Film Analysis Worksheet: JAWS

Film TitleJAWS
Year1975
DirectorSteven Speilberg
CountryMartha’s Vineyard
GenreAdventure, thriller, horror, suspense, drama, and mystery.
If you could work on this film (change it), what would you change and why?I would extend the amount of time the main leads are out on the boat hunting the shark, adding in more stress and struggle with battling it while also tryng to sustain themselves with a deranged captain. I would put these elements in, so it becomes a much bigger relief when the shark is finally taken down, so that the audience can share the same amount of relief as the characters.
1. Who is the protagonist?Chief Brody 
2. Who is the antagonist?The shark/ The Mayor/Quint
3. What is the conflict?Find and kill a huge great white that’s responsible for killing some beach goer’s.
4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words)“DUN DUN” Two notes.
 


5. How is the story told (linear, non-linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)
Straightforward linear stroytelling, diving into the characters struggles while also seeing how dangerous this “supposed” shark is until it’s revealed, and the third act takes over with a suspenseful climax.
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?
A seemingly pleasant tourist attraction on Amity island becomes a place of dread and terror when a shark poses a threat to those who visit to go in the water. 
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing,
characterization, camera movement, etc.)? Why does the film encourage such
reactions?
The film encourages it’s audiance to care for it’s characters, by developing them, based on there reactions to the events that occur and there involvement in the plot. This is so when the shark shows up, your not just excited about seeing it, but it makes you concern for the main leads, making it extremely engaging.
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized? What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?
The film takes place in a fictional town in a realistic island setting. It’s meant to look like any other typical small island town so it feels more real to the viewers. There are some symbolic signs sprinkled here and there tht depicts some of the characters fate. For example, when there leaving the harbor to hunt the shark, the camera panns at them through a huge shark jaw, indicating something big and dangerous is gonna happen to them.



9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character?
Chief brody is dressed as a person who follows the law, providing regulations whenever something happens. Another character, Mathew Hooper, who is a shark expert, dresses like he’s an explorer and typical biologist when he’s out in the field, but he’ll dress niceley on certain occasions, to show his politness in presenting himself when he needs to, like the scene where he visits the Brody family, and where’s a nice suit. One more character presented in noticibel symbolic fashion is the mayor, who’s most acknowledged suit in his wardrobe is the one filled with anchors. This represents his position in wanting Amity veiwed as a place of comfort and warmth instead of a place where people are in fear. It’s meant to signify his ego as the mayor of a place in paradise, which he does’nt want broken. 
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?
The lighting in the film helps to reveal how surface level something is in a scene. When Amity is overshadowed and masking itself from the negative, it’s usually very light, without much dark shown in them. This helps show the ignorant side of Amity’s town and people who are’nt much concerned about a shark. However the lighting is really stretched and well placed, when the mask of Amity is unveiled and we as the audiance watch what the characters that have all the right knowledge are going through, the ones that see the dark truth.
 


11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically?
Certain camera movements in the film help establish what the character is feeling whenever the suspense of the scene kicks in. For example, when Brody is feeling anxious of people swimming after someone being killed, the main focus remains on him, and what he see’s. However once he let’s his guard down, almos imedialty someone get’s killed and we get an intense dolly shot of the chief in shock.
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music?
The music that’s been heard and parodied from this film, serves it’s purpose. To evoke fear and suspense whenever the audience is placed in the water with the characters. The two notes have always served a warning that the shark is there and can strike whenever it plays.
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film? Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?
There are situations tossed in that involves greed overcoming safety for people. There’s also themes that involves oen of the character’s overcoming their fear of the ocean by fighting a physical form that’s apart of it. 
The book was inspired by a real shark in 1916 which killed four people aloung the New Jersey Shore.
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sources.
Example: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015.
By Gary Arnold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 15, 1975; Page K1
Brilliant young director Steven Spielberg has taken the premise of Peter Benchley’s best-selling but rather pedestrian novel “Jaws” — a summer resort community terrorized by the presence of a rogue Great White Shark — and streamlined it into a new classic of cinematic horror and high adventure. The movie version of “Jaws” is one of the most exciting and satisfying thrillers ever made, and several things are likely to happen when it opens Friday at 500 American theaters, including the Aspen Hill 1, Jenifer 1, Riverdale Plaza, Springfield Mall 1 and Tyson’s Cinema in the Washington area.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52041-2004Jun18.html
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements. Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene.
Example: from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00.
Explain why you chose this scene.
PLACE THE TIME STAMP FROM THE SCENE HERE… Example: 00:00:00 – 00:05:00
00:13:42 – 00:18:17
I chose this because of it’s intense focus and knowledge of what would most likely happen in this scene from previous events at the beginning of the film. The audience knows that there’s a danger in the water. It intensifies the veiwer with a beginning, middle, and shocking climax in just under five minutes.


 
TOPICYOUR NOTES
1. Who is the protagonist?Chief Brody 
2. Who is the antagonist?The shark/ The Mayor/Quint
3. What is the conflict?Find and kill a huge great white that’s responsible for killing some beach goer’s.
4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words)“DUN DUN” Two notes.
5. How is the story told (linear, non-linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)Straightforward linear stroytelling, diving into the characters struggles while also seeing how dangerous this “supposed” shark is until it’s revealed, and the third act takes over with a suspenseful climax.
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?A seemingly pleasant tourist attraction on Amity island becomes a place of dread and terror when a shark poses a threat to those who visit to go in the water. 
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing,characterization, camera movement, etc.)? Why does the film encourage suchreactions?The film encourages it’s audiance to care for it’s characters, by developing them, based on there reactions to the events that occur and there involvement in the plot. This is so when the shark shows up, your not just excited about seeing it, but it makes you concern for the main leads, making it extremely engaging.
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized? What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?The film takes place in a fictional town in a realistic island setting. It’s meant to look like any other typical small island town so it feels more real to the viewers. There are some symbolic signs sprinkled here and there tht depicts some of the characters fate. For example, when there leaving the harbor to hunt the shark, the camera panns at them through a huge shark jaw, indicating something big and dangerous is gonna happen to them.
9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character?Chief brody is dressed as a person who follows the law, providing regulations whenever something happens. Another character, Mathew Hooper, who is a shark expert, dresses like he’s an explorer and typical biologist when he’s out in the field, but he’ll dress niceley on certain occasions, to show his politness in presenting himself when he needs to, like the scene where he visits the Brody family, and where’s a nice suit. One more character presented in noticibel symbolic fashion is the mayor, who’s most acknowledged suit in his wardrobe is the one filled with anchors. This represents his position in wanting Amity veiwed as a place of comfort and warmth instead of a place where people are in fear. It’s meant to signify his ego as the mayor of a place in paradise, which he does’nt want broken. 
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?The lighting in the film helps to reveal how surface level something is in a scene. When Amity is overshadowed and masking itself from the negative, it’s usually very light, without much dark shown in them. This helps shw the ignorant side of Amity’s town and people who are’nt much concerned about a shark. However the lighting is really stretched and well placed, when the mask of Amity is unveiled and we as the audiance watch what the characters that have all the right knowledge are going through, the ones that see the dark truth.
11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically?Certain camera movements in the film help establish what the character is feeling whenever the suspense of the scene kicks in. For example, when Brody is feeling anxious of people swimming after someone being killed, the main focus remains on him, and what he see’s. However once he let’s his guard down, almos imedialty someone get’s killed and we get an intense dolly shot of the chief in shock.
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music?The music that’s been heard and parodied from this film, serves it’s purpose. To evoke fear and suspense whenever the audience is placed in the water with the characters. The two notes have always served a warning that the shark is there and can strike whenever it plays.
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film? Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?There are situations tossed in that involves greed overcoming safety for people. There’s also themes that involves oen of the character’s overcoming their fear of the ocean by fighting a physical form that’s apart of it. The book was inspired by a real shark in 1916 which killed four people aloung the New Jersey Shore.
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sources.Example: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015.By Gary ArnoldWashington Post Staff WriterSunday, June 15, 1975; Page K1Brilliant young director Steven Spielberg has taken the premise of Peter Benchley’s best-selling but rather pedestrian novel “Jaws” — a summer resort community terrorized by the presence of a rogue Great White Shark — and streamlined it into a new classic of cinematic horror and high adventure. The movie version of “Jaws” is one of the most exciting and satisfying thrillers ever made, and several things are likely to happen when it opens Friday at 500 American theaters, including the Aspen Hill 1, Jenifer 1, Riverdale Plaza, Springfield Mall 1 and Tyson’s Cinema in the Washington area.https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52041-2004Jun18.html
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements. Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene.Example: from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00.Explain why you chose this scene.PLACE THE TIME STAMP FROM THE SCENE HERE… Example: 00:00:00 – 00:05:0000:13:42 – 00:18:17I chose this because of it’s intense focus and knowledge of what would most likely happen in this scene from previous events at the beginning of the film. The audience knows that there’s a danger in the water. It intensifies the veiwer with a beginning, middle, and shocking climax in just under five minutes.

 
~FRE~~~~~~~~~~~P
a. Screenwriting:It keeps it’s focus on Brody’s point of veiw.
b. Sound Design:Has common beach sounds until the music until the music catches the viewer off guard.
c. Camera Movements/Angles:Camera movements help interpret what Brody is feeling by locking his main focus on the people in the water.
d. Light Setup:Lighting is standard for to represent common beach, making it more threatening the more real it seems.
e. Soundtrack/Score:Score catches the viewer off guard and makes them aware of what is about to happen, eventually taking place, having the score carry on a panic sort of rythem then.
18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film?One of the context’s that is meant to be taken from here is the idea of political Ideaology which involves the mayor wanting to keep the beaches open for a profit, knowing fully well it’s unsafe.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *