S3 - Blade Runner Lesson Structure

First... Find out which CHAPTER(S) you will be working on. You should aim to look at 2 chapters per lesson – NO MORE, as you should be looking at and discussing these thoroughly. REMEMBER to mark these on the wall chart when your group have finished.

Second... Assign ROLES for analysing aspects! 1 person per aspect: Cinematography, Mise-en-scene, Editing and Sound. Stick to the same roles for one lesson before changing. You might find it easiest to rotate these roles in a clockwise direction on a day-to- day basis.

Note-taking... Put your chapter(s) on repeat, and use the ‘GUIDELINES FOR CLOSE ANALYSIS’ – if you answer the questions for your aspect, you will create very useful notes. Anything else you notice should also be noted, for your critical essay. Look out for anything unusual and discuss it later, in groups and with the class!

Discussion... After watching and note-taking, DISCUSS your observations with the rest of your group. Take turns to EXPLAIN what you noticed about your aspect – LISTEN to the other members of the group, and try to form a PCE (Point – Context – Explanation).

Writing your PCE... You should end up with your own paragraph, of roughly 2-4 sentences, with a PCE structure: POINT of the scene(s), CONTEXT – where this fits into the film, EXPLANATION – how the aspects your group have looked at create an effect.

Some things to consider... In some scenes the cinematography stands out; in others, the sound, etc. Was one aspect more important than the others in your scene(s)? Remember to try to give reasons for your observations and arguments – you are building up notes for a critical essay. SHARE YOUR IDEAS!

So... 1 – Chapter(s) 2 – Roles / Aspects 3 – Watch / Note-taking (15-20 mins approx) 4 – Discussion (5 mins approx) 5 – Write a PCE paragraph (5 mins approx) You should be aiming to do this no more than TWICE per lesson! Take your time, do it right! If in doubt about technical terms or aspects of film-making, look at the Yale Film Studies page.