Documentaries - your responses

Greetings!
Just in case you were wondering, I'm out this week because my mother passed away over the weekend. I appreciate your patience and understanding.

I hope you enjoyed the two movies you watched this week. I'd like to know your responses. Please type your answers to these questions - one set for each film - Murderball and American Movie - and submit your work to turnitin by the end of the period.

1. What was the main point of this documentary?
2. What viewpoint(s) did the film represent? Were they all equal, or was one the main / dominant perspective?
3. What did the film attempt to teach you? How did it teach it to you?
4. What questions did the film answer for you? What did it leave unanswered?
5. What did you think of it? What did you like / not like? Why?

Documentaires

Today we'll transition from our look at TV sitcoms to the start of our unit on documentaries.

• Here is a link to a handout describing different types of documentaries.

Sitcom essay

Happy Monday!

Today we'll watch an episode of The Office together to complete our shared viewing during the sitcom unit.

Then, it is your turn. Here is a link to the assignment we'll work on this week.

Happy watching!

Sitcoms!

As we come back from spring break we'll take a short look at sitcoms - situation comedies - weekly television programs with recurring characters and concepts. We'll start with some classic examples including the "Job Switching" episode of I Love Lucy. Here are some guiding questions we'll use to help us explore these television shows:

• Sitcom analysis

YouTube - Sharing

Greetings!
We'll start out today with this look at the history of YouTube.
Then, we'll turn to some of the YouTube channels you selected in your work from last week:

• JennXPenn
• Doug DeMuro
• Sierra & Alex
• RiceGum
• TheKingNappy
• First We Feast
• ESPN
• Dude Perfect
• Vlog Brothers

YouTube Time - Part 2

Greetings! Unfortunately, I still need to be out of town through today.

Your work today continues what you did last time by looking at different YouTube channels.

1. If you need to still complete and submit the work from last time, please do that.
2. Today you will push beyond the two channels you watched last time and select two more channels - do your best to choose channels as different as you can from your first two choices.
1. You can choose from the list of presenters from the annual VidCon conference
2. You can choose from the list of the most popular YouTube stars in the world right now
3. Complete these questions in a new Google doc, to be submitted to turnitin.com by the end of the period - note that this is a second assignment - this one is #2

• A link to the channel's home page
• Describe the content on this channel - which of these categories would you use to describe it? Why?
• Are there certain themes/ shots/ideas present in each video on the channel? Do certain characters reappear? Do the different videos link together like a television show, or is each one independent? (answer these questions in a short paragraph)
• Briefly describe the two videos you saw. Include links to them in your commentary.
• Who do you think is the main audience for this channel? Why?

YouTube Time!

Greetings! Unfortunately, I will not be with you again today because of a family emergency.
Since I want to be there for the other TV comedies, we are going to shift gears and I'm going to have you start a new unit today, focusing on YouTube!

Here's the plan:

1. Today you will start the process of analyzing YouTube channels by choosing two different YouTube channels to explore. 
2. If you have a favorite YouTube channel to start with, go for it. If not, then you should use the list of presenters from the annual VidCon conference
3. You will need to watch at least two videos from two different channels.
4. Complete these questions in a new Google doc, to be submitted to turnitin.com by the end of the period
1. A link to the channel's home page
2. Describe the content on this channel - which of these categories would you use to describe it? Why?
3. Are there certain themes/ shots/ideas present in each video on the channel? Do certain characters reappear? Do the different videos link together like a television show, or is each one independent? (answer these questions in a short paragraph)
4. Briefly describe the two videos you saw. Include links to them in your commentary.
5. Who do you think is the main audience for this channel? Why?

Comedy!

Over the past few weeks we've been watching a range of comedies together:

• Buster Keaton's Sherlock, Jr.
• Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times
• Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot

We'll also choose another comedy to watch together, as well as this compilation of classic comedy moments:

Then, it is your turn! Here is a link to your assignment about comedy films.

Hitchcock essay and resources

Here is a link to your assignment to finish our unit on the films of Alfred Hitchcock.

Here is a link to the set of editing terms we have been using in class.

Here is a link to an essay you might find helpful - it is about how to write film analysis (like you will be doing in this essay).

Hitchcock

In class we'll watch two films by Alfred Hitchcock: North by Northwest and Psycho.

You'll write brief responses to both films.

• North by Northwest response assignment
• Psycho response assignment

Then, you'll have the chance to apply what you learned to a third Hitchcock film - one you choose.
Here is a link to your assignment.

Casablanca

It is time for our first film! Over the next two days, we will be watching Casablanca. Here is a link to a study guide we'll use to guide our work when we talk about the film:

• Casablanca study guide

Welcome to Media Studies!

Welcome to Media Studies! I am very excited for this class and to get to know each of you. To help that happen, while I am out for part of class today, please take the time to complete this survey:

• DHS Media Studies survey