Literary and Film Studies

LITERARY AND FILM STUDIES
Compiled by:
Christy Tisnawijaya, S.S., M.Hum.
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
2019
Compiled by:
Christy Tisnawijaya
ISBN:
Editor:
Yan Ardian Subhan
Reviewer:
Djasminar Anwar
Cover and layout design:

Ubaid Al Faruq
Publisher:
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First printed, January 2017
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Unpam Press Publication Data
Pusat Kajian pembelajaran & E-learning Universitas Pamulang
Gedung A. R.211 Kampus 1 Universitas Pamulang

Jalan Surya Kencana Nomor 1, Pamulang Barat, Tangerang Selatan, Banten
Website: www.unpam.ac.id e-mail: unpampress@unpam.ac.id
Literary and Film Studies / Christy Tisnawijaya – 1st ed.

ISBN –
Literary and Film Studies / I.Christy Tisnawijaya

20161-Kode Prodi-SIGD07
691/A/O/UNPAM/X/2016
Director of Unpam Press: Sewaka

Editorial Board: Aeng Muhidin, Ali Madinsyah, Ubaid Al Faruq
Editor: Yan Ardian Subhan
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This module is for internal used only

ISBN -
iii
Subject Identity
Study Program : English Literature

Subject / Code : Literary & Film Studies / SIGD07
SKS : 2 SKS
Prerequisite : --
Subject Description : Literary and Film Studies directs students
to analyze a fictional film by examining its
narrative and cinematography elements.
Learning Outcome : By the end of this course, students will be
able to compose a film analysis essay.
.
Compiled by : Christy Tisnawijaya
Head of Study Program Coordinator
Djasminar Anwar, Pg.Dipl.TEFL Yan Ardian, S.S., M.Pd

NIDN. 0301115101 NIDN.0430107505
iv
PREFACE
Fictional films as one of popular cultures that produce meanings can be

treated as literary works. The complex blend of visual and verbal offers a variety
of emotional experiences to the audiences. Being a student in English Department,
knowing how to appreciate a fictional film can be helpful as films widen the
variety of your choices when it comes to choosing the corpus for your research.
Analysis of a fictional film should not be based only on its script or on its
narrative aspects but should also include its cinematography aspects. This module
of Literary and Film Studies directs students to appreciate a fictional film by
analyzing its narrative elements and evaluating its cinematography elements.
South Tangerang, 30 December 2016

Compiler,
Christy Tisnawijaya, S.S., M.Hum.

NIDN.0410018901
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER ................................................................................. i
PUBLISHER IDENTITY ..................................................... ii
MODULE ARCHIEVE DATA ............................................ iii
SUBJECT IDENTITY .......................................................... vi
PREFACE ............................................................................. v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................... vi
MEETING-1: INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY

AND FILM STUDIES ........................................................ 1
A. LEARNING OBJECTIVES ........................................... 1
B. MATERIAL DESCRIPTION ......................................... 1
C. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS ............................... 4
D. REFERENCES ................................................................ 5
MEETING-2: MEANINGS IN FICTIONAL FILMS .... 6

D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 9
MEETING-3: NARRATIVE ELEMENTS ...................... 10

D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 13
MEETING-4: NARRATIVE IN MULAN (PART 1) ....... 14

vi
D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 20
MEETING-5: NARRATIVE IN MULAN (PART 2) ....... 21

D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 23
MEETING-6: CINEMATOGRAPHY ELEMENTS ....... 24

D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 30
MEETING-7: CINEMATOGRAPHY IN OSHIN .......... 31

D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 35
MEETING-8: RESPONDING TO FILM ........................ 36

C. COMPREHENSION QUESTION ................................. 41
D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 41
MEETING-9: WRITING A FILM REVIEW .................. 42

vii
D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 44
MEETING-10: STUDY GUIDE OF THE EMPEROR’S

NEW GROOVE (PART 1) .................................................. 45
D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 46

NEW GROOVE (PART 2) .................................................. 47
D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 50

NEW GROOVE (PART 3) .................................................. 51
D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 55
MEETING-13: FILM ADAPTATION ............................. 56

D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 58
MEETING-14: REVIEW ................................................... 59

viii
D. REFERENCES ............................................................... 60
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................ 61
ix
Literary and Film Studies
MEETING-1
INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY AND FILM STUDIES
A. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. differentiate a fictional movie from a documentary and
2. identify the elements of a fictional film.
B. MATERIAL DESCRIPTION
“Literature is broadly defined as any written or spoken
material, but the term most often refers to creative works.
Literature includes poetry, drama, fiction, and many kinds of
nonfiction writing, as well as oral, dramatic, and broadcast
compositions not necessarily preserved in a written format,
such as films and television programs” (Constantakis &
Barden, 2010, p. 303).
Why do we study literature? The answer to this question might be because we are
in the English Department, so we study literature as an obligation. We shall not
stop for that reason.
“Literature, …, takes on all the big and small issues of what

it means to be human. …. We develop our moral
imagination, our capacity to sympathize with other people,
and our ability to understand our existence through the
experience of fiction” (Barden, n.d., p. viii).
We shall take literature not only as entertainment but also as a humanistic

discipline. This means we do not stop at enjoying any literary works, in this case
films, but we seek out the social issues the films are trying to reveal. As part of
English Department Page 1

critical thinking, we write about films: summarizing, analyzing, comparing,

classifying, presenting an argument, or evaluating the films that we have watched.
“Film is both an industry and an art form” (Boggs p. 3).

How often do you go to the movie? What is the best film you‟ve ever watched?
Why do you love that film? What is your definition of a good film, or a bad film?
The first theaters that played movies or moving pictures were called
nickelodeons (a nickel to join the odeon or small theater) marking the beginning
of film industry in the late nineteenth century in the United State. At that time, the
films were very short, only about ten minutes (Sumarno, 1996). Since early
twentieth century, along with technology
development, other countries around the
world also have been taking part in
producing films that captivate the
audiences both in storyline and
cinematography.
Film can be categorized into
narrative film and documentary film. The
narrative film presents stories which plots
can be found generally in prose fiction; which means someone created the story.
The narrative film is also called fictional film. The documentary film is the
opposite; it reports events that happened in real life. Though documentary film
supposedly presents facts, the filmmaker‟s point of view should be taken into
account.
Film fascinates us by its narrative, its complex blend of pictures and
sounds. Everyone loves watching fictional films as entertainment to experience
things. Nowadays, there are many kinds of films for example: action films,
adventure films, comedy films, romance films, musicals films, science-fictions
films, animated films, gangster films, horror films, detective films (Bordwell &
Thompson, 2008). Each one offers certain kind of experience and presents
specific effect to evoke the audiences‟ emotion.

Narrative films or fictional films present

stories that are taken from: historical events, prose
fictions, plays, other films or scripts. Films made from
prose fictions and plays are called film adaptation. For
example, the novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) by
Jane Austen had been made into several films: Pride
and Prejudice 1940, Pride and Prejudice 1995, Pride
and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy 2003, Bride and
Prejudice 2004, Pride and Prejudice 2005, Pride and
Prejudice and Zombies 2016.
Films in general present their own ideas, and so films that have been adapted from
prose fictions, may end up presenting ideas that are different from their previous
forms.

Films, as part of popular cultures, produce meanings. Being a student in

English Literature Department, while watching films you must also think
critically about the films as literary works by writing an analysis essay. To
compose a film appreciation essay, firstly you need to learn the elements of the
film.
The elements of film (Australian Centre for the Moving Image, n.d.) are:
1. Narrative aspect, includes: characters, characterizations, plot, point of
view, and theme.
2. Cinematography aspect, includes:
a. shots: extreme long shot, long shot, full shot, medium long shot,
medium shot, medium close-up, close-up, extreme close-up;
b. angle: eye level shot, aerial shot, high shot, low shot.
3. Mise-en-scène aspect includes staging and composition: lighting, sets,
costumes, makeup, color, acting, sound.
4. Editing aspect includes: length and arrangement of shots, transitions
between scenes.
Every element above can be your choice to analyze in your film appreciation
essay; you do not have to analyze all of the film‟s elements. Keep in mind that
film uses cinematography to present the narrative which represents the social
issue.
C. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Write an essay by answering these questions. Use your own words.
1. What is the best film you‟ve ever watched?
2. Why do you love that film? Explain by describing the most essential
element(s) of the film.

D. REFERENCES
ACMI Education Resource (n.d.). Guide to film analysis in the classroom.
November 2, 2016.
http://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/media/3750/film-analysis-in-
classroom.pdf
Barden, Thomas E. (n.d.). Why study literature at all?. In Constantakis (Ed.).
Short stories for students: Presenting analysis, context, and criticism on
commonly studied short stories (pp. ix-x). London: Gale Cengage Learning.
Boggs, J.M., & Petrie, D.W. (2008) The Art of Watching Films. Boston: Mc.
Grow-Hill.
Bordwell, D., & Thompson, K. (2008). Film art: An introduction. Boston:
McGraw-Hill.
Constantakis, S., & Barden, T.E. (2010). Short stories for students: Presenting
analysis, context, and criticism on commonly studied short stories. USA:
Gale Cengage Learning.
Muller, G.H., & Williams, J.A. (2003). Ways in: Approaches to reading and
writing about literature and film (Second Edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Phillips, W.H. (1999). Film an introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin‟s Press.
Sumarno, M. (1996). Dasar-dasar apresiasi film. Jakarta: Grasindo.

MEETING-2
MEANINGS IN FICTIONAL FILMS
1. identify the explicit meaning of a fictional film, and
2. identify the implicit meaning of a fictional film.
Film Theory and Approaches to Criticism, or, What did that movie mean?
By Christopher P. Jacobs
Movies are entertainment. Movies are documents of their time and place. Movies
are artistic forms of self-expression. Movies we see at theatres, on television, or
home video are typically narrative films. They tell stories about characters going
through experiences. But what are they really about? What is the content of a
film?
DIGGING DEEPER: FOUR LEVELS OF MEANING
Recounting the plot of a movie, telling what happens, is the simplest way
to explain it to someone else. But this is neither a film review nor a film analysis.
It‟s merely a synopsis that anyone else who sees or has seen the movie will likely
agree with. This level of content may be called the referential content, since it
refers directly to things that happen in the plot and possibly to some aspects of the
story that are merely implied by the plot. In John Boorman‟s Deliverance (1972),
four men from the city go on a weekend canoe trip that unexpectedly becomes a
life or death struggle for survival of man against man and man against nature.
Some characters survive, others don‟t. Most films can be analyzed more
thoroughly to reveal deeper levels of meaning.

A review (perhaps 400-1200 words) typically includes personal

impressions and evaluations of a movie‟s content and techniques. A good review
may be subjective, yet still touch superficially on topics that might be explored in
more detail in a longer formal analysis. An analysis (perhaps 1200-12,000 words)
attempts to determine how the film actually uses various cinematic techniques and
elements of film or narrative form to make a viewer react in a certain way and
why it makes viewers come away with certain opinions about it. Serious film
criticism, whether essays written for magazines, journals, books, or class
assignments, attempts to analyze films, rather than merely review them or provide
simple descriptions of what happens. An analysis requires some reflective thought
about the film, and usually benefits from multiple viewings and outside research.
Most films include lines of dialogue and depict obvious developments of character
that explicitly communicate meaning to the viewers. Explicit content is perhaps
some sort of “moral of the story” or socio-political attitude that the filmmaker is
expressing directly through the mouths and actions of the characters. Some
reasons the men in Deliverance give for taking the canoe trip include friendship
and camaraderie, proving their manhood, and experiencing nature before it is
destroyed by industrial development. As the plot develops, they also express
personal attitudes about life and law and survival, which the writer and director
obviously want the audience to think about. We also see explicitly how
construction of a new dam is affecting the wilderness as well as human
settlements.
A slightly deeper level of interpretation is implicit content, which may be
less obvious but can still be inferred by seeing how the characters change, grow,
and develop throughout the course of the film. Issues and ideas dealing with
general human relations (rather than those specific to individual characters) may
be fairly easy to recognize but are not explicitly stated by the characters.
Sometimes implicit meanings are less obvious, and different viewers might
interpret the same thing in different ways, depending upon their own experiences
and expectations. In Deliverance we see implicitly the change in one character
from being a passive follower after he is accidentally thrust into a leadership

position. We see another character‟s casual attitude about casual sex change
drastically after a traumatic experience in the woods. We see all four men force to
contend with unexpected dangers in ways that imply how differently individuals
can deal with the same events and suggest that certain compromises in one‟s
ideals may need to be made in order to survive. It could even be possible to infer
that the four central characters are separate personifications of conflicting values
that might exist within a single individual. Such a literary technique allows an
author (and viewer/reader) in effect to argue with himself over what the best or
most practical course of action would be under comparable circumstances, and
what different decisions might lead to. One could also identify instances of
dramatic irony and argue whether certain events are meant to be considered
“poetic justice” for the characters involved.
Implicit, explicit, and referential interpretations are based entirely on the film
as a self-contained work, on “internal evidence.” It is also possible to find richer
meaning in a film, meaning deduced by knowing something about its creators and
the time and place it was created, meaning from “external evidence” that is not
possible to identify exclusively from the film itself. Sometimes this type of
meaning is intentional on the part of the filmmakers, and other times it may be
unconsciously incorporated into the story. Analyzing a film on this level is
treating the film as a symptom of a much greater influence than simple dramatic
concerns for the characters and their actions. A symptomatic interpretation looks
at the film as part of the broad context of society, reflecting and illustrating
themes prevalent in the culture, in the time and place it was made, and possibly in
the creator‟s personal life experience. This level of interpretation tries to
recognize symbolic content, identifying characters and situations as metaphors for
something else, or possibly seeing the entire story as an allegory about something
else. Deliverance is an outdoor adventure and journey story set in the American
south, but many critics looked at it as an allegory for the disastrous American
experience in Vietnam, which was still going on when the film was made. Men
conditioned by modern urban civilization believe they‟re more or less invincible
as they travel into a rural environment inhabited by a less technologically

advanced culture of backwoods people they look down upon. However, they soon
discover the more primitive people can be more dangerous than they expected,
they must do things they were not prepared to do to survive, not everyone gets out
alive, and those that do are forever haunted by the experience. The movie District
9 (2009) is a science fiction action-thriller, but this Oscar-nominated and
internationally popular South African production by Neill Blomkamp is also
symptomatic of late 20th and early 21st century attitudes towards immigration,
minorities, government and corporate policies, the news media, and documentary
filmmaking.
C. COMPREHENSION QUESTION
Based on a fictional movie you discussed in the previous meeting, describe the
explicit and implicit meanings.
D. REFERENCE
Jacobs, C.P. (n.d.). Film theory and approaches to criticism, or, what did that
movie mean? August 23, 2019. https://www1.und.edu/faculty/christopher-
jacobs/_files/docs/theory-and-analysis.pdf

MEETING-3
NARRATIVE ELEMENTS
3. identify the narrative elements of a fictional film and
4. examine the narrative elements of a fictional film.
Fictional films are usually in narrative form. The narrative is “a chain of events in
cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space” (Brodwell & Thompson,
2008, p. 75). Narratives or stories in fictional films can be summarized into three
parts: the character wants something – the character faces troubles achieving
his/her goal – the character comes to terms with the consequences. Like stories in
prose fiction, the narrative elements of fictional films are characters, settings, plot
and point of view.
 Characters
There are at least two main characters in fictional films, they usually do not share
the same goals or specifically they have different personalities that one character
might oppose the other‟s goal. As you watch the film, determine who is the
protagonist and the antagonist, and take notes:
1. physical appearance: how is the character‟s face and body?
2. costume: what kind of clothes does she/ he wear?
3. sound: how does her/ his voice suggest about the character?
4. character‟s personal traits: what are her/ his desire, fear, and motivations?
5. roles: how is her/ his relationship with other character(s)?

Use this table to help you map the character profile

Character Protagonist’s Name: Antagonist’s Name:
Design
Physical
Appearance
Costume
Sound
Quotations
Desires/
Fears/
Motivations
 Settings
Fictional films usually present stories in various settings of place and time. There
are three kinds of time in fictional films: present time, flash forwards and
flashback. The present time shows the current situation of the story. The flash
forwards show events that happen in the future, while the the flashback shows the
previous time of the character‟s life. The story of the character‟s life, therefore,
can be shown in chronological order or in non chronological order. The story
presented in linear time is called chronological order. Meanwhile the
nonchronological order presents those three different settings of time alternately
to make the story more interesting.
 Plot
The plot is “the series of related events that make up a story” (Anderson, Brinnin,
Leggett, Burroway, & Leeming, 1989, p. 951). The plots of fictional films do not
have to be in chronological order; the plot is how the events of a story appear in

the film. In detective films, for example, the audience can find how the story ends
at the beginning of the plot. Thus, the story and the plot are two different things.
The story is a series of events that occurred in chronological order, while the plot
is a sequence of events that are arranged in a certain order. E.M. Forster said that
“„[t]he king died then the queen died‟ is a story. „The king died, and the queen
died of grief‟ is a plot” (Anderson, 1989, p. 4).
The plot line diagram of fictional films:
middle: actions & troubles
beginning: settings ending: consequences
 Point of View
Point of view is a medium used by the author to narrate the story. He/ she could
use a character in the story to convey the story. Or he/ she can make him/herself a
character in a story that sees an event and retells it.
Pick a fictional film and analyze its narrative aspects by answering these questions
below:
1. Are the events presented chronologically or are there any flashbacks or
flash forwards?
2. Why the film uses such place, time; what is the significance to the story?
3. Are there any special properties?
4. What kind of atmosphere created by using such setting?
5. From whose point of view is the narrative presented: through one
character‟s eyes or more? What is the effect? Is there any narrator?

6. Are the conflicts resolved or unresolved by the end of the film?
D. REFERENCES
November 2, 2016.
classroom.pdf
Anderson, R. (Ed.). (1989). Elements of literature: Fourth course. Austin: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
McGraw-Hill.

MEETING-4
NARRATIVE IN MULAN (PART 1)
1. identify the narrative elements in Mulan and
2. examine the narrative elements in Mulan.
In this meeting we will discuss a specific fictional film, Mulan by Walt Disney
(1998). It was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook. The film was awarded
1999 Academy Awards Nominations: Best Original Score and 1999 Golden Globe
Awards Nominations: Best Original Score; Best Song.
 The story of Mulan is taken from Chinese ballad from the fifth century
A.D. of the Han Dynasty, “Mu-lanhua” by Tzu-Yeh (LeJuene, n.d.).
Mulan disguises herself as a man to replace her father serving in the army.
After several years, she comes back home and plays her previous feminine
roles. The story is adapted to be children books, China’s Bravest Girl: The
Legend of Hua Mu Lan by Charlie Chin (1993) and The Song of Mulan by
Jeanne M. Lee (1995).
 The Great Wall of China was built in the second century BCE. The first
emperor of China ordered the Wall‟s construction.
 The Huns were a group of tribes who managed to conquer much of Europe
and Asia between the 4th and 8th centuries. Through a combination of
advanced weaponry, high mobility and effective battlefield tactics, they
achieved many military victories.
Watch Mulan the movie and take notes on the following narrative elements:

1. Characters and Characterizations: Describe the characteristics of each

actor by quoting their lines.
Actor Dialogue Characteristic
Mulan
Fa-Zhou
Chi Fu
Mushu
Shan-Yu
The Emperor
2. Setting and Plot: Describe the selected scenes according to the plot of the
story by mentioning the setting of time/place/atmosphere.

[02:00]
[09:23]

[14:37]
[18:54]

[41:00]
[49:52]

[1:01:21]
[1:16:36]

D. REFERENCES:
Coats, P. (Producer), & Bancroft, T., & Cook, B. (Directors). (1998). Mulan
[Motion Picture]. United States: Walt Disney Pictures.
Comprehension and discussion activities for the movie mulan. (n.d.). September
28, 2016. http://educasia.org/wp-
content/uploads/Educasia%20Myan%20page/Movie%20Modules/Mulan.
pdf
LeJuene, E. (n.d.). Mu-lan, the chinese woman warrior. April, 11, 2017.
https://www2.southeastern.edu/Academics/Faculty/elejeune/mulan.htm

MEETING-5
NARRATIVE IN MULAN (PART 2)
1. identify the narrative elements in Mulan and
2. examine the narrative elements in Mulan.
In this meeting we will continue the discussion of Mulan (1998).
Point of View: According to the movie, the people of ancient China differentiate
the roles of women and men in society. List all of the expected characteristics
from men and women in the table below by quoting the lines of each actor.
Women Characteristics Men Characteristics
Actor

You can complete the table by carefully watching the scenes below or you can
consider other scenes.
1. Mulan‟s chanting about what a bride‟s attitudes supposed to be [03:06-
03:20]
2. Beauty assistances singing about what kind of women are wanted by

society [06:10-07:51]

3. The troops singing what men are supposed to be [40:51-41.01]
4. The troops singing what their ideal women are [47:39-49:47]
D. REFERENCES:
pdf

MEETING-6
CINEMATOGRAPHY ELEMENTS
1. identify the cinematography aspects in a fictional film and
2. examine the function of particular cinematography aspects.
Cinematography is “a general term for all the
manipulations of the film strip by the camera in the
shooting phase and by the laboratory in the
developing phase” (Brodwell & Thompson, 2008, p.
477).
Cinematography plays a very important role in film making. Cinematography is
used to present the narrative or the story. It visualizes the narrative; vision about
the story becomes alive on the screen. The use of technology helps creating
distinctive film effects. For example, in the film Jurassic Park (1993), through the
use of elaborate props and computer generated imagery, director Steven Spielberg
presents alive dinosaurs on screens, which manage to captivate the attentions of
the audiences and invite praises. The supposedly extinct species, which were

made out of inanimate props, were shown to be moving about in the film just like
real animals.
There are several kinds of shots,1 the camera work that indicating the subject
size:
1. Extreme Long Shot focuses on the scenery, the setting, in which the
character is almost unseen.
1
All of the pictures in this chapter were taken from Filmmaking 101: Camera Shot Types, see
References.

2. Long Shot fills the screen with the scenery but the character can be seen
more clearly than in the previous shot.
3. Full Shot fills the frame with the character from head to toe, focuses on
the action.
4. Medium Long Shot shows the character from the knees up.

5. Medium Shot shows the character from the waist up.
6. Medium Close Up shows the character from the chest or shoulder up.
7. Close up focuses on the emotion of a character, the facial expression.

8. Extreme Close-Up focuses on the certain part of the body of a character.
Camera’s angles:
1. Eye Level: shot taken with the camera at human eye level; a neutral shot.
2. High Angle: camera is positioned higher than the subject to make the
subject seems powerless.

3. Low Angle: camera is positioned lower that the subject to make the
subject seems powerful.
4. Over-the-Shoulder Shot: the character is shot from behind the shoulder

of another to show the reaction during a conversation.
Further Reading:
Cinematography Techniques: The Different Types of Shots in Film by Timothy
Heiderich
Pick a fictional film and analyze its cinematography aspects by answering these
questions below:
1. What meaning is created for an audience by using different shot sizes,
movement and camera angles?

2. How does the camerawork inform the audience about a character‟s

motivations, create identification with characters and communicate their
relationship to the story?
D. REFERENCES
November 2, 2016.
classroom.pdf
McGraw-Hill.
Dise, J. (2016). Filmmaking 101: Camera shot types. September 20, 2016.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/video/tips-and-
solutions/filmmaking-101-camera-shot-types

MEETING-7
CINEMATOGRAPHY IN OSHIN
1. identify the cinematography elements of Oshin and
2. examine cinematography elements of Oshin
Oshin the movie was released on October 12, 2013, directed by Shin Togashi. The
movie is based on the Japanese drama series ran from April 4, 1983 to March 31,
1984. The story presents a young girl named Oshin who is sent by her father to
work as a babysitter for another family due to financial condition.
Watch the movie “Oshin” and describe the cinematography elements used in the
selected scenes below. Pay attention to angle/shot/ lighting/ sound/ costumes.
The first appearance of the main character [01:13]

The family is having dinner [02:37]
Oshin is checking out the rice grain [10:43]

Oshin is leaving to work [15:50]
Oshin is fleeing her master‟s house [30:33]

Oshin is being accused of stealing a book [1:11:34]
Oshin is leaving her house to get back to work [1:45:08]

Example:
Mulan at the Matchmaker‟s house [09:12]
The scene uses over-the-shoulder shot to show Mulan‟s expression while being
evaluated by the Matchmaker. At the same time, it uses medium close up showing
the upper body of the Matchmaker three-fourths of the scene bigger than Mulan‟s
full body to represent her higher status as she will determine Mulan‟s future.
D. REFERENCE
Kensuke, Z., Nobuyuki, T., & Arimasa, O. (Producers), & Shin, T. (Director).
(2013). Oshin [Motion Picture]. Japan: Toei Picture.

MEETING-8
RESPONDING TO FILM
1. identify the elements of a fictional film,
2. examine the elements of a fictional film, and
3. respond to a fictional film.
Film as a part of popular cultures can be treated as literary work. This means that
we shall not just enjoy but think critically whenever we watch a film. In this
meeting, we will discuss how to compose a film appreciation essay.
As audiences, we tend to have expectations when we are going to watch
any films (before we actually watch the films). These expectations usually come
from the title of the film, the advertisement about the film or people‟s review
about the film. As we are watching the film until we finish it, we make
interpretations about the film. These
interpretations or meanings that we gain after
we watch any films are related to our
background of knowledge: our social, cultural,
and political backgrounds. Whether we meet
those expectations that we had before watching
the film or not, appreciating a film should be
done just like how you critically evaluate a
literary work: by identifying the elements of the film that we have discussed in the
previous meetings.
Here are some steps to compose a film appreciation essay:
1. Watch the film more than once.
2. While watching the film for the second time, identify the narrative
elements of the film (settings, characters, plot, point of view, and theme).

3. Decide on what elements of the film that you want to focus and analyze
(narrative, cinematography, mise-en-scene, and editing).
4. Make notes as detail as possible about the scenes you want to evaluate.
5. Do research about everything related to the film.
6. Conclude the social issue that the film is trying to say by using such
cinematography or other film‟s elements that you have analyzed in step 3
and 4.
There are many reasons why people

make films. Every film has its own
implied meanings, hidden messages
so we cannot just be a passive
audience but must think critically
since what we watch can influence
our way of thinking. Be careful with
the context why a certain film is
produced, what kind of intention does
the film have? For example in war
films, what company produced the
film would have different kind of
point of view with different intention.

Essay Example:
The 45 seconds video of LA Bold cigarette advertisement plays a male main
character in his four sequences of life: his office life, his party life, his dating life,
and his adventurous road life. Thus, the
video can be analyzed based on the four
major parts of scenes.
The first part opens with an
upbeat music as background for the
main character walking through the
opened door with the left door says
Trading Hall A, and the camera uses
over-the-shoulder shot to show many
people welcoming him by smiling as
well as clapping while he is entering
the room. The main character is
wearing a suit whereas others are
wearing office clothes which can be
indicated from the men‟s ties, and the
women‟s blazers. The main character is
then slowly walking to the stage as he is
shouting something hence the narrator
says, “Shout” [00:03] “and you will be heard” [00:06]. Right after the main
character shouted something, the crowd is yelling back in agreement to whatever
he is saying which can be implied from the crowd smiling, clapping, and raising
their fists in the air. It means that the main character does not hesitate to argue,
and the way people respond to him implies that he can persuade others.
The second part takes place in a party room with low key lighting where
some people are dancing and some of them are holding balloons; they are all
smiling. The main character is dancing with a woman and the narrator says “Be
wild” [00:11] “and you will be free” [00:13]. The scene then presents a man
pouring out ice cubes to the floor and then the lead, along with the woman he was

dancing with before, is jumping into the pool fully clothed and the scene ends
with him submerging into the water. This scene suggests that the main character is
a brave man; he enjoys the moment and opens to any challenges.
Different from the two previous parts, the third part shows a private life of
the main character as the scene only presents two persons on the screen, the main
character, and a woman character. The scene opens with a very slow beat music
with a low angle long shot presenting a
woman entering the room while the
main character is reading on the couch.
The camera first shows only the
woman‟s legs using black high heels,
up to her waist with a red dress. Then,
the camera blurs out her waist but from the gap between her waist and her left
hand, the scene presents the male lead smiling upon seeing the woman. The
camera then uses close up shot to show her index finger moving on the head of the
couch, getting closer to the main character‟s head. The camera then moves to
close up her lips and finally her face. The narrator says “Play” [00:21] “and you
will feel alive” [00:24].

The camera then presents a close-up view of the woman‟s lips being watered, then
her eyes. The scene ends with the main character is standing up walking toward
the woman character who is now sitting on the head of the sofa. This scene
presents the woman as a seducer to show that the male lead is a desired man. The
camera showing her body parts before her face represents the important role of
women bodies as entertainment to men.
The fourth part presents the main character riding his motorbike exploring
the city at night. The scene provides tall buildings with their lamps as the source
of light in the background and the
narrator says, “Explore” [00:29] “and
you will discover” [00:31]. This being
said, the scene represents the ambitious
male character who is continually
trying to achieve something in his life.
All of his life sequences are concluded with “Be bold” [00:35] “and rule the
world” [00:36]. The camera uses medium close up showing the man taking off his
helmet and gazing out with the background of tall buildings is blurred to
emphasize that he conquers the world by doing the four statements the narrator
said before. The video then ends with the logo product LA BOLD: THE BOLD
NEW WORLD. The phrase bold here refers to the characteristics of the lead
character, a representation of men who smokes this product. Thus, the product
offers the consumers the image that they will have if they use this brand of
cigarette.

Pick a fictional film and relate to the story by answering these questions below:
1. What do you think of the film, is it a good film or a bad one?
2. What did you like best about the film? Why?
3. What did you like least about the film? Why?
4. What is the issue of the film? Do you agree or disagree with it?
5. Did anything that happened in this film remind you of something that has
occurred in your own life?
6. What were you thinking as you finished watching the film?
D. REFERENCES
LAZone ID. (2016, November 4). LA bold - be bold and rule the world. [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZrqaCWtJn0

MEETING-9
WRITING A FILM REVIEW
1. select essential scenes of a fictional film and
2. compose a film review.
Film Review
By Thomson Writing Program – Duke University
The film review is a popular way for critics to assess a film‟s overall quality and
determine whether or not they think the film is worth recommending. Film
reviews differ from scholarly film articles in that they encompass personal and
idiosyncratic reactions to and evaluations of a film, as well as objective analyses
of the film‟s formal techniques and thematic content.
Preparing to Write the Review
While film reviews tend to be fairly short (approximately 600 to 1200
words), they require a lot of preparation before you begin writing. Prior to
viewing the film, you may want to get a sense of the bodies of work by the
director, writer, or individual actor. For instance, you may watch other films by
the same director or writer in order to get a sense of each individual style. This
will enable you to contextualize the film and determine whether it works as a
continuation and/or disruption within the broad trends of the director‟s or writer‟s
work.
Writing a film review often requires multiple viewings of the film. Plan to
watch the film two or even three times. During the first viewing, surrender
yourself to the cinematic experience; in other words, get lost in the narrative and
enjoy the film without worrying about the argument you will eventually cultivate.
During your second viewing, try distancing yourself from the plot and instead
focus on interesting elements of the film that you can highlight in the review. You

may separate these elements into two broad categories: 1) formal techniques such
as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, lighting, diegetic and non-diegetic
sound, genre, or narratology, and 2) thematic content that resonates with issues
such as history, race, gender, sexuality, class, or the environment.
After watching the film a second time, take careful notes on the formal and
thematic elements of the film. Then attempt to create a central idea for your
review that brings together the film‟s formal and thematic elements. If your
second viewing does not yield a strong central claim for the review or if you need
to take more notes, you may have to watch the film or parts of the film a third
time.
Writing the Film Review
Although there is not a set formula to follow when writing a film review, the
genre does have certain common elements that most film reviews include.
1) Introduction
In the opening of your review, provide some basic information about the film.
You may include film‟s name, year, director, screenwriter, and major actors. Your
introduction, which may be longer than one paragraph, should also begin to
evaluate the film, and it should allude to the central concept of the review. A film
review does not have to contain a thesis or main claim, but it should focus on a
central analysis and assessment.
2) Plot Summary
Remember that many readers of film reviews have not yet seen the film. While
you want to provide some plot summary, keep this brief and avoid specific details
that would spoil the viewing for others.
3) Description
While the plot summary will give the reader a general sense of what the film is
about, also include a more detailed description of your particular cinematic
experience watching the film. This may include your personal impression of what
the film looks, feels, and sounds like. In other words, what stands out in your
mind when you think about this particular film?

4) Analysis
In order to explain your impression of the film, consider how well the film utilizes
formal techniques and thematic content. How do the film‟s formal techniques
(such as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scène, lighting, diegetic and non-
diegetic sound, genre, or narrative) affect the way the film looks, feels, and sounds
to you? How does the thematic content (such as history, race, gender, sexuality,
class, or the environment) affect your experience and interpretation? Also, do the
formal techniques work to forward the thematic content?
5) Conclusion/Evaluation
The closing of your film review should remind the reader of your general thoughts
and impressions of the film. You may also implicitly or explicitly state whether or
not you recommend the film. Make sure to remind the reader of why the film is or
is not worth seeing.
Pick a fictional movie that had been discussed in the previous meetings. Select
several essential scenes based on the implicit meaning of the story or based on the
social issue implied by the movie. Compose your review according to those
selected scenes.
D. REFERENCE
Thompson Writing Program. (n.d.). Film review. August 25, 2019.
https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/film-
review-1.original.pdf

MEETING-10
STUDY GUIDE OF THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE (PART 1)
1. analyze the narrative and cinematography elements of The Emperor’s New
Groove and
2. compose the analysis essay.
The Emperor’s New Groove animated movie was released by Walt Disney
Pictures in December 2000. The protagonist, Kuzco, is a self-centered emperor
who does not care about his people. He treats others poorly, including his advisor
Yzma. He was poisoned and accidentally transformed into a llama. His
personality slowly changes as he tries to turn himself back into his human form.
Watch the movie and take notes to the following questions:
1. What does the word “groove” mean?
2. Who is the protagonist?
3. What kind of person the protagonist is?
4. Who is the antagonist?

5. What does the antagonist want?
6. Make the plot diagram of the story.
7. Write the theme song lyric [02:40-03.13]. What is suggested by the lyric
about Kuzco‟s personalities?
8. According to the old man, what does the Emperor‟s groove mean? (scene
05:06 – 05:08)
D. REFERENCE
Fullmer, R., & Hahn, D. (Producers), & Dindal, M. (Director). (2000). The
emperor’s new groove [Motion Picture]. United States: Walt Disney
Pictures.

MEETING-11
Groove and
In this meeting we are going to continue the discussion of The Emperor’s New
Groove.
1. How does the protagonist treat others? (describe the selected scenes)
[01:52]

[02:17]
[02:34]

[03:20]
[07:15 – 07:31]

[09:32]
2. Why does Yzma want to kill Kuzco? (Relate to his personalities based on
the previous question)
D. REFERENCE
Pictures.

MEETING-12
Groove and
In this meeting we are going to continue the discussion of The Emperor’s New
Groove.
1. How does the protagonist as llama treat others? (describe the selected
scenes)
[28:05]
The scene uses full shot to show the interaction between the two characters.
Moreover, the dim light is used to present the mysterious atmosphere of the jungle
as the setting of place. The llama Kuzco says, “hit the road, bucky” as he smacks
the squirrel with the nut it previously gave to him. His statement signifies his
arrogance, he thinks that the squirrel is interrupting his journey.

[09:21]
[38:59]

2. As Pacha helps Kuzco‟s getting back to his human form, what change
happens? (describe the selected scenes)
[42:45]
[1:08:33]

[1:10:09]
[1:11:22]

3. As you finish watching the movie, what does the title mean?
D. REFERENCE
Pictures.

MEETING-13
FILM ADAPTATION
1. identify the differences of narrative in a prose fiction and in its film
adaptation and
2. examine the differences of narrative in a prose fiction and in its film
adaptation.
It is common to think that fictional films present imaginative stories
which mean someone creates the stories. Even so, not everything in fictional films
is unrelated to the real world; there are always similarities to our social condition.
Thus, there are many sources for the fictional film. Generally, the story in a
fictional film is created by the scriptwriter. It is also possible that the story of a
fictional film is taken from an-already-made film. It means that the story in the
current film is inspired by the previous film. The stories of drama performances
also can be assembled into fictional films. Moreover, the stories in fictional films
can be taken from historical events to reenact or to document significant episodes
of the human history. Commonly, the story in a fictional film is taken from
literary works such as short stories, novellas, or novels.
What do you do when you read a prose fiction? It is impossible that you
only read the letter one by one, from the first page to the last page without
imagining things in your mind. Surely you would imagine what the characters or
the settings look like from the narration or dialogues. The magic of your brain
does the multitasking job. While you are reading the words of a prose fiction, you
are also visualizing how it goes at the same time. It is always fun to imagine how
the story of your favorite novel will be played on the screen if it is adapted to a
film. You might even dream which actor or actress will play the main characters

of your favorite novel. A film which is based on a prose fiction cannot be said to
be the same work.
Film adaptation is the interpretation of the text that can be more or less
than what the text stated. The elements of fiction (settings, characters, plot, point
of view) which originally in words that could be imagined differently by each
reader, comes into visual according to the filmmaker‟s point of view. Since every
reader has his/her own imaginations and expectations, the film adaptation has to
be considered different creation, not the same work as the original literary work
no matter how faithful the film is to it.
The most appropriate way to treat an adaptation film is by
acknowledging it as a new and different work. An author writes a story then it is
up to the reader to imagine things in the story. Different things happen in making
a film. The script writers do not write dialogues or narration so that audiences can
imagine the story. They want the audience to connect with the world that they
have visualized in details, including the acting, dialogues, and even scores of the
film. In making adaptation films from prose fictions, the script writers are only
inspired by the text to make the films. It does not mean that they can take all the
elements in the books into the films. Sometimes, the script writers only take the
characters or the plot or the setting.
Comparing the original literary work to the film adaptation in a film
appreciation essay is not enough just to find the differences among them, but you
should dig deeper as why does the film do that? What part of the elements of
fiction that the film adaptation is trying to emphasize from its original literary
work? With your knowledge about the elements of the film, try to conclude what
issues that the film adaptation is trying to say with such development or reversion
from the original literary work.
Write an essay about an adaptation film in 500 words by answering these
questions below:

1. Have you watch a film based on a prose fiction? Which one do you like
better? Explain.
2. Do you think the film successfully represented the story in the book?
Explain.
D. REFERENCES
Marciniak, M. (n.d.). The appeal of literature-to-film adaptation. August 31,
2016. http://lingua.amu.edu.pl/Lingua_17/lin-5.pdf

MEETING-14
REVIEW
1. select several essential scenes of a fictional film,
2. evaluate the narrative and cinematography elements of the chosen scenes,
and
3. write a short essay with certain topic of the implied meaning of the story
presented by the fictional film.
In this meeting, you can pick a fictional film and write a short analysis essay by
applying the techniques in Meeting-8 and Meeting-9. Remember that:
A fictional film uses cinematography to present the narrative in which
represents the social issue(s). Here is the diagram:
FICTIONAL FILM
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Lighting, sets, color,
Shots & angles Editing
costumes, sound
NARRATIVE
Characters &
Setting Plot Point of View
Characterizations
ISSUE
Propagating an ideology Reconstructing an ideology

C. COMPREHENSION QUESTION
Pick a fictional film. After you watch the film, conclude the issue or pick a topic
you want to discuss. Select at least five essential scenes representing the topic you
propose. Analyze each scene according to the function of cinematography
elements in presenting the narrative elements. Your essay must be at least 500
words.
D. REFERENCES
Here are some useful links:
Cinematography Techniques: The Different Types of Shots in Film
https://www.oma.on.ca/en/contestpages/resources/free-report-cinematography.pdf
Filmmaking 101: Camera Shot Types
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/video/tips-and-solutions/filmmaking-101-
camera-shot-types
Guide to Film Analysis in the Classroom
https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/jaro2018/AJ18085/film_analysis.pdf
Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
www.imdb.com

BIBLIOGRAPHY
November 2, 2016.
https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/jaro2018/AJ18085/film_analysis.pdf
Anderson, R. (Ed.). (1989). Elements of literature: Fourth course. Austin: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
Barden, Thomas E. (n.d.). Why study literature at all?. In Constantakis (Ed.).
Short stories for students: Presenting analysis, context, and criticism on
commonly studied short stories (pp. ix-x). London: Gale Cengage
Learning.
Boggs, J.M., & Petrie, D.W. (2008) The Art of Watching Films. Boston: Mc.
Grow-Hill.
McGraw-Hill.
pdf
Constantakis, S., & Barden, T.E. (2010). Short stories for students: Presenting
analysis, context, and criticism on commonly studied short stories. USA:
Gale Cengage Learning.
Dise, J. (2016). Filmmaking 101: Camera shot types. September 20, 2016.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/video/tips-and-
solutions/filmmaking-101-camera-shot-types
Pictures.
Jacobs, C.P. (n.d.). Film theory and approaches to criticism, or, what did that
movie mean? August 23, 2019.

https://www1.und.edu/faculty/christopher-jacobs/_files/docs/theory-and-
analysis.pdf
Kensuke, Z., Nobuyuki, T., & Arimasa, O. (Producers), & Shin, T. (Director).
(2013). Oshin [Motion Picture]. Japan: Toei Picture.
LAZone ID. (2016, November 4). LA bold - be bold and rule the world. [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZrqaCWtJn0
Marciniak, M. (n.d.). The appeal of literature-to-film adaptation. August 31,
2016. http://lingua.amu.edu.pl/Lingua_17/lin-5.pdf
writing about literature and film (Second Edition). Boston: McGraw-
Hill.
Sumarno, M. (1996). Dasar-dasar apresiasi film. Jakarta: Grasindo.
Thompson Writing Program. (n.d.). Film review. August 25, 2019.
https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/film-
review-1.original.pdf

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Christy Tisnawijaya, S.S., M.Hum.

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Gedung A. R.211 Kampus 1 Universitas Pamulang

Literary and Film Studies / Christy Tisnawijaya – 1st ed.

Literary and Film Studies / I.Christy Tisnawijaya

Director of Unpam Press: Sewaka

This module is for internal used only

Study Program : English Literature

Compiled by : Christy Tisnawijaya

Head of Study Program Coordinator

Djasminar Anwar, Pg.Dipl.TEFL Yan Ardian, S.S., M.Pd

Fictional films as one of popular cultures that produce meanings can be

South Tangerang, 30 December 2016

Christy Tisnawijaya, S.S., M.Hum.

MEETING-1: INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY

MEETING-2: MEANINGS IN FICTIONAL FILMS .... 6

MEETING-3: NARRATIVE ELEMENTS ...................... 10

MEETING-4: NARRATIVE IN MULAN (PART 1) ....... 14

MEETING-5: NARRATIVE IN MULAN (PART 2) ....... 21

MEETING-6: CINEMATOGRAPHY ELEMENTS ....... 24

MEETING-7: CINEMATOGRAPHY IN OSHIN .......... 31

MEETING-8: RESPONDING TO FILM ........................ 36

MEETING-9: WRITING A FILM REVIEW .................. 42

MEETING-10: STUDY GUIDE OF THE EMPEROR’S

MEETING-11: STUDY GUIDE OF THE EMPEROR’S

MEETING-12: STUDY GUIDE OF THE EMPEROR’S

MEETING-13: FILM ADAPTATION ............................. 56

MEETING-14: REVIEW ................................................... 59

“Literature, …, takes on all the big and small issues of what

We shall take literature not only as entertainment but also as a humanistic

English Department Page 1

critical thinking, we write about films: summarizing, analyzing, comparing,

“Film is both an industry and an art form” (Boggs p. 3).

English Department Page 2

Narrative films or fictional films present

English Department Page 3

Films, as part of popular cultures, produce meanings. Being a student in

English Department Page 4

English Department Page 5

English Department Page 6

A review (perhaps 400-1200 words) typically includes personal

English Department Page 7

English Department Page 8

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English Department Page 10

Use this table to help you map the character profile

English Department Page 11

The plot line diagram of fictional films:

middle: actions & troubles

beginning: settings ending: consequences

English Department Page 12

6. Are the conflicts resolved or unresolved by the end of the film?

English Department Page 13

English Department Page 14

1. Characters and Characterizations: Describe the characteristics of each

Actor Dialogue Characteristic

English Department Page 15

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