Writing WorkshopComparing a Play and a Film

Assignment

Prewriting

Choose a Film

Focus on One Scene

Compare the Film with the Play

Write Your Thesis Statement

Organize Your Essay

Practice and Apply

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Assignment: Write an essay in which you compare a scene from a film with the play from which it was adapted and evaluate the film techniques the director uses.

Comparing a Play and a Film

Have you ever seen a movie based on a play? If so, you may have noticed many differences between the two—changes to the dialogue, characters, or setting. Did the two versions of the play affect you differently even though they told the same story?

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• check movie reviews in newspapers and magazines and on the Internet

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Choose a Film

To find a film adaptation of a play

• ask friends, teachers, or relatives for suggestions

• look in video stores and libraries

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• Take notes on your responses to each scene.

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Focus on One Scene

Choose one important scene to analyze.

• Review your notes and choose the scene you had the strongest reactions to.

• Watch a video of the film.

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Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Now, read the same scene in the play and note any differences between the film version and written version. Pay attention to

• narrative techniques—plot, characters, setting, dialogue, and theme

• film techniques—lighting, camera angles and shots, sound, and special effects

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Narrative Techniques

Filmmakers often make changes to the written play. For example, they might change a setting, eliminate a character, or create a different ending.

To analyze the film’s narrative techniques, ask yourself the following questions.

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Identifying Narrative Techniques in a Film

Plot, Characters, and Setting: Did the filmmaker make changes to the characters, plot, or settings? For example, have characters, plot events, or settings been added or eliminated? If so, how do these changes affect the story?

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Identifying Narrative Techniques in a Film

Dialogue: Did the filmmaker cut or add lines of dialogue? Do cuts make the story simpler? Do additions help make ideas from the play clearer?

Theme: Did the filmmaker keep the original theme, or message, of the story? How does a change in theme change a viewer’s reaction to the story?

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Narrative TechniquesThe Miracle Worker (final scene)

Play Film

Plot• James and Aunt Ev stay in

dining room. • Helen stays outside with

Annie, and the parents go inside.

Plot• James and Aunt Ev stand

on the porch watching.• Keller carries Helen inside,

and the family follows. Annie is left outside alone.

Theme• Focus on bond between

Helen and Annie

Theme• Focus on Helen’s

accomplishment and on the family’s happiness.

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Film Techniques

Filmmakers also use lighting, camera angles, sound, special effects, and so on to create reactions in viewers—reactions that might be very different from those of a person reading the play.

To analyze the film techniques used in the scene you’ve chosen, ask yourself the following questions.

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Identifying Film Techniques

Camera Shots and Angles: What types of camera shots are used—close-ups, long shots? From what angle does the camera shoot the characters and action? What effects do the shots and angles create?

Lighting: How is lighting used in the scene? Does the lighting affect the mood of the scene?

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Identifying Film Techniques

Sound: What music or sound effects are present in the scene? How do they affect your reactions to the scene?

Special Effects: What special effects are included that you would not expect to see in a stage production of the play? Are the special effects distracting? Are they helpful to your understanding of the story?

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Compare the Film with the Play

Film TechniquesThe Miracle Worker (final scene)

Camera Shots• Sequence of close-up shots—Helen’s face, Helen’s hand

under the pump, Annie’s face—shows sudden revelation going on in Helen’s mind.

• Long shot at end, with Annie in foreground and James looking back at her, makes Annie seem isolated.

Sound• Stirring music begins as Helen first makes her realization.

Music builds and becomes more dramatic.

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Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Write Your Thesis Statement

Filmmakers use narrative and film techniques to create intellectual and emotional responses, known as aesthetic effects, in viewers.

The thesis, or main idea, of your essay identifies these aesthetic effects.

To write your thesis statement, ask yourself:

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Write Your Thesis Statement

• What response was the filmmaker trying to create?

• How did the techniques affect me as a viewer?

Arthur Penn uses narrative and film techniques to portray a child’s miraculous breakthrough, a teacher’s moment of triumph, and a family’s long-awaited joy all in one of the final scenes.

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Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Organize Your Essay

Your essay will look something like this:

Introduction

Narrative Techniques

Film Techniques

• Film, play, creators• Thesis statement

• Characters• Setting

• Dialogue • Theme

Conclusion

• Camera shots and angles

• Lighting• Sound

• Restatement of thesis• Concluding thought

Your essay really has two parts—one comparing the narrative techniques and one discussing the film techniques.

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Organize Your Essay

Comparing Narrative Techniques

First, use point-by-point order to compare each narrative technique from the film with the corresponding one from the play.

Plotfilm comparedto play

Dialoguefilm comparedto play

Settingfilm compared to play

Example

Comparing a Play and a Film Prewriting: Organize Your Essay

Discussing Film Techniques

Then, use order of importance to discuss the film techniques. Discuss the most important film technique first and the least important one last (or vice versa).

LightingMost important

Camera ShotsLeast Important

SoundSecond most important

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Example

Comparing a Play and a FilmPrewriting: Practice and Apply

Compare a film adaptation of a play with the original play by analyzing the filmmaker’s use of narrative and film techniques. Then, write your thesis statement and organize your ideas.

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