Essay Writing Tips

Look through the following tables to get advice on using connective, analytical words, and how to structure phrases.

ANALYTICAL WORD	MEANING
... establishes...	sets up, creates
... signifies...	Shows / acts as a sign for (e.g. red signifies danger)
... connotes...	Suggests or offers a cultural or interpreted meaning
... suggests...	provides a possible interpretation
... implies...	suggests
... illustrates...	provides a clear example of
... foreshadows...	hints at what is to come
...contrasts with...	offers a very different image / interpretation to (another example)
... is juxtaposed with...	creates opposite feelings/readings (compared with another e.g.
...demonstrates...	Is an example
...identifies...	Pinpoints, makes clear

Audience Readings

This shot/scene/example (etc.)...

PHRASE	HOW TO CONTINUE THE PHRASE
... allows/invites the viewer to...	... deduce / infer / understand / realise, sympathise with
...creates and expectation that	... X or Y will happen
... heightens the sensation of...	... fear / dread / excitement / passion etc.

If you struggle remembering what technical elements you should mention, try and remember these to give you some hints:

CAMERA – CAMS	SOUND - DVDN	EDITING - PECT	MISE-EN-SCENE - PLACES
Composition Angles Movement Shot sizes	Dialogue Voice Diegetic sound Score and other non diegetic sound	Pace Effects Cutting Transitions	Props Lighting Appearance Costume Expression Setting

If you are worried about how to structure your answer, just make sure that with every point you make you include the following information

TERMINOLOGY	MEANING FOR THE CHARACTER	MEANING FOR THE SOCIAL GROUP
Use a key piece of terminology to describe a technical element	Explain what the meaning of this aspect is and what it suggests about the character it relates to	Explain what wider significance this has in relation to representing the social group in question eg gender / class etc
In ‘Monarch of the Glen’, the low angle medium close-up on Paul, from Amy’s height...	... signifies Paul’s dominance from Amy’s perspective.	It reminds the audience that adults use their physical presence to dominate younger people – seen from Amy’s perspective this could be read as unfair
In ‘Primeval’, the last shot of the tiger sequence is on Cutter, rather than Abby, who fired the gun.	This establishes the male rather than the female point of view, de-spite the girl’s heroism...	... representing an old-fashioned masculine dominance of the narrative.
In ‘Feather Boy’, both the children and the elderly residents exhibit negative body language, backing away from each other on first meeting.	This suggests that both groups are unfamiliar and fearful of each other, because of their different ages.	It represents the idea that in modern Britain, the young and old no longer spend time together and have grown far apart.