How to write a movie report

EVENT or Diversity papers

In this class you are required to attend and report on two campus or community events directly related to the theme of the course. Alternatively, you may obtain, view on your own and report on any two full-length videos related to the theme of the course. There is no set minimum length for a Video Report or Event Response. However, you must follow these instructions carefully!

Hint: To do a video report, first, reread the online article, I Love Bollywood. Then begin writing your report. For more ideas, read a Movie Critique Form and another Film Critique page online.
In this class, reports come in twos. One required report is due due by midterm, the other by the last regular day of class. I will not accept a single report on a single video or a single event--during the semester you must write two different reports, on two different videos or events (or one of each). Videos you choose to report on must have audio or subtitles in a language you understand, and may not include travelogues, Nature, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel or National Geographic or similar videos, missionary dramas or documentaries of any faith group, films over 50 years old, pornography or erotica.) These two required reports count for up to 15 points per pair on your final grade, depending on quality of the reports and the difficulty of the videos or quality of events chosen. The value of extra credit reports will vary and can range up to 7 points each.


Follow the assignment closely! A video report or response, like any other writing, has to have a specific audience and purpose, and you must carefully write it to serve that audience and fulfill that specific purpose.

DO NOT use the standard high school-level approach of just summarizing the event, script or story to prove you saw it and then writing: "I liked this video because it is so cool and the ending made me feel happy," or "I hated this event because it was stupid, and had nothing at all to do with my life, and was too hard to understand." Instead, take a systematic, analytical approach to the video.

1. At the beginning of your report, mention the title of the event or video, and if it is a movie, when it was filmed, the producer and major star or stars. Then, in the first half of the report briefly list the main content or ideas of the event or video, and if relevant, the characters, main story-line of the video, when it was set and where;

2. Then, in the second half of the report, answer ALL of the questions below one by one:

a. What does the event or video have to do with you, personally, and with your life (past, present or future)? It is not acceptable to write that the video has NOTHING to do with you, since just about everything humans can write, perform or film has to do in some way with every other human.

b. How much does the event or video agree or clash with your view of the world, and what you consider right and wrong? Give several specific examples of how it agrees with and supports what you think about the world, about right and wrong, and about what you think it is to be human. Use quotes and examples to discuss how the event or video disagrees with what you think about the world and about right and wrong.

c How much did you learn, and how much were your views and opinions challenged or changed by this event or video, if at all? Did the event or video communicate with you? Why or why not? Give examples of how your views might have changed or been strengthened (or perhaps, of why the event or video failed to convince you, the way it is). Please do not write "I loved everything about the event," since everybody disagrees about something, even if it is a tiny point. Use specific examples to illustrate your points of challenge, or where you were persuaded, or where it left you cold. Do not simply criticize the quality of the music, food,, dance, cinematography or acting, the music, or in the case of a movie, the lack of "action" [explosions, car-chases, etc.] since these films are often made to different standards than those Hollywood uses, with smaller budgets for special effects.

d. How well does it address things that you, personally, care about and consider important to the world? How does it address things that are important to your family, your community, your ethnic group, to people of your economic or social class or background, or your faith tradition? If not, who does the event video serve? Did it pass the "Who cares?" test? Use specific examples to illustrate.

e. Viewing "critically" does not mean the same thing as "criticizing," in everyday language (complaining or griping, fault-finding, nit-picking). Your "critique" can and should be positive and praise the event or video if possible, as well as pointing out problems, disagreements and shortcomings.

f. How well did you enjoy the event or video (or not) as entertainment or as a work of art? Use quotes or examples to illustrate the quality of the event or video as art or entertainment. Of course, be aware that some videos are not meant to be entertainment or art--a serious documentary or news video, for instance, may be neither entertaining or artistic, but may still be important and successful. Also, be aware that you may not be among the primary intended audience of the video or event.

g. To sum up, what is your overall reaction? Would you experience or view something else like this, or by this collective or producer in the future or not? Why or why not? To whom would you recommend this type of event or this video?

When writing a video report or event reaction paper, write as an educated adult, addressing other adults and fellow scholars. As a beginning scholar, if you write that a film has nothing to do with you or an event does not pass your "Who cares?" test, but other people think that it is important and great, readers will probably not agree with you that what you saw or experienced is dull or boring, but they may conclude instead that you are dull and boring, that you are too immature or uneducated to understand what important things the performers or filmmakers wanted to address.

If you did not like an event or video, that is fine, but criticize it either from principle (it is racist, or it unreasonably puts down religion or women or working people or young people or gays or Texans or plumbers, it includes factual errors or outright lies, it is too dark and despairing, or it is falsely positive) or from form (it is poorly written or filmed, it contains too much dialogue, it is too emotional or too childish, has poor acting has many mistakes and bloopers, or wanders around without making a point). In each of these cases, do not simply criticize, but give examples. But, always beware, as a beginning scholar, of criticizing any event or video as "confusing" or "crazy," since your readers might simply conclude that you are too ignorant or slow to understand and appreciate it!