Week 3 – Assignment for ENG225 Introduction to film from Ashford EDU. Establishing Theme: Week Three Assignment Video transcript. Ashford University | ENG225 WEEK 03 The week 3 written assignment is an important continuation in our analysis of film. In understanding a film’s theme, we are getting to the core of what that film is about. Analyzing a film of your choice, you’ll identify that film’s primary theme and the elements that work to establish it throughout the film.

Make sure to read through the guidelines carefully, noting all the different required elements, and take a look ahead at the rubric so you’ll know exactly how your work will be assessed. Here are a few key points to keep in mind as you work on your paper. It is important to explain theme in your introduction using your own words and clearly state the film’s theme in your thesis statement. You will identify at least three techniques– cinematography, lighting, acting style or direction, and/or design elements, set design, costuming, or hair and makeup and explain how these techniques and/or design elements contribute to the establishment of theme. Be sure to reference particular scenes or sequences in your explanations and describe how these techniques are being used in those scenes and what they do to establish theme. In analyzing the film Mise En Scene, you’ll want to describe how the things that appear on screen work to establish theme and how those design elements are consistent with the theme. Note– remember that a theme is an overarching idea that recurs throughout the plot of the film. It is the distilled essence of what the film is about, the main design which the specific scenes and actions lead a viewer to understand. Students often confuse theme with genre. The theme is not the genre. For instance, a Western and a fantasy can both have a theme of good versus evil. Here are a few more tips to remember. See the sample paper we’ve uploaded in the assignment prompt. This is a model of good student work, what your professors are looking for and the type of comments we will make. Also, keep in mind that the titles of films should be italicized. Click into the Ashford library English 225 study guide. It’s a portal dedicated to the kinds of articles, essays, and books that will be the most helpful resources as you work on your written assignment. Try to budget your time so that you can take advantage of the various resources offered by the Ashford Writing Center to ensure that your paper is written and polished. The week 3 assignment is a chance to develop your analytical skills and your understanding of the concepts introduced during our first three weeks. Give yourself an opportunity to succeed by preparing yourself thoroughly and working diligently to complete the paper.

### Directions for the paper      Select a movie from You can use one of the following (Gangster) The Godfather, The Godfather II or (Fantasy) The Wizard of OZ and explain how three cinematic techniques and/or design elements have helped establish a major theme in that film.

In 800 to 1200 words

• Describe a major theme of the movie you have selected using evidence from the movie itself as well as course resources and other scholarly sources to support your position.
• Identify at least three techniques (cinematography, lighting, acting style, or direction) and/or design elements (set design, costuming, or hair and makeup), and explain how these techniques and/or design elements contribute to the establishment of the theme. Reference particular scenes or sequences in your explanations.
• State your opinion regarding the mise en scène, including
• How the elements work together.
• How congruent the design elements are with the theme of the movie.
• Whether or not other techniques would be as effective (Explain your reasoning).

Note: Remember that a theme is an overarching idea that recurs throughout the plot of a film. It is the distilled essence of what the film is about, the main design which the specific scenes and actions lead a viewer to understand.

Your paper should be organized around a thesis statement that focuses on how the elements of your chosen feature-length film both establish and maintain one of its major themes. Review the Week Three sample paper, which provides an example of a well-developed analysis as well as insight on composition.

The paper must be 800 to 1200 words in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

You must use at least two scholarly sources other than the textbook to support your claims. Refer to the ENG225 Research Guide # SEE BELOW in the Ashford University Library for guidance and to locate your sources. Cite your sources (including the feature-length film) within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center.

ENG225 Research Guide

Education

EBSCOhost (Education-related content)     
Search EBSCOhost’s Academic Search Complete, which contains full text for more than 4,600 titles in many disciplines, including biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, psychology, religion & theology, as well as the databases available through the American Psychological Association, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and PsycBOOKS. 

ERIC       
This database is a guide to published and unpublished sources on thousands of educational topics. ERIC also includes the ERIC thesaurus, a complete list of descriptive terms used by ERIC to index and search the database. 

ProQuest (Education-related content)   
Search all Education-related ProQuest databases available through Ashford’s subscriptions, including the ProQuest Education Journals, ProQuest Career & Technical Education, and ProQuest Research Library databases. 

SAGE Journals Online   
This database includes leading international peer-reviewed journals, including high-impact research titles published on behalf of over 245 scholarly and professional societies. Subject areas include business, humanities, social sciences, and science, technology, medicine and many more. 

Ebook Central (formerly ebrary)     
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CQ Researcher   
Provides in-depth coverage of the most important issues of the day. Reports are written by experienced journalists, footnoted and professionally fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research. Coverage dates back from 1923 to present. 

Films On Demand   
Films On Demand offers high-quality digital video in a wide variety of subjects, with closed captioning on many of the titles. Videos are from top producers, such as PBS, the History Channel, BBC, and A& E. 

JSTOR   
This database provides full-text access to thousands of articles in leading academic journals from various disciplines such as Arts & Sciences, Social Sciences, Language & Literature, and History. 

Project MUSE   
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Credo Reference   
This database gives you access to hundreds of reference books covering every major subject. There are over 3 million entries, 200,000+ images (art, diagrams, maps and photos), and over 100,000 audio pronunciation files and sound clips. 

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) 
This database offers reviews and critiques of a broad selection of children’s books.