This document provides guidance for students on writing a theme essay about the film "Bend it Like Beckham." It outlines the learning intention, success criteria, and essay question. It then breaks down the question and provides examples of themes, film techniques, and a sample essay plan and body paragraph structure to help students write a well-organized response. Alternative options like a verbal illustrated essay are also described. The marking criteria explains how essays will be evaluated on students' understanding of ideas and effective use of structure.

1. BEND IT LIKE
BECKHAM
Theme
Essay

2. To identify and describe a key
theme in Bend it Like Beckham
through interpreting the use of
film techniques and explaining
their effect.
LEARNING INTENTION

3. You will be able to analyse the
way characters, settings and
film techniques help us to
understand a key theme in the
film by applying correct
essay structure.
SUCCESS CRITERIA

4. T.R.U.M.P FOCUS
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language,
text & symbols
Managing self
Participating &
contributing
MANAGING SELF:
Exercise your self-control by
focusing on your work and using
time-management skills to
ensure you finish…
THINKING:
Reflect and evaluate: Consider what skills you
are learning and how you can put them into
practice in order to create a meaningful essay.
USING LANGUAGE, TEXT & SYMBOLS:
You are working on interpreting how
film techniques are used to create
meaning AND using your language and
structure to demonstrate your own
understanding of this.

5. You will write a theme essay about
Bend it Like Beckham.
You will be answering this
question:
Identify a key theme in
the text and explain how
visual/verbal techniques
helped you to
understand the theme.
Let’s break down this question –
what is it asking us to do?

6. 1. Identify a key theme
Choose one of these themes to write
about:
• Culture Clash
• Stereotyping & Misunderstanding
• Friendship and Love OR
• Parent/child relationships
BREAKING DOWN THE
ESSAY QUESTION:

7. 2. Explain how visual/verbal techniques
helped you to understand the theme.
a. In each paragraph identify one thing you
understand about the chosen theme in the
film.
b. Choose a scene as an example
c. Identify at least 2 specific film techniques in
that scene describe the effect they create.
-> Link this to what we learn about the theme

8. VISUAL/VERBAL TECHNIQUES TO
CHOOSE FROM:
VISUAL FILM TECHNIQUES VERBAL FILM TECHNIQUES
• Establishing shot
• Long shot
• Medium shot
• Two shot
• Close up
• Extreme close up
• Point-of-view shot
• Over-the-shoulder shot
• Low angle
• High angle
• Bird's eye view
• Eye level
• Panning and tilting
• Hand held
• Tracking in
• Tracking out
• Voice over
• Diegetic and non diegetic sound
• Dialogue
• Sound track
• Sound effects

9. ESSAY PLAN
It is important to plan your essay to make sure you get the
structure correct and include enough points and examples
to achieve.
Remember the Hamburger Structure:
Intro
P1
P2
P3
Conclusion
And every paragraph needs to follow the P.E.E.L structure.
Points, Example, Explain, Link to what we learn/director’s
intention.

10. The following slides contain:
• An example essay plan
• An example body paragraph (annotated)
• And sentence starters/essay writing
template
-> Use this to help you structure your
writing correctly

11. Example
Essay Plan

12. INTRO
Paragraph 1 &
Point 1
P – Jess often feels torn between two worlds, the culture of her
family, and the culture of English football that she identifies
with
E – Backyard scene – Wide shot shows Jess kicking football but
with Sari’s hanging on line. Costume (Saris vs. track pants)
E – This visually demonstrates her struggle between her cultural
and family expectations and what she wants to do
L – The director wants us to understand that for Jess, her family
culture has almost become an obstacle to her dreams. But
she is committed to overcoming it.
.
– There are three key film techniques that help me to
understand the theme of…Culture Clash.

13. INTRO
Paragraph 2
& Point 2
P – The clash between her parent’s beliefs and Jess’s dreams is a major
source of conflict in their house
E – Scene where Jess is arguing with her parents about playing football
in the living room. Camera shots – Low angle of mother, with Indian
God on the wall behind. High angle looking down on Jess. Close ups
of angry faces and concern on Jess’s faces.
E – Builds tension by making the parents and religion seem powerful and
Jess weak in this situation. Close Ups build the sense of conflict and
emotion. Cutting between all three people in the argument. The clash
of their cultures.
L – This is one of the many scenes in the film where Jess disagrees with
her parents. The director wants to show that Jess still wants to
please her parents, but finds it hard because they don’t understand
her desire to play football. This is a key turning point in the plot as
Jess – at least temporarily – decides to try and obey her parents.
– There are three key film techniques that help me to understand the
theme of…Culture Clash.

14. Paragraph 3 &
Point 3
P – Jess tries to please both worlds – her parents and Indian
culture, and her football team.
E – Scene after the match in the changing rooms where the team
are helping Jess change back into her sari, to return to the
wedding. WS & Costume.
E – Shows Jess in sari, and team mates in soccer clothes. The
framing allows us to see the contrast between Jess and her
costume (traditional Indian clothes) and her team and the
setting the changing room – which shows the other world she
is a part of. Football.
L – Director wants us to see that despite the clash of Jess’
cultures, she is able to find a way to exist in both worlds. With
the support of friends and acceptance of her family, they
eventually are able to come to a place of agreement.
CONCLUSION

15. Example
Body Paragraph

16. Another way that visual film techniques help us to understand the
theme of culture clash in Bend it Like Beckham is through the
camera framing and costume in the locker room scene. This shows
us that Jess is trying to live in both worlds. Her parents and Indian
culture. In this scene, Jess has just played in the final winning
match and is now rushing back to her sister’s wedding. The scene
uses a Wide Shot to show Jess’ teammates helping her to change
back into her Sari. The framing of the Wide Shot allows us to see
the contrast between Jess and her costume which is a traditional
Indian Sari. We also see the contrast or clash between the Sari and
the football changing room. The two seem quite out of place. They
show the contrast of Jess’ two worlds. Through this, the director
wants us to see that despite the clash of Jess’ cultures, she is able
to find a way to exist in both worlds. With the support of friends and
acceptance of her family, they eventually are able to come to a
place of agreement.
Example Body Paragraph Point
Example
Explanation
Link

17. Sentence
Starters
Structure Template

18. In the film Bend it Like Beckham (2002), directed by
Gurinder Chadha a key theme is ___________.
A number of visual and verbal film techniques help us to
understand this theme.
The use of_______, _______, and ________ are used
to show us that
__________________________________________.
ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:
INTRODUCTION

19. An important scene in the film Bend it Like Beckham that helps us to
understand the theme of ___________ is ________.
In this scene __________________________________
The film technique of _____________ is used to show
_____________.
The effect of this is to ____________________.
The director wanted us to understand____________ about the theme
_______________.
ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:
PARAGRAPH 1

20. The theme of______________ is also shown in the film Bend it Like
Beckham through the technique of ___________________.
In the scene where ___________________________ the director uses
________ (film technique) to show ________________.
The effect of this is_________________.
What this shows us about the theme is __________________.
The director’s intention through this was to help us to
understand_______________.
ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:
PARAGRAPH 2

21. Finally, __________________ helps us to understand the theme of
____________ through ____________.
A scene in the film that shows us this is ______________________.
The director uses the film technique of _________________ to show us
________________.
The effect this creates is ________________________.
What we understand about the theme through this is
_______________________.
The director’s intention was ______________________________.
ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:
PARAGRAPH 3

22. __________ is a key idea in Bend it Like Beckham (2002),
directed by Gurinder Chadha. This theme is shown through
_______________, ______________, and ___________.
These film techniques help us to understand
_____________________ (summarise your key points and
insights).
What we learn from this in the film is …
ESSAY SENTENCE STARTERS:
CONCLUSION

23. Marking
Criteria

24. FILM ESSAY MARKING CRITERIA
Year 10
ACHIEVED  Show a developing understanding of ideas within and across texts
 Describes ideas with some detail.
 Uses film techniques/codes and conventions
 Structures material appropriately according to audience, purpose and text type.
MERIT  Show an understanding of ideas within and across texts.
 Describes ideas in detail
 Uses film techniques/codes and conventions appropriately
 Structures material effectively according to audience, purpose and text type.
EXCELLENCE  Show a convincing understanding of ideas within, across, and beyond texts
(director’s purpose)
 Effectively describes and synthesises ideas and uses techniques that are
developed and sustained.
 Uses film techniques/ codes and conventions accurately and effectively
 Uses a controlled and sustained writing style.
 Structures material clearly in a way appropriate to audience, purpose and text type.

25. Alternative
Option
VISA

26. • For this essay, you do have an
alternative OPTION to a traditional
written essay.
• If you would like, you may do a Verbal
Illustrated Essay.
The Key
Difference, is
just that it is
SPOKEN
rather than
written.
VISA: VERBAL ILLUSTRATED ESSAY

27. IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you choose the Verbal Illustrated Essay option,
you still must use and apply the same 5 paragraph
and P.E.E.L structure or flow.
i.e organise your information and thoughts in
this way.
However, instead of writing it, you are able to
record audio of you explaining
your points, examples and
explanations and include
relevant images behind it.
It is not an easy
option, just a
different option

28. INSTRUCTIONS:
Create a verbal presentation over images that:
• Identifies and describes how at least
3 FILM TECHNIQUES help us to understand a
theme.
• Explains what teenagers can learn from this.
Here is an example of a VISA by Mrs
Rubens where she is answering a
character question: https://goo.gl/plbG5E

29. TOOLS YOU COULD USE…
• When choosing an app or site, ensure that you
can do a voiceover and can add media
(videos/images)
Options could include:
• iMovie
• Educreations
• Explain Everything
• Book Creator
• Keynote

30. SUCCESS CRITERIA CHECKLIST
1. I have clearly identified the use of film
techniques
2. I have clearly explained what information
these techniques show a teenager
audience about a character
3. I have explained how each of these
techniques communicates information
about a theme
4. I have linked each technique and what it
shows the audience about character and
theme to the wider world
Applying

31. ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
31
Achieved Merit Excellence
A voice over is
attempted and it shows
some relevance to the
question
Voice over is
convincing and
portrays character and
theme
Voice over is effective
and portrays character
and theme in a
confident way
Visual and verbal
features show some
understanding of the
text
Visual and verbal
features show
convincing
understanding of the
text
Visual and verbal
features show
perceptive
understanding of the
text