"Reading" film, graphic novels, and other "non-standard" media

[Petra Pienkosky Moran]

Hi everyone.  I haven't posted to the discussion board before, but I met Ryan in a cab in Philly at NCTE...long story!

 

Anyway, I am a doc student at Kent State University and I am writing a piece now about the reading/writing connection through the lens of inference.  Part of the work focuses on non-textual inference (like when someone comes in and slams down their things you can infer through their actions they are angry) in film (using Charlie Chaplin's "In the Lion's Cage" which you can view at YouTube) and how graphic novelists have to use both text and illustrations to imply meaning, drive plot, characterization...

 

I'm looking for some promising texts or web sites that anyone has read that might support what I'm doing.  Unless I'm looking in all the wrong places, I'm not finding much.

 

Thanks for any help/ thoughts.

 

Petra

 

[Frank W. Baker]

Petra: Have you searched the excellent BFI film education website and teaching resources? They are excellent.
Frank

[Ryan Goble]

Petra - what about using Wall-E as it has almost no dialogue. At the beginning one must infer Wall-E is lonely and make a lot of assumptions about the planet and its caretakers.

Also you might copy and paste your question in the Graphic Novels group and ask for comics that are classroom appropriate but use little dialogue. There are some great ones but I can't think of them off the top of my dome. The comics people will have a bazillion on tap in their brains.

[Petra Pienkosky Moran]

Yes, I love the whole introduction to Wall-E. That we as audience members must infer this is earth. But I am going to some of this for a presentation as well and needed to have something shorter. But I am right there with you.

[Ryan Goble]

OK, some other ideas

1. I did a google image search for "wordless comics" that gives you images that require inference - great stuff to look at.

Plus there are lots of "wordless books/ graphic novels" see - Four Wordless Graphic Novels & Wordless Books: The Original Graphic Novels as well as these two from FirstSecond. . Just did a search for "wordless graphic novels."

2. Have you looked at these Playlist tools:
PLAYLIST: 'MORE' SHORT FILM LEO© for Science, Music, Art, ESL, Lang...
PLAYLIST: Decoding Symbolic Language Part 1
PLAYLIST: Decoding Symbolic Language Part 2 - 10 PDF PAGES OF FUN!

Pretty much every and any film you could imagine should have a great "show don't tell" scene where students can work on inferences. Just depends if you're looking for a specific theme...

Hope these help!

RRG:)

[Debbie Abilock]

Hi Petra,
Unless I'm misreading your question, inferencing is an important element of visual literacy. Can you elaborate on what you're looking to find?

[Petra Pienkosky Moran]

Yes. I am looking for some texts, web sites, etc. that support my "hunch," so to speak. Also, I would love some examples of how people might use some of these "other" types of "texts" to teach/ promote inferential thinking in their own classrooms.

The BFI Film Education site is great; unfortuantely, some of the resources are not free. I am going to try and get my hands on the book Teaching Short Films by Simon Quy. Has anyone else out there used it?

[Lori Rogalski]

The award winning film (and now Broadway hit) Billy Elliott has a number of scenes that might work well. In particular, when Billy is discovered in the ballet studio on Christmas night by his angry father, Billy performs a strong, proud folk-type dance - the defiance he shows toward his father is powerfuly conveyed. His desperation for his father's approval and support can be inferred as well.

[Shawn LaTorre]

Petra,

Would you consider flashback a skill of being able to infer? Just wondering because the film Mama Flora's Family is excellent for going and coming in time.