• Watch the movie or documentary twice and take notes of both major and minor events and characters. It’s a mistake to rely on the power of your memory only, there’s always something we overlook or forget
• Carry out a thorough research. Watching the movie isn’t enough, research is equally important. Look for details such as the name of filmmaker and his/her motivation to make that film or documentary work, locations, plot, characterization, historic events that served as an inspiration for the movie (if applicable). Basically, your research should serve to collect information that provides more depth to the review
• Analyze the movie after you watching it. Don’t start working on the review if you aren’t sure you understand the film and how it impacts issues about race. Evaluate the movie from beginning to an end. Re-watch it, if necessary, if you find some parts confusing. Only when you understand events that happened on the screen will you find it easier to create the review.
• Draft an outline that you will follow to write the review in a concise and cohesive fashion
• Include examples for claims you make about race in the movie. Mention an example of a situation or scene when that was evident. Provide examples when commenting dialogues, locations, plot, everything.
• Consider and comment a movie’s originality and quality of scenes. Explain how the movie stands out or whether it just uses the same approach that worked for previous works in the industry. What did you learn about race, what do you learn about you?