: Comic structure (beginning with social upheaval), Sugar's songs' lyrics, Screwball Comedy, curtain line, swish pan, phallic symbol, day for night shooting, filmed in black and white for a reason, parallel editing (crosscutting), using proxemic patterns to create humor, parody, sight gags, slapstick, repartee, situational comedy, sexual innuendo, running gag, dramatic irony, meta-filmic moments. Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
• From Ch. 3 of Understanding Movies: Kinetic symbolism, vertical/upward movements, minimalists, swish pan, pull back, stationary camera vs. handheld, steadicam, 24 fps, persistence of vision, fast motion vs. slow motion, freeze frame.

Look over your notes, your homework assignments, and all Viewing Guides and handouts. Extra Help will be offered at 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, 1/19 in room 452.

Looking Ahead

Here's what's coming up for the rest of the course:

• Tues., 1/18: Final Film Project Due
• Wed., 1/19: Return your textbook no later than today
• Thurs., 1/20: Test on Some Like It Hot, Chungking Express, Cinema Paradiso & Ch. 3 of out textbook (more details soon!)
• Fri., 1/21: Final written reflection due on the making of your film. The RotMI Film Festival begins!

Get Help Creating Your Film!

Vimeo, the video sharing website, has created an online Video School with helpful clips about all aspects of filmmaking. Whether you're looking for storyboarding help or trying to enhance the composition of your shots, take a few minutes to check out Vimeo!