The document discusses approaches to film authorship and applies them to the films "Super 8" directed by J.J. Abrams and "Moonrise Kingdom" directed by Wes Anderson. It provides background on auteur theory and examines elements of Anderson and Abrams' styles, including common motifs in Anderson's films and Abrams' use of lens flare. The lesson objectives are to explain approaches to film authorship and analyze the two featured films through this framework.

1. ‘Super 8’ (J.J. Abrams, USA, 2011)
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (Wes
Anderson, USA, 2012)
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

2. Who makes a film? Note down the
different people involved in producing a
film.
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

3. Note down as many examples of the
following as you can think of.
Directors
Screenwriters
Cinematographers
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

4. • Film as art vs. film as commerce.
• 1950s French film criticism – film as
language of expression.
• La politique des auteurs.
• Auteur Theory
• Criticisms of auteurism.
• Death of the author/intentional fallacy.
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

5. Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

6. Alfred Hitchcock was seen as the classic auteur. A master of
cinematic mise-en-scene. Many of his films deal with the act
of looking, or spying, and are concerned with obsession, guilt,
and paranoia. Many of his films use the detective or spy
genre as a pretext to explore the predatory aspects of human
behaviour, especially voyeurism. This is expressed through
his use of the classic point of view shot structure.
Themes (Inner Meaning) – Techniques/Style
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

7. Wes Anderson
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (Wes
Anderson, USA, 2012)
Filmography
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Fantastic Mr Fox (2009)
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
The Life Acquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Rushmore (1998)
Bottle Rocket (1996)
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

8. Wes Anderson
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (Wes
Anderson, USA, 2012)
Mark Browning2011
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

9. Wes Anderson
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (Wes
Anderson, USA, 2012)
There are identifiable common elements:
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•
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stop-motion-animation
the playful, elaborate sets
Stylized costuming
painstaking attention paid to period mimicry
mise-en-scene.
Use of repertory of actors
Character types - the tender, somehow compromised
lovers, the spiritually wasted, vagrant authority
figure, the colorful distant relations.
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

10. Wes Anderson
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (Wes
Anderson, USA, 2012)
Compare the opening sequence of
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ to ‘The Royal
Tennenbaums’. What are the
similarities?
http://www.movingimagesource.us/articl
es/the-substance-of-style-20120517
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

11. Wes Anderson
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (Wes
Anderson, USA, 2012)
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

12. J.J. Abrams Filmography
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

13. J.J. Abrams – Television
Credits
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

14. J.J. Abrams – Author?
To what extent can J.J. Abrams be considered an auteur?
Is there a consistent world-view in his films? Do they explore similar themes?
Abrams has only directed 4 films – is it too early tell if he is an auteur?
Is he better described as a metteur-en-scene? Any personal artistic vision is
subordinate to the demands of Hollywood genre commercial products?
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

15. J.J. Abrams – Style
Lens Flare
Lens Flare
“Lens flare” is a effect caused by light that has
been scattered over a camera lens by internal
reflection. In film-making and cinematography,
lens flare is often used intentionally to invoke a
sense of drama or to screen the artificial textures
of CGI-edited motion pictures. Modern film
camera equipment has components that prevent
flares from occurring during shoots.
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

16. J.J. Abrams
Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain approaches to film authorship, and apply these to
‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.