Background Research for Project #2:
Learning about the Kind of Art You’ll Reviewand the Specific Work You’ve Chosen

Instructions

  • Divide up the segments and questions below between your group members. Aim for a balance of labor.
  • You don’t necessarily have to answer every question, but try to answer a good number.
  • Each group member should be sure to keep track of source information, and to correlate source info and notes.
  • Each group member should find a minimum of 2 good and distinct types of sources.
  • Each group member should produce about one page of typed, double-spaced material, give or take. Include a header.

FILMS

SCRIPT AND STORY

What is a film script and how does it get made?

What is the role of a scriptwriter? How much control does a scriptwriter ultimately have? Do films have one scriptwriter, or many?

Who wrote the script of the film you’ve chosen? Has that person written any other scripts?

Has the film received any awards for script?

PRODUCTION

  • What exactly does a producer do? Why is the producer important?
  • How much do small, “indie” films generally cost to produce, and how much do the largest “Hollywood” blockbusters run? Can you find out what the budget was on the film you will be examining?
  • Who produced the film you’ve chosen?
  • When was your film created and released?
  • Has the film received any awards for its production?

DIRECTION

Directors are a critical element of any film—what precisely do they do, and why are they so important?

Who are some major film directors, past and present?

Who directed the film you’ve chosen?

Is that person known for work on any other films? If so, what are they, and is the director known for any particular style or approach?

Has the film received any awards for its direction?

SET AND SPECIAL EFFECTS

What exactly constitutes a “set”?

Who is responsible for a film’s set?

How are sets designed?

•What exactly are “special effects” and what is their history in film?

•Who are some well-known special effects artists and what films are they known for?

•Who created the effects in the film you’ve chosen to examine?

•How were the effects created in that film? What special effects is it featuring?

ACTING

•What are the some common styles or schools of acting, both old and new? Who developed them?

•Where and how do actors learn to act?

•How is acting usually judged? When is acting “good” or “bad”? What criteria are used to judge acting?

•Who are the actors in your film of choice, and what characters do they play?

AUDIENCE, GENRE, & DEMOGRAPHICS

  • What exactly is “film genre”? What are the different types?
  • What film genre is the film you’ve chosen to examine?
  • Who is the targeted audience for this film?
  • How well attended has the film been so far?

MUSIC CDS

PRODUCTION AND CONTENT

  • How exactly is an album produced? What does the producer(s) do?
  • Who produced the album you’ve chosen to investigate?
  • Is that producer known for other works? Is it an “indie” production company or a large commercial one?

•How well has the CD sold or how well is it currently selling?

•Who decides what songs will or won’t appear on an album?

•Who decides what order the songs will appear in?

AUDIENCE, GENRE & DEMOGRAPHICS

•What are some different genres of music currently being made?

•What is the genre of the album you’ve chosen?

•What audience does the CD you’ve chosen seem to be aiming for?

ARTISTS

•What songs appear on the album you’ve chosen, and who wrote them?

•Who wrote the lyrics?

•Who performs the music and what instruments do they play?

•How many albums has your chosen artist put out?

•How well known is the artist you’ve chosen? How long have they been performing and what are they known for?

PACKAGING AND AESTHETICS

•What is “album art” and what is its history?

•How would you describe the art on the album you’ve chosen? Does it seem to be an important component of the work?

•Does the CD include bonus material, written lyrics, or other special features?

Live Concerts & Musical Performances

PRODUCTION

•Who produces a concert, and what do they do?

•Who will produce the performance you have in mind?

•What are the “production values” of any musical performance?

•How well is the event currently selling?

STAGE SET AND DESIGN

PERFORMANCE

•What different genres of music are typically performed live these days?

•What genre of music will be played at the concert you’ll attend?

•How long will concert last?

ARTISTS

•Who is performing and what instruments do they play?

•How long has the artist been touring?

AUDIENCE, VENUE, & DEMOGRAPHICS

•Where will the concert take place?

•What kinds of events generally take place at that venue? How large is it, where is it located, and what is it known for?

•What audience does the event seem to be aiming for?

Plays, Gallery Exhibits, Comedy Performance, Etc.

See instructor.

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