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The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies
Instructor: Betty Jo Tucker
Testimonial:
"Hey Betty Jo!!!!
I just took a look at the first assignment! And let me just say WOW! I can tell this course is going to be a lot more incredible than I thought it would be! (and that's saying something!)
The first assignment looks/is amazing. Not only have you given the assignment, but you've given tons of background (yours and others) information to show what you mean by a movie philosophy, to illustrate what you want in the assignment.
I especially loved your review of Vanilla Sky. I didn't like that movie either and almost left the theatre half way through; I would of too, if I hadn't paid full price ($13.50 at the time) to see that lousy flick. LOL
You've given me food for thought. I've never thought of my movie critic philosophy; what I see/think when I watch movies, what draws me. I'm going to have to think about that before I write the assignment and perhaps read the assignment again.
Way to go, Betty Jo! I can't wait to get started!!!!!"
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In the arts, the critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising. --Pauline Kael
It stinks! -- Jay Sherman
Reviewing movies, of course, is much more difficult than tossing off a cryptic comment like the one from cartoon character Jay Sherman above. And it’s more complicated than Roger Ebert’s “Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down” appraisal. Nevertheless, because of the powerful role movies play in popular culture, good critics are needed to provide honest, independent opinions about the quality of films being released today -- just as the late Pauline Kael pointed out in her famous quotation.
Maybe being a film critic isn’t the best job in the world, but it’s one of the most satisfying if you have a passion for movies and writing. This course is designed for students who want to learn various techniques for writing movie reviews as well as for interviewing actors, directors, screenwriters and other film-related personnel.
Perhaps you’d like to be the next Roger Ebert or Pauline Kael -- a respected critic with influence throughout the world. Or maybe you’re simply interested in writing better reviews for your own Website or Blog. In either case, this course is a good place to start.
First Session: Developing a Reviewing Philosophy.
In this session, we’ll explore the role of the critic and his/her responsibility to readers as well as objectivity vs. subjectivity, film knowledge and ethical concerns related to film criticism.
Second Session: Deciding What Matters about a Film.
The second session examines such important topics as: art vs. business; universal themes; personal and social impact of films; plot and character arc; production values; directing; cinematography; background music; editing; music; and actors’ performances.
Third Session: Organizing and Writing the Review.
This session covers the basic steps involved in writing a cohesive, insightful and entertaining review.
Fourth Session: Dealing with Negative Feedback.
Most critics receive their fair share of “hate mail.” Our fourth session provides tips for appropriate responses to such messages. This is the most fun session – and a prize will be awarded to the student who writes the best reply to a hypothetical “hate mail” message.
Fifth Session: Conducting Celebrity Interviews.
The fifth session offers suggestions for questions to ask actors and other film personnel when interviewing them about their movies. It also includes information about how to obtain such interviews.
Sixth Session: Finding Outlets for Your Articles.
Start date: Every other Wednesday - contact Instructor.
6 week class
Class limit: NA
Tuition: $49.95
Contact Betty Jo Tucker
Product Details
Ebook: 33 pages
Publisher: Long Story Short Publishing Company; First edition (June 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979608015
ISBN-13: 978-0979608018
$22.95
Website design by Denise Cassino, Wizardly Web Designs
"The content of THE REEL DEAL: WRITING ABOUT MOVIES is rich, yet delivered concisely. Betty Jo somehow manages to impart a lot of information in each lesson in a clear, succinct, and enjoyable way, while keeping the lesson brief and manageable. That is a special talent. She has a humorous, engaging touch to her writing that is very appealing and made me feel that I could learn to write reviews. Inclusion of links, recommended reading, and references to other critics was very helpful...I learned a great deal. Even more, it is a start for something new for me, so I can add 'life-changing' as well."
--- Joanne Ross, San Francisco
Interview with Betty Jo Tucker
