ANALYTICAL ESSAY

ANALYTICAL ESSAY

Assessment item 3

Weight: 40%

Submission: You must attach an assignment coversheet. Submit in class to your lecturer. If you wish for feedback and your assignment results to be returned to you, you must provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope so your work can be posted back.

Due: Week 13

Task Options – ANALYTICAL ESSAY or PORTFOLIO 

Essay:

An analytical essay of 2,000 words analysing the overall mise-en-scene of a media project chosen by you. It should be different to the project you presented in class. This essay requires referenced research, original thought, and should cover all aspects of the project’s style or several aspects in greater depth. This essay should be properly laid out, typed, double-spaced with proper margins and with proper referencing and bibliography.

Assessment Criteria:

• Level of Analysis
• Clarity of hypothesis, argument and conclusion
• Evidence, relevance and depth of theoretical and/or critical references related to chosen project
• Clarity of presentation 

OR 

Portfolio:

A portfolio of work outlining the visual style for a project which a student may plan to make, preferably in preparation for an MA project but possibly a media work planned outside of UTS. This should be a quality submission, and a useful tool for pre-production and for presentation in obtaining finance, crew and cast.

It should include:

• A short synopsis of the project.

• A clear, written description of the style, encompassing issues relevant to the work such as
  • the overall look
  • visual genre
  • approach to framing/composition
  • camera movement
  • lighting
  • sets & locations
  • costume
  • colour palette
  • editing style
  • sound style

• A well-written rationale for the style chosen, considering theme, genre, emotional intent or other relevant issues.Copies of visual sources which you have drawn upon in research and which communicate more about the style of the planned work – e.g. mood boards, examples from artists/photographers, film references. Where relevant, include a written rationale detailing the significance of the reference. If you wish to include excerpts from films you can submit a DVD or USB stick with clips up to a maximum of 5 minutes.

• Your own photographs and/or drawings of relevant aspects of the intended work – e.g. concept sketches, location shots, etc.

• A sample storyboard of a scene or scenes.

Consult with your lecturer if you intend to complete your portfolio on a project different in nature, such as a new media work.

Assessment Criteria:

• Clarity of visual information
• Relevance of sources used
• Clarity of explanation
• Thoroughness of research and thought