Duration: 1 – 2 hours.

Objective: Slowing down our reading of films in order to explore a very close and very thorough analysis of the film text (the two-dimensional images on the screen) and its larger presence in society (the film entity). Ultimately, the listener of this episode needs to leave the episode thinking about what they could be missing in relation to their own reading of film entities and how those film entities can have a huge ongoing influence on the individual identity of the spectator.

Focus: An analysis of the “film entity” i.e. the two-dimensional images on the screen AND its larger branded identity in advertising, associated texts, experience and the collective consciousness. In order to influence original thinking in the mind of the listener, the films already well-treaded in regards to film analysis (Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Chinatown) will be avoided and instead I am employing a severely understudied and truly flawed and incredibly boring film as the primary text of analysis – Star Trek: The Motion Picture (a film which is often referred to as Star Trek: The Slow Motion Picture). If you really want to understand film, in addition as to how to go about making a really good film, study a really bad one… the good ones can take of themselves.

Format: Factual documentary analysis of the primary film entity and other related illustrative examples; as well as excerpts from other related media texts to further expand the scope, validity and reliability of the discussion.

Structure:

Pre-Intro– Probably a short meditation on the study of awful films is equally, if not more so, important than the study of good films.

Podcast Intro – (45 seconds) – Cave of the 8-Bit Binary Organ theme music as combined with excerpts from other media texts to create a summative overview of what is the Breaking Cinema podcast.

Main body – The slow reading of the primary film entity, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and its related film entity elaboration and additions. It is highly likely that the structure of the main body will mimic the structure of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Conclusion – The conclusion will bring together all of the points of the main body and attempt to outline an overview of the concept of the “film entity” in relation to Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Podcast Outro – A: “Thank you for listening to Breaking Cinema, like the Facebook page, leave a review on iTunes, etc.” message will play over the outro music.

Next Time on Breaking Cinema – a short teaser of the next episode.

Additional Notes:

• This episode may include other contributors, I am not certain yet.
• This episode will require additional release is additional contributors are included.
• For copyright queries on media content inclusion, see the Pulling Teeth & Breaking Blindness overview document.

Media content to be referenced:

Star Trek: The Motion Picture, film, 1979

There will most likely be more, but I don’t know what these are yet.