Reference no: EM133293712
Introduction
The first assignment for this unit is comprised of two (2) interrelated parts: a video essay, no more than 5 minutes in duration, and an accompanying exegesis of 750 words (excluding final reference list).
The video essay allows you to creatively explore a topic area from the unit through the medium of sound and image, drawing upon the critical ideas you have been introduced to in the unit and that you have developed further through independent research and reading. We use the word video essay because we are asking you to imagine that you are using the ‘camera' (images, representations) like a pen. Having said that, there is no one or right way to make a video essay: as you can see from the unit examples below, the video essay takes many forms.
The exegesis is a critical and reflective account of what you have produced and why, drawing on the key terms and concepts from the unit. The exegesis reflects on what your video essay aims to do, drawing on your academic research. It allows you to tell us what you have made and why.
As its name would suggest, a video essay is a critical commentary and/or analysis that is expressed via audiovisual means. Video essays come in a wide range of styles and formats. Some are poetic and experimental, some are formal and didactic. Some assume a personal and subjective voice, others foster a detached and objective point-of-view. Some use voiceover narration, some superimposed titles and text, while others use nothing but image and music. Regardless, the central aim of the video essay is to offer an engaged scholarly meditation on a given topic by using the dynamic expressive materials of videographic media.
A video essay is not a blog, vlog, journal entry, documentary or fan video:
It is an academic work that uses scholarly material to explore its topic It sets and answers a research question
It is rooted in careful scholarly research and reflection
It draws upon the critical ideas embedded in the unit
It draws upon the readings, lecture notes and discussion threads
It draws upon additional scholarly literature discovered through independent research
It is scholarly but also creative - it wants you to use the aesthetics of celebrity culture to make your case
It utilises a mix of multimedia elements such as found footage, still and moving images, written and/or spoke words drawn from research and media and film culture (but you can also ‘film', for example, billboards or posters, magazine pages that make your case);
‘You' don't have to appear in it - it can be driven by audio, voiceover and written/textual quotes (and it can be experimental, where you ‘play' with or subvert the themes you are exploring)'
It should have a full reference list included at the end;
We believe video essays can be an especially valuable undertaking for us in this unit because: they respond productively to the spectacular audiovisual dimensions of celebrity culture they encourage us to think more dynamically about the texts and forms of celebrity culture and thus help promote active learning they develop vital transferable skills in basic multimedia production and screen presentations they enable us to creatively engage with celebrity culture, offering us innovative ways to explore the knowledge the unit produces they offer a productive alternative to traditional forms of written assessment.
1. What is stardom and celebrity?
2. Fandom and celebrity
3. Commodity culture and stardom
4. Dressing stars and celebrities: desire and identification
5. The industry of celebrity
6. Celebrity is the new religion
7. Star case study (of your own choosing)
As stated above, video essays are fully academic works and, like all academic commentary, they are grounded in scholarly research. Read as widely as you can around your chosen topic area. Start with the relevant unit readings and then broaden out with independent research. While you can draw from media and popular sources such as newspapers, magazines, websites and the like, this is still an academic assignment so you must prioritise and integrate scholarly and critical material as a key part of your research base. To that end, you will be expected to include a minimum of six (6) scholarly sources in your video projects. These sources should be used in both your video essay and exegeses to subtantiate and support concepts, points and claims as appropriate.
demonstrable evidence of effort and planning (is the project well structured and coherently developed; does it show careful conceptualisation and execution; is the topic and material appropriately focused/tailored/framed?)
critical insight (does it advance a novel or illuminating perspective on its chosen topic; does it show critical thinking and intellectual rigour?)
analytic efficacy (is the topic well designed; does it deploy useful and/or productive strategies to develop its thesis and/or claims?)
scholarly depth (does the project draw, directly and/or indirectly, from appropriate research; does it incorporate 6 or more scholarly sources; does it show engagement with the field of academic celebrity studies?)
creativity and imagination - has the video essay been designed with creativity in mind?
critical multimedia literacy (does the project demonstrate basic competence in multimedia production and/or an understanding of the form of the video essay and how it can be used for engaged critical commentary?)
expression (is the argument/commentary expressed clearly and coherently; does the written component exhibit effective presentation and accurate style?)