BEND IT LIKE

BECKHAM

Theme

Essay

To identify and describe a key

theme in Bend it Like Beckham

through interpreting the use of

film techniques and explaining

their effect.

LEARNING INTENTION

You will be able to analyse the

way characters, settings and

film techniques help us to

understand a key theme in the

film by applying correct

essay structure.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

T.R.U.M.P FOCUS

Thinking

Relating to others

Using language,

text & symbols Managing self

Participating &

contributing

MANAGING SELF: Exercise your self-control by focusing on your work and using time-management skills to ensure you finish…

THINKING: Reflect and evaluate: Consider what skills you are learning and how you can put them into practice in order to create a meaningful essay.

USING LANGUAGE, TEXT & SYMBOLS: You are working on interpreting how film techniques are used to create meaning AND using your language and structure to demonstrate your own understanding of this.

You will write a theme essay about

Bend it Like Beckham.

You will be answering this

question:

Identify a key theme in

the text and explain how

visual/verbal techniques helped you to

understand the theme.

Let’s break down this question –

what is it asking us to do?

1. Identify a key theme

Choose one of these themes to write

about:

• Culture Clash

• Stereotyping & Misunderstanding

• Friendship and Love OR

• Parent/child relationships

BREAKING DOWN THE

ESSAY QUESTION:

2. Explain how visual/verbal techniques

helped you to understand the theme.

a. In each paragraph identify one thing you

understand about the chosen theme in the

film.

b. Choose a scene as an example

c. Identify at least 2 specific film techniques in

that scene describe the effect they create.

-> Link this to what we learn about the theme

VISUAL/VERBAL TECHNIQUES TO

CHOOSE FROM:

VISUAL FILM TECHNIQUES VERBAL FILM TECHNIQUES

• Establishing shot

• Long shot

• Medium shot

• Two shot

• Close up

• Extreme close up

• Point-of-view shot

• Over-the-shoulder shot

• Low angle

• High angle

• Bird's eye view

• Eye level

• Panning and tilting

• Hand held

• Tracking in

• Tracking out

• Voice over

• Diegetic and non diegetic sound

• Dialogue

• Sound track

• Sound effects

ESSAY PLAN

It is important to plan your essay to make sure you get the

structure correct and include enough points and examples

to achieve.

Remember the Hamburger Structure:

Intro

P1

P2

P3

Conclusion

And every paragraph needs to follow the P.E.E.L structure.

Points, Example, Explain, Link to what we learn/director’s

intention.

The following slides contain:

• An example essay plan

• An example body paragraph (annotated)

• And sentence starters/essay writing

template

-> Use this to help you structure your

writing correctly

Example

Essay Plan

INTRO

Paragraph 1 &

Point 1

P – Jess often feels torn between two worlds, the culture of her

family, and the culture of English football that she identifies

with

E – Backyard scene – Wide shot shows Jess kicking football but

with Sari’s hanging on line. Costume (Saris vs. track pants)

E – This visually demonstrates her struggle between her cultural

and family expectations and what she wants to do

L – The director wants us to understand that for Jess, her family

culture has almost become an obstacle to her dreams. But

she is committed to overcoming it.

.

– There are three key film techniques that help me to

understand the theme of…Culture Clash.

INTRO

Paragraph 2

& Point 2

P – The clash between her parent’s beliefs and Jess’s dreams is a major

source of conflict in their house

E – Scene where Jess is arguing with her parents about playing football

in the living room. Camera shots – Low angle of mother, with Indian

God on the wall behind. High angle looking down on Jess. Close ups

of angry faces and concern on Jess’s faces.

E – Builds tension by making the parents and religion seem powerful and

Jess weak in this situation. Close Ups build the sense of conflict and

emotion. Cutting between all three people in the argument. The clash

of their cultures.

L – This is one of the many scenes in the film where Jess disagrees with

her parents. The director wants to show that Jess still wants to

please her parents, but finds it hard because they don’t understand

her desire to play football. This is a key turning point in the plot as

Jess – at least temporarily – decides to try and obey her parents.

– There are three key film techniques that help me to understand the

theme of…Culture Clash.

Paragraph 3 &

Point 3 P – Jess tries to please both worlds – her parents and Indian

culture, and her football team.

E – Scene after the match in the changing rooms where the team

are helping Jess change back into her sari, to return to the

wedding. WS & Costume.

E – Shows Jess in sari, and team mates in soccer clothes. The

framing allows us to see the contrast between Jess and her

costume (traditional Indian clothes) and her team and the

setting the changing room – which shows the other world she

is a part of. Football.

L – Director wants us to see that despite the clash of Jess’

cultures, she is able to find a way to exist in both worlds. With

the support of friends and acceptance of her family, they

eventually are able to come to a place of agreement.

CONCLUSION

Example

Body Paragraph

Another way that visual film techniques help us to understand the

theme of culture clash in Bend it Like Beckham is through the

camera framing and costume in the locker room scene. This shows

us that Jess is trying to live in both worlds. Her parents and Indian

culture. In this scene, Jess has just played in the final winning

match and is now rushing back to her sister’s wedding. The scene

uses a Wide Shot to show Jess’ teammates helping her to change

back into her Sari. The framing of the Wide Shot allows us to see

the contrast between Jess and her costume which is a traditional

Indian Sari. We also see the contrast or clash between the Sari and

the football changing room. The two seem quite out of place. They

show the contrast of Jess’ two worlds. Through this, the director

wants us to see that despite the clash of Jess’ cultures, she is able

to find a way to exist in both worlds. With the support of friends and

acceptance of her family, they eventually are able to come to a

place of agreement.

Example Body Paragraph Point

Example

Explanation

Link

Sentence

Starters

Structure Template

In the film Bend it Like Beckham (2002), directed by

Gurinder Chadha a key theme is ___________.

A number of visual and verbal film techniques help us to

understand this theme.

The use of_______, _______, and ________ are used

to show us that

__________________________________________.

ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:

INTRODUCTION

An important scene in the film Bend it Like Beckham that helps us to

understand the theme of ___________ is ________.

In this scene __________________________________

The film technique of _____________ is used to show

_____________.

The effect of this is to ____________________.

The director wanted us to understand____________ about the theme

_______________.

ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:

PARAGRAPH 1

The theme of______________ is also shown in the film Bend it Like

Beckham through the technique of ___________________.

In the scene where ___________________________ the director uses

________ (film technique) to show ________________.

The effect of this is_________________.

What this shows us about the theme is __________________.

The director’s intention through this was to help us to

understand_______________.

ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:

PARAGRAPH 2

Finally, __________________ helps us to understand the theme of

____________ through ____________.

A scene in the film that shows us this is ______________________.

The director uses the film technique of _________________ to show us

________________.

The effect this creates is ________________________.

What we understand about the theme through this is

_______________________.

The director’s intention was ______________________________.

ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:

PARAGRAPH 3

__________ is a key idea in Bend it Like Beckham (2002),

directed by Gurinder Chadha. This theme is shown through

_______________, ______________, and ___________.

These film techniques help us to understand

_____________________ (summarise your key points and

insights).

What we learn from this in the film is …

ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:

CONCLUSION

Marking

Criteria

FILM ESSAY MARKING CRITERIA

Year 10 ACHIEVED Show a developing understanding of ideas within and across texts

Describes ideas with some detail.

Uses film techniques/codes and conventions

Structures material appropriately according to audience, purpose and text type.

MERIT Show an understanding of ideas within and across texts.

Describes ideas in detail

Uses film techniques/codes and conventions appropriately

Structures material effectively according to audience, purpose and text type.

EXCELLENCE Show a convincing understanding of ideas within, across, and beyond texts

(director’s purpose)

Effectively describes and synthesises ideas and uses techniques that are

developed and sustained.

Uses film techniques/ codes and conventions accurately and effectively

Uses a controlled and sustained writing style.

Structures material clearly in a way appropriate to audience, purpose and text type.

Alternative

Option

VISA

• For this essay, you do have an

alternative OPTION to a traditional

written essay.

• If you would like, you may do a Verbal

Illustrated Essay. The Key

Difference, is just that it is

SPOKEN rather than

written.

VISA: VERBAL ILLUSTRATED ESSAY

IMPORTANT NOTE:

If you choose the Verbal Illustrated Essay option,

you still must use and apply the same 5 paragraph

and P.E.E.L structure or flow.

i.e organise your information and thoughts in

this way.

However, instead of writing it, you are able to

record audio of you explaining

your points, examples and explanations and include

relevant images behind it.

It is not an easy

option, just a

different option

INSTRUCTIONS:

Create a verbal presentation over images that:

• Identifies and describes how at least

3 FILM TECHNIQUES help us to understand a

theme.

• Explains what teenagers can learn from this.

Here is an example of a VISA by Mrs Rubens where she is answering a

character question: https://goo.gl/plbG5E

TOOLS YOU COULD USE…

• When choosing an app or site, ensure that you

can do a voiceover and can add media

(videos/images)

Options could include:

• iMovie

• Educreations

• Explain Everything

• Book Creator

• Keynote

SUCCESS CRITERIA CHECKLIST

1. I have clearly identified the use of film techniques

2. I have clearly explained what information these techniques show a teenager audience about a character

3. I have explained how each of these techniques communicates information about a theme

4. I have linked each technique and what it shows the audience about character and theme to the wider world

Applying

ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE

31

Achieved Merit Excellence

A voice over is

attempted and it shows

some relevance to the

question

Voice over is

convincing and

portrays character and

theme

Voice over is effective

and portrays character

and theme in a

confident way

Visual and verbal

features show some

understanding of the

text

Visual and verbal

features show

convincing

understanding of the

text

Visual and verbal

features show

perceptive

understanding of the

text