Week 6 Term 1 - Framing the answer (Level 3 English - 91480)

Spending time to unpack the art of close viewing a visual text has been beneficial. Beneficial in that the students are able to see that there is more to close viewing than just knowing plot of a film. It is more than knowing the film techniques used. It definitely covers that BUT there is so much more that is needed. Understanding audience and how the film impacts them is important, identifying the director's purpose and WHY they have made these deliberate choices in film techniques is important. Prioritizing this has allowed my students to understanding that there is an art to close viewing. The 'art' being that you are able to identify the key features and look beyond the text itself. These skills are totally transferrable with close reading a text - an important fixture in our Level 3 English program. So the next step now is how to use all of this and compile it into an answer. 

FRAMING THE ANSWER

In reflecting on my previous Level 3 English class from 2020 and how they responded to this assessment, I have collated a five step approach in how to frame an answer for close viewing. In the close viewing assessment the students will be given three different scenes from a visual text that is unfamiliar. For each scene there is a focus question that they will have to focus on and in addition they will have to provide at least film techniques that were used well in relation to the focus question. Up to this point we have covered all of those areas (knowing film techniques, looking at different focus questions, understanding audience and director's purpose) so from here I go through the framework for their answer. 

QUESTION ONE

Watch this extract from the film Wolf of Wall Street (2013) as many times as you need to in order to fully answer the question below.

• Discuss the way the film maker deliberately creates the character in this opening scene.
• Refer to at least TWO specific film techniques from the table above.
• Refer to the impact on the intended audience.
• You may choose to discuss the TWO techniques separately or discuss how they work together in the scene.

I have designed a five step approach - the five step approach is something that I cover before and after the viewing. This is to ensure that the students understand what I am expecting them to cover in their answer. The five step approach ticks the criteria for the question and prior to the assessment, the students have had time working through each step. 

Step 1: DESCRIBE THE SCENE

The students will provide a detailed summary of the text. Questions that they are to consider for this part are: what impression do you get from this scene? What mood or tone do you get from this scene?

Step 2:WHAT ARE THE TECHNIQUES THAT ARE USED WELL IN THIS SCENE?

The students will need to outline at least two film techniques that are used well in this scene. They are encouraged to use 3 - 4 visual and verbal techniques. Film techniques such as symbolism, motif, body language, dialogue, music, costume and some camera shots are what I have encouraged them to use. We covered these techniques in the pre-viewing activities leading up the assessment. Questions that they are to consider for this part are: what are the film techniques used? Explain what they look/sound like in the scene.

Step 3: LINK TO THE FOCUS QUESTION

Step three interlinks with step two in that the students have to explain how the techniques they have identified, deliberately create character. Questions that they are to consider for this part are: Explain how these techniques highlight or show the audience about the main character

Step 4: HOW DOES IMPACT THE INTENDED AUDIENCE

This where the learning for 'understanding audience' is vital. The students will need to first identify who the intended audience (they may need with this so having discussions around the intended audience in class is needed). This will help them understand how the intended audience is influenced as viewers of the film. This is going beyond the text. Questions that they are to consider for this part are: Based on the scene and the techniques used, who do you think the target audience of this film is? Explain how the techniques and their effect give you an idea of who the target audience is for this film?

Step 5: WHY - DIRECTOR'S PURPOSE

Here is where they continue to go beyond the text. The students will need to explain WHY the director used the techniques to create character and WHY the director has create this type of character for the intended audience. Questions that they are to consider for this part are: Put yourself in the director’s position - what do you think his intention is with this opening scene? What is he trying to tell the audience about the character, film, storyline? Why did the director do this? What is the director trying to tell the audience through this scene?

The students are currently working on their first question and second questions. I have gone through this framework with them and they are understanding what they need to cover. More importantly in my one on one conversations with them I am seeing that the pre-assessment preparation has been valuable as they are able to talk about the 'what' and 'why' with close viewing. I am really pleased with their progress so far! Next step - we will have a mid-assessment review and I will go through an exemplar and together, we will see how the previous students have responded to this assessment.