Matthew S. Monahan
From this point forward Introduction to Film at Metro will adopt the language of the 21st Century Skills Rubric for evaluating written work i.e. blog posts: Exemplary, Competent, Emerging, and Novice. In crafting blog posts students primarily engage in three types of writing: narrative (tells a story, e.g. Prior Film Experience One and Two), expository (analysis; the American Dream in
Rocky
and
Sugar
; suspense and genre conventions in
Man On Wire
and
Touch of Evil
), and argument (critique; evaluating all films critically viewed; contemporary appeal of one or more Universal Monsters).
What does an exemplary or competent blog post look like? A competent blog post must meet the following requirements:
1. The post involves more than summary, recall, and retell. The post presents the ideas and opinions of the student based on critical observations and in class discussions; a polished blog post will have a clear thesis statement. Here are two examples: 1. In their Academy Award-winning feature
Rocky,
director John G. Avildsen and screenwriter/actor Sylvester Stallone explore the state of the American Dream in 1976. 2. The independent sleeper
Sugar
(2008) is an appropriate choice for Hispanic Heritage Month; it is an example of social realism that examines both our obsession with and treatment of professional athletes, as well as, the plight of Spanish speaking migrants in the twenty-first century.
2. The post cites text evidence in support of its ideas. For example: In addition to giving its viewers an insider view of life in the Minor Leagues,
Sugar
is a coming of age tale. We see its protagonist grow over time, when first asked by a teammate who his favorite player is, Miguel responds, "Robinson Cano," a contemporary Dominican success story. Later, near the film's conclusion Miguel adopts Roberto Clemente as his favorite player, citing his humanitarian works off the field in additional to his accomplishments on the diamond. He goes as far as to quote Clemente saying, "Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth."
In addition to citing examples from the text, the blog specifically refers to characters, actors, filmmakers, and other film elements by name.
3. The post meets the minimum length requirements (250 words or more), flows logically, and follows the rules of Standard Written English.
4. The post includes a relevant image that reflects its author's ideas and properly cites sources. For example:
Rocky
. Dir. John G. Avildsen. Perf. Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), Talia Shire (Adrian), Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed), Burgess Meredith (Mickey), and Burt Young (Paulie). United Artists, 1976.
Although regular blog posts will determine one's homework grade, the Exit Portfolio for Introduction to Film will consist of six published process pieces (posts that have gone through all five steps of our writing process: pre-writing/collecting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing), two per trimester, with accompanying 21st Century Reflections.