Willis, Sharon. “Mutilated Masculinities and Their Prostheses: Die Hards and Lethal Weapons.” Chap. 1 in High Contrast: Race and Gender in Contemporary Hollywood Film. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 1997. MSCR 1100: Film 101 Writing Guide FILM, BOOK, OR ESSAY TITLES Italicize or underline film and book titles. You typically also include the film’s director and date in parentheses the first time you mention the film in your paper; this may be important if you want to stress the historical context or sequence of your films discussed. Examples: Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989) Or, if the filmmaker is already addressed: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) In a sentence: Spike Lee confronts the viewer with racial tensions brought to the boiling point in Do the Right Thing (1989). Place in quotes articles and essays: “A Theater of Interruptions” THE HISTORICAL PRESENT AND PARANTHETICAL INFORMATION Most textual analysis and commentary is written in a form of the present tense called the historical present (or literary present). This applies to films and to written works. The idea is that the events or ideas expressed or represented in a text continue, even after you read or watched it. This can get a little complicated when you alternate between recounting a past event (Jean Renoir directed this film in 1937, or Walter Benjamin wrote his first draft in 1934) and the content itself (Renoir’s film implies that national differences can be overcome; In the film, Renoir insinuates that groups are bound by class—note that this refers to the film as well as the filmmaker). Example: In Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976) Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) rehearses his gun-slinging before the mirror. First, note that the character does theses things in the film, not the actor—although you could say “Jodie Foster’s character gets into the car…” It is not always necessary, or even helpful, to always include the actor’s name—particularly when he or she is relatively unknown or plays a minor character. Once you have provided the parenthetical information you don’t need to do it again. For example, you may have a line a few paragraphs later: In Taxi Driver’s climatic confrontation, Travis shoots Sport (Harvey Keitel) on his way to rescue Iris. As a side note, I use the possessive on the film title here, but only italicize the film itself (not the apostrophe-s). WHEN TO CITE AND WHEN NOT TO CITE If in doubt, it is better to site your source. In general, it is not necessary to cite the lecturing professor, unless it is absolutely clear that she/he is giving a specific opinion, and not simply presenting that week’s readings, or common knowledge. It is not necessary to cite, or place in quotations, things that are considered common knowledge. For example: “World War I was devastating for Europe,” does not need to be quoted or cited. If you are pulling ...

1. Willis, Sharon. “Mutilated Masculinities and Their Prostheses:
Die Hards and Lethal Weapons.” Chap. 1 in
High Contrast: Race and Gender in Contemporary Hollywood
Film. Durham and London: Duke
University Press, 1997.

2. MSCR 1100: Film 101
Writing Guide
FILM, BOOK, OR ESSAY TITLES
Italicize or underline film and book titles. You typically also
include the film’s director and date in
parentheses the first time you mention the film in your paper;
this may be important if you want to stress the
historical context or sequence of your films discussed.
Examples: Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989) Or, if the
filmmaker is already addressed: Fantastic Mr. Fox

3. (2009)
In a sentence: Spike Lee confronts the viewer with racial
tensions brought to the boiling point in Do the
Right Thing (1989).
Place in quotes articles and essays: “A Theater of Interruptions”
THE HISTORICAL PRESENT AND PARANTHETICAL
INFORMATION
Most textual analysis and commentary is written in a form of
the present tense called the historical present
(or literary present). This applies to films and to written works.
The idea is that the events or ideas expressed
or represented in a text continue, even after you read or watched
it. This can get a little complicated when
you alternate between recounting a past event (Jean Renoir
directed this film in 1937, or Walter Benjamin
wrote his first draft in 1934) and the content itself (Renoir’s
film implies that national differences can be
overcome; In the film, Renoir insinuates that groups are bound
by class—note that this refers to the film as
well as the filmmaker).
Example: In Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976) Travis Bickle
(Robert De Niro) rehearses his gun-slinging
before the mirror.
First, note that the character does theses things in the film, not
the actor—although you could say “Jodie
Foster’s character gets into the car…” It is not always
necessary, or even helpful, to always include the
actor’s name—particularly when he or she is relatively unknown
or plays a minor character. Once you have
provided the parenthetical information you don’t need to do it
again. For example, you may have a line a
few paragraphs later: In Taxi Driver’s climatic confrontation,

4. Travis shoots Sport (Harvey Keitel) on his way
to rescue Iris. As a side note, I use the possessive on the film
title here, but only italicize the film itself (not
the apostrophe-s).
WHEN TO CITE AND WHEN NOT TO CITE
If in doubt, it is better to site your source. In general, it is not
necessary to cite the lecturing professor, unless
it is absolutely clear that she/he is giving a specific opinion,
and not simply presenting that week’s readings,
or common knowledge.
It is not necessary to cite, or place in quotations, things that are
considered common knowledge. For
example: “World War I was devastating for Europe,” does not
need to be quoted or cited.
If you are pulling a fact from a book, it may be best not to place
it in quotes but use your own language. It is
important that you cite this in the paragraph or as a footnote.
For example: In 1929, France made 68
features, while the United States produced 526 (Bordwell and
Thompson 2003: 85). Textbooks like The Film
Experience are great sources for historical contexts and formal
definitions, but it is not recommended that
you structure your paper around them, for they tend to provide
general overviews rather than present
specific arguments.
It is great to use quotes, but don’t let a quote stand in for your
own thoughts. Quotes should serve to
reference an author’s unique point of view, an issue that you
want to address further. Make sure that these
quotes are not simply dropped in, but are well integrated in your
argument and have a clear link.

5. FIVE-PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE FOR 2-PAGE PAPERS
1. Thesis Paragraph
Maps out what you want to say (your argument) and how you
will say it (your method), including both the
supporting text/s and terms, and examples from the films.
2. Terms, Quotes, or Supporting Texts
Lays out the key relevant concept/s from your source, and
reiterates how you will apply—or challenge—
these with your examples.
3. Example 1
If necessary, provide a brief, one- or two-sentence context for
your example. In around two sentences,
describe all relevant aspects of the example, using the formal
terms. In a couple of sentences, elaborate on
its relevance to your thesis and central concepts.
4. Example 2
Same as example 1, but perhaps referencing first example as a
counterpoint.
5. Conclusion
With the supporting concepts, ties the two examples together
into a synthesis (a new idea or insight that
emerges through this juxtaposition). It does not restate the
thesis paragraph (which tells the reader where we

6. are going), and does not list the points the covered in the
previous paragraphs, but provides a sense of
closure while also—paradoxically—suggesting new spaces to
explore.
Willis, Sharon. “Mutilated Masculinities and Their Prostheses:
Die Hards and Lethal Weapons.” Chap. 1 in
High Contrast: Race and Gender in Contemporary Hollywood
Film. Durham and London: Duke
University Press, 1997.

7. Shohat, Ella and Robert Stam. “Stereotype, Realism, and the
Struggle over Representation.” In Critical Visions
in Film Theory: Classical and Contemporary Readings, edited
by Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White,
with Meta Mazaj, 800–22. Boston and New York: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2011.

8. stamimage5.pdf
Stam, Robert, and Louise Spence. “Colonialism, Racism, and
Representation.” In Film Theory and Criticism,
Seventh Edition, edited by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen,
751–66. New York and Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2009.

9. Stamstam and spence.pdf
Shohat, Ella and Robert Stam. “Stereotype, Realism, and the
Struggle over Representation.” In Critical Visions
in Film Theory: Classical and Contemporary Readings, edited
by Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White,
with Meta Mazaj, 800–22. Boston and New York: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2011.

10. stamimage5.pdf
Stam, Robert, and Louise Spence. “Colonialism, Racism, and
Representation.” In Film Theory and Criticism,
Seventh Edition, edited by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen,
751–66. New York and Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2009.

11. Stamstam and spence.pdf
MSCR 1100: Film 101
Writing Guide
FILM, BOOK, OR ESSAY TITLES
Italicize or underline film and book titles. You typically also
include the film’s director and date in
parentheses the first time you mention the film in your paper;
this may be important if you want to stress the
historical context or sequence of your films discussed.
Examples: Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989) Or, if the
filmmaker is already addressed: Fantastic Mr. Fox
(2009)
In a sentence: Spike Lee confronts the viewer with racial
tensions brought to the boiling point in Do the
Right Thing (1989).
Place in quotes articles and essays: “A Theater of Interruptions”
THE HISTORICAL PRESENT AND PARANTHETICAL
INFORMATION
Most textual analysis and commentary is written in a form of

12. the present tense called the historical present
(or literary present). This applies to films and to written works.
The idea is that the events or ideas expressed
or represented in a text continue, even after you read or watched
it. This can get a little complicated when
you alternate between recounting a past event (Jean Renoir
directed this film in 1937, or Walter Benjamin
wrote his first draft in 1934) and the content itself (Renoir’s
film implies that national differences can be
overcome; In the film, Renoir insinuates that groups are bound
by class—note that this refers to the film as
well as the filmmaker).
Example: In Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976) Travis Bickle
(Robert De Niro) rehearses his gun-slinging
before the mirror.
First, note that the character does theses things in the film, not
the actor—although you could say “Jodie
Foster’s character gets into the car…” It is not always
necessary, or even helpful, to always include the
actor’s name—particularly when he or she is relatively unknown
or plays a minor character. Once you have
provided the parenthetical information you don’t need to do it
again. For example, you may have a line a
few paragraphs later: In Taxi Driver’s climatic confrontation,
Travis shoots Sport (Harvey Keitel) on his way
to rescue Iris. As a side note, I use the possessive on the film
title here, but only italicize the film itself (not
the apostrophe-s).
WHEN TO CITE AND WHEN NOT TO CITE
If in doubt, it is better to site your source. In general, it is not
necessary to cite the lecturing professor, unless
it is absolutely clear that she/he is giving a specific opinion,

13. and not simply presenting that week’s readings,
or common knowledge.
It is not necessary to cite, or place in quotations, things that are
considered common knowledge. For
example: “World War I was devastating for Europe,” does not
need to be quoted or cited.
If you are pulling a fact from a book, it may be best not to place
it in quotes but use your own language. It is
important that you cite this in the paragraph or as a footnote.
For example: In 1929, France made 68
features, while the United States produced 526 (Bordwell and
Thompson 2003: 85). Textbooks like The Film
Experience are great sources for historical contexts and formal
definitions, but it is not recommended that
you structure your paper around them, for they tend to provide
general overviews rather than present
specific arguments.
It is great to use quotes, but don’t let a quote stand in for your
own thoughts. Quotes should serve to
reference an author’s unique point of view, an issue that you
want to address further. Make sure that these
quotes are not simply dropped in, but are well integrated in your
argument and have a clear link.
FIVE-PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE FOR 2-PAGE PAPERS
1. Thesis Paragraph
Maps out what you want to say (your argument) and how you
will say it (your method), including both the
supporting text/s and terms, and examples from the films.

14. 2. Terms, Quotes, or Supporting Texts
Lays out the key relevant concept/s from your source, and
reiterates how you will apply—or challenge—
these with your examples.
3. Example 1
If necessary, provide a brief, one- or two-sentence context for
your example. In around two sentences,
describe all relevant aspects of the example, using the formal
terms. In a couple of sentences, elaborate on
its relevance to your thesis and central concepts.
4. Example 2
Same as example 1, but perhaps referencing first example as a
counterpoint.
5. Conclusion
With the supporting concepts, ties the two examples together
into a synthesis (a new idea or insight that
emerges through this juxtaposition). It does not restate the
thesis paragraph (which tells the reader where we
are going), and does not list the points the covered in the
previous paragraphs, but provides a sense of
closure while also—paradoxically—suggesting new spaces to
explore.