In this paper, I will compare The films The Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008) and The Iron Man(Jon Favreau, 2008).
I need a proposal that will outline the two films I want to use and how I intend to answer the questions raised by this paper.
Note for research:
You should begin by making notes on how the two films accord with the characteristics that you might expect of films of their kind (we will be discussing such characteristics throughout the course). This might refer to their use of the Language of film (i.e. such things as Cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene and Sound), the structure of their narratives and their choice of subject matter, or the aesthetic, philosophical or political ideas that motivate them. Do not feel that you have to write about ALL of these things! Just focus on the aspects that interest you most or seem most relevant.
You should then make notes on what differentiates the films. Does one of the films push its artistic movement in new directions, with new ideas? Are the films communicating very different messages despite focusing on similar subject matter? Or are their plots and subject matter so different that their artistic movement or national origins seem almost irrelevant?
Having created these notes, use the most relevant ideas to create first your proposal. In this formal paper; you must indicate what films you will be using, what aspect of the films you will be assessing and what you theorise your conclusions will be. This does not have to accurate. Your conclusions can and hopefully will change as you think, research and write on your films.
Begin your essay after receiving your proposal back. This is where you will address the central questions; “How does the construction of the film affect the reception? Do these films have different aims?” The word “aims” is deliberately unspecific here. For some films, You could focus on the aim of the entertaining the audience — for example, are the filmmakers trying to amuse, delight, frighten, or make tearful its audience? But the word could also refer to philosophical aims (encouraging the audience to debate or think about a particular idea), political aims (attempting to change the way people think about their society), or aesthetic aims (experimenting with new ways of making cinema). Again, do not feel that you have to write about ALL of these things! Just focus on what that interests you most and feels most relevant to the films that you have chosen.
