A small scale research project is designed to develop research skills. It will be based on one focus film, making appropriate reference to at least two other related films. You need to chose an area of investigation that relates the chosen focus film to one of the following frameworks:
Star/Performer: A star study that engages with historical developments, cultural features, fandom as well as issues of performance.
(You need to apply star theory, if you are to do this study.)
Genre: May focus on a single genre or a range of genres and is deigned to develop investigations that consider film as a structured product that is designed to relate to other similar films. Approaches here include genre-study (codes, conventions, stars, etc.), genre as a tool of industry, evolution in genres, genres as national cinema and genre as a cultural product. (Genre theory required)
Technology: focusing on the impact or development of a particular technology. This will include direct approaches such as for example the devlopment of CGI, the coming of "the talkies".
Social, Historical and Political Contexts: focuses either on the social and political contexts of production (McCarthy era films) or the commentary offered by the films made during particular social and political contexts (the Iraq war). (Representation theories)
Auteur: An auteur in the broadest sense, how being an auteur affects the way 'auteurs' perform their creative role and it is an aspect of this creative role that may become the area for investigation (such as Hitchcocks continual use of the blonde). (Auteur Theory)
Institutional: This could possibly focus on a national cinema context, a studio context or a body of work produced 'institutionally' such as the films of Empire Marketing Board.
Ethnicity may be explored through diverse approaches including analysing the representations within a film, and issues around those making a film. It should be viewed as a broad church approach that can include more traditional topics (such as Blaxploitation movies or the representation of the American Indian in the Western Genre). (Representation theories)
Gender Issues Issues of sexuality, of gender, of rep[resentation, and of other related contexts can be explored singly or through a comparative approach (such as comparing male and female directorial approaches to the crime movie genre). (Gender theories)
ASSESSMENT
The research project is completed in two parts:
ANNOTATED CATALOGUE 1000 words (15 marks)
(i)This will consist of 10-15 items selected from the primary and seconary research.
(ii) Each catalogue item should be appropriately referenced and be accompanied by approx 70 words which explains how the particular item is relevant to the area of investigation and what it conytributes to the overall research.
(iii) Also a short paragraph which lists significant items (3-5) not selected for inclusion in the catalgue, offering reasons why (200 words).
PRESENTATION SCRIPT 1500 words (25 marks)
This must take the form of notes for a presentation and could combine subheadings, bullet points, short pieces of connected prose and reference to visual extracts to illustrate the presentation.
Reference to key items of research from the catalogue must be made explicitly in the presentation. Short credited quotations may be used but care must be taken that the words of the presentation are the candidate's own.
