Name:Date:

Assessment Component 2: Text Response

Text: Blade Runner

Length: 1000 words

Blade Runner presents a dystopian view of the future. Discuss, with particular attention to film technique.

‘Discuss’ invites you to consider both sides of the question and come up with a considered answer. It is possible to end up disagreeing with the original proposition.

You need to consider (1) character, (2) plot, and (3) setting in your response, not necessarily in this order.

As usual, pay careful attention to the criteria. In this case the criterion about the connection between the text and your own ideas is not so important. The highlighted criterion is more important.

Criteria for Judging Performance
understanding
To what extent does the student demonstrate knowledge of the texts?
To what extent does the student demonstrate understanding of the ideas in the text? / In other words, research Blade Runner, read as much about it as you can, and have a good think about the themes and the ideas in the text. We’ve done this in class a little, but you’ve got to take it upon yourself to expand on what we’ve discussed.
analysis
How well does the student recognise the characteristics of different text types?
How clearly does the student recognise the author’s use of the characteristics of different text types to communicate ideas and influence the reader’s response? / This is a film, not a novel. Ridley Scott (who is, as director, the ‘author’ of the film) made deliberate choices in things like mise en scene, costumes, casting, shots, cinematography, all that jazz. This is the most important criteria to address in this essay. So do a bit more reading on film technique, have a good look at excerpts from the film (available from Ms Roberts), look at film excerpts and so on, have a decent think about it, take notes and gather your ideas before starting the essay.
How clearly does the student recognise the ideas, experiences, beliefs, or values explored in the texts? / When we’re talking about dystopias, we’re talking about a society that reflects something in reality: 1984 reflected an unease about totalitarianism at the end of WWII, Gattaca an unease about discrimination and genetic engineering in the mid 90’s, and Fahrenheit 481 an unease about the dominance of television in the 50’s (and dumbing down of society). How about Blade Runner? What kind of statements are they trying to make?
To what extent does the student recognise the connections between his or her own ideas, experiences, beliefs or values and those explored in the text? / This criteria is less important for this assessment piece, but it is worth thinking about. What about your own opinion on those issues raised by Blade Runner?
communication
How accurate and fluent is the student’s expression?
How appropriate are the student’s form and register for the audience and purpose? / Realise this is an essay, which requires formal academic language (no ‘put the fire out’, ‘dodgy’, or ‘don’t’, instead ‘extinguish the fire’, ‘unreliable’ and ‘do not’). Realise you need an intro which states your position, a body which is properly paragraphed and covers each aspect of the argument, and a conclusion which doesn’t introduce new ideas but rounds off the essay nicely.
And for god’s sake, write a draft, re-read it, get Mr Apps to read it (and give feedback), get a mate to read it, and then do you final copy: you have no idea how many basic mistakes occur (and marks are lost) in Stage 2 because the writer has been too slack to edit their own work.

STAGE 2 ENGLISH COMMUNICATIONS | WILLIAM LIGHT R-12 | MAY 2008