TFM 160 Exploring the Art of Acting Through Performance Analysis

Chapter 7 My Movie Log #1 Analysis of Acting, Part One

Preparing for the My Movie Log:

Your objective is to explore the art of acting by analyzing one leading performance in either:

• The Silence of the Lambs (1991), analyze the performance of either Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling) or Anthony Hopkins (Dr. Hannibal Lecter), 

or

• Lady Bird (2017), analyze the performance of either Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird), or Laurie Metcalf (Marion, Lady Bird’s mother)

For My Movie Logs #1 and #2 pick one feature, one of the two leading actors.  You will use the same actor for both logs.

Review this week’s reading (review the four criteria for analyzing an actor’s performance presented in the section “Looking at Acting” and the exploration of Michelle Williams’ acting).  In my lecture introducing The Silence of the Lambs, I review the four criteria you’ll use for analyzing your actor in the two My Movie Logs.

In My Movie Log #1, your analysis will focus on the initial two criteria:

• Appropriateness/Transparency
• Inherent Thoughtfulness/Emotionality

My Movie Log #1 should be formatted in two paragraphs (one paragraph of analysis for each of the criteria, each paragraph 3-4 sentences)

https://youtu.be/ATnjXK5JV_Q

After you choose which movie to analyze either The Silence of the Lambs or Lady Bird can you analyze the final two criteria:

• Expressive Coherence
• Wholeness and Unity

For each paragraph:

1. Introduce the paragraph briefly describing the specific criteria/category of analysis (e.g. “Appropriateness”) in your words
2. Briefly analyze the performance of your chosen actor focusing on the criteria/category
3. Use/state at least one clear, specific example of the actor’s performance in The Silence of the Lambs or Lady Bird to support your analysis.