Category: Film

Your third  paper is a formal research paper that will rely on your using scholarly  sources to help you forward your argument.
You will select one film from the film list on your Canvas page, and you will make an argument about what the film proposes. In other words, you will put forth an argument based on the content of the film. For example, if I were using the film Guess Who as my primary source, I might argue that the film addresses the topic of masculinity in America. I might elaborate on that topic to argue that  the film establishes a battle between the older more established power of whiteness and the younger  more nascent power of blackness to conclude that the era of the 1960s has fundamentally changed the character of American masculinity.  
Your job is to find a discussion in your film that you would like to engage and pursue.  
Think about the following:
1. What  topic does the film discuss?
2. How does it approach the topic?
3.  What position does the film take?
4. What literary theory might be best to approach this film? (feminsim, marxisim, queer theory, cultural studies, psycholoanalytical) 
You will present your argument about your film in a clear and scholarly manner, using vetted secondary sources that speak to the topic . 
I would like your paper to submit to the following basic guidelines: 
Approximately five to six pages in length. You must have at least five five complete pages.  You can stop anywhere on page 6. 
must have an abstract
double space
12 font
New Roman Times font
1 inch margins on all sides
submit as an attachment in Word
must have title and must be centered
page numbers on top right with last name 
separate WC page
must use at least four secondary sources; three of your sources must be vetted scholarly sources. 
do not begin your paper halfway down the page
Grading Criteria
Have you followed the directions of the basic guidelines? If not, I will be dropping your grade by one letter grade. 
Do your paragraphs have clear topic sentences that guide your paragraphs?Have you followed that topic sentence? 
Do you have a clear thesis with a claim and a qualification of that argument? Have you followed that thesis through your paper?
Have you used your research appropriately to advance your argument? Is it an integral part of your argument? Do you actually use it or just throw it in?
Do you advance your argument? Do you build and deepen your argument? 
Have you documented appropriately?
Have you checked for grammar and spelling?
Is your discussion whole and logical? Does your discussion flow clearly and logically?
Do your paragraphs use the rubric of state explain, and illustrate?
Does your argument move in depth and clarity?
Please do not do the following in your paper.
Do not use first and second person, unless it is part of a quote 
Do not ask questions, unless it is part of a quote
Do not cut off discussion with the expression “this shows that . . . “
Please use an active voice  
Please indent paragraphs 
When speaking about art, including film, we speak in present tense. 
Here is a list of the movies that are up for consideration for your second
and third paper. Please select one film to use as the primary source of
your second paper. I suggest that you select a topic that you are
interested in learning about – a topic that you can investigate and live
with for a while.
Please also know that you will be expected to find secondary sources
that will assist you in discussing what this film does and how it does it.
Papers that do not use appropriate academic scholarly sources that are
vetted by peers in the field will not be considered appropriate for a
passing grade.
Glory
Thelma and Louise
Boys Don’t Cry
Imitation of Life
Bamboozled
Something New
Fences
The Kids are All Right
12 Angry Men
The Crying Game
Get Out
Midnight in Paris
Fatal Attraction
Night of the Living Dead
The Woolf of Wall Street
First Blood
Like Water for Chocolate
The Postman Always Rings Twice
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Birds
Election
Gaslight
(pick one of the movies)

Please prepare a 2-page essay for 3 question sets (6 pages max). You can choose the first two from several options and your third is required for everyone to answer.
Read, and re-read the questions carefully, as you formulate your responses. Each essay is worth up to 33 points (everyone will get 1 free point); make an effort to write in an organized and substantive manner to fulfill as much of the point total as you can.
The Midterm Exam must be typed, double-spaced, and submitted/uploaded at our 165D Canvas Course Site by Wednesday, May 15. You may use your notes and consult the readings in preparing your essay answers. Talking with classmates to develop ideas can be useful and productive, but your writing must be original work. Re-viewing the visual/media material will definitely be helpful.
CHOOSE TWO question sets to write a response to from the following:
A)  Compose a short essay involving Renee Tajima’s historical overview and analysis of Asian American Independent Filmmaking and Peter Feng’s writing, employing his chapter on Chan Is Missing and/or recalling how he defines “Asian American” and “Asian American Cinema” as laid out in lecture. What are the two stages that Asian American cinema has gone through? Elaborate upon them, and provide examples. How are these films expressly political? Name the particular characteristics in the Asian American film movements (developed in the 1960s and 1970s). What is the “anti-slick” approach to filmmaking, and the “politics of the imperfect aesthetic” that Tajima discusses? Three areas of concern are: funding, audience, venue; what are ways that you see the “watershed” film of the 1980s, Chan Is Missing, engaged with these concerns? What is Feng’s main argument in “Being Chinese American, Becoming Asian American”? How does he suggest we understand the contested term, “Asian-American” and why? One of the key objectives in forging Asian American cinema/media is to conceptualize and materialize subjectivity – what does it mean to have subjectivity (in a film or story)? Finally, respond to Tajima’s critique that the work of Asian American filmmakers gets “defined by thematic, not cinematic, significance” – that is, there is a false dichotomy between politics and art. What are examples you can identify from films/examples we have seen in class where the thematic is linked to the aesthetic or cinematic (not separated)? Consider especially: My America: Or Honk if you Love Buddha, The Grace Lee Project, All Orientals Look the Same, and/or Chan Is Missing (you can draw from other pieces if you choose).
B)  Define Orientalism. Explain how is it about control? What is an ‘Other’? Illustrate examples of Orientalism, in specific terms, from films such as (including though not limited to): Broken Blossoms, The World of Suzie Wong, clips from The Slanted Screen and/or Slaying the Dragon; you might also want to refer to mainstream U.S. media
1
depictions related to the Vietnam War. Scholar and critic Eugene Franklin Wong (who is seen in the documentary, Slaying the Dragon) argues that stereotypes have marketability – what do you think this means? Furthermore, why is Wong concerned about how (the lack of) knowledge influences the creation of images and stories? Define controlling images. How are controlling images part of an Orientalist discourse? Elaborate upon at least one an example. Compare the key points in John Tchen’s essay about the portrayal of the Chinese man in Broken Blossoms with Ono and Pham’s Chapter 2 (about Yellow Peril); how would you describe the two approaches and how they differ? Similarly, Gina Marchetti’s chapter about the White Knight and Peter Feng’s Nancy Kwan-dary analyze the representation of Asian women in relationship with Western white men, though Feng’s piece offers, potentially, a more optimistic/empowered view. Explain how so, by outlining their key points. Finally, using Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model, can you describe what a dominant, negotiated, or oppositional viewing experience of The World of Suzie Wong might be like?
C) Consider the following points of analysis by Anne Cheng, and then respond to some of the discussion questions about the film in your own written voice. Flower Drum Song: is a morality play about national identity; offers multiple narratives (diegetic, narrative, choreographic, musical) that tell very different stories about that identity; the film “astonishes simply because it fills the stage with Asian-looking bodies…. I propose that this visual impact complicates, rather than confirms, the Orientalist fantasy that this movie is supposed to offer. For the ‘real’ Asian bodies solicited to ‘play themselves,’ far from granting substance to the fiction, heighten the instability underlying such efforts of delineation.” The “visage of citizenship” (the face of ‘American’) is the question that raises anxiety that must be – according to both film and psychoanalytic theory – anxiety must be allayed. “…it is the very mode of that anxiety on which a peculiar form of melancholic national identity – what will be called ‘Asian Americaness’ – gets born.” Cheng’s main understanding of Flower Drum Song is that it represents Asian Americaness and Asian American identity, as melancholic, depressed, abject, and in the end, impossible (i.e., Helen Chao). The discussion questions are posted in Canvas; you are welcome to discern from the list a few you want to write responses to.
D) What does giving Don Bonus a camera allow him to do? Describe the way that he films his home and school; describe the emotions he expresses, mediated by the presence of the camera. What kind of storyteller would you describe him as? How is aka Don Bonus counterhegemonic, an example of presenting a counternarrative and countermemory? How is The Story of Vinh similar? What is the difference between an immigrant and a refugee? In The Story of Vinh, what are the competing narratives being offered? Why do you think Don has more agency than Vinh? Why do the two stories – and the two young men – come across so differently (even if both films are made by Asian American filmmakers)? What are the structural and directorial differences? Discuss the ending of each film, and how each (ideologically) concludes ~ i.e., the politics of the happy ending. What did you hear and learn about the context of militarism in The Story of Vinh and/or aka Don Bonus? How would you connect The Story of Vinh to another film you have seen in 165D?
2
E)  How do you see that ‘memory’ is produced? How do Janice Tanaka (Who’s Going To Pay for These Donuts, Anyway?) and/or Tad Nakamura (Pilgirmage) challenge or critique the cause for the loss of memory, the denial of memory? How does this then give their films – and their filmmaking process/project/effort – political as well as personal and artistic significance? What is the relationship between history and memory that both Who’s Going to Pay for These Donuts, Anyway? and Pilgrimage portray? How do these films produce counter memory/ies? Kent Ono understands spectatorship as participatory (not passive or simply observatory). What does it mean to you to be a witness? Who Killed Vincent Chin? is also about memory and the experience of “historical consciousness.” Bill Nichols in his essay argues for the importance of collage as a crucial technique for representing the case of Vincent Chin. From your viewing experience of the film, how is this collage presented, what is its impact on you, and to what extent does such collage help you understand (if it does) the causes of Chin’s death? Does this skillful collage make the film feel less or more like a documentary? As with Renee Tajima-Pena’s film, My America: Or Honk if You Love Buddha, what are some cinematic and artistic techniques that Who Killed Vincent Chin? employs that make it an uncommon and innovative documentary? Describe how you respond to Who’s Going to Pay for These Donuts, Anyway? and Pilgrimage as social documentaries.
F)  One of three key arguments in Asian Americans and the Media, by Kent Ono and Vincent Pham (as laid out in Chapter 1) is that a critical intervention into media is possible. What are the other two? What is the methodology that the authors utilize in their project? Why do you think this approach is useful or necessary? Ono and Pham articulate two statements in setting up a theoretical framework, explain each of the two following quotations:
“Our overall theory about how media operate with regard to Asian Americans is that, because of a lack of systemic power within mainstream media production, they typically appear in ways that comport with colonial representations …” and “Such images … also have a mass psychological effect within US society; more importantly, these images are part of a history of image-making and story-production linked to historical and continuing systems of oppression.”
Respond to the question that Ono and Pham raise in the introductory chapter of our course textbook: “Do TV, film, and other media systems play an important role in maintaining a racialized social order …?” You can invoke examples from class as well as from outside of class if you like. Finally, thinking about the documentaries in particular about Hollywood – Slaying the Dragon about the patterns of representation of Asians and Asian American women in particular, and The Slanted Screen: Asian Men in Film and Television – what might you identify as a factor in the lack of significant change in the representation of Asian Americans?
Remember, you can write approximately 2 pages per Exam Question, and you can strive to organize your responses in a way that flows.
3
REQUIRED QUESTION for Everyone:
Who Killed Vincent Chin? is about one of the most important civil rights cases involving Asian Americans. It is a key film and cultural text, which is successful not only in its cinematic and story-telling achievements but also as a political documentary. Address the questions below in prose form; that is, organize your thoughts and outline a plan to write a short essay about the film, Who Killed Vincent Chin? Ideally, you can foreground a main thesis, and incorporate many of the following:
What is the significance or rhetorical function of the title as mode of address?
Describe the uniqueness of the film form, of WKVC? and what effect/effectiveness it
produces? For example, how does WKVC? “derail narrative without destroying it?”
What does having no narrator serve to do?
What position are you, the viewer, placed in?
How – and why, does WKVC? present/propose alternative knowledge?
Do you think alternative forms of storytelling must be used (not classical, linear narrative)
to represent stories about Asian Americans? Why or why not?
Identify one or two examples of a cut or juxtaposition that affected you in viewing the
film, and explain the close analysis.
How do you feel, how do you react to the close-up shots of the interview with Ron
Ebens? With Lily Chin?
What is the role of African Americans in this film? Who are they?
What made this a difficult case to win? First as a civil case, then as a federal Civil Rights
case?
Ron Ebens may not be ‘a racist,’ but how is he in a position of ‘white’/race privilege –
What defines his whiteness?
Think about the concept that this was a “tragic accident.” And think about Ebens and his
family and friends. How, in their minds, was this something “that just happened”?…
Ask yourself: Would Vincent Chin have been beaten to death in the manner that he was
if he was white? Would Ron Ebens and his son have gotten off, found “not guilty,” if they were Black? Respond to the question that the film reiterates as the official legal dilemma: “Was it a case of racism, or a barroom brawl?”
Finally, relate WKVC? to at least one other film you have seen in 165D so far. EXTRA CREDIT (5 points). Answer in a few sentences:
Describe what Dumbfoundead performs and critiques in “Safe”? What cinematic techniques does he employ and what is the effect? How is the music video counter- hegemonic? Why do you think Dumbfoundead’s song is called, “Safe?” What image/moment stays with you, and why?
4
Visual Texts (through Week 6):
All Orientals Look the Same (1986), and Black Sheep (1990), Valerie Soe The Grace Lee Project (2005), Grace Lee
My America … or Honk if You Love Buddha (1997), Renee Tajima-Pena Seeking Asian Female (2012), Debbie Lum
Slaying the Dragon (1988), Deborah Gee
The Slanted Screen: Asian Men in Film & Television (2006), Jeff Adachi
Profiles in Science (2002), Wes Kim
Broken Blossoms (1919), D.W. Griffith
Monday (2017), Dinh Thai
a.k.a. Don Bonus (1995), Spencer Nakasako and Sokly Ny
Yellow Brotherhood (2004), Tad Nakamura
The World of Suzie Wong (1960), Richard Quine, with Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006 ), Justin Lin Flower Drum Song (1961), Henry Koster
Forbidden City, U.S.A. (1989) Arthur Dong
Chan is Missing (1981), Wayne Wang
Another America (1996), Michael Cho
Mele Murals ( 2016), Tad Nakamura
Pilgrimage (2007), Tad Nakamura
Who’s Going to Pay for These Donuts Anyway? (1992), Janice Tanaka
Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1987) Christine Choy and Renee Tajima
The Story of Vinh ( 1990), Keiko Tsuno

Write a book report about the particular era of French New Wave cinema. Make sure to include examples of French New wave films as well as directors.  
Here’s a link to Richard Neupert’s A History of the French New Wave Cinema Book. 
https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_the_French_New_Wave_Cinema/OIp7bDHNDs8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover

I need a paper discussing the 2018 film “Roma”‘s analysis of the intersection of gender and social status. I would like you to explore Cleo and Sophia’s relationship in terms of what it means to analyze under the lens of social disparities. This is a college level paper for an English class on films of the modern day. Please write in an argumentative/persuasive style and use reputable sources (including a bibliography). I would also like you to include things about Cleo’s journey towards motherhood while activley mothering children who are not her own. You can use this as the thesis statement: 
Through its portrayal of Cleo’s journey amidst the backdrop of 1970s Mexico City, Roma examines the intersectionality of love and social hardship, revealing how the dynamics of class, race, and gender shape the experiences of individuals in navigating relationships within a society marked by profound inequalities.

EXTRA CREDIT PAPER:
For this Extra Credit Paper, I would like you to choose one of two topics:
Research something about Post-Production Workflow and particularly Avid-related Workflow that interests you. There are, for instance, some interesting interviews with the Editors of “The Martian” about their Avid-related workflow. But there are many other aspects of this subject you could tackle. I would like to see that you did some research, learned something new and particular about this subject or something that corroborates what we have learned this semester. I would also like to hear what this study of workflow means to you and to a career in the industry.
Write a paper about differences between “Continuity-Style” Editing and “Discontinuity-Style” Editing, which we explored in class. Between real-time/real-space editing and not-real time/not-real space editing. Please give meaningful examples of each of these styles. Explain what they mean to you, what you feel about them, how you have used them, what you have learned, how they have been used in television and film in a way that has impact. Do this in a way that shows you know the difference between these two styles and can drill down to significant personal and industry-standard examples.
Please write your paper to be around 700 words. Feel free to turn it in longer than this. Keep the subject interesting to you. This will keep it more interesting to others.
Remember our strict CSUN rules against plagiarism. This includes the use of any artificial intelligence based technology. “Cheating or plagiarism in connection with an academic program at a CSU campus is listed in Section 41301, Title 5, California Code of Regulations as an offense for which a student may be expelled, suspended or given a less severe disciplinary sanction.” Let’s face it – it’s just not worth it. If you do this, do it with enjoyment!
Another note to writer: Note to writer (VERY IMPORTANT NOTE TO BE AWARE BEFORE UPLOADING, SO PLS READ): PLS SEND AI GENERATED RECEIPT, TO MAKE SURE 0% OF AI IS USED, SO THAT WAY I KNOW WORK AND WORD ARE ORIGINAL AND YOURS. SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE IT ALL ORIGINAL WORK AND ZERO PLAGIARIZED WORK. Thank you!!!!

Using the video Mise-en-Scene
Define the four primary aspects of mise-en-scene.
Also, provide one example of each aspect of mise-en-scene from the film Zoot Suit, explaining the effect of the mise-en-scene you cite on your perception of the movie.

There are two essays to be written- Each essay should be 3-4-pages in length with MLA citations. The essay requires a clearly stated thesis, a body that proves your argument, with supporting quotes from academic sources, and a conclusion.
Please support your arguments using readings from the class and outside research. When using outside sources of information, be sure to cite correctly.
(double-spaced, 12-point font, 1500-2000 words). 
1. In countries such as Iran and Afghanistan, the dominant ideology is arguably defined by Islamic values. How do filmmakers from these countries address and interrogate those values. Using these two films from the region i.e. Offside by Jafar Panahi and Kandahar by Ric Roman Waugh, describe and argue how these films address such important Islamic values as (a) “hijab” (modesty and women’s veiling), (b) patriarchy, and (c) religion/Islam. 
Consider these three areas the body paragraphs of the essay. Do these films simply reflect a one-sided positive view of these values, or do they question them or criticize them? Be sure to use the readings to substantiate points, citing direct quotations from reliable sources, film reviews, etc.
2. Contrast Hollywood’s treatment of one of these countries -Iran, Israel, Palestine with an indigenous film made from inside that country i.e. “Munich” vs “Paradise Now”. Describe and argue concrete ways in which the films are different, in terms of how they represent (a) the people, (b) the places/settings, and (c) the ideology of that culture. 
Consider these three elements to be the main body paragraphs of your essay. Be sure to use readings or outside film reviews and other academic sources from to substantiate your points, citing direct quotations from sources.  

Final Essay 
The films we have studied so far this semester each take a different approach to filmmaking. While there is some overlap, these approaches can be thought of as historical, artistic, biographical, and activist. Their subjects, settings, time periods and formats vary. The stories told are personal and public; at times they are both. As you select your film and review your notes and accompanying readings, consider the following:  
Essay Question and Guidelines:
Select ONE of the films we have screened for your essay. With the film’s particular scope and approach in mind, discuss one of the themes that emerged in class discussions or in your own reflections and notes. You may do this by discussing a character, a motif, a theme, a set of images, a quote, or any other aspect from the film to “anchor” your point of view. You may further examine the motive of the filmmaker and his or her point of view. Is there a political or social issue they are addressing and why did they choose this story? What is unique about their approach the issue? How does the film work? 
Structure: Your essay must contain a central thesis (main argument) that you support with a balance of evidence from the film (scenes/dialogue), the readings (citations) and your own critical analysis. Your introduction should clearly name the film you have chosen (including flimmaker) and your central thesis that you arguing for. Briefly state the ideas/themes you will examine and layout a “map” of your paper. The body of your essay should flow and develop in a purposeful manner that builds upon critical analysis and supporting evidence, steadily working to prove your thesis. The conclusion should re-state your central thesis and offer a compelling, brief re-articulation of the broader significance or take away of your argument.
Your essay must also demonstrate strong structure and mechanics (e.g. complete sentences, distinct paragraphs, correct grammar and spelling, proper word choice, overall organization).
While you must illustrate your perspective and how you arrive at your conclusions by thoughtful deconstruction of the film and careful engagement with the readings, a successful paper will also be reflexive and offer a larger point or further insight beyond a re-telling of the film or affirming its central themes. We are not interested in a synopsis or summary. We are also not interested in an opinion piece that is purely subjective. Instead, the strongest papers will offer an original argument and unique position that may not be obvious, but is supported by critical analysis and solid evidence.
What questions does the film raise for you? What kinds of connections or conclusions does the film allow you to make beyond what is obvious?  What connections are there between the film, your own experiences and the experiences of others? What are the broader historical, political and social contexts at play? What do other (credible) sources say to support your thinking?
You must use scenes from the film (dialogue and visuals) and engage with the assigned readings to provide evidence to support your thesis.
You can write about any one of the following films:
A Song for Cesar (in this film we see how music and the arts were instrumental to the success of the social movement Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta helped found. Connecting the activism of the 1960’s to today, musicians Abel Sanchez and Jorge Santana pay homage to the grassroots organizers and farmworkers through song and music.)
Producer/ Director Andres Alegria
Rape on the Night Shift (Rape on the Night Shift: Frontline investigates the sexual abuse of immigrant women — often undocumented — who clean the malls where you shop, the banks where you do business and the offices where you work. Producer: Andres Cediel)
No Le Digas a Nadie (tells the story of Angy Rivera, an undocumented immigrant brought to the U.S a as a child and her struggle as a DACA recipient and activist.)
Required Essay Format:
5-6 pages (double space)
Times New Roman, 12 pt font, 1-inch margins (all sides)
Cite at least 3 sources from assigned readings; outside sources can also be cited in addition to, but not in place of, assigned readings. Be sure to cite the film when referencing (the film does not count as one of the 3 required sources).
Citations in MLA format (parenthetical, in-text references)
Include a Works Cited Page (formatted correctly; does not count towards total page count)
Readings:
Jason Ferreria, “With the Soul of a Human Rainbow: Los Siete, Black Panthers, and Third Worldism in San Francisco,” Ten Years that Shook the City: San Francisco, 1968-1978 (Files)
Mae Ngai, “Chapter 4: Braceros, Wetbacks and the National Boundaries of Class,” Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America (Files)
Rachel Kushner, Is Prison Necessary? Ruth Wilson Gilmore Might Change Your Mind,” New York Times Magazine (April 17, 2019) (Available online)
Bryan Adamson, Parts III-V (PDF pages 31-65) from ““Thugs,” “Crooks,” and “Rebellious Negros”: Racist and Racialized Media Coverage of Michael Brown and the Ferguson Demonstrations,” Harvard Journal on Racial and Ethnic Justice, Vol 32, Spring 2016 (Files)
Jackie Wang, Carceral Capitalism, “Chapter 2: Policing as Plunder: Notes on Municipal Finance and the Political Economy of Fees and Fines,” 2018 (Files)
When migrants are treated like slaves;
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/opinion/migrants-detention-forced-labor.html?searchResultPosition=1
Social death: Racialized Rightlessness and the Criminalization of the Unprotected, Lisa Marie Cacho Chapter 1 (files)
Child snatchers at the border;  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/opinion/immigrant-children-deportation-parents.html?searchResultPosition=1
The end of asylum; 
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/11/opinion/asylum-immigration-trump.html?searchResultPosition=1
In My Town, We Need Immigrants;
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/30/opinion/trump-immigrants-iowa-farmers-workers.html?searchResultPosition=1
Separated amid tears, now filled with fears;
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/us/migrant-children-separation-anxiety.html?searchResultPosition=1
Trump’s immigration crackdown blunts his effort to be tough on crime; 
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/us/politics/trumps-immigration-visa-crime.html?searchResultPosition=1
Navigating Illegality: Undocumented Youth and Oppositional Consciousness, Genevieve Negron- Gonzalez, Children and Youth Services Review, Volume 35, Issue 8, August 2013 (Files)
“‘I can’t go to college because I don’t have papers’: Incorporation Patterns of Latino Undocumented Youth.” Abrego, Leisy. 2006. , Latino Studies 4(3): 212-231 (files)