Blog Entry 10: Aesthetic appeal of Black Swan

Blog Entry 10: Aesthetic appeal of Black Swan

Write 300-600+ words on the following:

 

For this entry, find a way to engage with the aesthetic appeal of Black Swan. If you’ve seen the film, this entry should be easy and you should be in good shape to start thinking about how you would write about this–and the first step is to go back and watch it again and take notes! If you haven’t gotten a chance to see this film yet, do so asap, and then watch it again and take notes!

If you’ve seen the film:

ANALYZE the visual elements that are most striking and begin to take note of patterns that you’re starting to notice. What recurring techniques does Aronofsky use to convey innocence, deceit, obsession, fear, madness? Pay particular attention to the use of light and dark in the film, both in clothing and in actual lighting/shadow choices, as well as body language, staging, choreography, shot/frame composition (camera angles), perspective, the duration of scenes, the use of music, dialogue, etc.

Begin to ARGUE what makes this film most effective… and what this effect is!

If you haven’t yet seen the film:

ANALYZE how our society has treated this film. It has received numerous awards, the actors and actresses have provided statements about their roles in the film, Aronofsky has given interviews, and the film was promoted in several highly visible media including movie posters and trailers.

ARGUE: what do these artifacts suggest about what kind of film this is, what its intended message is to the audience, and what kinds of visual rhetoric this film will employ? Provide links to specific examples of media that support your argument.

For your post:

• Come up with a snazzy title for your post
• Pay attention to organization, flow, style, and mechanics
• I recommend composing it in Word first, then posting via copy/paste

For your responses: (3 responses, 100-300+ words each)

• READ your classmate’s analysis
• RESPOND to your classmate’s argument and react to their analysis and exploration/connection to big ideas. Feel free to provide praise, questions, constructive criticism, or agree/disagree– just make sure you do so respectfully.

I will calculate your grade out of 100 points: 70 for your own post and 10 for each response. Please look at the general rubric in the syllabus for an idea of what I expect. I will award bonus points at the end of the course if I see you consistently going above and beyond the minimum expectations, responding to additional posts, and engaging with dialogue with those who have responded to you!