Topic
The Auteur Theory
Instructions
Andrew Sarris suggests that the auteur theory positions “the distinguishable personality of the director as a criterion of value. Over a group of films, a director must exhibit certain recurrent characteristics of style, which serve as his [or her] signature.” Write an essay that considers whether the auteur theory is a viable framework through which to analyse screen texts. In your response, you may: 1. consider how “authorship” functions differently across television and cinema, and discuss the implications of this difference to the viability of the auteur theory (your analysis should focus on one cinematic and one televisual example).
You must include at least eight peer-reviewed references.
The essay should include the following:
- A demonstrated understanding of the history and key principles of the auteur theory and/or genre studies.
- Careful application of the auteur theory by identifying a filmmaker/showrunner who could be considered an “auteur”, supporting the argument by identifying the recurring stylistic features and themes across their body of work (for Questions 1 and 3).
- A clear understanding of your chosen genre, including knowledge of its themes, iconography, conventions, and narrative tropes (for Questions 1 and 2).
- Reference to course readings, materials, and terminology where It is expected that you will use the vocabulary of formal style and other concepts from the lectures in the course of your analysis.
- Analytical depth. For instance, the essay should not simply identify an auteurist technique or genre convention, but explore why and how that technique or convention is employed, as well as the effect.
- While the genre(s) and/or auteur(s) do not have to be one of those examined in this unit, the essay must draw on the concepts from this unit. You should also justify the status of your chosen group of screen texts as a genre, and/or the status of your chosen filmmaker/showrunner as an auteur.
It is important that you are familiar with the genre(s) you are analysing and the auteur’s work. This means watching and analysing the screen texts (i.e. films and TV shows) rather than relying on plot descriptions from secondary materials.
Provide a title, introduction, body (your analysis section), conclusion, and reference list. You may also include subheadings.
Cross-reference where possible i.e. do not compartmentalise topics into discrete paragraphs, but organise your paragraphs thematically, which will allow for a more coherent, elegant structure.
Support every argument. Make sure you have sufficient evidence to make your points and arguments persuasive. Place further information in a footnote if necessary.
Ensure that each paragraph covers a particular point/argument (i.e. make sure that each paragraph has a focus without trying to cover too much).
Only identify elements of form where relevant to the argument being made. For instance, there’s no point acknowledging continuity editing unless it is relevant to your overarching argument.
You do not need to provide a plot synopsis, only discuss the plot where relevant. You should, however, contextualize and justify your chosen example so it is clear why you have chosen it to support your argument (i.e. explain to your reader why the text you have chosen is a significant example of a “horror” text).
Avoid evaluative phrasing and personalisation to maintain critical distance.
Discuss the “spectator” or the “audience” rather than “I” or “You”.
Aim for an academic tone; avoid colloquialisms or loose informal phrasing. For instance, it is “film” not “movie”.
Proofread thoroughly to avoid stylistic, grammatical and spelling errors.
All screen texts and scholarly sources must be referenced (in APA Style) in the reference list, which should be on a separate page at the end of the essay under the heading “Works Cited.” The references list should contain everything cited in text.
Answer preview
The core to auteur theory is the emphasis of the director’s role as the author of screen text. According to Grant (2008, p. 31), the function of a director provides a unique quality to a motion picture. The cinematic work of Alfred Hitchcock, for example, is known for the standardization technique applied in addition to the stylistic components (Carringer, 2001, p. 373). This director is recognized for his uniqueness in elaborating and creating content. As such, auteur is created from such integration of artistry and technical skills. As explained by Truffaut, auteur theory is based on the premise that an auteur transmutes screen texts into an expression of one’s own character (Caughie, 2013).
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