writing to analyse, review and comment

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Writing to analyse, review and comment Contents:

2 Introduction

2 Your response to a moving image text

2 What is analysing, reviewing and commenting?

2 analysing,

2 reviewing and commenting 3 Writing an article

3 Essential tips for writing effective articles 3 Capture your reader’s eye and attention 3 Start as you mean to go on 3 Prioritise important information but keep it interesting 4 Gain your reader’s trust - be authoritative and convincing 5 Improve your writing 6 Analysing a moving image text 6 How does film create meaning and atmosphere? 6 Film language: technical terms and definitions 9 Sample article analysing Helicopter Heroes 9 Example Coursework 10 Three key scenes 10 Coursework sample 10 Glued to the box? Ever wondered why? 13 Examiner’s comments 14 Mark Scheme 14 To gain a Grade C 14 To gain a Grade A


Writing to analyse, review and comment

Introduction

What do you need to think about when you analyse and review a film or

television programme? In this Revision Bite you'll find out more about film

language and how to write an article about a moving image text.

Your response to a moving image text

The ability to analyse, comment and review is a part of all English GCSE syllabuses,

sometimes found in an exam and sometimes coursework. In the AQA A syllabus, it

is part of coursework and is based on an analysis of a media text. This is often a

moving image text like a film or television programme (or an extract from either).

Once you have analysed the text you will have to write a review, summarising your

response.

In this piece of coursework, you’ll need to show your abilities to:

• use analytical techniques

• use technical terminology (film language)

• write in a style that follows the requirements of a particular genre

• write in a style that suits a specific audience and purpose

What is analysing, reviewing and commenting?

Analysing

When you analyse a text or topic, you break it down by identifying key elements of

the content. You'll need to think about how these elements work on their own as

well as how they contribute to the overall effect.

Reviewing and commenting

What do you have to do?

• You will have to develop a series of opinions about your text. Your opinions

should be interesting or useful to your reader.

• You might also be asked to develop a series of recommendations about your

text.

• You will write about your opinions using a style and tone that suggests they

are fair, well-informed, convincing and trustworthy.

• You might need to give reasons or provide support for your opinions.


Writing an article

As well as analysing texts, you need to be able to write about them

successfully. Think about your audience, the genre of your text and the

main point of your analysis. By staying focused you will write more

effectively.

Essential tips for writing effective articles

Capture your reader’s eye and attention

• Start with a catchy headline.

• Consider adding an attractive, unusual or interesting image to your

coursework. For exam writing use boxes containing a written description of

the image – there is no need to be an artist!

• Divide a longer article using sub-headings to guide your reader and add

interest and clarity.

Start as you mean to go on

• Use a short or intriguing, lively and involving opening sentence.

• Directly address and involve the reader by using pronouns such as 'you', 'we'

and 'our'.

• Consider the use of an initial question.

Prioritise important information but keep it interesting

• Work out what is important and interesting for your reader to know first and

write about this in a concise, snappy way. Leave less important aspects and

finer detail until later.

• Give relevant facts immediately by briefly answering questions such as what,

who, where and when?

• Use a mix of shorter and longer sentences but always keep sentences clear

and concise.

• Use mainly formal Standard English but consider using a little well-placed

conversational language to develop a friendly and inviting tone.

• Open each paragraph with a topic sentence that tells, in a nutshell, what the

rest of the paragraph will explore in more depth.

• Use both direct and rhetorical questions to involve the reader.

• Use discourse markers to help create flow and fluency, for example, 'clearly',

'even so', 'therefore', 'following on from this'.


Gain your reader’s trust - be authoritative and convincing

• Be sincere and write in a natural, lively style. Avoid pretending you’re

someone other than an interesting lively teenager.

• Remember that if your writing doesn't capture the trust of your reader, it

won't be effective.

• Create a confident tone but avoid the kind of bold unsupported assertions

that suggest arrogance. Words like 'could', 'might' and 'perhaps' help to keep

your suggestions open.

• Consider making up an interview with an expert to add authority. (Although

this is made up it needs to be believable and entirely realistic).

• Would the use of evidence from authoritative sources help the sense of trust?

Your sources will also be made up but sound believable and realistic.

• Keeping the needs of your audience in mind at all times, vary your vocabulary

and include appropriate technical terms. (This is a mark scheme requirement

for this piece of coursework.)

• Avoid the trap of being overly personal or emotional. In the real world an

article would have a wide, unknown audience so you wouldn't know your

readers and they wouldn't know you. This means you must write in a way

that you yourself would appreciate as a reader. Be calm, polite, mainly formal

but friendly and, above all, be yourself!

Genre: A category of type of something. Fiction and non-fiction are examples of

two genres.

Rhetorical questions: Questions that are asked, but are not expected to be

answered, since the answer is usually obvious. They are used to emphasise a

particular point.

Discourse Markers: Some words or phrases – such as ‘clearly’, ’even so’, and

‘therefore’ – help to develop ideas and relate them to one another. These kinds of

words and phrases are often called discourse markers and are used in more formal

contexts – for example when you’re writing an article.


Improve your writing

We can all improve our writing, however experienced we are! Here are a few tips

and tricks.

• Use 'style models' as a guide. So for this coursework read a selection of

professionally written articles - like those in newspapers, magazines or on the

internet - to find out how writers become successful enough to earn a living

from their writing. You might join them one day!

• Make it a habit, after each sentence or at least after each paragraph, to

'become' your reader. In this imagined role, ask yourself:

o Is this writing capturing my attention and imagination?

o Is it lively and interesting?

o Is it informative?

o Is it persuasive?

o Is it convincing – does it seem authoritative and authentic?

o Is it enjoyable to read?

• Be sure you can answer 'YES!' to each question! If you can’t, then reflect

and consider your audience and purpose, then re-draft.

• Be precise in your choice of words – in particular, for this coursework, use an

appropriate technical vocabulary.

• Plan the sequence of your writing and give information in a clear and logical

way. Writing that is unstructured risks being unclear and difficult to follow. It

loses marks, too.

o Always work out – before you put pen to paper – a logical and obvious

structure, in this case, perhaps moving through the film sequence from

beginning to end, or moving through a series of analytical methods, first

discussing sound, then lighting, then camera angle and so on.

o Use each paragraph to introduce a separate and relevant point.

o Link each paragraph by creating a final sentence that provides a logical

and smooth bridge or lead into the topic of the next paragraph.

o Avoid overly short paragraphs. A good rule of thumb is to write at least

five sentences per paragraph.


Analysing a moving image text

You’ll need to be familiar with film language to analyse a moving image

text. This is just like written text but uses a wider variety of techniques to

create meaning.

How does film create meaning and atmosphere?

A film or television programme is technically referred to as a moving image text

and just like written texts, moving images also use a language, in this case called

film language.

Written language creates meaning through the use of words. Film language creates

meaning through:

• sound

• lighting

• shot types

• camera angles

• editing techniques

You’ll find key film language terms and techniques useful for your analysis and

review. Film language: technical terms and definitions

Technical term

What it means

Mise en scène All that you can see within the frame of a cinema or television screen is called a 'mise en scène'. You should assume that nothing is there by chance - everything you see is intended to create meaning, atmosphere or mood. When you analyse a mise en scène, you will need to identify important content and qualities and consider the effect of these on the audience as well as the aims of the producer or director who decided to include them. Consider such things as the selection and direction of actors (including their costume, makeup and relative positioning within the mise en scène), props, sound and lighting. You'll also need to consider the effects of chosen camera angles and shot types.

Denotation Any object or image within a mise en scène denotes a basic meaning of what it is. So, for example, a red face on a character denotes just that: a 'red face'; a shaking hand denotes… 'a shaking hand'!


Technical term

What it means

Connotation Sometimes, an object or image within a mise en scène creates extra meaning beyond its denotation. So, for example, a red face might be said to connote excitement, anger or exertion after exercise. A shaking hand might connote illness, old age or fear.

Signs, signifiers and codes

An object within a mise en scène that connotes meaning is referred to as a sign because it signifies meaning to the audience. (An alternative word for connotes is signifies.) Usually, however, it is a group of signs that signifies meaning. A group of signs working together is called a code. So the 'red face' is a sign that works to signify meaning but if the face is part of a mise en scène that also includes other connected signs, such as the character shaking, gasping and clawing at the air wildly, then this series of signs forms a code. The code in this case might be signifying (or connoting) illness or fear.

Editing An edit joins together two or more individual shots. Different types of editing can create effects that add to meaning or develop mood. A continuity edit is the most common type of edit. It links two scenes in a way that creates the effect of a seamless and natural flow of action through time and space. For example, a scene showing a character looking out of a window cuts to a scene showing what is being looked at. This edit creates excitement by breaking the feeling of continuity in time and space. Disconnected scenes like this are called jump cuts. Sometimes, a group of scenes edited together create meaning as a group; this is called a montage sequence.

Shot types A shot is a sequence of action without an edit. An establishing shot is a long shot so-called because the camera is set at a distance from the scene; an establishing shot helps locate the action in an environment and allows the audience to connect with events. It is often followed by a mid-shot (MS) as the camera moves in closer to the subject and then a close-up (CU). An ultra-close-up (UCU) - when a character’s face, for example, fills the frame - can suggest that we should connect with the inner feelings of the character. A subjective point-of-view shot (POV) is a natural-seeming eye-line shot that can help the audience to feel a part of the scene, an effect that can be amplified by the use of a hand-held camera.

Camera angle The relationship of the camera to what it sees is important. A high or low camera angle can create a sense of power or powerlessness, strength or weakness and so on; an eye-line shot can create a sense of equality.

Lighting The quality and direction of lighting is crucial in any moving image text. For example, soft lighting can suggest romance whereas harsh under-lighting on a face can create a sense of fear.


Technical term

What it means

Sound Sound is an important aspect of most moving image texts. There are two ways in which sound can be used to create meaning. Sound that exists within the scene itself is called diegetic sound (a cat purring or a radio blaring). Background sound – often music – can be added later to create mood and atmosphere; this is called non-diegetic sound.

SFX Special effects (SFX) are frequently used and can suggest a futuristic setting or excitement. Many special effects now use computer-generated images (CGI).


Sample article analysing Helicopter Heroes

This document will guide you through the writing of a piece of coursework

- an article aimed at a teenage audience based on an analysis of the

opening scenes of a BBC TV documentary, “Helicopter Heroes”. The skills

shown can be easily adapted and applied to writing an article based on an

analysis of any other moving image text.

Example Coursework

This example is based on a video clip. The clip is the opening sequence from an

edition of the BBC series “Helicopter Heroes”.

Scenes from this sequence will form the basis for a piece of coursework.

To view the clip, go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/revision and select GCSE English.

Then select:

Writing to analyse, review and comment > Sample article analysing Helicopter

Heroes

Question

Write an internet article for teenagers based on how TV programmes capture their

viewers’ interest.

For your own coursework, you’ll be given a different title and “moving

image text”, but you’ll easily be able to adapt all you find in this document

to help with your own work

In this piece of coursework, you’ll need to show your abilities to:

• use analytical techniques;

• use technical terminology (film language)

• write in a style that follows the requirements of a particular genre;

• write in a style that suits a specific audience and purpose.


Three key scenes

We will look at three scenes from the opening of a programme in the “Helicopter

Heroes” series. These scenes will form the basis of the analysis and the internet

article.

When you choose scenes to analyse from your own moving image text, you’ll need

to freeze frame each scene and take detailed notes.

If you can record the programme onto a DVD disk or view it on the internet then

you’ll easily be able to do this. If you’re skilled with computers, you can even use

screen capture to copy and paste the scenes you analyse for use in your own

article.

Coursework sample

Below is a 700 word article that would fulfil the requirements of this piece of

coursework. It follows the necessary genre requirements of an internet article,

would appeal to a teenage audience and achieves its purpose.

• Look at the mark scheme and see if you can work out what kind of grade this

piece of coursework would achieve and why.

• Notice that the writer of the article analyses and discusses just three scenes

from the opening sequence. This is one of the secrets of this kind of writing:

choose just a little starting material to analyse, but analyse and discuss it in

depth.

The numbers relate to key points included in the article. The detailed comments

are listed after the article.

Glued to the Box? Ever Wondered Why?(1)

Just why do we sit glued to a glowing tube shining from the corner of the room,

unable to move from the sofa even to finish that massively more interesting

homework, dry those dripping pots or clean that embarrassing bedroom? Well,

there’s a very good reason. And TV producers know the secret! Our brain is in their

hands…(2)

You’ve probably seen the new BBC series “Helicopter Heroes”. You know, the one

introduced by Richard Hammond of “Wow! He’s Crashed in a Jet-Powered Roadster

at 300mph!” fame. Just what kind of tricks do producers of this kind of exciting TV

documentary have up their sleeves to stop viewers from switching channels or

even, heaven forbid, switching off! (3)


Look at that very first shot; you’ll also have heard the music that accompanies it.

The composition of each individual shot is known as the “mise en scène” and within

each of these three mise en scènes lies some of the secrets of successful television.

Firstly, the music. It’s not a part of the scene itself so it’s called “non-diegetic

music” – it’s edited in afterwards and used to create a particular mood and to add

atmosphere. Notice that it’s modern, quite loud, sharp sounding and catchy – it

works to capture and attract the ear and engage the mind.

Presenter Richard Hammond

Then Richard Hammond – easily recognisable as a popular celebrity – begins to

speak; and what he says sounds urgent and important, “If you’re critically ill or

badly injured, speed can save your life. This is the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and last

year it saved mine by airlifting me from a wrecked jet car to intensive care in just

fifteen minutes...” Notice some of the qualities of the language he uses – all

carefully scripted of course. Words and phrases such as “critically ill”, “badly

injured”, “wrecked jet car” and “intensive care” are enough to make anyone sit up

and notice. We can relate to them, too, even if we haven’t suffered the same fate –

none of us wants to suffer after all! In fact, it fairly screams “WATCH ME!” at the

unsuspecting viewer. Producers know that an audience needs to be able to relate to

what it sees and bringing the viewer unsuspectingly into the narrative is a key skill

– one that producers know will keep the viewer viewing.(4)

Still of Helicopter scene


Now to the scene itself. The mise en scène is dominated by interesting images and

unusual camera angles. The helicopter is shot from above and so looks powerful

and sleek. Who wouldn’t like a ride in one? (Okay, maybe not as a patient!) The

large house and perfectly groomed lawn add an air of quality to the image making

it all the more attractive and desirable, a feature made yet clearer by the light from

the bright sunny day – lighting is a key feature of any scene.(5)

Still from Introductory titles

As Richard Hammond appears in the next shot he is dressed casually. We might not

be Richard Hammond but this shot tells us we could be – well, at least we could

dress like him! Again, it all helps the viewer relate to and almost become a part of

the scene. The writing on the bright yellow helicopter seems unimportant and yet is

it? Of course it is. The producer leaves no stone unturned to capture and hold our

interest and he or she knows that even those innocent seeming but ultra shiny and

large symbols in black and red against the yellow have the power, in however small

a way, to hold a certain fascination for the viewer. It all adds an air of importance

and attraction to the scene.

In the final scene shown above the producer uses CGI (computer generated

images) to create an unusual montage sequence of edits all within the same mise

en scène: a close up of the helicopter, whirling close ups of the helicopter’s blades,

projected yellow crosses, a pilot wearing a large imposing crash hat… all very hi-

tech and exciting and supported now by an even louder magnetically attractive

non-diegetic soundtrack finally finished off with the appearance of the well-known

and trusted BBC logo appearing bottom centre to add a sense of authority and

authenticity. By now we know we just aren’t going to miss this amazing TV

programme. It’s gonna be good!(6)

The examiner’s comments on the next page relate to the bracketed numbers


Examiner’s comments These comments relate to the bracketed numbers in the previous article.

1. The headline is short and snappy – not even a full sentence. It has been

chosen to be catchy and arresting, as well as appealing to its teenage audience. Readers enjoy being asked questions.

2. The scene is set using a concise and snappy introduction to the topic of the article. The use of the personal pronouns “we” and “our” help to draw the reader into the article. The inclusion of a question has a similar effect, helping the reader fee more involved. Metaphors such as “glued” and “glowing tube” create lively images that allow the reader to visualise and relate to the situation. The mention of typical teenage issues such as “homework” and “pots” creates empathy and involvement with the audience. Notice, too, the use of short snappy, well placed sentences that help create an inviting tone.

3. The media text chosen for analysis is of interest to a teenage audience. The use of a dialogue helps create a friendly informal tone. The idea of being “tricked” appeals to the readers enticing them to want to read on and find out how they’ve been tricked. As this is an internet article, the inclusion of a film clip is useful and follows the convention of internet writing.

4. Direct address to the reader, “Look at that very first shot...” creates involvement. Again, a blend of sentence lengths and types adds liveliness. Carefully chosen technical terminology such as “mise en scène” and “diegetic” creates a sense that the writer is trustworthy and knowledgeable. Now that the introductory paragraphs have worked to create interest in the article, this longer, more explanatory, paragraph will hopefully still hold the reader’s attention.

5. Again, notice the use of sentence variety. That introductory ultra-short sentence adds liveliness – and notice that it’s not even a full grammatical sentence, but its controversial quality is effective in this context. Notice, too, the use of precise and varied vocabulary with words such as “dominated”, “sleek”, “groomed” and “desirable”. The use of a rhetorical question works to involve the reader. The paragraph is kept short – this is a convention of media articles, perhaps because they are often printed in narrow columns.

6. The use of questions continues and has the effect of involving and interesting the reader. The use of detail created=s a sense of authority and trust. Notice the continued use of sentence variety and, again, the use of ultra-short sentences, “Of course it is”. Signing off with a use of slang and another ultra-short sentence provides a final flourish that is well-suited to a teenage audience.


Mark Scheme

Even though this piece of coursework is based upon a “reading” and analysis of a

media text, the marks for it are awarded only for the quality of writing.

To gain a Grade C, the writing:

• uses a style chosen to suit its genre requirements, audience and purpose;

• is lively, engaging and interesting;

• uses a variety of sentence structures;

• uses clear, logical paragraphs;

• is generally accurate in its punctuation using, for example, commas, full stops

and question marks effectively;

• uses a varied vocabulary and appropriate technical terms;

• uses accurate spelling for both commonly used and technical words.

To gain a Grade A, the writing:

• is closely focused on the text under analysis;

• provides a detailed treatment of the task and purpose;

• uses a full range of sentence structures;

• has a clear and logical structure;

• has a coherent ‘shape’

• is persuasive;

• is based on a mix of overview and close reference;

• uses an appropriate level of technical analysis and terminology;

• shows secure spelling;

• uses accurate and sophisticated punctuation.

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