Overview 1
Select a sequence from the film Contagion (Soderbergh, 2011). The sequence must contain at least three separate locations or places in the narrative.
Describe the editing in this sequence, being sure to indicate the transition between each shot.
Overview 2
Write the body of an essay for an essay on Congtagion (Soderbergh, 2011). DO NOT write the intro and conclusion. Your thesis should be clear to your reader from the evidence you present in the body alone.
Remember that in a critical essay, each paragraph should present information that supports a single thesis.
Consider using the following structure:
Paragraph 1 Overview and relevant background material on the film.
Paragraph 2 Character and Narrative Description of the film or a significant portion of the film.
Paragraph 3 Description of significant elements of mise-en-scene and cinematography.
Paragraph 4 Editing Description (Describe and discuss central elements of editing).
Paragraph 5 Sequence Description (Describe a sequence that is important for your argument).
Keep the following in mind:
- Although you are not writing the introduction and the conclusion, each of your paragraphs should support a central thesis. Therefore, you must know what your thesis is. Furthermore, your reader should be able to determine your thesis by reading the body of the essay alone. As an experiment, have someone else read your paper and ask them what your thesis would be.
- Consult general information about the film found online to get a sense of how other critics and academics have thought about this film.
- Keep in mind the lessons from previous Writing Spotlights. In particular, remember to revise your essay for concision.
- Build on your work. You have already done a lot of the tasks necessary for this assignment in other aspects of this Module, such as the Discussion Board.