Writing a case study in Film and Theatre studies is tricky as there is not enough information about them on the Internet. But anyway, it is never late to discover something new. Students usually feel anxiety when given a task to write a case study, as it demands a lot of work in collecting information, conducting an interview and analyzing the sources. But, at the end of the day, it is totally worth it as it enhances your analyzing skills tremendously. What is more, writing a case study in this discipline is even more exciting as there are numerous possibilities to compare the virtual world of movies and theatre plays to the real world and its problems.
The main specific to that class is that it requires analytical skills in order to understand all the movies and plays and be able to dig deeper. Films and theatre depict our lives and problems so it is imperative to compare them to real life and be able to carry out inferences. Movies and theatre are accessible for all people, even aliens, as they use the visual means of presenting the information. Therefore, these arts play a huge role in forming people’s beliefs, perceptions of the world and attitude towards each other.
To carry out the writing of the case study successfully, you must be organized from the very beginning. Therefore, let’s break down the process of developing a case study in Film and Theatre Studies into simple steps.
Obviously, you need to examine the piece before writing about it. After watching it read as much information, essays, critics’ articles as possible. You need to get an entire picture of the piece.
Research is the key to everything, so it is irrational to choose a topic from nowhere. To determine which topic is still relevant and not downtrodden you need to surf the Internet websites, newspapers, previously published case studies. It is especially helpful to surf through the Google Scholar database to find out whether it is viable or not. However, if you are given a topic by the teacher and it is trampled, then try to make it as unique as possible by choosing a narrower part of it or asking to change a topic overall. Remember that you can always discuss it with your colleagues and get some advice.
What is more, preliminary research prevents you from being blocked by a lack of information. The case study can be complex to understand for a reader without knowing the background information. That is why you need to make even more extensive research – to bring him up to speed. But, on the other side, be aware of not cluttering your paper with too much unnecessary information.
Selecting a topic in Film and Theatre studies is not tough as there are plenty of controversial and fascinating movies and dramas, unusual personalities, like actors, directors, composers and so on who made a significant contribution to that industry. Here are some examples of topics for your case study in Film and Theatre studies:
The case problem sets the task but does not offer the ‘solution’ to the problem. For example, for the topic of gender stereotypes in Blockbuster movies, the problem may sound like this: ‘Movies are a reflection of society. They mirror the problems, issues, thinking, and perception of contemporary society. Gender stereotypes are a great part of movies, therefore they still remain an irretrievable part of our society.’
Therefore, the goal of the study would be to study the demarcation of roles designed for males and females.
The next step is analyzing the underlying causes of that problem as to why these gender stereotypes appeared.
It would be beneficial for both the reader and the author of the case study to understand the time frame and be able to keep up with all the events straight without any confusion. Once you start the process of developing the paper you will realize that keeping all the events in mind is tough so using a timeline can facilitate the journey.
Write down all of your issues and rank them based on their importance. You can even exclude some of them in order to make a study less tangled. Write down the sources for the paper as well. Remember that if you are unable to corroborate information then it is better to cross out some of the issues completely.
This is especially true if you are writing about a person. By the way, know the difference between primary and secondary research. Primary research results are results you got on your own, by collecting data from various sources and interviews as well. This is your own product. Secondary research results are results that were received by other people who researched the same field or even topic. While it is not the best variant to use the results of your secondary research directly in your case study, it can be useful as an example and role model.
Observational research is impossible to be made without notes. It is especially applicable to Film and Theatre studies as while analyzing a movie or a play, you can be stricken with ideas unexpectedly, hence in pursuance to not lose any precious ideas, you can write it down in a notebook immediately after it has arrived.
One of the primary methods for carrying out a worthy case study is an interview. It is extremely important, as it is raw, unprocessed information, and it is completely unique and is the source of primary research. Obviously, not every mere mortal is good at analyzing movies and theatre plays, thus it is more beneficial to interview your educator, expert in this industry. But do not forget to get the opinion of the usual people, as they are the consumers who are influenced by films.
Keep in mind these rules for the interview:
Turning pieces of information into a wholesome text.
Introduction: The introduction defines the problem to be examined and explains the parameters or limitations of the situation. It is preferred to write it after completing the rest of the text. Always keep in mind the purpose of the research and return to it from time to time.
It is important to include information about the problem of the case study into the introduction.
Main body: First of all, include background information about who studied that issue before. With the example of gender stereotypes in Blockbuster movies, it is appropriate to mention how these stereotypes changed as the movie industry developed, how pronounced they were in the movies of the 1990s and 2000s.
The next part of the body part is the description of the process. Include your own observations, interview results and expectations.
Sharing the findings is the last yet the most important part of the case study as it reveals the result of your exhausting work, observation, and analysis.
Conclusion: remember to write the concluding paragraph at the same time as the introduction as they have to match each other, but at the same time not be the same and repeat the same information.
If you are desperate to get a good grade for that assignment, it is worth spending some more time on proofreading and editing it. This is the part where you catch the punctual, spelling and grammar mistakes and have a chance to correct them. Start by looking for common errors like the misuse of words like “their” or “there”, “then” and “than”.
First of all, editing your own work is tricky, as during the process of its development you got so much used to it that it is sad to exclude anything.
If you are looking for expert writing assistance, send your “write my case study” request to a professional academic writer who will provide you with quality case study writing help in any discipline.