Exercise Objectives

The following exercises are designed to help you learn how to "read" and analyze the political messages embedded within films and the various techniques filmmakers use to convey those messages. While you may eventually forget the specific readings you did in this course, it is our hope that you will always remember how to read the subtle and not so subtle messages that permeate films. In doing these exercises, please remember that there are no "right" or "wrong" answers. But we do expect see thoughtful and well reasoned answers.

The Questions

Question 1, Reading Politics in Images, asks you to analyze the ways in which filmmakers with different ideological perspectives present specific ideas/images to their audience. Choose one keyword (such as strikes, mobs, union leaders, tenements, etc) and then proceed to the next screen and choose two political categories. Two still pictures will appear on the screen. Write a brief analysis in which you compare and contrast the two images. How much should you write? Enough to answer the question! We would expect one or two paragraphs for each image. You don't need to write more than that.

Caveat: There may still be some glitches in the system. If the images that come up do not seem to match the keyword you selected (i.e. you select union leaders but you see a picture of a tenement), then either go back and choose a different keyword or simply analyze the image that appears on the screen and tell us what you think it is about.

PLEASE NOTE: It is a good idea to print out a hard copy of your answer before you e-mail it to your TA. If you prefer not to e-mail an answer, then bring a typed answer to your discussion section.

Question 2 asks you to analyze the techniques filmmakers use to convey their political messages. Select a keyword (i.e. costuming, casting, etc) and then select two political categories. Two still pictures will appear on the screen. Compare and contrast the ways filmmakers in each scene use this technique to convey political messages.

Before you begin, please enter your e-mail address and select your TA.

Your Name:
Your e-mail address (e.g. tommy@usc.edu):
Select your TA's name:	Matt Amato Max Felker-Cantor Jeanne McDougall