Use what you have learned about film to do a scene analysis. The basic plan is similar to what you have done for blogs. But for the SA, you will focus on the Critical Scene (CS) and Turning Point (TP).
As discussed in class sessions, the film has structure–usually a three-act, four-act, or five-act design. Essentially, the narrative moves from opening to complications to climax. In moving from act to act, or one narrative block to another, filmmakers use a scene to lead up to and dramatize the transition.
Look for the CS leading up to the TP from Act One to Act two; that is, from the opening to the body of the plot. The scene you want to find is that scene that takes the protagonist to an action or decision, without which, the story would not be the same. Do not analyze the climactic TP. Your CS should appear in the first 25% to 33% of the film.
You will divide your SA into:
Part 1: The descriiption of the film, its genre, and cultural context.
Part 2: The rationale and discussion of the CS. Point out exactly how the filmmaker used the elements of cinema (cinematography, sound, mise-en-scene, editing, etc.) to make meaning in the film; specifically in the CS.
Part 3: A shot-by-shot analysis of the CS. Use a table or graphic display, a three- or four-column layout, or other means to show the shot-by-shot analysis in the best way. You need to show how the shots construct meaning as you have discussed in the previous parts of your SA. You may use screen grabs, clips, drawings, video clips, or other techniques.
