Film Writing Exercise
Geography of the US -- GEOG 301-501 -- Fall 2005


Film Writing Exercise Basics:
• The purpose of this exercise is to have students watch movies and videos in a critical fashion that highlights their learning of cultural geography and write about the diverse landscapes/places of North America.
• The writing exercise is worth 250 points or 25% of the total points that will be used to calculate semester grades.
• The due date is Wednesday, November 23rd (4:00PM local time)
Both the "hard copy" and "electronic copy" of the writing exercise is due before the Thanksgiving Break; plan accordingly.
 

WRITING EXERCISE

General Directions:
• Select the four movies to watch outside of class (consult list below).
• Watch all five movies with the “landscape” perspective.
• Write descriptively about the landscapes in the movie, and feel free to venture into a discussion of how landscape contributes to the movie. Movie write-ups can be purely descriptive (details of the landscapes/places), or they can incorporate the integral role they play as the “set” of the movie (people act upon, drama is played out against, etc.) –
• Definitely, should not be solely about the plot of the movie.   
 
Write-Up: will include the following (all done with word-processor & page numbers).
• Title page (Title; name, UID number, course, date; list of your five movies) no page number
• Four movies (1 page each—single spaced, which is equal to 500 words);  pages 1-4
    The details of place and landscape that come out in the movie and their importance to the movie as well as your own critical assessment of that part of the world compared to any preconceptions.
• Fast Food Nation and Super-Size Me (2 pages, which is equal to 1000 words);  pages 5-6
   Comment on fast food in America and related issues.
• Commentary of “In-Class” use of images (in powerpoint, or slides and videos) page 7
• Conclusion and summation of the complete project (2 pages or 1000 words) pages 8-9
    A well written essay about the importance of visual images in geography. You can incorporate the common themes and techniques of the movies and videos in portraying places/regions as well as some self-reflection concerning your own learning and the ideas of landscape interpretation.


SUBMITING FOR GRADE / Turning It In
 
You will be submitting two copies of your writing to me. Copy one is the hard copy and should be considered the “graded” copy. As such, it should be presentable, which means properly bound by a staple or binder, properly printed using black ink and standard fonts, etc. Copy two is an electronic copy that you will submit to an anti-plagiarism website; each movie as well as the summation will be uploaded/submitted separately.
• The "hard copy" version of the writing exercise is due on Wednesday, November 23rd at 4:00PM in my office, but can be turned in to me during class on Nov. 21st or office hours Nov. 22nd.
• The "electronic copy" of the writing exercise is due by 4:00PM on Nov. 23rd via the TurnItIn.com website.
 
Turning it in at TurnItIn:
(1) Create a user profile
Go to the website:  http://www.turnitin.com
Follow directions:
            log-on name is a valid email
            and password is of your choosing
(2) Register for our class (course name =);
                   Class ID = 1304417
                   Enrollment code = bush43
 
(3) Submit according to the due dates and correct assignment.
 
(4) Save an electronic copy as well as a hard copy of all your writing.
 
 
Additional directions:
            Write with a word-processor (computer and program).
                        Take advantage of spell & grammar check.
            Consolidate into one text file for printing the complete project (if necessary).
            Proofread your own writing before printing the final version.
            Save an electronic copy as well as a hard copy of all your work.

MOVIE LIST:

Movie Selection Directions:

1. Pick one movie from Theme One.

2. Pick one movie from Theme Two.

3. Select a third movie from any category on this list.

4. Select a fourth movie which does not have to be on this list

            (be creative yet stick to real places/regions).

5. Of the four movies, only one movie can be about Texas.


Theme One: The American road movie.
   Easy Rider (the classic roadtrip movie)          
   Thelma and Louise (feminist roadtrip)
   Pow-wow Highway (Native American roadtrip)

   Five Easy Pieces (period piece to Easy Rider)
   Smoke Signals (Native American roadtrip)
   Sullivan's Travels (often called the first road movie)
   Highway 61 (Canadian/Louisiana)

Theme Two: unique region or culturally/physically different places in North America;

            or typical American place (normality/suburbia).
    What's Eating Gilbert Grape (Midwest)
    American Beauty (generic suburbia)
    The Bridges of Madison County (Midwest)
    Storyville (Louisiana politics)
    Mystic Pizza (Northeast coastal community)
    The Milagro Beanfield War (New Mexico)
    The Last Picture Show (Archer Texas)
    Lone Star (fictional South Texas)
    Flesh and Bones (fictional Panhandle Texas)

   
Other suggestions: (for your third or fourth selection)
    L.A. / Hollywood self-fascination (Swimming with Sharks, Mixed Nuts)
    N.Y.C. good/bad superlative (Taxi Driver, Conspiracy Theory, Midnight Cowboy)
    Canadian made film looking at America or a Canadian issue.
        Anne of Green Gables; Waterford Girl; (Canadian Bacon is also OK)
    Mexican made film looking at America or a Mexican issue.      
       Like Water for Chocolate (Romance during Mexican Independence)
       Y tu mama tambien (modern Mexican cinema)
    *A Day without a Mexican