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Before we start: Refresh your knowledge of film techniques and aspects
Before we start: Refresh your knowledge of film techniques and aspects
As we head into this section of learning, it is important to review and renew your knowledge about the techniques and aspects that directors use to tell their stories.
To do this, click on the Sway presentation to the right to help your refresh all your knowledge.
Section One: Taika Waititi Whakapapa
Section One: Taika Waititi Whakapapa
Taika Waititi is a New Zealand director who has directed big films such as Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and two of the Thor franchise films. Read and watch these three sources to get an idea of what drives Taika Waititi and what his style is about.
TASK: Based on the sources above, write down what motivates Taika Waititi and at least three characteristics of his directorial style.
TASK: Based on the sources above, write down what motivates Taika Waititi and at least three characteristics of his directorial style.
Section Two: Understanding the films
Section Two: Understanding the films
Watch each film for the first time. As you do, complete this task:
Watch each film for the first time. As you do, complete this task:
Character map - on a piece A3, write down each of the characters as you come across them. Draw arrows between the characters to denote their relationships and add in adjectives that describe each character and at least one quote for each characters.
Audience positioning - at the end of each film, write down five words that describe how you feel after watching this book. For example, sad, happy. These adjectives will become your tools for discussing the impact on the audience. So always keep them in front of you.
Who's the main protagonist?
What challenges do the protagonists face? How do they face these challenges?
How do the protagonists change over the course of the narrative?
What main ideas are thrown up by the adventures of the protagonist and what do you learn about these ideas?
Figure out of the theme. What's this story about?
Close viewing: Think about which scenes you remember best & pick ONE from your favourite film.
Close viewing: Think about which scenes you remember best & pick ONE from your favourite film.
It is now time to re watch each scene, thinking about these things as you go:
What title would you give this scene?
What happens in each scene?
Who is the main protagonist? What are they doing, thinking about, reacting to?
Identify FIVE main quotes from this scene - note these and justify why you have chosen each one.
Identify at least FOUR film techniques that Taika Waititi chooses to use in each of these scene and explain why you think he used them.
Link the films by considering what you have identified in each of the scenes and how they could link together to make a statement about what Waititi's directorial style is.
Section 3: Going deeper with your understanding
Section 3: Going deeper with your understanding
It's really important to think critically about your films. Thinking critically means to:
think about different viewpoints (your's, other readers', the author's, the characters'); including those that are missing
think about your own and the author's / characters' assumptions, metaphors, analogies and viewpoints
Critical thinking is about seeing multiple sides and coming to your own conclusions and recommendations.
So it's time to go back to your texts and your notes and think more deeply about your text. *Warning - not all of the infographic questions will be applicable to your text
Task: Pick at least FIVE critical thinking question and answer them with regards to your films.
Task: Pick at least FIVE critical thinking question and answer them with regards to your films.
Section Four: Understanding the task
Section Four: Understanding the task
READ: Very simply put, your mission is to:
Watch a film in class with your teacher
Pick a scene of no longer than 5 minutes, your teacher will either give you a list or allow you to choose you own
You then need to pick the 4 most powerful techniques used in that scene and analyse them.
WRITE: In your digital exercise book, write what you are supposed to do.
What does the finished product look like?
What does the finished product look like?
READ: the exemplars, click on the link provided here.
You will notice that ALL of these exemplars do the following:
Identify the film, director, scene and techniques
Provide clear and specific examples of each of the techniques
Discusses the effect of these techniques on the audience
Relates the use of these techniques to the director's purpose
A MERIT requires you do all of this PLUS to make links between the techniques and their effects
An EXCELLENCE requires you to do all of the above PLUS discuss the scene/techniques importance to the film as a whole and/or make connections to the real world
WRITE: In your digital exercise book, write down what you have to do to get to achieved, merit or excellence.
Section Five: Final Essay
Section Five: Final Essay
Consider the following questions when developing a written response:
1. What is the name of this film and who directed it?
2. What is the theme of this film and how do I know this?
3. What happened in the scene I will be talking about?
4. Which 4 techniques BEST show the theme/emotion of the scene?
5. What are some examples of each of those techniques?
6. What was their effect on me as an audience member? (Did it make me feel or think differently about something?)
7. Can I explain why the director chose to use these techniques?
Below is a scaffold for how you could write/talk about your scene, if you prefer to just use the questions above that’s fine too
Introduction:
The film that I have studied is….
It is directed by….
It’s main message is…
The scene I am going to be discussing is...(give a brief overview of what happens in this scene and what it's message is)
The four techniques that work together to show this message are…
Discussion of the techniques:
The first technique [director’s name] uses is…
An example of this is…
[Director’s name] uses this to show…
This [technique’s name] makes the audience understand that...[what about the character or theme?]
The second technique [director’s name] uses is…
An example of this is…
*Does it combine with the first technique to emphasize the audience’s understanding?? If so, use linking words e.g. reinforces, emphasises
[Director’s name] uses this to show…
This [technique’s name] makes the audience understand that...[what about the character or theme?]
The third technique [director’s name] uses is…
An example of this is…
*Does it combine with any of the other techniques to emphasize the audience’s understanding?? If so, use linking words e.g. reinforces, emphasises
[Director’s name] uses this to show…
This [technique’s name] makes the audience understand that...[what about the character or theme?]
The fourth technique [director’s name] uses is…
An example of this is…
*Does it combine with any of the other techniques to emphasize the audience’s understanding?? If so, use linking words e.g. reinforces, emphasises
[Director’s name] uses this to show…
This [technique’s name] makes the audience understand that...[what about the character or theme?]
Conclusion:
[Director’s name] uses [list the four techniques you’ve talked about] to show [what about their film].
These techniques have combined by [Director’s name] to…
They have made me realise [what about the real world that you live in? A life lesson?]
Appendix One: Extra information on Taika Waititi
Appendix One: Extra information on Taika Waititi
Here's a link to the NZ On Screen collection of Taika Waititi's NZ based work.
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