Course Essay
Instructions
The Reel and the Real: Philosophy of Film
Course Essay Briefing
- Credit: 20-40% of course grade
- Approximate length: 1500 words maximum.
- Topic: Close analysis of one film (not covered in the course) with reference to the theory of one thinker covered on the course.
- Specific choice of topic to be approved by course instructor by March 14th.
NB: If you haven’t yet notified me of how you wish to weight your final essay/final exam, please do so ASAP.
Briefing
For this assignment, you are required to examine a feature-length film of your own choosing in relation to one of the theoretical works covered so far on the course. I encourage you to let me know which film you intend to examine, and which theory, as I can help in advising whether your choices make a good fit.
Requirements for the assignments are as follows:
- You must frame your discussion around a central argument, which you present as part of your introduction, and which you provide evidence for in the main body of your essay’s argument section.
- Demonstrating a detailed, nuanced understanding of the theoretical position in question, with direct references made to the primary text..
- Effective analysis of your chosen film, isolating particular scenes/sequences and subjecting them to close textual analysis in order to back up your claims. Make sure you deploy precise language and demonstrate an awareness of basic filmmaking vocabulary (e.g. shot, sequence, frame, character, plot etc.)
- At least 3 citations drawn from the work of the theorist concerned as part of your exposition of the theory.
- Another 3 citations drawn from at least two books or articles of additional material that assists your claims with regards to the chosen film and selected theory. NB: Legitimate scholarly work is required here, not Wikipedia, or more generalist sources. Such as: I encourage you to talk to a librarian if you’re having trouble knowing how to do your research.
Please let me know if you need any help with choosing either a film or and/or theory to investigate. By all means go with a film you like but make sure you consider its “fit” with the available theories covered. In order to assess this, a very good idea is to do background reading about the film and see what other critics/scholars have thought about the film – this can also of course serve as material for your citation of additional sources.
Additional resources for assignment
Solution
The Existential Journey in “Synecdoche, New York”: A Close Analysis of Charlie Kaufman’s Film through the Lens of Jean-Paul Sartre’s Existentialism
Charlie Kaufman’s film “Synecdoche, New York,” which explores the difficulties of life and the search for purpose, is directed. I will use Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential philosophy in this essay to examine the movie’s plot and characters. The film’s existential journey can be understood using Sartre’s authenticity, freedom, and absurdity concepts. I will show how the movie adheres to Sartre’s ideas and deepens our comprehension of existentialism by carefully analyzing particular scenes and episodes.
A brief overview of Sartre’s Existentialism
The existentialism of Sartre emphasizes the individual’s existence as well as the freedom and responsibility that go along with it. Existentialism contests the notion of a fixed essence or purpose and maintains that people can direct their destiny and define their Meaning (Chukwuokolo & Jeko, 2020). It is a way of thinking that emphasizes the individual’s importance, freedom of choice, and the need for them to accept responsibility for their actions… ..Please click on the Icon below to purchase the full answer at only $10
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