What do you notice?
Start by showing the clip below in fullscreen, or have students access the student chapter The Stranger.
(Click “CC” to turn on closed captioning. Select this link to access a video description for people who are blind or low-vision.)
A Note on Copyright
Note: This lesson uses clips and stills from the 1946 film The Stranger. This film is in the public domain, which means it is not under copyright and may be used by anyone for any purpose. To learn more about the public domain and other terms and issues relating to copyright in Canada, see the chapters What is Legal and Ethical in Remixing? and Copyright Basics.
After students have watched the clip, ask them:
- What did you notice?
- What kind of movie do you think this is? How would you describe its “feel” or mood?
- What are some things you think are likely to happen later in the movie?
Don’t try to get any consensus or ask students to justify their points for now, just encourage students to share their observations and predictions and to make them as specific as possible (e.g. “I noticed how high up she was” or “I think she might fall later.”)
Next, have students watch the clip again. Before the second viewing, ask them:
- Think about the things that we just talked about. This time, watch out for why you noticed those things and how the film-makers made you notice them.
Remind students of their earlier observations and predictions and ask them to explain what in the scene caused them.
You can prompt them with an example think-aloud:
When the camera looked higher and higher up as she was climbing the ladder, it showed just how high up she was. The music was very dramatic while she was climbing, but the way it just stopped once the man spoke made that part scarier. All of the shadows and the shots that showed how high up she was made the movie feel suspenseful, like a thriller.
Now activate prior knowledge by asking them what they have learned in the past about how media makers get and direct your attention:
- How do some different media show you what you should pay attention to?
- How do some different media tell you how to interpret what you’re seeing and hearing (for instance, to make a character likeable or suspicious, or to make you feel worried about what is going to happen next?
(This conversation doesn’t need to lead to any definitive answers; its purpose is to remind students of what they already know and help you gauge their prior knowledge.)