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Dear Educator:

Curriculum specialists Young Minds Inspired, incooperation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts

and Sciences, is proud to present this newest addition toour series of study guides that focus on different branches of theAcademy. In this guide, students will learn about media literacy.The kit has been designed for students in high school English,language arts, visual arts, and communications classes.As former teachers, we know that these critical thinking activitiescapitalize on students’ natural interest in current films and theexcitement generated by the upcoming Academy Awards® onFebruary 22, 2009.

TheAcademy, organized in 1927, is a professional honoraryorganization composed of more than 6,000 motion picturecraftsmen and women. Its purposes include advancing the artand science of motion pictures; promoting cooperationamong creative leaders for cultural, educational, andtechnological progress; recognizing outstanding achievements;and fostering educational activities between the professionalcommunity and the public. Academy members are the peoplewho create movies—the cream of the industry’s actors,animators, directors, film editors, documentarians, makeupartists, composers, producers, sound- and visual-effects

experts, writers, and other contributors.Please share this material with other educators. Although the

material is copyrighted, you may make as many photocopies asnecessary to meet your needs.

To ensure that you receive future educational materials, pleasefill out and return the enclosed reply card.

Sincerely,

Roberta NusimPublisher and former teacher

Teacher’s Resource Guide

READINGBETWEENthe FRAMES

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former teachers.Visit our website atwww.ymiclassroom.com to send feedback anddownload more free programs. For questions,contact us at 1-800-859-8005 or e-mail us atfeedback@ymiclassroom.com.

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PROGRAM COMPONENTS1.This instructional guide2. Four student activity masters in English and Spanish3.A four-color wall poster for classroom display4.A response card for teacher comments

TARGET AUDIENCEThis program has been designed for students insecondary school English, language arts, visual arts, andcommunications courses.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES1. To enhance student interest in and knowledge aboutthe motion picture development and productionprocess

2. To encourage students to use critical thinking asthey learn how filmmakers work

3. To engage students in an exploration of film as anart form and a medium of communication

4.To help students become more media literate

ABOUT THE ACADEMY ANDITS AWARDSThe first Academy Awards® were handed out on May16, 1929, not long after the advent of “talkies.” By1930, enthusiasm for the ceremony was so great that aLos Angeles radio station did a live, one-hourbroadcast, and the Awards show has enjoyedbroadcast coverage ever since.The number and typesof awards have grown and changed over the years tokeep up with the development of the motion pictureindustry.Awards of Merit—Oscars®—are presented ineach of the following categories and their subdivisions:acting, animated film, art direction, cinematography,costume design, directing, documentary film, filmediting, foreign language film, makeup, music, bestpicture, short film, sound, visual effects, and writing. Inan age when awards shows seem as common asnightly news programs, the Academy Awards® areunique because the judges—the more than 6,000Academy members—are top filmmakers from aroundthe world.The question “Who gets the Oscar®?” isdecided by a true jury of peers. Honoring the top filmachievements of the year provides a wonderfulopportunity to teach your students about the manycraft areas and the many communication techniquesthat play a part in creating a motion picture.TheAcademy Awards® ceremony is only one of manyactivities sponsored by the Academy of Motion PictureArts and Sciences. For more information, visit theAcademy’sWeb site, www.oscars.org.

Filmmaking is by nature a collaborative process,with each creative area supporting and beingsupported by the others.This kit focuses on animportant aspect of the filmmaking environment—media literacy.

SELECTING FILMS FORSTUDENT VIEWINGStudents may select the films they wish to view for thefollowing activities, or you may wish to suggest filmsthat are appropriate.

The following feature films have been nominatedfor or have won an Academy Award® for Best Picture,are available on DVD, and may be appropriate for yourstudents (• indicates winners):

Kings Row (1942), The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), GreatExpectations (1947), Johnny Belinda (1948), BornYesterday(1950), The Quiet Man (1952), Roman Holiday (1953),The Caine Mutiny (1954), •On theWaterfront (1954),Friendly Persuasion (1956), The Defiant Ones (1958),•West Side Story (1961), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962),GuessWho’s Coming to Dinner (1967), •In the Heat ofthe Night (1967),M*A*S*H (1970), Sounder (1972),American Graffiti (1973), Chinatown (1974), Jaws (1975),Coming Home (1978), Breaking Away (1979), Coal Miner’sDaughter (1980), Elephant Man (1980), •Ordinary People(1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Tootsie (1982),Witness (1985), Broadcast News (1987),Hope and Glory(1987),Mississippi Burning (1988), Born on the Fourth ofJuly (1989), Dead Poets Society (1989),My Left Foot(1989), •Schindler’s List (1993), Quiz Show (1994), Babe(1995), Sense and Sensibility (1995), GoodWill Hunting(1997), •Titanic (1997), Life Is Beautiful (1998), CrouchingTiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Erin Brockovich (2000), •ABeautiful Mind (2001),Master and Commander:The FarSide of theWorld (2003),Mystic River (2003), •MillionDollar Baby (2004), Brokeback Mountain (2005), •Crash(2005), Babel (2006), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), andJuno (2007).

Some other films referred to in this kit:Madame Curie (1943), So ProudlyWe Hail! (1943),

The Enchanted Cottage (1945), Rebel without a Cause(1955), 2001:A Space Odyssey (1968),Harold andMaude (1971), The Shining (1980), Boyz N the Hood(1991), The Nutty Professor (1996), The Matrix (1999),The Fast and the Furious (2001), Legally Blonde (2001),Save the Last Dance (2001).

ACTIVITY ONE

MEDIA SURVEYMedia—including movies, television, the Internet,

radio, billboards, music, newspapers, andmagazines—educate us, entertain us, and help us formour opinions. They influence our culture by reinforcingaccepted values and beliefs. This kit looks at some ofthe ways media create and disseminate their messages.

Even today, when virtual reality and computersimulations are taken for granted, it is oftendifficult to believe that what we read, see, orhear is not reality, but is someone’s point ofview that has been carefully assembled, edited,and constructed.

For example, advertisements can use dramaticmusic or a solemn-sounding narrator to lend animportant or serious tone to their words andimages. Similarly, a magazine cover featuringbrightly colored text in a soft or fanciful typefacesuggests entertaining or lighthearted contents.Headlines, cover art, celebrity photos, pop-upads, movie trailers, flashy graphics, rousing music,and catchy slogans and phrases grab attentionand entice consumers.

The media introduce us to unfamiliar places,people, and time periods. Very few people havebeen to outer space, for example, but moviessuch as 2001:A Space Odyssey (1968) ortelevision programs such as the “Star Trek”series help us imagine what it might be like. Thescreenwriters of these works may study currentscientific research or interview astronauts, butwe understand that they will also have to inventmany details.

Even a movie about real people and eventsdoes not stick strictly to the facts. Actualincidents may be combined or changed for dramaticeffect or to suit other needs of the story. Scenes thatnever took place may be added to better convey themovie’s theme.

The 2000 film Erin Brockovich is based on the truestory of a working-class woman who successfullyhelped the residents of a small town sue a giantcorporation. Although the film is largely faithful to thefacts, the real case and the real Erin Brockovich aremore controversial and complex than they areportrayed in the film.

Stories told in movies, on television, and in print letus explore who we are and help us imagine who wewould like to be. They may shed new light on particulargroups, individuals, and events, or they may reinforcefalse perceptions and negative attitudes. For example, ifactors from one ethnic group portray only poor, lazycharacters on screen, the public may form a superficialand distorted image of that ethnic group. Similarly, anactor who continually performs heroic roles in filmsmay be expected to behave the same way in real life.

An actor’s perceived personal qualities may alsoaffect the way viewers react to his or her screen role.

In Philadelphia (1993), likeable actor Tom Hanks won anAcademy Award for his portrayal of a gay mansuffering from AIDS. At a time when the escalatingAIDS epidemic met with public fear and hostility,Hanks’s participation probably made the story moreacceptable to mainstream audiences and allowed themto connect with the movie’s message.

Take a survey of your students. Ask them whatmedia they use during the week, including newspapers,books, magazines,Web sites, billboards, movies,television, radio, and video games. Have them namespecific examples, and ask them why they use eachone, whether for entertainment, information, gossip,connecting with friends, or other purposes. Ask themto log the time they spend during one week watchingtelevision, using the Internet, reading a newspaper,watching movies, etc. Discuss what they learned fromeach source and ask whether they trust theinformation. Have them explain why or why not.

EXTENDED ACTIVITYHave your students pick a topic such as thepresidential election, 9/11, or another event inAmerican history and compare the treatment ofthat topic in various media such as television,movies, magazines, Internet blogs, andadvertisements. Ask them to discuss the waysthat the same information can be representeddifferently to emphasize a specific message.

2001:A SPACE ODYSSEY was released in 1968, before a mannedspacecraft had landed on the moon; today, the film still has a"futuristic" sensibility and reflects uncanny instincts about what spacetravel would be like. Key choices of the director, production designer,and costumer designer, including the choice to use classical music onthe soundtrack, give the film a timeless quality. Contemporary visualeffects artists who have powerful CGI tools at their disposal stilladmire the mechanically produced effects in this ground–breaking film.

ACTIVITYTWO

READING a FILMOn one level, movies tell stories by portraying a

sequence of events. Look a bit deeper, though, andit becomes apparent that casting, dialogue, productiondesign, costumes, makeup, cinematography, editing,visual effects, sound, and music contribute much of thefilm’s meaning and emotional impact.

Movies are a predominantly visual medium. Thatmeans viewers acquire a large amount of informationfrom the way each shot, scene, and sequence looks.Sets, props, costumes, lighting, camera angles, andother visual elements provide crucial details about thecharacters and about the film’s physicaland temporal setting.

Costumes, makeup, and hairstylesconvey information about characters’social status, personalities, and lifestyle.In Erin Brockovich, Erin, played by Oscarwinner Julia Roberts, confronts a groupof lawyers from a large legal firm.Thelawyers, dressed in similar, dark-coloredbusiness suits, appear as a united andalmost undifferentiated group. Erin’slong, wild hair and flamboyant clothing,by contrast, set her apart from thecorporate attorneys and emphasize theDavid vs. Goliath nature of her battle.

Color, line, shape, and compositionwithin the picture frame suggest ideasand emotions. A cinematographer cansubtly indicate a character’s isolation orfeelings of confinement by filming himthrough a window pane. In the filmChinatown (1974), production designerRichard Sylbert used white buildingsfor many of his locations to evoke the heat anddryness of Southern California’s climate. Similarly, themonochromatic palette of The Matrix (1999)establishes a claustrophobic, oppressive atmosphere.

Camera angles reveal characters’ relationships toeach other and their relative importance to the story.A character shot from below appears powerful andimposing, while one shot from above seems small orvulnerable. A closeup shot is intimate and revealing,and a wider shot places characters in a specificcontext. Off-center or skewed angles in movies likeSpellbound (1945) can suggest mental disturbance. In acrowded scene, lighting and color direct the viewer’sgaze where the director wants it. Filming a historicalpicture such as Schindler’s List (1993) in black andwhite can make the subject seem more realistic than ifit had been shot in lush color.

The camera may show a scene from the maincharacter’s point of view, as if the viewer werewatching events through the character’s eyes. A shiftin the camera’s point of view redirects the viewer’sattention or suggests a new emotion. In the 1980 filmThe Shining, Danny (Danny Lloyd) tries to escape fromhis demented father, played by Jack Nicholson, through

a snowy maze.The camera shows the fleeing boy frombehind; his chasing father is shot from the front.Because the two of them are never shown in the sameframe, the viewer doesn’t know how close the pursueris to his prey, an effect which heightens the suspense.

Films are almost always shot out of sequence andlater edited together to tell a logical story. The shotsthe editor chooses, and the ways they are combined,set the mood, develop the action, create a rhythm,establish the film’s time and space, and guide theviewer’s attention.

In action films such as The Fast and the Furious (2001),the filmmakers use editing along with visual effects, stunts,sound, and music to create excitement and suspensethroughout the picture. In one scene, an undercoverpoliceman (PaulWalker) and a street-racer (Vin Diesel)race against an oncoming train.The editing sets abreathless pace, cutting quickly between the racers, theirsouped-up gear, flashing warning lights, and the train.Thescene lasts longer on screen than the few seconds itwould take in real life. The editing manipulates time andkeeps viewers on the edge of their seats.

Dialogue, sound effects, and music enhance andground a film’s visuals. Dialogue helps identifycharacters and locations, develop plot points, revealcharacters’ personalities and motivations, createatmosphere, and support the film’s theme or message.

In Erin Brockovich, for example, Erin uses direct, fierylanguage. Her passionate words are meant to swayviewers to her (and the filmmaker’s) side. By contrast,the dialogue of the opposing lawyers makes it clearthat they, and the company they represent, are thevillains of the story.

Sound effects add realism, suspense, and evenhumor to scenes. Sometimes soundtracks include

THE FAST ANDTHE FURIOUS maximized its thrilling racing sequences byusing ramps to unexpectedly flip cars which would otherwise have crashedhead-on, and it enhanced its soundtrack with engines that were much moredramatic than the sounds of the actual cars on screen.

recordings of the actual sounds of the objects on thescreen. Other times, the sounds may be louder orsofter than in real life or may be unrelated sounds thatare more effective than the real thing. Sound editorsand mixers may contrast sound and image or soundand silence to generate suspense or create a mood.

Using rhythm, tempo, melody, dissonance, andinstrumentation, a film’s music conveys mood,emotion, and character in ways that dialogue andimagery alone cannot. Dario Marianelli’s AcademyAward-winning score for the 2007 film Atonementincorporated the sound of typewriter keys to signifythe obsessiveness of the main character. A poundingbeat can generate excitement. Sharp, dissonant notescan be scary or disorienting. Music can also add tothe emotional impact of a scene by playing againstthe onscreen images or being noticeably absent.

Show a scene from one of the movies mentionedabove or from a film of your choice. Discuss the valuesand opinions expressed in the movie with yourstudents. Have them consider casting, characters, pointof view, dialogue, costumes, setting, visual effects,cinematography, editing, sound, and music. Ask yourstudents how each craft contributed to the film’sstory, tone, emotions, characters, and positive ornegative impressions.

EXTENDED ACTIVITYTake one element, such as music, and have yourstudents discuss it in greater detail. For example,you might ask the students what kind ofinstruments the composer uses and why.Whendoes music play in the scene?When is it absent?How is the music different in different scenes?What does the score add to the film? Forproduction design, you might ask the studentshow the look of the film creates mood andemotion. Are certain colors associated withcertain characters or emotional states?Whatkind of objects can be found in each scene? Howdo they relate to the character, the time period,the genre, and the story? See pastYMITeacher’sGuides (www.oscars.org/teachersguide) foradditional ideas.

ACTIVITYTHREE

SUBJECTIVE orOBJECTIVE?

Part A. BIAS

Every viewer sees a film through the lens of his orher prior experience, knowledge, beliefs, and value

system. In other words, all viewers have a bias. Ateenage viewer from a small rural village is likely torespond differently to a movie than an older viewerwho lives in an urban area. Each ethnic groupinterprets stories from a distinct perspective. Certain

films may appeal more to religious viewers, whileothers attract young people on dates.Yet most viewersenjoy and understand a variety of films, including silentfilms, documentaries, and foreign language films that donot exactly reflect their own experiences.

The movies Rebel without a Cause (1955), Boyz N theHood (1991) and Save the Last Dance (2001) are allstories about high school students. Rebel without aCause and Boyz N the Hood both are set in LosAngeles, but the time period, social class, and racialmakeup of the characters depicted are worlds apart.Save the Last Dance and Boyz N the Hood both takeplace in urban, predominently black neighborhoods,but each has a different tone and a different message.

Contemporary teenagers might think that an oldermovie like Rebel without a Cause is not relevant to theirlives, but the young characters in this film have thekinds of conflicts with their parents and peers thatmost young people will recognize.

Because they are the creation of a specific group ofindividuals, the media also have biases.This does notmean their messages must be discounted, only thatconsumers need to be aware of these biases in orderto arrive at a deeper and clearer understanding ofthese messages.

As the media cover current issues, trends, andevents, they influence viewers’ attitudes toward thesesubjects. Movies, like other media, promote values andideologies.While audiences expect serious films tocontain some sort of message, even entertainingcomedies like Little Miss Sunshine (2006) or Juno (2007)reflect cultural values.

DuringWorldWar II, women, by necessity,replaced men in the workplace. Movies from thatperiod such as So ProudlyWe Hail! and Madame Curie(both 1943) depicted working women in positiveways. However, when American businesses needed toaccommodate returning soldiers, movies began toemphasize the role of women at home.These imagesof women both echoed and reinforced what washappening in the larger society.

The Enchanted Cottage (1945), a love story betweena man disfigured in the war and a homely woman,referred to another problem faced by some returningveterans. By emphasizing the characters’ interiorbeauty, the movie attempted to change public attitudestoward former servicemen with war injuries.

Have your students list several movies that they likeand explain what they like about them.Then havethem do the same for movies that they do not like.Ask them to discuss what kinds of biases, bothfavorable and unfavorable, these lists reveal.Then askthem if they can identify similar biases in the mediathat they use regularly. For example, do the mediafocus on the same subjects? Do they ignore othersubjects? Do they have a particular political orreligious approach?

EXTENDED ACTIVITYHave your students choose a person whosereal-life story has been turned into a featurefilm. Ask them to compare the way the storyis presented in the feature film to the wayit’s presented in other media such asdocumentaries, news articles, or biographies.What are the differences in point of view? Thedetails included or omitted?

Part B. STEREOTYPES AND GENRES

Astereotype is a simplified representation of agroup of people who have specific qualities in

common. Although the word often has negativeconnotations, stereotypes can provide a usefulshorthand for filmmakers. Familiar character typeshelp films from a different era or stories set in

different social or cultural environments appeal to awide audience. Fast Times at Ridgemont High wasreleased in 1982, but today’s teenagers canimmediately recognize the character types.

Stereotypes have other functions as well. In LegallyBlonde (2001), the stereotype of the “dumb blonde” isused for comic effect when Elle, played by Oscar-winning actress ReeseWitherspoon, turns out to havean excellent legal mind. Another stereotype holds thatolder people are conservative and concerned with theend of life, while teenagers are wild and experimental.The 1971 comedy Harold and Maude reverses thesestereotypes. Maude (Ruth Gordon), a woman about toturn 80, is lively, impulsive, and life-embracing. Her 20-year-old friend Harold (Bud Cort), on the other hand,is focused on death.

Another example of the humorous use of stereotypescan be found in The Nutty Professor (1996). In this case,overweight people are portrayed in stereotypical ways,and their behavior is meant to be funny. However, thefilm ultimately advocates tolerance and acceptance.

Stereotypes can have negative effects whenmembers of certain ethnic groups are continually orexclusively depicted in the same way. The Siege (1998)tries to show the danger of judging people by theirethnicity. Made before the terrorist attacks onSeptember 11, 2001, the film imagines a massinternment of Arabs living in the U.S., similar to theinternment of West Coast Japanese-Americans duringWorldWar II. Although the filmmakers raiseconstitutional rights issues, some reviewers criticizedthe film for its derogatory portrayal of many of theArab characters.

Stereotypes apply to people; genres apply to thefilms themselves. Genres are used to categorize films

Documentaries and fiction films both use similar approachesto storytelling, yet because each film has a distinct point ofview, each is often perceived very differently when it comes to"truth." Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan,wereprofiled in the documentary HELEN KELLER IN HER STORY

(1955) (above left). Anne Bancroft playedAnnie Sullivan, andPatty Duke was Helen Keller inTHE MIRACLEWORKER(1962) (above right). HELEN KELLER IN HER STORY wonan Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, andAnne Bancroftand Patty Duke each received Oscars for their performances.

that use a common set of conventions or that revolvearound similar issues or circumstances. Some typicalgenres are war, horror, romance,Western, crime,action, comedy, disaster, adventure, mystery, sports,and fantasy.

Have your students identify as many stereotypes(ethnic, gender, age, etc.) as they can. Ask them if theyhave seen these stereotypes in movies, on television,on theWeb, in books, magazines, or comic books, orin other media. Have them discuss why thosestereotypes were used in each situation. Do thestereotypes have a positive effect, a negative effect, orboth? Have your students discuss whether there isany truth to the stereotypes they have identified.

Then have your students list as many film genres asthey can. Have students discuss the way genre andstereotype are related. For example, doWesternshave specific stereotypes? Do sports films?

EXTENDED ACTIVITYShow your students a movie that uses anegative stereotype. Some suggestions are TheOxbow Incident, In the Heat of the Night, MysticRiver, Crash, My Left Foot, The Siege, and Juno. Askthem if films have an obligation to present allgroups in a positive manner. Discuss the ways amovie can stimulate dialogue and reflect realitywithout belittling a type of individual or anentire group. Or have them research anddiscuss the life of someone in film, politics, oranother walk of life who has overcomestereotypes in his or her career.

ACTIVITY FOUR

YOUR TURNMovie content is affected by its writers, directors,

producers, and distributors, among others.Writers are often advised to “write what they know,”and may easily overlook stories of people fromdissimilar cultural or ethnic backgrounds. If producersdo not think that a given movie idea is commercial(a decision often based on the way similar films haveperformed in the past), they may be less willing towork on it, and distributors may be less interested indistributing it.

Although certain filmmakers and members of themedia make efforts to search out stories andcharacters from outside their experience, someviewers may approach these stories and characterswith suspicion.They may feel that a movie portrayingteenage Latina girls, for example, is less truthful orless real when it is created by older white men thanwhen the filmmakers are closer in age and experienceto their subject matter.

Have your students consider the values and tastesof their age and ethnic group. Ask them to identify

movies or television programs that embody thesevalues. Ask them to name movies that try topersuade the viewer to think in a certain way. Thenhave them list movies that were made mainly toentertain. Ask your students to suggest a story theyhave not seen in the movies or characters they feelhave been ignored. Have them identify anystereotypes they might use in their story. Ask themwhich genre would best suit their ideas and why.

Divide the students into pairs or small groups andask each to research and develop one of their storyconcepts and write an outline or a treatment for amovie. Ask them to discuss their story’s message andto identify their movie’s intended audience.

Using their own drawings or copies of images frombooks, magazines, or theWeb, ask them to puttogether a storyboard illustrating their story. Havethem consider the ways that color, line, shape, andcomposition convey the mood and emotions of theirstory. What other techniques can they use toreinforce the story’s message?

Have each group present its storyboard and anyother supporting materials to the other students. Askthe students to critique each presentation using thecriteria in the previous activities. Have them considerhow the story could focus on another message bybeing presented differently. Ask them how the storywould change if it were developed in a different genreor were aimed at a different audience.

EXTENDED ACTIVITYHave your students write a short script for oneor more of the stories they have developed. Ifyou have access to a video camera, film thescript and ask your students to discuss theresult, covering some of the above topics.

Type of media Hours per day Days per week

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For what purposes do you use the media?________________

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Which media do you trust? ________________________________________

Why?______________________________________________

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Which media do you enjoy? __________________________

Why?__________________________________________

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Pick one story you read or heard about from a media sourcethat you use. How did you find out about it? ____________________

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Who created this story?____________________________

What techniques, such as music, pictures, or comments fromothers, did this source use? ________________________________________

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Imagine the story if it had been presented using completelydifferent techniques. Would you feel the same about theinformation?Why or why not? ______________________

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Activity1

Reproducible Master

Modern Americans encounter many different kinds ofmedia each day. The media influence the way we see

the world, but their descriptions may not show things theway they really are. For example, each media source—television, the Internet, newspapers, billboards—has aspecific purpose or several purposes. Movies provideentertainment, but they can also have political or socialmessages. Each source has a point of view and uses avariety of techniques to persuade an audience that its pointof view is the best or only one. Advertisements may usehumor, popular music, or sentimental stories to convinceviewers to purchase their product.

On the back of this sheet, keep a media log for oneweek, listing all the different types of media you use andhow much time you spend with each one. Do you useYouTube, Facebook, Google? Read newspapers ormagazines? See billboards or other advertising? Do youwatch TV, listen to music, surf theWeb, play video games?How many hours a day do you do each of these things?How many days a week? Record the type of media andhow much time you spend on each one for each day of theweek. Then use the chart below to summarize your habits.

© 2009 AMPAS

Though NETWORK (1976) was produced in an era when television wasdominated by three major networks, and the dissemination of news hasundergone tremendous changes in the three decades since, the basic conflictof packaging news as entertainment for the sake of ratings is still acontemporary issue.

MEDIA SURVEY

Summary

© 2009 AMPAS

Aunque NETWORK (1976) fue producido en una era cuando latelevisión estuvo dominada por tres redes mayores, y ladiseminación de las noticias ha pasado por cambios tremendos enlas tres décadas desde entonces, el conflicto básico de empaquetarlas noticias como una forma de entretenimiento para el índice deaudiencia sigue siendo una cuestión contemporánea.

Actividad

1Reproducible Master

ENCUESTA de los MEDIOSPUBLICATORIOS

Tipo de medio publicatorio Horas al día Días a la semana

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¿Para cuáles objetivos usas los medios publicatorios?

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¿En cuáles medios confiás? __________________________

¿Por qué? ________________________________________

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¿De cuáles medios disfrutas?__________________________

¿Por qué? ________________________________________

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Escoge un cuento que leíste o oíste de un medio publicatorio

que usas. ¿Cómo aprendiste sobre el? __________________

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¿Quién creo este cuento? ____________________________

¿Cuáles técnicas, por ejemplo, música, fotografiás, o comentariosde otras personas, fueros usadas por esta fuente de información?______________________________________________

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Imaginate el cuento si hubiera sido presentado usando técnicascompletamente diferentes. ¿Te sentirías de la misma manerasobre la información? ¿Por qué? ______________________

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Los americanos modernos son enfrentados con una granvariedad de medios publicatorios cada día. Estos medios

influyen la manera en que vemos a el mundo, pero el mundopresentado por los medios no siempre refleja la realidad. Porejemplo, cada medio publicatorio—la televisión, el Internet, losperiódicos, o las carteleras—tiene un propósito especifico, ovarios propósitos. Las películas proveen entretenimiento, perotambién pueden tener mensajes políticos o sociales. Cada fuentetiene su propio punto de vista y usa una variedad de técnicas parapersuadir a el publico que su punto de vista es el mejor o elúnico. Los anuncios pueden usar humor, música popular, o cuentossentimentales para convencer a los espectadores que debencomprar su producto.

Al revés de esta hoja, mantén un registro de mediospublicatorios por una semana, alistando todos los mediosdiferentes que usas. Anota cuánto tiempo pasaste con cada uno.¿Usas YouTube, Facebook, Google? ¿Lees periódicos o revistas?¿Ves carteleras o otro tipos de anuncios? ¿Ves televisión, oyesmúsica, navegas por la web, o juegas con juegos electrónicos?¿Cuántas horas al día pasas haciendo estas cosas? ¿Cuántos días ala semana? Apunta el tipo de medio publicatorio, y cuanto tiempopasaste con cada uno por cada día de la semana. Usa el cuadroabajo para resumir tus hábitos.

Resumen

Describe what happened in the scene you just watched:

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How does the scene make you feel? ______________________________

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What techniques did the filmmakers use to make you feel that way?

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How did the pacing of the scene (fast or slow) or the movementof the camera (dynamic or static) affect your reactions?

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List all the visual qualities such as framing, camera angles, colors,setting, costumes, décor, lighting:

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What was the mood of the scene?______________________

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How did the colors used in the scene contribute to the mood?

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What did the costumes tell you about the characters?

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How did the music contribute to the mood?______________

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What did the music tell you about the characters?

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What did you learn about the characters from the dialogue?

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What were the values and opinions expressed in this scene?

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Activity2

Reproducible Master

© 2009 AMPAS

READING a FILMMovies are not reality, but filmmakers use all their skills to

convince the audience that what’s on screen is genuine. Inabout two hours of screen time, filmmakers can convey storiesthat take place over several days, weeks, or years. Dialogue,costumes, makeup, and hairstyles help actors create believablecharacters. Music lets the audience know how those characters

feel. Camera angles call attention to the important relationshipsor situations in a scene.

When watching the scene your teacher has chosen, takenotes to help you remember plot events, emotions, characterdetails, and information about the movie’s setting and timeperiod.

Documentaries and fiction films both use similar approaches tostorytelling, yet because each film has a distinct point of view, each isoften perceived very differently when it comes to “truth.”Muhammad Ali appears in the documentary WHEN WE WEREKINGS (1996) (above left) and Will Smith portrayed him in

ALI (2001) (left center). Anne Frank’s story is told in thedocumentary ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED (1995) (right center),and she is portrayed by Millie Perkins inTHE DIARY OF ANNEFRANK (1959) (right).

Actividad

2Reproducible Master

© 2009 AMPAS

Describe lo que ocurrió en la escena que acabas de ver:

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¿Cómo te hace sentir la escena? ________________________

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¿Cuáles técnicas usaron los cineastas para hacerte sentir de estamanera? ________________________________________

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¿Cómo fueron afectadas tu reacciones por el paso de la escena(rápido o lento), o el movimiento de la cámara (dinámico oestático)? ________________________________________

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Alista todas las cualidades visuales como el marco, los ángulosde la cámara, los colores, el vestuario, el escenario, el decorado,y el alumbramiento:

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¿Cuál fue el estado de animo de la escena? ______________

¿Cómo contribuyo el gama de colores al estado de animo de laescena? ________________________________________

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¿Qué información proveyó el vestuario sobre los personajes?

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¿Cómo contribuyo la música al estado de animo?

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¿Qué información proveyó la música sobre los personajes?

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¿Qué aprendiste sobre los personajes de el dialogo?

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¿Cuáles valores y opiniones fueron expresados en esta escena?

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LEYENDO unaPELÍCULA

Los documentales y las películas de ficción usan métodos similarespara contar un cuento, pero porque cada película tiene un punto devista distinto, son percibidas muy diferentemente cuando tiene quever con la “verdad.” Muhammad Ali parece en el documental WHENWE WERE KINGS (1996) (arriba izquierda) y Will Smith lo

represento en ALI (2001) (izquierda centro). La historia de AnneFrank fue relatada en el documental ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED(1995) (derecha centro), y ella fue representada por Millie Perkins enTHE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (1959) (derecha).

Las películas no son la realidad, pero los cineastas usan susmañas para convencer a la audiencia que lo que ven en la

pantalla es genuino. En al rededor de dos horas, los cineastaspueden relatar cuentos sobre la pantalla que pasan durante días,semanas, o años. El dialogo, el vestuario, el maquillaje, y lospeinados ayudan a los actores para que puedan crear personajes

creíbles. La música informa a la audiencia sobre cómo se sientenlos personajes. Los ángulos de la cámara llaman atención a lasrelaciones importantes, o situaciones en la escena.

Mientras ves la escena escogida por tu maestro/a, toma notasque te ayudaran recordar acontecimientos de la trama,emociones, detalles sobre los personajes, el escenario, y la época.

SUBJECTIVE orOBJECTIVE?Activity

3Reproducible Master

PART A. BIAS

Filmmakers want the audience torespond to their movies, whether

with laughter, sorrow, anger,excitement, or fright. Generally, moviestry to appeal to as many people aspossible, but every viewer responds ina different way for different reasons.You and your parents might both likethe same movie, but while you relateto the characters in the story, yourparents might respond more to themovie’s theme. The qualities that makeyou like or dislike a movie reveal yourbiases. Just like you, all media havebiases. Identifying these biases helpsyou evaluate the information you getfrom them. Use the back of this sheetif necessary for your answers.

List some movies that you really likeand some of the things they have incommon:

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Now list some movies that you dislikeand some of the things they have incommon:

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List the qualities that would make you see a movie:

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List the qualities that would make you avoid a movie:

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Pick one medium that you use regularly, such as a magazine,television show, or blog. What biases can you find?

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Are they similar to your biases? If so, how?

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PART B. STEREOTYPESAND GENRES

To stereotype a person or a group isto assume that people who share

certain characteristics are all the same.For example, political stereotypes wouldsuggest that all Republicans are formainstream businesspeople,while allDemocrats are for minorities and thepoor. Some people believe thatstereotypes are based on actual fact.Others believe they are always false. Infilms, stereotypes can be a quick way todefine characters. A high school dramamight include a popular girl, a nerd, ajock, and a student body president ascharacter types people will instantlyrecognize.

List as many stereotypes as you can:

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Is there any truth to the stereotypesyou listed? If yes, how?

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Give an example of one of thestereotypes being used in a movieand why you think it was used.

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Was your reaction to the stereotype positive or negative, andwhy?

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List as many film genres or types as you can:

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Do any of the genres you listed use specific stereotypes?Whatare they, and how are they used?

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______________________________________________________________© 2009 AMPAS

Throughout the history of cinema, racial and ethnicstereotypes have prevented actors in front of thecamera, as well as many of the professionals behindit, from achieving their full potential as artists. Someof the pioneers who blazed the trail for the nextgeneration include Dorothy Dandridge, the firstAfrican-American actress to be nominated for BestActress (for her role in CARMEN JONES, 1954), RitaMoreno, the first Latin-American actress to win aSupporting Actress Oscar (for her role in WESTSIDE STORY, 1961), Sidney Poitier, the first African-American to win a Best Actor Oscar (for his role inLILIES OFTHE FIELD, 1963) and Sessue Hayakawa,the first Japanese actor to be nominated for BestSupporting Actor (for his role in BRIDGE ONTHERIVER KWAI, 1957).

¿SUJETIVO oOBJETIVO?Actividad

3Reproducible Master

© 2009 AMPAS

PARTE A. PREJUICIO

Los cineastas quieren que suaudiencia reaccione a sus películas,

sea con risa, dolor, ira, emoción, osusto. Generalmente, las películas tratande atraer cuanta gente sea posible, perocada espectador reacciona a unapelícula por razones diferentes. Puedeser que a ti y a tus padres les guste lamisma película, pero mientras tu teidentificas con los personajes en elcuento, tus padres responden mas a eltema de la película. Las cualidades quete gustan, o no te gustan en unapelícula revelan tus prejuicios. Igual quetu, todos los medios publicatoriostienen prejuicios. Identificar a estasprejuicios te puede ayudar a evaluar lainformación que obtienes de ellos. Si esnecesario, puedes usar el otro lado deesta hoja para tus respuestas.

Alista algunas películas que te gustanmucho y algunas de las cosas quetienen en común:

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Ahora, alista algunas películas que note gustan y algunas de las cosas quetienen en común:

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Alista cualidades que te harían ver una película:

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Alista cualidades que te harían evitar una película:

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Escoge un medio publicatorio, como una revista, un programade televisión, o un blog que ves regularmente. ¿Cuáles prejuiciospuedes encontrar? ______________________________________________________

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¿Son similares a tus prejuicios? ¿Cómo?

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PARTE B. ESTEREOTIPOS YGENEROS

Cuando uno estereotipa a una persona ogrupo, uno esta presumiendo que

personas con ciertas características en comúnson todos iguales. Por ejemplo, un estereotipopolítico es que a los Republicanos solo lesimporta el negocio y los negociantes, mientrasque los Demócratas se preocupan por lasminoridades y los pobres. Algunas personascreen que los estereotipos son basados endiferencias actuales. Otras personas creenque siempre son falsos. En películas, losestereotipos pueden ser una manera rápidapara crear personajes. Un drama de escuelasecundaria puede incluir una chica popular,un chico estudioso, y un chico deportivo,como personajes que la gente reconoceráninstantáneamente.

Alista cuántos estereotipos tu puedas:

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¿Crees de los estereotipos que alistasescontienen algún nivel de verdad? ¿Cómo?

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Provee un ejemplo de un estereotipousado en una película y por qué crees quefue usado: ________________________

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¿Cómo reaccionaste al estereotipo,positivamente o negativamente? ¿Por qué?

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Alista cuántos géneros cinematográficos o tipos de películaspuedas: ______________________________________________________

¿De los géneros que alistastes, hay algunos que usanestereotipos específicos? ¿Cuáles son, y cómo fueron usados?

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Alista cuántos géneros cinematográficos o tipos de películaspuedas: ____________________________________________________________________

¿Hay géneros, como películas del oeste, que usan estereotiposespecíficos? ¿Cómo? ______________________________________________________________

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Durante la historia del cinema, las estereotiposraciales y étnicos han impedido que ciertos actoresfrente a la cámara, y muchos de los profesionalesdetrás de ella, lleven a cabo su potencial comoartistas. Algunos de los pioneros que abrieron elpaso para la próxima generación fueron DorothyDanridge, la primer actriz afroamericananominada para Mejor actriz (por su papel enCARMEN JONES, 1954), Rita Moreno, las primeractriz latinoamericana que gano el Oscar paraMejor actriz de reparto (por su papel enWESTSIDE STORY, 1961), Sidney Poitier, el primerafroamericano que gano el Oscar para Mejor actor(por su papel en LILIES OFTHE FIELD, 1963), ySessue Hayawaka, el primer actor Japonés que fuenominado para Mejor actor de reparto (por supapel en BRIDGE ONTHE RIVER KWAI,1957).

Activity4

Reproducible Master

YOURTURN

Who knows how many distinguished filmmakers startedas students, dreaming of one day seeing their work on

the big screen?

With your group, choose a main character whose lifeexperience is similar to yours. Describe your character andhis or her background.

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© 2009 AMPAS

Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences screensdozens of films at its Samuel GoldwynTheater in Beverly Hills. Many ofthese screenings are for the more than 6,000 actors, writers, producers,directors, and other professionals who make up the Academy’smembership to help them determine which films are worthy of Oscarnominations that year.

Character’s name Age Description

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Write a paragraph describing the plot of your movie.

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How does the story reflect your experience?

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Have you seen a similar story in a movie or on television?

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What is the genre of your movie?______________________

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Who is the audience for your movie? __________________

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Will the purpose of your movie be to entertain, to educate, orto raise important questions? ________________________

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What is the message of your movie? __________________

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What is the title of your movie? ______________________

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List the names and images of three or four other characters in your movie. Describe one quality or detail that’s important toknow about each.

Actividad

4Reproducible Master

TUTURNO

© 2009 AMPAS

Cada año, la Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficaspresenta docenas de películas en el teatro Samuel Goldwyn en BeverlyHills. Muchas de estas presentaciones son para los mas de 6,000 actores,escritores, productores, directores, y otros profesionales que sonmiembros de la Academia para ayudarles decidir cuales películas sondignas de nombramientos Oscar ese año.

¿Quién sabrá cuantos cineastas distinguidos comenzaroncomo estudiantes, soñando de algún día ver su trabajo

sobre la gran pantalla?

Con tu grupo, escoge un personaje principal con experienciasde la vida similares a las tuyas. Describe tu personaje y susantecedentes: :

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Nombre de personaje Edad Descripción

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Escribe un parágrafo sobre la trama de tu película.

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¿Cómo refleja el cuento tu experiencia?

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¿Ház visto un cuento similar en una película o en la televisión?

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¿De cuál genero es tu película?

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¿Quiénes serán la audiencia para tu película?

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¿Qué sera el propósito de tu película? ¿Entretener, educar, opresentar preguntas importantes?

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¿Qué sera el mensaje de tu película?

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¿Qué es el titulo de tu película?

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Alista los nombres y descripciones de tres o cuatro personajes en tu película. Describe una cualidad o detalle que seria importantesaber de cada uno.

ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES

©A

.M.P

.A.S

.®

GLOSSARYBias:The preference for certain viewpoints, ideologies, values, or

beliefs.Genre: Categories of media united by style, form, or content.

Movie genres includeWestern, romance, mystery, and comedy.Media:Various means of communication, including movies, books,

television, magazines, the Internet, and advertising.Point of view:The perspective from which a story is told or an

image is shot.Realism: Representation of people, places, and things as they

actually are.Stereotype:The assumption that all members of a specific group

have certain traits in common. It can be positive or negative.Theme: A repeated subject or idea in a creative work.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCESHHooww TToo RReeaadd aa FFii llmm:: TThhee WWoorrlldd oo ff MMoovviieess,, MMeeddiiaa,, MMuulltt iimmeeddiiaa,

by James Monaco with diagrams by David Lindroth. OxfordUniversity Press, 2000.

MMeeddiiaa LL iitteerraaccyy :: AA RReeaaddeerr, by Donaldo Macedo and Shirley R.Steinberg. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2007.

MMeeddiiaa LL iitteerraaccyy :: KKeeyy ss ttoo IInntteerrpprreett iinngg MMeeddiiaa MMeessssaaggeess.. TThhiirrddEEddiitt iioonn, by Art Silverblatt. Praeger Paperback, 2007.

MMeeddiiaa LL iitteerraaccyy WWoo rrkkbbooookk.. SSeeccoonndd EEddiitt iioonn, by Kimb Massey.Wadsworth Publishing, 2004.

PPaacc iiffiicc FFii llmm AArrcchh iivvee PP rreesseennttss HHooww TToo RReeaadd aa FFiillmm. Pacific FilmArchive, 2004.

TTeeaacchhiinngg MMeeddiiaa LL iitteerraaccyy :: AA HHooww--TToo --DDoo -- IItt MMaannuuaall aanndd CCDD--RROOMM, by Belinha S. De Abreu. Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2007.

WEB SITESwww.bronzescreen.net Free DVD and Study Guide on The

Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in Hollywood.www.deepfocusproductions.com DVD and Study Guide on

Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films.www.frankwbaker.com Study guide analyzing To Kill a Mockingbird.www.medialit.org Center for Media Literacy.www.oscars.org/teachersguide The Academy’s Teacher’s Guide

Series on Art Direction, Costumes and Makeup, Film Editing,Screenwriting, Sound and Music, and Visual Effects. Moreinformation and activities.

www.ymiclassroom.com to download additional copies of this guide.

© 2009 AMPAS © 2009 YMI, Inc.