AUS Senior Film Studies: Analysing Films

In partnership with ClickView, we're excited to release our AUS Senior Film Studies unit of work on Education Perfect.

This article outlines the content that's included within the Analysing Films unit.

ClickView Partnership

In partnership with ClickView, EP are able to use clips of films hosted on the ClickView platform and embed them in our lessons.

All students using our Film Studies resources require an active ClickView account.

Students must be logged in to ClickView before starting a lesson to ensure they're able to view the film clips.

Please note that students need to double-click on the play button when playing an embedded film clip in a lesson.

Content Warning

Some resources in this unit of work are from films rated M and MA15+. If you have concerns about your students viewing this content or any potential triggers, please review the resources used in each lesson before assigning the content to your class.

Some examples of MA and MA15+ films sourced from prescribed texts lists include:

Arrival
Fargo
Interstellar
Knives Out
Legally Blonde
Mad Max: Fury Road
Pan's Labyrinth
Picnic at Hanging Rock
True Grit

Syllabus Relevance

This module of work is designed to support students in their study of Analysing Films, including common tropes and genres in film, choosing evidence and writing a well-developed argument in a written essay.

The resources are aligned with the content areas up to Year 10 but are specifically aimed at students in Y11 & Y12 to take their AC knowledge and apply it to senior English topics.

Rationale

The module has been designed to make it easy for teachers to select lessons to support their classroom teaching or students' independent work on Film Studies. The resources can be used for differentiation and the development of transferable skills across various texts and will help to minimise the time teachers spend on planning and developing resources.

Module breakdown

The Analysing Films module is broken down as follows:

The ‘Hero’s Journey’	Introduces students to the seven steps of the Hero's Journey, or monomyth, as presented in film. Students will apply their knowledge to analyse sequences in Interstellar, Up, The Matrix and Legally Blonde.
Tropes and archetypes	Introduces students to the ideas of tropes and archetypes as presented in film. Students will examine how tropes and archetypes are established and subverted, and apply their knowledge to forming both analytical and creative responses.
Genre in film	Students will identify genre conventions in film and explore how genre influences plot, setting, character and theme. They will also investigate how different techniques are applied to reflect genre.
Comparing opening sequences	This lesson introduces students to five common constructions of an opening sequence. Students will examine the effect of each approach on an audience, then compare two similar approaches through formal essay paragraphs.
Constructing a thesis	Students will identify the steps involved to construct a strong thesis. They will get the opportunity to construct their own thesis and compose body paragraphs that refer back to a thesis.
Choosing your evidence	Explores the importance of selecting appropriate evidence to support students' ideas and how to integrate them into a response. Students will then practise making their own selections and applying them to an extended response.
Writing a well- developed argument	Students will investigate the correct structure for writing an essay, as well as determining other ways to add sophistication to their essays. They will then construct their own sophisticated essay in response to a film.
Comparing an original with a remake	Students will investigate different ways to compare Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They will then have the opportunity to construct an essay comparing the two films.

If you have any questions or feedback, please feel welcome to contact our team!