WOMAN ON SCREEN

In this assignment you are required to undertake a close analysis of a section a scene or scenes of a film seen in class (Sex and the City opening clip; The Piano, Lost in Translation). Your analysis should focus on how a female subject is constructed on screen, using cinematic devices such as cinematography, sound, editing The paper should include the following:

a. Identify the scene/s you are discussing and contextualize its importance in the film.
b. Give some brief background of the film under discussion, its plot, storyline and style.
c. Examine cinematic techniques such as mise-en-scene i.e. the scenic construction, editing and sound. You can select one or more whichever in your opinion contributes to the way in which a female subject is constructed. Your analysis should then pick these elements and unpack how they contribute to the way in which we as viewers understand the female subject as a character. Do we develop sympathy with her? Do we doubt her, or see her deviant? Does she come across as indecisive? Questions such as these will help you determine what impression is the female character being made to have on the audience. When you start thinking about this, try and link what elements of the film music, sound, acting, scenography contribute to this.
d. Discussion of female presence using appropriate theoretical criteria introduced in class: Once you have unpacked the scene/s you examined contextualize your conclusions using some the readings introduced in class.