The purposes for this assignment:

·        To demonstrate a creative application of the geographical perspective

·        To show that you are a sophisticated, geographically aware media consumer

·        To present your ideas effectively through writing

Some questions to think about as you draft your paper:

·        As you searched for an appropriate video, what did you discover? How easy was it to find a media presentation of your country? Did you have to get a regional video because there was nothing useful? If so, why do you think videos are not set there?

·        Do the videos on your country (region) tend to be dramatic, comic, violent, romantic, historical? Are the videos mainstream, big-budget, with  famous stars? Small, independent films? Foreign or US? Does yours repeat a trend or break from it?

·        What does the video show you about Place: the uniqueness, connections, history? How accurate is this information?

·        What does the video show you about Space: the size, location, communication and transportation? How accurate is this information?

·        What does the video show you about Human Systems: the culture; the languages, foods, traditions, customs, music, clothing, religions, politics, economy? How accurate is this information?

·        What does the video show you about Physical Systems: the air, water bodies, earth, landscapes, animals and plants? How accurate is this information?

·        How well does the video reflect the Geographical Perspective? What do you conclude about this media portrayal of the country/region?

Remember, geography will probably not be the main point of the video! But every movie has a geographical setting, characters, costumes, dialogue, accents, background, scenery, etc. Don't assume that certain movies will automatically be better with the geography. Some videos are unexpectedly accurate (a Jackie Chan martial arts comedy, a Disney cartoon, a low-budget foreign film), others can be surprisingly inaccurate (a news documentary, a big budget Hollywood historical drama)

Your paper should be clearly and logically organized.  One model you can follow:

Introduction: 1-2 paragraphs

a)Tell what you are going to do. Make your thesis (main point) obvious: I am going to describe the geographical perspective of China as shown in the Disney movie, "Mulan".

b) Explain your process of choosing your video: I have always loved Disney cartoons, and I have seen "Mulan" before. I was interested to look at one of my favorite movies from the geographical perspective. I also did some research to find out what was really true and what Disney made up just for the movie. The movie is about this young girl in China who…. Yada yada yada

c) Describe the video material available on your country: Even though I really wanted to do "Mulan", for this assignment I examined a lot of other videos on China at the video store, the library and on the internet. There are many of every variety, some actually made in China, but they seem to be mostly serious, like dramas, romances and histories. I did not find many comedies, but I did find some other kids' movies like one about some kids who save panda bears. Most of the videos seem to be fairly accurate about the geographical perspective. I think Mulan breaks the trend because it is made in the US, is a cartoon and is funny. Yada yada yada.

1)      Main point: How the video shows Place. 2-3 paragraphs--"Mulan" does show that China is unique. And it shows some true historical things. But it does not really make any connections with other places. Let me explain each of these points with examples from the movie. Yada, yada, yada

2)      Main point: How the video shows Space.1-2 paragraphs--This movie shows that China is big, and has crowded cities. We see how people got around in the olden days. But it does not show exactly where China is located. Yada, yada, yada.

3)      Main point: How the video shows Human Systems. 2-3 paragraphs--There is a lot about the culture. There is the emperor, who really existed. Mulan makes notes on her arm about how to be a good wife and prepares for an arranged marriage. They have a shrine and pray to their ancestors. Of course, nobody speaks Chinese and most people talk exactly like modern Americans.

4)      Main point: How the video shows Physical Systems. 2-3 paragraphs--There are some real Chinese landscapes, like the high, snowy mountains where Shang's father dies. But I was interested to see that there were no rice paddies or farms. Yada, yada, yada

5)      Conclusion: Return to your thesis. Do not introduce new material, but remind us of what you have written. 1 paragraph -- Even entertainment for kids can teach us something about the Geographical Perspective. If you know what you are looking for, you can learn some geography from Mulan. It shows… However, it does not show… Yada, yada, yada

Citing Sources

In order to support your position, you may use books, magazines, personal interviews or web sites in addition to the video itself. You need to include a citations page. In the text of your paper, indicate that the information is from a cited source. Please use a standard citation system. Don't copy information directly from a book, magazine or web site without a citation! This is plagiarism and can result in a failing grade for the paper.