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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 each film.
Close viewing: Think about which scenes you remember best & pick ONE from each 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 Five: Preparing notes for the final submission
Section Five: Preparing notes for the final submission
Use this notemaker and planner to help you get your notes and ideas in order before completing your final submission (which could be an essay, an oral presentation, slides with a voice over etc.) You will need to make your own copy before you can type on it.
Section Six: Firming up and presenting your conclusions
Section Six: Firming up and presenting your conclusions
Now's the time to firm up your conclusions and put them into presentation mode.
Use this checklist to ensure that you have included everything that you need to in your submission. Have you:
named your films and the director as well as identified which two scenes you are going to talk about?
talked about TWO significant aspects (eg ideas, language features - visual and oral features, structure, audience and purpose)?
for each aspect, used evidence from the films (eg quotes, detailed descriptions)?
explained how each aspect helps the director to get their point / message / theme across?
explained how each aspect affects the audience eg how they are positioned, made to feel certain emotions?
explained how the aspects work to give us a better understanding of the world in which we live?
explained how the aspects work together to help get the message across?
evaluated how good the aspects are in terms of how good a job the director is doing at getting their point / theme / message across?
Be sure to seek feedback before making your final submission.
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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