Independant Research Critique

Jason Torres: Power that Pops

1. What was their research question?

Power Through Lighting and Color in International Cinema

2. What areas did they choose to focus on in their comparisons?
Jason chose to focus on color and lighting and how they portray individual and hegemonic power.


3. How did they incorporate sources both primary and secondary into their doc.
He uses quotes from the Director of Photography and the actual films as his primary sources. He used secondary sources from people who write about film to help him understand his concept better and to supplement and support his claims.



 Carmen Carillo: Political Thrillers


1. What was their research question?

Unknown (What makes the Manchurian Candidate and Z a political thriller?)


2. What areas did they choose to focus on in their comparisons?
She chose to focus on camera movements, editing of scenes, the tension in scenes that is felt by the audience, and the general emotional reaction the audience has to certain events and how these reactions are what make up the thrills found in political thrillers.

 3. How did they incorporate sources both primary and secondary into their doc.
Director interview with Gavras and shots from the films reflecting what she is talking about are her primary sources. She used secondary sources to provide herself with base knowledge.

Independant Research Script

1. Research Topic and Question


Topic: Heist Films
Question: “How does plot structure contribute to the thrill experienced in Heist films?”

2. Films that you plan to use in your analysis

Bob le Flambeur Dir. by Jean-Pierre Melville. Studiocanal Image, 1956.
The Silent Partner Dir. by Daryl Duke. Carolco Pictures, 1977
Die Hard Dir. By John McTiernan. Twentieth Century Fox, 1988.
Reservoir Dogs Dir. by Quentin Tarantino. Miramax Films, 1992.

3. 3 areas to focus on in comparison-

What kind of heist film is this?

Which part of the 3-act structure of a heist is used?

How does plot type create a thrill?