Change of essay question-ish

There been some rethinking, re-focusing of my essay question;

To what extent are the dystopian visions of the future as depicted in sci-fi films influenced by current or past events & issues

Now changed to:

How have American horror films reflected the 

social and political situations of the time they were made?

This would allow me to investigate the social commentary that lies behind a lot of the horror films of the 60's/70's/80's including recurring themes like Communism,Cold War, AIDS. I took this new approach into the Cop session with me and came out with the following notes and suggestions on how to focus it further, as obviously there are just a 'few' american horror films to chose from since the invention of lights, cameras and action.

The Suburbs

• Look at 'suburbia in different countries, and what it means to those people. Possible anxieties about suburbia in various other nations.

• Paranoia of the 'outside'

• American foreigner policy

• Depticitons of 1980's American suburbia; see Blue Velvet, The 'Burbs , Gremlins

Find books about film theory, and representation.

Study Task- 3 Planning and Structuring an Essay

Suggested Research Question.

To what extent are the dystopian visions of the future as depicted in 

sci-fi films influenced by  current or past events & issues

Which Academic Sources will you reference?

At the moment finding any actual, real-life books about the subject is proving quite hard, with only articles written 
online referenced so far.

What Images Illustrations will you analyse?

Visions of the future, dystopian or otherwise - illustrated or brought to life in films. 
Watching films about dystopian futures will help, but the list is endless!

Include at least one piece of Illustration to analyse in depth (but no more than three)

Essay Map
Using the Study Task Handout, construct an essay map outlining the FOUR main points of your argument.

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This essay map should include a sentence which states your thesis, and how it will be addressed. It should also include FOUR sentences, each outlining a different element of your central argument.

You should also refer to how this essay map links to the key sources that you have highlighted and the example(s) of Illustration practice.

Study Task- 2 Establishing A Research Question

• Suggested Research Question.

This can be a topic or theme, but please try to be as precise as possible.

To what extent are the dystopian visions of the future as depicted in 

sci-fi films influenced by  current or past events & issues

• Which Of The Module Resources Does This Question Relate To?

You can find these on eStudio - Try to list at least three.

Social - Historical - Cultural

• Which Academic Sources Are Available On The Topic?

Include a Harvard Referenced bibliography of at least 5 sources.

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• How Could The Research Question Be Investigated Through Practice?

What Graphic Design would you make in response to this, and why?

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What Makes a Good Proposal?

Not having an essay, draft or otherwise to work from (just a small amount of notes & quotes relating to the essay question i'd come up with)ideas for my 5 hotdog books were thin on the ground. We presented our initial ideas in small groups, and it was a good chance to see what everyone one was making of the practical side of the module. The majority of them seemed pretty unsure what they wanted to do, but that might just have been because i happened to be in a group of people who were also struggling a bit with their essay question? But in all honesty, i don't think anyone could dying on their arse as much as me at this point in time. 

Notes from the studio group session-

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PROPOSAL?

WORDS!

Your essay question

Elevator pitch

Orgainised collation of ideas

Specificity - Be consice. No waffle

Why? How? What?

Ideas/ Themes

Clear outcomes

Audience

Deadline

STRUCTURE

What?

Why? Justification

Methodology. How? Materials & what techniques

Theories

Research

Outcome. Potential

Proposal should be able to be conveyed in 2 paragraphs of writing. 

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Afer the session Pete had sit down with me to get an insight to just what the bloody hell i'd been up to (or hadn't). He also helped me to make my essay question more focused, as my current title could fill up books of writing. We had an interesting talk about sci-fi films of the past century and came up with the new questions of ; 

'To what extent are the dystopian visions of the future as depicted in 

sci-fi films influenced by  current or past events & issues

OR

'To what extent do Science fiction films reflect the socio-political 

climate of the time they were made in?'

It was a really useful encounter, and one i know i should've really made months ago. Even with the new focused direction to aim my essay at, it's still only the title I've got to work with.What with the proposals for the practical response also due, and having done no sketchbook work, and with deadlines due in my other modules, if it wasn't looking an uphill(vertical) struggle to get this done before the draft hand-in failure, then don't know what it looks like. now?!

COP - Practical Response Proposal

Based on the skeletal notes i had regarding what little of an essay i had made, i attended the studio session and attempted to write up a Practical Response proposal for it, and also made an mind map using the limited quotes and experts from my 'essay' notes to try and help stimulate some ideas for the practical submission.

With not having a whole lot of essay work to assist me, the essay map hasn't given me a load of possibilities.

Draft Essay & Hand in Failure

Was it in any doubt? 
I knew the very day we were first briefed and given the deadline dates for 501 module that i would be in this position, and i sure haven't proved myself wrong. I didn't think i could be in a worse position than i was last year with the essay, but I've surpassed even my predictions for underachievement. I also didn't think i would struggle to come up with an essay question as i had done in Year4, but again, it's all been a similar story. I fear for the big one next year, if i even make it through that far?!

I hadn't even looked a my notes for possible essay subjects for god knows how long, i'd just completely shut all thoughts of COP out for as long as i could. As ever, i'd also not taken into consideration the practical response to this module and even at this stage I know ill be having to work backwards. If only i could find more things interesting enough to want to write 300 words about, then i'm sure i wouldn't have this problem every year. 


So, as i had nothing of any worth to submit i just collated what scraps of ideas & quotes i had so far mustered and sent an explanative email to Pete so he could at least see what i'd very vaguely thought about writing my essay on.

How has society's predictions & visions of future fashion, music & technological advances changed since the 20th Century?

"Dystopia: an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasent or bad. Typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one. The opposite of utopia." 



• Look at at fashion & music and technology from future-set films & tv shows from the 60s/70s/80's, and comment on how they their 'future' looks basically the same as their present day, albiet with more tin foil and neon piping on their spandex jumpsuits. 

• Why did they find I so hard to imagine the advances in all these areas of culture. Are people trapped their own time and society? 


• 70's & 80'S Films that are set in the future are all simplistic & dystopian scenarios - with very obvious good & evil characters, and the technology portrayed in the films is also very obvious, with big-assed guns and tanks and flames etc. Societys idea of good and evil is actually much more complex - for instance terrorism and drone strikes kiling Pakistani children. Technology is much more subtle. 


• Look at sci-fi future-set films of the past (set in a future date that has is now our past) and see if any of their predictions for the word were accurate. 

• Look at modern age future set sci-fi fims and see if any of the predictions and visions might be accurate. 

BACK TO THE FUTURE 2 - DEMOLITION MAN - ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK - TERMINATOR 1&2 - THE 6TH DAY - STRANGE DAYS - 2001: A SPACE ODESSEY - 1984, all films with visions and ideas of a future date which are now the past. 

"The Horse is here to stay, but the automoblie is a novelty, a fad" - advisor to Henry Fords accountant, 1903. 

"There is no reason for any individual have a computer in his home" Ken Olsen, president of Digital Equipment Coprporation (DEC) in a talk given at a World Future Society meeting in 1977 

"No one will pay good money to get to Berlin to Potsdam in one hour, when he can ride his horse there in one day for free" King William I of Prussia, 1864 

"Television won't last because people will soon get tired of starting at a plywood box every night" Darryl Zanuck, movie producer at 20th Cnetury Fox, 1946

"A rocket will never be able to leave the earth's atmosphere" New York Times, 1936. 

"There will never be a bigger plane built" 

A Boeing engineer talking about the first flight of a 247, a twin engine plane that carried 10 people.