Writing Workshop: “ Quotations”

1. Writing Workshop: “Quotations” SCMC 3001

2. However, this theory has many shortcomings. The first of these is that auteur theory privileges the director over all of the other workers needed to produce a film. It portrays the director as the one with the most power over what appears onscreen and does not take into account the work by cinematographers, editors, and screenwriters. Also, auteur theory does not account for the social conditions that surround filmmakers. As Stam describes, “Auteurism underestimates the impact of production conditions. The filmmaker is not an untrammeled artist; he/she is immersed in material contingencies, surrounded by a Babel of voices and the buzz of technicians, camera, and lights” (4). These “material contingencies” include financial conditions, which influence access to to funds and support from studios are more likely to be able to use elaborate filming techniques and thus have different and distinctive editing techniques and cinematic effects compared to a filmmaker who has a more limited budget.

3. However, this theory has many shortcomings. The first of these is that auteur theory privileges the director over all of the other workers needed to produce a film. It portrays the director as the one with the most power over what appears onscreen and does not take into account the work by cinematographers, editors, and screenwriters. Also, auteur theory does not account for the social conditions that surround filmmakers. Since “however” denotes a contrast between two positions, a more effective organization may be to restructure the paragraph slightly (or move some of the material from this paragraph to the previous paragraph) so that the topic sentence introduces the subject matter of this paragraph. -------- A number of film theorists have argued that the filmmaker is the artist who should receive the most credit for the finished film product. In other words, auteur theory privileges the director over all of the other workers needed to produce a film. Auteur theory portrays the director as the one with the most power over what appears onscreen and does not take into account the work by cinematographers, editors, and screenwriters. However, this theory has many shortcomings. For example, auteur theory does not account for the social conditions that surround filmmakers.

4. As Stam describes, “Auteurism underestimates the impact of production conditions. The filmmaker is not an untrammeled artist; he/she is immersed in material contingencies, surrounded by a Babel of voices and the buzz of technicians, camera, and lights” (4). This quote is introduced, formatted correctly, and effectively integrated into the paragraph. The only major change is to include the writer’s first name if it is the first time it is used in the essay. The other changes proposed here show how the quote can be used more effectively based on Graff and Birkenstein’s guidelines. ---------------------- As the prominent film theorist, Robert Stam, describes, “Auteurism underestimates the impact of production conditions. The filmmaker is not an untrammeled artist; he/she is immersed in material contingencies, surrounded by a Babel of voices and the buzz of technicians, camera, and lights” (4).

5. These “material contingencies” include financial conditions, which influence access to to funds and support from studios are more likely to be able to use elaborate filming techniques and thus have different and distinctive editing techniques and cinematic effects compared to a filmmaker who has a more limited budget. This is in pretty good shape: it directly engages the quote just used and elaborates on the key concept (material contingencies). The changes suggested here are designed to show how to stake your own claim/position in relation to the writers you use. ------------------------ I agree that “material contingencies” are factors in filmmaking that deserve to be emphasized. These material contingencies include financial conditions, which influence access to to funds and support from studios. These factors are important because they provide access to elaborate filmmaking technologies,techniques and thus have different and distinctive editing techniques, and cinematic effects. These are the crucial material or economic factors that set a so-called auteur apart from a filmmaker who has a more limited budget.

6. A number of film theorists have argued that the filmmaker is the artist who should receive the most credit for the finished film product. In other words, auteur theory privileges the director over all of the other workers needed to produce a film. Auteur theory portrays the director as the one with the most power over what appears onscreen and does not take into account the work by cinematographers, editors, and screenwriters. However, this theory has many shortcomings. For example, auteur theory does not account for the social conditions that surround filmmakers. As the prominent film theorist, Robert Stam, describes, “Auteurism underestimates the impact of production conditions. The filmmaker is not an untrammeled artist; he/she is immersed in material contingencies, surrounded by a Babel of voices and the buzz of technicians, camera, and lights” (4). I agree that “material contingencies” are factors in filmmaking that deserve to be emphasized. These material contingencies include financial conditions, which influence access to to funds and support from studios. These factors are important because they provide access to elaborate filmmaking technologies, distinctive editing techniques, and cinematic effects. These are the crucial material or economic factors that set a so-called auteur apart from a filmmaker who has a more limited budget.

7. While some film critics argue that a film is a collective project and cannot be credited to one person, I would disagree with this position and contend that in certain situations crediting a single person—an auteur—is more than apparent. Robert Stam takes this position as well in his essay, “The Author”. He discusses how:   “Auteurism has clearly made a substantial contribution to film theory and methodology. Auteurism forced attention to the films themselves and to mise-en-scène as the stylistic signature of the director.” (Stam 6). What Stam is considering within this quote is how auteurism is more than stylistic choices made by the director. It his overbearing vision that breaks the mold of generic cinematic rules. In class we discussed several Hollywood directors that some considered auteurs and some did not. One example that consistently came to mind was the Japanese filmmaker and manga artist, Hayao Miyazaki. In his critically acclaimed films such as Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, or Princess Mononoke, he displays his very distinct techniques. He is not only credited as the director of a majority (if not all) his films, he has written most of them as well. In addition, despite having an entire team of animators, his website reports that he personally reviews every frame of animation in his films and often redraws a significant amount of the animation. Given that, it can be reasoned that Miyazaki is personally responsible for almost everything the audience experiences within his films. Then with his large collection of work that is consistent with his distinct style, he is considered an auteur under my definition and opinion. 

8. While some film critics argue that a film is a collective project and cannot be credited to one person, I would disagree with this position and contend that in certain situations crediting a single person—an auteur—is more than apparent. Robert Stam takes this position as well in his essay, “The Author”. He discusses how: ------- While some film critics argue that a film is a collective project and cannot be credited to one person, I would disagree with this position and contend that in certain situations crediting a single person—an auteur—is more than appropriate. In his essay, “The Author,” film scholar, Robert Stam, takes this position as wellsays that the concept of the auteur provides an important way to understand what is distinctive about certain films.

9. He discusses how:  “Auteurism has clearly made a substantial contribution to film theory and methodology. Auteurism forced attention to the films themselves and to mise-en-scène as the stylistic signature of the director.” (Stam 6). ------ He discusses how:According to Stam, “[a]uteurism has clearly made a substantial contribution to film theory and methodology. Auteurism forced attention to the films themselves and to mise-en-scène as the stylistic signature of the director.” (Stam 6).

10. What Stam is considering within this quote is how auteurism is more than stylistic choices made by the director. It his overbearing vision that breaks the mold of generic cinematic rules. In class we discussed several Hollywood directors that some considered auteurs and some did not. Suggestion: Now that you have introduced your position and backed it up with one of the course readings, continue to elaborate your own position. Use as many templates as you want to help bolster your own claims. Remember that the point is to present your position clearly and back it up consistently. ------------ The essence of Stam’s argument is thatis considering within this quote is how auteurism is more than stylistic choices made by the director. It his overbearing vision that breaks the mold of generic cinematic rules. In class we discussed several Hollywood directors that some considered auteurs and some did not.Auteur theory is extremely useful because it sheds light on the unifying vision of all the films in a filmmaker’s oeuvre.

11. One example that consistently comes to mind in support of auteur theory is the Japanese filmmaker and manga artist, Hayao Miyazaki. In his critically acclaimed films such as Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, or Princess Mononoke, he displays his very distinct techniques. He is not only credited as the director of a majority (if not all) his films, he has written most of them as well. In addition, despite having an entire team of animators, his website reports that he personally reviews every frame of animation in his films and often redraws a significant amount of the animation. Given that,For these reasons it can be reasoned that Miyazaki is personally responsible for almost everything the audience experiences within his films.

12. Then with his large collection of work that is consistent with his distinct style, he is considered an auteur under my definition and opinion.  Although this sentence needs a little revision to clearly express what the writer means, it functions effectively as a concluding sentence because it rounds off the paragraph. An alternate concluding sentence, that would also subtly refer back to the topic sentence, would be the following. -------- Though I concede that it is important to value everyone’s contribute to the making of a film, I still insist that the concept of the auteur uniquely describes the distinct style of a filmmaker’s vision across his body of work.

13. While some film critics argue that a film is a collective project and cannot be credited to one person, I would disagree with this position and contend that in certain situations crediting a single person—an auteur—is more than appropriate. In his essay, “The Author,” film scholar, Robert Stam, says that the concept of the auteur provides an important way to understand what is distinctive about certain films.According to Stam, “[a]uteurism has clearly made a substantial contribution to film theory and methodology. Auteurism forced attention to the films themselves and to mise-en-scène as the stylistic signature of the director” (Stam 6). The essence of Stam’s argument is that auteurismis more than stylistic choices made by the director. It his overbearing vision that breaks the mold of generic cinematic rules. Auteur theory is extremely useful because it sheds light on the unifying vision of all the films in a filmmaker’s oeuvre. One example that consistently comes to mind in support of auteur theory is the Japanese filmmaker and manga artist, Hayao Miyazaki. In his critically acclaimed films such as Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, or Princess Mononoke, he displays his very distinct techniques. He is not only credited as the director of a majority (if not all) his films, he has written most of them as well. In addition, despite having an entire team of animators, his website reports that he personally reviews every frame of animation in his films and often redraws a significant amount of the animation. For these reasons it can be reasoned that Miyazaki is personally responsible for almost everything the audience experiences within his films. Though I concede that it is important to value everyone’s contribute to the making of a film, I still insist that the concept of the auteur uniquely describes the distinct style of a filmmaker’s vision across his body of work.

14. Throughout time people have subjected themselves to arduous tasks in order to follow a societal role. This role in society today has manifested itself as work. As work has increasingly become central to ideas about our social roles, the lack of work also affects our ideas about social roles.  ALWAYS avoid phrases like “throughout time” ! Reframe this claim in terms of key words/authors from the course. Marx claims that the workday has become central to how we understand work in relation to social roles and how we organize everyday life. In addition, he emphasizes that, because workers are separated from the products of their labor, they feel alienated from their work. Although I agree with Marx’s assessment, I would add that not working also results in feeling alienated, because work is central to our ability to sustain our everyday lives.

15. “Cahier du cinema” became a key auteurist organ. Cahiers used a number of weapons to spread auteurist ideas: the best-list etc.” Every auteur was measured and ranked by the cahier and very few of them were defended by both French and American writers and critics. “In the case of Hitchcock, Cahiers not only supported his American films, but two of its members, Eric Rohmer and Claude Chabrol, also wrote a book arguing that Hitchcock was both a technical genius and a profound metaphysician whose work revolved around the theme of ‘transfer of guilt’.” This shows that along with my opinion many famous critics and writers from the Cahier believed that Hitchcock could be defined as an auteur for his ability to make the audience feel like his characters in his movie. His brilliance and attention to detail, are just few of many reasons why Hitchcock is a perfect definition of an auteur.

16. As Robert Stam states in his article, “The Author”, “Auteurism, it was pointed out, underestimates the impact of production conditions. The filmmaker is not an untrammeled artist; he/she is immersed in material contingencies, surround by a Babel of voices and the buzz of technicians, cameras, and lights,” (Stam 4). Stam points out that during his or her work, a director is surrounded by a contributing crew. The director is not the only person behind the camera, free to imprint a sole, internal vision onto a film. Every member of the film making process is leaving their mark on the film and effecting how the final product will turn out, not just the director.

17. In Patrick Hogan's article he describes a film being "...made by many people, at different times, in different ways....producers, writers, editors, cinematographers  production designers and stars have been 'put forward as significant authors." Unlike a poem or a novel where the creative force is largely the work of a single person, a film involves such a large group of people in such a variety of roles that it's difficult to determine where exactly any director's influence lies. IN the case of Pixar, their work is largely accredited to the entire studio as opposed to specific individuals.

18. I agree with Hogan’s argument in “Auteurs and Their Brains” that there are many aspects of film, and many people who work on the creation of a film all contribute in varying degrees (Hogan 2004, 68). Even though the director sets the general structure of the film, but the production could not start without the screenwriter setting the narrative structure for the director. The set designer, lighting and the director of photography are the subordinates who would carry out the vision of the director and the structure of the film, however, in the case working with the screenwriter, the director is the one who becomes the screenwriter’s subordinate to develop the script’s organizing principles. Even if the director and the screenwriter were one person, the director can still be subordinated to the producer, or someone else who is mort consequential. Then, the director becomes someone that needs the support from others to continue what he initially established.

19. Final Reminders • Quotations cannot stand alone – quotation sandwiches are the way to go (see G&B 46) • Part of what comes after your quotation should be an explanation as to why it is important AND how it relates to your thesis or example • Use the templates! They are useful throughout the paragraph (beginning, middle, end; before and after quotations); they keep you engaging the quotation • It is ok to use “I” – in fact, it is encouraged • Use “two” quotation marks for all quotations; use ‘single’ quotation marks for material quoted within quotation marks. (avoid ironic quotation marks, but if you use them, use two: e.g., the “scandal” of auteur theory…” • Remember to always use the first and last name of the author the first time you refer to him or her AND include the title of the article (see slide 8 for an example) • Avoid things like: (see G&B page 50 for more information on alternatives) • the article argues (articles don’t argue!) • Stam asserts an idea that • A quote by Hogan says… • Trinh does a good job of saying… • You don’t have to put the author’s name in the citation if it is clear who you are referring to: e.g., Stam says, “blah blah blah” (4). [note also the correct formatting: quotation, parenthesis, period] • If it isn’t clear (e.g., if you refer to multiple authors throughout your essay) include the author’s name: The filmmaker is not an “untrampled artist” (Stam 4). [note the correct formatting: (name page) – no comma; period after the parenthesis.]