This document provides guidance for students on completing a small scale research project on film. It recommends focusing a project on a star/performer, genre, or auteur. For any of these topics, students should research critical and popular reception, conventions, themes, and development over time. Students will analyze three related films, including one primary focus film, and submit an annotated bibliography cataloging research sources and a presentation script discussing their findings. Progress should be tracked using a blog to document sources and evaluations. Students have until the summer term to choose a topic and develop a reading list before independently researching and regularly presenting updates on their findings.

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Small Scale Research Project

2. Topics

3. What can I research?
 star/performer
 genre
 auteur
 social, political and cultural studies
 gender issues
 ethnicity
 institution
 technology

4. We recommend...
 star/performer
 genre
 auteur

5. Star/ Performer
 Choose a star that you’re a fan of
 They may be a genre specialist (or not)
 Look at the development of that star’s career
 Performance style(s)
 Understand the star as commodity
 Biographical information about the star
 Research fan response(s) to the star
 Research critical / popular reception
 It is not a biography, but exploring they ‘signature’ style

6. Genre
 Understand / explore the conventions of a genre
 Explore how a genre has developed over time
 Look at the social, political, historical context of the genre
 Look at the representation of characters within the
genre
 Explore the theme(s) within a genre / sub genre
 Research genre as contract between audience and
producer

7. Auteur
 Explore the notion of auteur – does the director deserve the
title?
 Look for common (signature) elements with their films
(genres, themes, actors, iconography, scenes...)
 Explain how these have become the stock in trade of the auteur and
analyse these features
 Look at biographical detail about the director and explore how
their life experience(s) have impacted on their work
 Explore how the auteur has influenced a genre or what works
have influenced them.
 Research responses to the auteur’s work by:
 Audiences
 Critics
 Fans

8. The Films

9. Three films
 One focus film +
 two related films
 Find films which offer:
 Variety
 Challenge
 Experimentation
 Contrasts
 Success and ‘failure’

10. Please Note:
 You may not use any film, as either your focus film
or one of your supporting films, which you studied
during AS, or have / will study during your A2.

11. i. An annotated catalogue
ii. A presentation script
You submit

12. i. The Annotated Catalogue
 The catalogue will contain approximately 10 to 15 items
 Each catalogue item should be appropriately referenced
(Harvard System)
 Each item should be accompanied by a brief note
(approximately 70 – 80 words), which explains how the
particular item is relevant to the area of investigation
and what it contributes to the overall research.
 The catalogue must conclude with a section which lists
significant items ( between 3 and 5) not selected for
inclusion in the catalogue, offering brief reasons why (70-80
words).

13. ii. The Presentation Script
 The presentation script must take the form of notes for a
presentation and could combine (for example):
 subheadings
 bullet points
 short pieces of connected prose
 reference to visual extracts to illustrate the presentation.
 Use PowerPoint and a DVD player
 Reference to key items of research from the catalogue
must be made explicitly in the presentation. Short credited
quotations may be used but care must be taken that the words
of the presentation are your own.
 Credited quotations are excluded from the word count.

14. Admin

15. How should I track my research?
 By using a blog
 Each posting will be about a particular source and
will contain:
 Appropriate reference
 Key Quotes
 Notes on relevance to research topic
 Your evaluation of the source
 The blog will also enable me to keep track of your
progress

16. Time
 Prior to summer term you will have chosen your
research topic & created a reading list
 You will be expected to do research during your own
time, this will include:
 Studying the films
 Reading around the research area
 Exploring views on your films
 Conducting primary research
 You will be required to present to the class regularly
(weekly) what your have been finding out

17. Questions