VIEWING AND REVIEWING
INSTRUCTIONS
In this activity you will read a range
of film reviews, examine the way they are put together and what it is that distinguishes them from other forms of writing.
Having identified the essential components and possible styles of a film review, you will write your own film review based
on your viewing and class study of a feature film.
1 Exploring the
form
Headline
Title/censor’s rating
Critical reputation established
Plot outline
Evaluation of performances
Discussion of camerawork/setting etc
Establishment of style/genre etc
Summing up - final opinion/recommendation
Conventions/language features
- Actors’ names in parentheses after the characters’ names
- Specialised vocabulary
- Present tense
- Italicised title
- Concrete detail or description
- Surname only
- Literary allusion
Draft and develop
a review
Develop your final draft to publication standard.
To meet the
standard your final copy will need to:
• adopt a point of view or approach
which clearly articulates your opinion and evaluation of the film
• signal that point of view in
your title
• begin with the details of credits
• include some plot synopsis which
overviews key aspects
• select the ideas that to you
seem central in the film and give detailed insights into aspects of the film that contribute to its meaning
• refer to some of the following
as you develop your ideas
• effects of direction
• acting
• interpretation of roles
• relationships between characters
• narrative techniques
• character relationships
• film techniques/cinematography
• setting/location (physical; emotional;
psychological; geographical; social)
• use some of the conventions you
identified in earlier tasks in order to develop an appropriate review style.
• order
your material in a logical sequence, perhaps following the order of these bullet points
• be technically accurate in terms
of spelling, punctuation and syntax so that the review could be published in a class or school newspaper or magazine with
a few minor alterations.
