Writer: Jakki Newton
Time Frame: 5 weeks (approximately 20 lessons)
Released July 2007
Context
This unit explores the film texts (short film, advertisements and feature films) of the New Zealand director Niki Caro. In doing so the students will be introduced to the distinctive elements of film language in Caro’s work and will learn to analyse how this language contributes to the meaning of her films.
Senior students will go on to investigate how media text can be read in different ways and consider this through further study of Caro’s work.
While the unit has primarily been written for Media Studies students, it would also be suitable for English students studying the close reading of texts. See the NZ Film Commission unit plan
The lesson plans are broad enough to be adapted to the films of other directors. See The Jackson File a Film Archive programme on Peter Jackson.
Outline
Students will initially be introduced to the elements of film language: mis en scene, soundtrack and montage. They will then be taught to consider how these elements contribute to the meaning of the texts both denotively and connotatively through an examination of Caro’s Doc Marten advertisements. The ads will be compared with her early short films and students will consider the differences and similarities in style. Students will practice using secondary sources to support their discussion of Caro’s work.
The last lessons in the unit investigate the ways in which media texts can be interpreted; commercially, historically, politically etc. Level 3 students will consider this through an examination of Caro’s Land Transport and Breast Cancer Association advertisements.
Achievement Criteria
Media Studies 2.2 AS90277 Close Read Unfamiliar Text ‘See it for Yourself’
This standard teaches students to analyse how elements of media language contribute to meaning in media texts.
Media Studies 3.2 AS90600 Explain how meaning is created in texts ‘Director’s Study’
This study continues to investigate the way that media language contributes to meaning in media texts, and teaches students to consider the different ways that text might be read.
English 1.5 AS90056 View, study and show understanding of a visual text
English 2.5 AS90379 Analyse a visual text
English 3.4 AS90723 Respond critically to visual text studied t
Resources
- NZ Film Archive ON DISK: Niki Caro - A Director’s Study
- Whale Rider, 2002, by Niki Caro, South Pacific Pictures
- Whale Rider Film Reviews
- Photographs (from magazines/ newspapers etc.)
- How to Read a Film: James Monaco; OUP Various Editions
Prior Knowledge Established
While many students learn aspects of film language in junior English class, this unit assumes no prior knowledge and can be taught at the beginning of a school year.
Vocabulary List
All film language terminology on handout
Denotation/ connotation
Film Language
mise en scene/montage/soundtrack
cultural/gender/political/historical/commercial/aesthetic
dominant/intended/negotiated/variant/oppositional
Resource Links for Teachers
www.tki.org.nz/e/search/results
See It For Yourself and Directors Study Internal Assessments.
www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/ass
Achievement standard outlines.
www.whaleriderthemovie.com
Official Whale Rider site which includes reviews.
www.nzfilm.co.nz/
The NZ Film Commission site which includes English resources for schools on a number of NZ films including Whale Rider.
www.arovideo.co.nz
The Aro Street Video Store has an extensive range of hard to locate films and provides a courier service.
www.mediaknowall.com
This site is a starting point for Media Studies teachers and students who will find a mixture of basic notes and links to other useful Media Studies Sites.
