Select a critically acclaimed film or television series that depicts a relationship between friends, family
members, romantic partners, colleagues, etc.
Watch the assigned film once in its entirety, taking notes on the most salient themes. For instance,
watching the first season of the U.S. version of the series The Office, I would highlight the relationship
between colleagues, the tensions that arise and reasons for these tensions, the development into
romantic relationships, the lack of diversity in representation, the use of sarcasm to challenge issues of
diversity, etc.
Watch your selected piece of media a second time by altering the viewing. For instance, you may want to
ask someone close to you to watch it with you, or to watch it without sound, etc.
Make sure to take additional notes, this time by focusing on everything else but the dialogue. For instance,
you might notice the use of lighting, the movement of cameras, the absences from the frame, the mise en
scene, or montage. At this point, you should be able to connect some themes together.
Finally, watch your selected piece of media a third time, with subtitles (if possible). During this last part,
you should transcribe selected passage in the film necessary for your analysis.
Consider the following questions throughout the process:
How did this relationship change throughout the film?
How did it progress and/or regress?
What specific scenes, comments, and/or interpersonal interactions illustrate the changes this relationship
endured?
What role did specific issues of cultural diversity play in this
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