My project is going to be a critical dissection of the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, in which my colleagues and I will discuss whether or not the film should be considered a rehash of story elements. Considering the appealing topic, that being Star Wars, I have a generally deep knowledge of the subject material.
Here's a rhetorical breakdown of my project, starting with the author.
Rhetorical Situation: Author
I'm currently majoring in Film and Television here at the U of A. Storytelling has been a burning interest of mine since I was very young, and movies have satisfied that interest effectively. I plan to enter the industry professionally as a writer, although I am willing to accept any creative position that leads me there. I'm interested in the progression of film and how the times affect what is presented creatively as well as aesthetically. The Star Wars franchise is a good example of this change. I've been a "fan" of Star Wars since second grade. It was probably my first obsession, and I was fortunate enough to understand at an early age what made some of the movies better than others. In regards to the latest installment, I was extremely hyped since the day the sequel trilogy was announced in 2011. 2015 felt like an era of "Star Wars mania" and by the time TFA was to be released, I was fairly burnt out on all things lightsaber-y and Skywalker-y. I guess a sort of cynical hipsterism came out last year because literally everyone was a Star Wars fan, and I figured most of them didn't know their wampa from their womp rat, and that kind of ticked me off in the grumpy-old-man kind of way. I enjoyed the movie upon my first viewing, but after some thought I saw a lot of similar ground being treaded on and downright copied from the previous films. These prejudices grew from my previous lifelong experience with the franchise.
Rhetorical Situation: Audience
The ideal audience for this project would be Star Wars fans who are curious to hear a more critical analysis of the latest film. Although with a topic of this popularity, there is sure to be some intrinsic prejudice in listeners who may harbor maternal feelings towards the movie. Considering that approximately 89% of viewers enjoyed the film, it is more likely than not that the audience is on the positive side of the spectrum, and some points that emphasize the negatives of the film may be misinterpreted or even dismissed. That being said, each of the show runners of my podcast are equally immersed in Star Wars lore and history, and utilizing this knowledge will increase my credibility. A friend of mine, Andrew Winslow, who previously taught here, definitely falls under the target audience. He has a phD in rhetoric and is a tough nut to crack, but I would increase my credibility by explaining to him my history in delving into the franchise, as well as share my sources and the structure of my argument.
Rhetorical Situation: Purpose
Ideally, I would like the audience to consider what made The Force Awakens successful and whether the story was as progressive as one might expect for a story thirty years in the making. I believe that the structure of the story needs to be explained in-depth, citing the similarities between the new and original movies, and how the rich lore of the franchise takes a step back in favor of appeasing fans. Of course, it may be too early to complete this argument since the story arc has not yet completed, but there is much to argue for at this point in time.
Rhetorical Situation: Context
I will be recording a podcast for this project. Audiences of podcasts expect entertainment and generally don't stand for any dry moments, considering there is no visual aid to satisfy that sense. I have never created a podcast, but I have been a listener for a few years now and am familiar with the conventions of the genre. The most effective conventions, in my opinion, are pacing and casualness. Good pacing creates an attentive listening environment, while a good level of comfort and relatability comes from a casual tone. The movie only released about four months ago, so the idea is still generally fresh in audiences' minds, and future decisions in production have not yet been released to the public.
Here are four links to arguments for and against the familiar story arc:
J.J. Abrams - Collider Interview - The original story is derivative of earlier material
Daily Kos - Analysis - The reuse of plot points is done more effectively than most other examples
Variety - Review - Similar story elements/fan service is used
Chris Stukmann - Video Essay Analysis - Follows Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey
Hey Jacob!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have this whole thing well thought out and well planned! You definitely seem well acquainted with the topic and the fact that you couldn't avoid being "ticked off" when just writing an overview shows that you definitely have some real passion behind the argument.
For me, the 1% who didn't even see the new movie in 2015, I was very confused about what you were arguing about. So I think your audience, unless you intend on going really deep into explaining the issue, will need to be limited to people who have been fans their whole lives and have seen the old movies as well as the most recent film.
I think your tone and your intentions with rhetoric are really strong and well used. I believe you have the makings of a strong argument so long as you make the distinction of your argument (what exactly is the same) quite clear for a viewer who may not have watched with such a critical eye.
Overall well done!
Good luck with Production week!!
I love how confident you sound in your topic. As an outsider looking in, it's obvious you have a lot of credibility and knowledge in this topic. The argument is clear, but make sure your audience is following your train of thought since I was a little confused reading through it. What's the importance of "The Force Awakens" having overdone story elements from previous Star Wars movies? Is it bad? Good? Neither? Make sure you explain a little bit before you delve into your argument. Other than that fantastic job and I can't wait to see the finished product!
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