FS4- SMALL-SCALE RESEARCH PROJECT The project itself As the snappy title implies, this is a small-scale project. It must be based on one focus film but make appropriate reference to at least two other related films. You are required to relate the focus film to any one of these elements: • star/performer • genre • technology • social, historical and/or political context • auteur in its broadest sense The proposal form You have to complete a form detailing your project to the moderator for approval. We will help you with this, and organise it early to give you the maximum time. Until the title of the project is confirmed you shouldn’t start in earnest, but you should begin thinking about your potential sources. Time management is the key here. Other notes Bear in mind that, as this is a new creation, there are limited exemplar pieces of work. You will be closely supervised and assisted to complete the project through class time and one-to-one meetings. You must attend these meetings and plan your time sensibly. Interim deadlines will be set so that the work is a) ‘staggered’ and b) finished on time. Advice Choose a focus film that you really enjoy or find cinematically interesting. Don’t rely on the Internet for your research- be proactive and look further afield. You are not allowed to choose one of the focus/close study/topic films from the course.
The structure There are 3 parts:1. Annotated catalogue - 500 words approx. - 10 to 15 items selected from total research. Each item MUST be appropriately referenced and have a brief note (5 lines or so) explaining the relevance of the item to the research as well as assessing the importance of that item to the overall research. - The catalogue must conclude with a brief paragraph identifying 35 significant items NOT included in the catalogue with reasons why. 2. A Presentation Script - 1000 to 1500 words approx. - This is NOT an essay, but a presentation of findings in the form of notes for a presentation. It might include bullet points, subheadings, reference to clips that could be used etc. The exact format is up to you! You must make explicit references to key research item from the catalogue. Although short, credited quotations are OK, they are excluded from the word count. Your script should rely on your own words and observations. 3. An Evaluation - An approx. 500 word evaluation of the whole project. - This could include a brief consideration of the relative success of the research project, a brief discussion of the research methodology (approaches) used, the pros and cons of different forms/sources of research, identification of research/problemsolving skills developed (problems highlighted with solutions or potential solutions outlined), how you selected material for your script or brief reflections on your findings. Tips for success - Attend the classes that deal with how to organise your research. - Be willing to devote time to quality research- you will be marked according to the range of material you provide. - Reference your sources correctly. The marks for this are effectively asking to be got- if you don’t reference correctly you won’t gain the marks: simple as that! - DO NOT LEAVE THE PROJECT TO THE LAST MINUTE!