The Questions for the film
The Aviator:
In Relation to Leadership
Select and respond to 1 question from the list of questions below.
1. What were the stages of Howard’s dream? How did he move his employees and people along towards his desirable goal behaviors so that he could fulfill his dream? Were there other strategies he could have used that would have been more effective? If yes, what are they?
2. What were Howard’s leadership skills and style? How do you know? If you were his consultant, what would you recommend?
3. At the Hepburn’s home, Howard “fled the field of battle”. Have you ever felt like you weren’t good enough or didn’t fit in at work? How did you handle it? As a leader how would you help others?
4. Howard drew strength from defeating his nemesis. What are the dangers of drawing strength from hatred? Where do you find the strength to persevere? How can you help others?
5. Did Howard have any friends? What’s the definition of a friend and how could you lead people who seem to be at odds to become friendly?
6. Did Howard use one style or did his style vary upon situation?
Use the following for reference
How To Analyze a Film
As you might guess, conducting a semiotic (symbolic) analysis of a film is a somewhat more complicated venture than conducting a semiotic analysis of a print advertisement. This is not to say, of course, that movies and advertisements do not share similarities. Both, for example, are “texts” that rely on visual imagery to tell specific stories, and both are in the business of promoting specific ideologies. At the same time, print advertisements are limited by the static nature of their medium. Film, on the other hand, is not a static medium, and thus its stories are much more complex. Analyzing a film, then, as our text relates, is much more like “reading a novel. In short, analyzing a film requires you to take a careful look at the setting, plot, characters, dialogue, symbols, metaphors, archetypes, etc., as well as those factors that have an influence on the film, such as the social, historical, and political context in which the film was created.
STEPS FOR CONDUCTING AN ANALYSIS OF A FILM
Despite the differences between movies and advertisements, the goal of a semiotic analysis of a film is nonetheless the same as a semiotic analysis of an advertisement, namely to determine its current social significance. With than in mind, here is an expanded and modified version of the steps for conducting an analysis, tailored specifically to film:
1.) Establish the film to be analyzed
2.) Set aside your opinion; your task is to analyze the current social significance (This assignment is NOT a review of the film!!)
3.) Analysis of setting, plot, characters, symbols, etc.
4.) How does the film represents its topic
5.) Sketch the overall context (historical, cultural, and political) in which the film appears
6.) Develop a list of questions, concerns, and/or issues that will guide your analysis
7.) Develop a thesis statement
Again, this is NOT the order in which everything should appear in your paper. This is merely a step by step of how to PREPARE to write a film analysis. It would also be helpful to find other important films in same genre of your chosen film and see HOW your film is different, and WHY that difference is important.
ASSIGNMENT
Using the steps for conducting an analysis of a film outlined above as the foundation for your argument, write a three to four page analysis of your chosen film.
Preparation for this assignment requires the following:
1. Locating, renting, and watching the film
2. Going through the steps for conducting an analysis of a film as outlined above
3. Choosing a film study question to answer.
After completing the steps, your paper should include the following:
1.) Your film study question
2.) A thesis statement
3.) A short but detailed description of the film
4.) An analysis of the film related to your chosen question that includes some of the details/discoveries that you made while completing the steps
Modified from: B Hughes , CA State University Bakersfield
