Writing Workshop Comparing a Play and a Film

1. Writing WorkshopComparing a Play and a Film Feature Menu 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

2. Comparing a Play and a Film 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. 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]

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

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

5. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: 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

6. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: 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.

7. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play To analyze the film’s narrative techniques, ask yourself the following questions.

8. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

9. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

10. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: 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.

11. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play To analyze the film techniques used in the scene you’ve chosen, ask yourself the following questions.

12. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

13. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play Hint [End of Section]

14. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: 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.

15. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Write Your Thesis Statement To write your thesis statement, ask yourself: • 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]

16. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Organize Your Essay Your essay will look something like this: Introduction Narrative Techniques Film Techniques Conclusion

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

18. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: 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). Example Lighting Most important Sound Second most important Camera Shots Least Important [End of Section]

19. Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: 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]

20. The End