Often, characters of entertainment works, such as movies, books, or video
games, display traits that people find relatable. In certain cases, a spectator of a work
will develop such a strong psychological bond with a character that they identify with
them. Identification with fictional characters is usually a subconscious act...
Director David Fincher’s films contain many distinct elements that set his work apart, but one of the most instantly recognizable elements is his visual style – specifically, his camerawork. The level of control and purposefulness that Fincher exhibits in his films qualify Fincher as the auteur, or “author,” of his...
This thesis employs the study of gender to demonstrate how recent Hollywood
western films have constructed a hero that is reflective of contemporary beliefs
regarding masculinity. Beginning with a New Historicist approach at studying gender,
this work first considers the construction of masculinity in post World War II America
and...
Mastering the art and craft of cinematography is a lifelong endeavor requiring an unfaltering amount of passion and commitment to developing creative and technical skills of visual storytelling. Like authors of literature, cinematographers are writers. However, instead of words a cinematographer speaks a visual language using light and camerawork. In...
My mother named me after Hollywood icon Katharine Hepburn, but what made a working-class girl grow to love this posh celebrity so much? The obvious answer is that my mother aspired to be posh herself; but lack of money or sophistication were not the only things impacting her potential— there...
For at least 30 years American culture has failed to provide empowering myths and symbols to its adolescents as they come of age and try to make sense of their selves, sexuality and the culture that surrounds them. This lack of myths and symbols is especially harmful to girls and...
As digital video pushes celluloid film further into obsolescence, many artists and viewers mourn the loss of what they consider a more organic medium. Photochemical film is subject to decay due to variables of care and the inevitability of time, and film’s embodied vulnerabilities are similar to those of the...
Eva Nightingale, an original screenplay, is a retelling of the Garden of Eden myth set in modern times and seen from Eve's point of view. The script centers on life after Eden, life after trespass and loss, when Eva (like Eve before her) must choose between despair and hope, self-destruction...
Post World War II victory culture and its fallout-the consensus ideology-led to the creation of a middle class willing to conform to a prescribed set of ideals, safely removed from all danger, and enjoying the material benefits of a growing middle-class income bracket. Walt Disney and Hugh Hefner, two seemingly...
Responsible Pedagogy is examination of contemporary education in the United States. Responsible educators are dedicated to being representative, responsive, and respectful. These three principles guide the best teaching and learning that are taking place in classrooms across the country. Launched in 2003, Shakespeare in American Communities is the most ambitious...