Ang Lee and King Hu: Some Basic Strategies for
Research
Ang Lee and King Hu : Basic Strategies for
Research
Gary HandmanDirectorMedia Resources CenterMoffitt Library
Writing About Film:Writing About Film:The Basic The Basic QuestionsQuestions
What What types of writingtypes of writing are out are out there?there?
What What types of publicationstypes of publications contain writing about film? contain writing about film?
Who’s doingWho’s doing the writing? the writing?
How do you identify How do you identify what’s what’s out thereout there and and where do you where do you findfind the stuff? the stuff?
Writing About Writing About Film…Film…ScholarlScholarlyy ReviewsReviews
Critical analysisCritical analysisBiographyBiography
PopPop
IndustryIndustryBox office and Box office and market infomarket infoProduction infoProduction infogossipgossip
GossipGossipFantasy & fetishFantasy & fetishGeneral weirdnessGeneral weirdness
FaFann
ReviewsReviewsPop talkPop talkBiographyBiography
What are the What are the SourcesSources for Film & for Film & TV Scholarship TV Scholarship
and Research? For Reviews?and Research? For Reviews?(i.e. Where do you find (i.e. Where do you find
this stuff?)this stuff?)
•BooksBooks•Journals, Magazines, Journals, Magazines, NewspapersNewspapers
Film Scholarship/Film Reviews SourcesFilm Scholarship/Film Reviews Sources
Acocella, Joan. "Crouching Tiger, Acocella, Joan. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." (movie review) . Hidden Dragon." (movie review) . The The New YorkerNew Yorker March 26, 2001 v77 i5 March 26, 2001 v77 i5 p100(2) p100(2)
ReviewsReviews
Simpson, Craig S. "'Crouching Tiger': the Simpson, Craig S. "'Crouching Tiger': the rebirth of myth." rebirth of myth." Chronicle of Higher Chronicle of Higher EducationEducation, March 22, 2001 v47 i28 pB19(1) , March 22, 2001 v47 i28 pB19(1)
Critical/ScholarlyArticlesCritical/ScholarlyArticles
•BooksBooks
•Journals, Magazines, Journals, Magazines, NewspapersNewspapers
•ReviewsReviews•Critical/ScholarlyArticles Critical/ScholarlyArticles
•Web Sites (the good, the Web Sites (the good, the academic, and the ugly)academic, and the ugly)
•Other online databasesOther online databases
Film Scholarship/Film Reviews SourcesFilm Scholarship/Film Reviews Sources
•Scholarly/authoritative worksScholarly/authoritative works•Pop schlock and fan worksPop schlock and fan works
How Do You Tell em’ How Do You Tell em’ apart?apart?
Author’s credentials/affiliationsAuthor’s credentials/affiliations Publisher (e.g. BFI, AFI, Publisher (e.g. BFI, AFI,
University Presses vs pop press; University Presses vs pop press; juried vs pop journals)juried vs pop journals)
Scholarly apparatus and Scholarly apparatus and sources: sources: notes, notes, bibliographies, other bibliographies, other documentationdocumentation
If they’ve been widely cited by If they’ve been widely cited by other scholarsother scholars
Film StudiesFilm StudiesWomen’s StudiesWomen’s StudiesEthnic studiesEthnic studiesQueer StudiesQueer StudiesLiteratureLiteraturePolitical sciencePolitical scienceHistoryHistoryArea Studies (i.e. areas of national focus)Area Studies (i.e. areas of national focus)Others…Others…
ScholarlScholarlyy
Who’s doing the writing?Who’s doing the writing?
Who’s Doing It = Where You LookWho’s Doing It = Where You LookFor Resources For Resources
Scholarly (or at least substantive) Scholarly (or at least substantive) BooksBooks
(Some generalizations)(Some generalizations)
Older FilmsOlder Films Films w/inFilms w/inlast 5 years or last 5 years or soso
Books aboutBooks aboutdirectors anddirectors andgenresgenres
Books aboutBooks aboutindividual filmsindividual films(xcept the biggies)(xcept the biggies)
MoreMore LESSLESS
Found in:Found in:•Film studies journals Film studies journals (print & online)(print & online)
•Journals in various disciplines Journals in various disciplines (print & online)(print & online)
•Web sites (occasionally… Web sites (occasionally… academic and commercial academic and commercial databases)databases)
Critical/Scholarly Journal ArticlesCritical/Scholarly Journal Articles
• Current Films Current Films (fewer)(fewer)• Older Films Older Films (more)(more)
Found in:Found in:•Popular, news, & fan journals and Popular, news, & fan journals and
newspapers (print & online)newspapers (print & online)•Film studies & scholarly journals Film studies & scholarly journals (print & online)(print & online)•Industry journals (e.g. Variety)Industry journals (e.g. Variety)•Web sites Web sites
•Fan and enthusiast sitesFan and enthusiast sites•Commercial sites (e.g., studio Commercial sites (e.g., studio
sites, video sites, video distributors)distributors)•Academic (or at least Academic (or at least academically-minded) film sitesacademically-minded) film sites
REVIEWSREVIEWS Current ArticlesCurrent Articles Retro ArticlesRetro Articles
PathfinderPathfinder Indexes Indexes &&AbstractsAbstracts
Inventory ofInventory ofBooksBooks and andJournalsJournals(what the(what theLibrary owns)Library owns)
Journal articlesJournal articlesby disciplineby discipline
How do you locate this stuff?How do you locate this stuff?
How do you locate this stuff?How do you locate this stuff?Journal Articles/ReviewsJournal Articles/Reviews
Film-related (not many exist) Film-related (not many exist) General news General news Literary Literary Other disciplines: e.g. Women’s Other disciplines: e.g. Women’s Studies, American Studies, Ethnic Studies, American Studies, Ethnic Studies, History…etc.Studies, History…etc.
Jumping Off point for Finding Online Indexes:Jumping Off point for Finding Online Indexes:http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/filmstudies/reviewslist.html
Online & Print Online & Print Indexes and AbstractsIndexes and Abstracts
Reviews: How to Look Reviews: How to Look em’ Upem’ Up
•Search index using title of Search index using title of work (as a phrase) work (as a phrase)
•You can also include You can also include directordirector
•Try using Try using and reviewand review
e.g. e.g. Crouching TigerCrouching Tiger and and reviewreview
oror
Crouching TigerCrouching Tiger and and Ang LeeAng Lee and and reviewreview
Once You Find a Citation, Once You Find a Citation, How Do You Find the Article?How Do You Find the Article?
•Some indexes provide Some indexes provide holdings info [UC eLinks]holdings info [UC eLinks]
•Some indexes Some indexes link tolink to full-full-texttext
If neither…use PathfinderIf neither…use Pathfinder
How to Begin searching for books and/or articles on a research topic?
Before you click: THINK
Formulate your search in terms of:
•KEY WORDS and SYNOMYMS: --Looks for words anywhere in record: title, subject, abstract and full-text (if avail)
•PHRASES:--Looks for words in the exact order entered
How to Begin? Before you click: THINK
Formulate your search in terms of keyword and key phrases:
The representation [reflect* portray* depict*] of gender [sex*] roles in the films films [cinema, movie*] of King Hu.
****Truncation varies from db to db: * # ?emigra* = emigrant, emigrants, emigrate, emigration
•Tweak your topic: Broaden it / select a different angle•Rethink your search strategy (new keywords, new concepts, etc.)•Bail out completely and choose another topic
What to do if nothing is turning up
http://www.lib.berkeley. edu/MRC/FilmBibMenu.html
Bibliographies on various film topics and individual films compiled by MRC (includes bibs for genres, filmmakers, national cinemas, and individual film).
Film Reviews and Criticism
…being driven over the edge by your research?
Call me:Gary Handman
Review this presentation at:http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/filmstudies/instruction.html