Assignments

English 3950 Evolution of Film, Fall 2026

W 5:00-7:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 342

In Class Activities

1. TBA

TBA

Annotated Bibliography

In order to practice film research and expand our class's historical, aesthetic, and interpretive of representative canonical films, you will compose an annotated bibliography of 10 scholarly journal articles and book chapters on a select film and its period. The sources should comprise a mix of scholarly journal articles and scholarly book chapters, as well as a mix of critical and interpretive sources both on the film itself and the film period that the film represents. Each annotation should be approximately 100 words long and describe 1) the topic of scholarly discussion, 2) the main idea, meaning, or conclusion as it relates to the film or film period, and 3) how the source helps your understanding of the film or film period. The OWL provides additional strategies of summarization, evaluation, and reflection as well as sample annotations.

 

Additionally, you will select one film source and one film period source for the entire class to read and discuss; and you will informally introduce the articles to the class. If two students are scheduled to complete an annotated bibliography on one film, then one student should select the film source and one student should select the film period source for the class to read together.

 

While the annotated bibliography is due in GeorgiaVIEW > Annotated Bibliography on the day the class discusses the film and period, the two selected sources for the class to read is due via email to your professor (via pdf attachment or permalink) on the Tuesday 8 days before the film is discussed in class so the professor can add the reading to the syllabus and course packet in advance of the film discussion date.

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Parameters

Scene Analysis

You will work in pairs to analyze a 2-3 minute scene in a formal 5-6 page paper and formal 7-10 minute presentation, which includes screening the scene. Your essay and presentation should 1) incorporate two or three elements of film (such as, but not limited to, mise en scène, characterization, cinematography, editing, sound, narrative) from our film analysis handout, 2) interpret how the scene broaches the core conflict and overall theme of the film, and 3) address how the film exemplifies social or filmic history or film movement. Your single, collaboratively written essay should be driven by a thesis that argues the work's theme and logically organized by close reading of the text: unpack the tension and conflict, idea and theme. Your well-organized presentation, which may include a Powerpoint or Canva presentation if the group wishes, should clearly convey your ideas to the class, and each member should speak during the presentation.

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Historical Influence Magazine

While the scene analysis essay and presentation compels you to closely view a film and the annotated bibliography assignment obliges you to conduct film research, the historical influence magazine asks you to examine a film of your choosing in historical connection with a film or film period discussed in class. The historical influence magazine should 1) analyze the current film and 2) argue for why and how the current film is influenced by the prior film or period in terms of 3) genre and theme, technique and style, and/or technology and industry. In other words, your magazine should interpret a film in the present in relationship to film history, as an effect of the past. In addition to quotations from two sources of scholarly film interpretation and two sources of film period criticism, your magazine should examine two film stills and two film clips.

Research Paper

Research either 1) the meaning of one film or 2) a film issue (thematic, theoretical, technical, or aesthetic) across two or three films (subject to professor approval if any of the films are outside of class), and write an 8-10 page paper that puts the film in its film historical context using not only relevant chapters from our The Story of Film textbook and course packet but also incorporates at least 4 scholarly books, book chapters, and/or journal articles researched specifically for the paper. Here's how to conduct research at GCSU.

Parameters

Exam

In the scene analysis and historical influence magazine, you interpreted a film scene and connected films to their historical and film historical contexts. In the annotated bibliography and research papers, you researched not only film criticism but also film history. In the in-class essay exam, you will write 2 essays, the first focusing on film history and the second focusing on film analysis.

Parameters

 

© Alex E. Blazer 2026