Writing Workshop Comparing a Play and a Film Assignment Prewriting Choose a Film Focus on One Scene Compare the Film with the Play Write Your Thesis Statement Organize Your Essay Practice and Apply Feature Menu

Assignment: Write an essay in which you compare a scene from a film with the play from which it was adapted and evaluate the film techniques the director uses. Comparing a Play and a Film Have you ever seen a movie based on a play? If so, you may have noticed many differences between the two—changes to the dialogue, characters, or setting. Did the two versions of the play affect you differently even though they told the same story? [End of Section]

check movie reviews in newspapers and magazines and on the Internet Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Choose a Film To find a film adaptation of a play ask friends, teachers, or relatives for suggestions look in video stores and libraries [End of Section]

Take notes on your responses to each scene. Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Focus on One Scene Choose one important scene to analyze. Review your notes and choose the scene you had the strongest reactions to. Watch a video of the film. [End of Section]

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Now, read the same scene in the play and note any differences between the film version and written version. Pay attention to narrative techniques—plot, characters, setting, dialogue, and theme film techniques—lighting, camera angles and shots, sound, and special effects

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Narrative Techniques Filmmakers often make changes to the written play. For example, they might change a setting, eliminate a character, or create a different ending.

To analyze the film’s narrative techniques, ask yourself the following questions. Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Identifying Narrative Techniques in a Film Plot, Characters, and Setting: Did the filmmaker make changes to the characters, plot, or settings? For example, have characters, plot events, or settings been added or eliminated? If so, how do these changes affect the story?

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Identifying Narrative Techniques in a Film Dialogue: Did the filmmaker cut or add lines of dialogue? Do cuts make the story simpler? Do additions help make ideas from the play clearer? Theme: Did the filmmaker keep the original theme, or message, of the story? How does a change in theme change a viewer’s reaction to the story?

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Narrative Techniques The Miracle Worker (final scene) PlayFilm Plot James and Aunt Ev stay in dining room. Helen stays outside with Annie, and the parents go inside. Plot James and Aunt Ev stand on the porch watching. Keller carries Helen inside, and the family follows. Annie is left outside alone. Theme Focus on bond between Helen and Annie Theme Focus on Helen’s accomplishment and on the family’s happiness.

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Film Techniques Filmmakers also use lighting, camera angles, sound, special effects, and so on to create reactions in viewers—reactions that might be very different from those of a person reading the play.

To analyze the film techniques used in the scene you’ve chosen, ask yourself the following questions. Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Identifying Film Techniques Camera Shots and Angles: What types of camera shots are used—close-ups, long shots? From what angle does the camera shoot the characters and action? What effects do the shots and angles create? Lighting: How is lighting used in the scene? Does the lighting affect the mood of the scene?

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Identifying Film Techniques Sound: What music or sound effects are present in the scene? How do they affect your reactions to the scene? Special Effects: What special effects are included that you would not expect to see in a stage production of the play? Are the special effects distracting? Are they helpful to your understanding of the story?

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Film Techniques The Miracle Worker (final scene) Camera Shots Sequence of close-up shots—Helen’s face, Helen’s hand under the pump, Annie’s face—shows sudden revelation going on in Helen’s mind. Long shot at end, with Annie in foreground and James looking back at her, makes Annie seem isolated. Sound Stirring music begins as Helen first makes her realization. Music builds and becomes more dramatic. Hint [End of Section]

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Write Your Thesis Statement Filmmakers use narrative and film techniques to create intellectual and emotional responses, known as aesthetic effects, in viewers. The thesis, or main idea, of your essay identifies these aesthetic effects.

To write your thesis statement, ask yourself: Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Write Your Thesis Statement What response was the filmmaker trying to create? How did the techniques affect me as a viewer? Arthur Penn uses narrative and film techniques to portray a child’s miraculous breakthrough, a teacher’s moment of triumph, and a family’s long-awaited joy all in one of the final scenes. [End of Section]

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Organize Your Essay Your essay will look something like this: Introduction Narrative Techniques Film Techniques Film, play, creators Thesis statement Characters Setting Dialogue Theme Conclusion Camera shots and angles Lighting Sound Restatement of thesis Concluding thought

Your essay really has two parts—one comparing the narrative techniques and one discussing the film techniques. Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Organize Your Essay Comparing Narrative Techniques First, use point-by-point order to compare each narrative technique from the film with the corresponding one from the play. Plot film compared to play Dialogue film compared to play Setting film compared to play Example

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Organize Your Essay Discussing Film Techniques Then, use order of importance to discuss the film techniques. Discuss the most important film technique first and the least important one last (or vice versa). Lighting Most important Camera Shots Least Important Sound Second most important [End of Section] Example

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Practice and Apply Compare a film adaptation of a play with the original play by analyzing the filmmaker’s use of narrative and film techniques. Then, write your thesis statement and organize your ideas. [End of Section]

The End

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Hint Be thorough and thoughtful as you take notes on the narrative and film techniques. The information in your notes will be the evidence you use to support your thesis statement. The better your notes are, the easier it will be to draft your paper.