GEE 7 – Arts and Humanities

Chapter VII: Appreciating Drama, Movie, Song and Dance

a. Steps in appreciating a movie

b. Tips on how to write song
c. Considerations in appreciating drama
d. Types of Dances

Intended Learning Outcome

1. Identify the tips on how to write a song.
2. Write a movie review.
3. Enumerate and define the types of dances.
4. Discuss consideration in appreciating drama

MOVIE- a story or event recorded by a camera as a set of moving images and shown in
a theater or on television

Film appreciation is to recognize the full personal worth of a film using a heightened
perception or understanding of it, by spending time or money in its pursuit. - Sareesh
Sudhakaran (2022)

It is important and personal. Every person must be able to pick the level of
appreciation they want. They also get to pick how much time and effort or money they
want to invest in the pursuit of film appreciation.

THE WOLFCROW 10-STEP SYSTEM OF FILM APPRECIATION

1. Entertainment
You are not inclined to spend more than the time of the film. You appreciate the
general entertainment, whatever the film is about, and that’s it. After the film you move
on with your life and forget it forever.

2. Physical Experience
When you like a film more, you’ll spend more to watch it in a better cinema, or
maybe you’ll drive farther for the experience. You probably don’t want to watch your
favorite films on a mobile phone.
When you’re aware of the physical experience of the film – better screen, better
sound, etc., you have a level of appreciation higher than the general audience.

3. Personal Experience
Your level of film appreciation is higher when somebody you like or love is in the
film (in whatever capacity). These could be stars or someone you know personally.

4. History
Your level of film appreciation is higher when you follow the history of the film.
Maybe you know what has come before, or the stories surrounding the film. Maybe
you’re comparing it with an earlier film, or it might be one of a series of films and you’re
following the entire series, etc.

5. Education
At this level you’re aware of the technical details of making a film. You look for
good camera work, lighting, sound, music, editing, writing, etc. There are so many
disciplines that make up a film you’re free to pick which area you want to focus on.

6. Performance
Performance is that level of film appreciation where you want to be tied to the film
as a fan. You buy merchandise, or buy extra tickets to watch the film again and again,
or just watch it many times on your favorite platform.

7. Film Analysis
When you reach this level, you start to become a student of film. You engage in
thought, research, analysis, criticism/critique, and discussion on the film. You might
even publish your results on video or in written form.

8. Social Change
A higher level of film appreciation is when the film is a medium of social change.
This requires even more study, maybe leg work, and serious research and analysis over
multiple years.

9. Filmmaking
This is possibly the highest level anyone can attain in a lifetime as of this writing.
Only those who make films can fully appreciate the worth of any film.

10. The Test of Time

Time is the great leveler. Over hundreds of years, if a film is good enough, it will
stand the test of time. Film and cinema haven’t had that luxury yet, being only about just
over a hundred years old. It hasn’t had the same level of scrutiny as music or literature.

MUSIC
Music is the art of arranging and regulating sounds in rhythmic succession and
generally in combination. It is regarded as the universal language of the soul since it
appeals to almost all people.
Singing is produced by air making the vocal cords vibrate as the singer breaths
out.

10 TECHNIQUES FOR WRITING MEMORABLE SONGS

Great songwriters use these ten practical tips when composing new music and
lyrics.

1. Compose a catchy melody. There are millions of songs that share the
same three- and four-chord progressions. Why do some of these songs get
stuck in our heads? The answer may be the melody. If you're trying to write an
earworm, the melody is the most important part of the songwriting
process. Successful melodies typically move in stepwise motion (up or down
either a half-step or a whole step) with a few leaps (up or down any larger
interval). They also often have a focal point—a high note in a melodic passage
that anchors the rest of the melody line.

2. Use all types of chords. If you only stick to the same few chords, you’ll limit
the scope of your musical ideas. Try composing songs that contain all types of
chords—major, minor, dominant, diminished, and augmented—for a more
complex and interesting sound.

3. Create a memorable rhythm. Many of the catchiest, most popular songs—

from country hits to hip hop gems—are memorable because of a rhythmic motif.
The next time you listen to your favorite songs, take note of how a funky or
syncopated melody or backing track can be the catchiest part of the song, then
get creative with the rhythm of your own songs.

4. Build your song around a riff. Whether you're a guitarist, a pianist, a

bassist, or a non-instrumentalist, you can compose riffs that anchor an entire
song.

5. Write a song you can play live. Today's music production software enables
songwriters to create digital symphonies in their home recording studios. Digital
audio workstation (DAW) software is a remarkable tool for making music, but
you should also think about how you can perform your songs live. Record
company executives want to see how musicians connect with live audiences, so
your music should be just as compelling when played live as it is in recorded
form.

6. Step away from your instrument to write. Common logic would suggest
that you should write songs while seated at the piano or holding a guitar. Most
of the time, this works great, but it may cause you to fall back on familiar tropes,
which can leave you in a songwriting rut. Try setting the instrument down, going
outside, and writing melodies and rhythms in your head. If you have some good
ideas, sing them into a voice recorder on your smartphone. Then, return to your
instrument and figure out how to play them instrumentally.

7. Get ambitious with song structure. Most songs contain some combination
of the following elements: an intro, a verse, a pre-chorus, a chorus, a bridge,
instrumental solos, and a coda or outro. Challenge yourself to write a song that
does more than just toggle back and forth between verses and the chorus. At
the very least, try the well-established song structure: verse/ chorus/ verse/
chorus/ bridge/ chorus. Many hit pop songs use this structure.
 8. Approach your lyric-writing with both structure and spontaneity. Writing
lyrics is tricky. Have a plan for your lyric-writing process, but leave space for
discovery. For instance, you may know what the song will be about in broad
terms, or you may have a song title picked out and a few lyrical ideas already
written; but just like a poet, learn to let the lyrics come to you. You may find
yourself drawn to certain lines based on nothing more than the consonance and
assonance of words.

9. Use rhyme as a tool. Rhyme scheme can make song lyrics catchy,
cohesive, and easy to memorize. But rhyming isn’t always necessary for
songwriters. Sometimes an idea cannot be adequately expressed in rhyme; if
this is the case, follow the idea, not the rhyme.

10. Learn to break through writer's block. A great way to fight writer's
block is to vary your creative process. Do you normally write music first and
then lyrics? Try doing it the other way around. Do you normally strum chords
and then improvise a melody on top of that? Set down the guitar and start with
a melody or riff. Try writing a song on a new instrument or in a genre that’s
unfamiliar to you. Moving out of your comfort zone can help jumpstart your
creativity.

CONSIDERATIONS IN APPRECIATING DRAMA

Aristotle (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher whose writings still influence us
today. He was the first to write about the essential elements of drama more than 2,000
years ago. While ideas have changed slightly over the years, we still discuss Aristotle's
list when talking about what makes the best drama.
Listed below are the elements that we need to consider when we are evaluating
or appreciating a drama.

ARISTOTLE’S SIX ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

Aristotle considered these six things to be essential to good drama:

a. Plot - This is what happens in the play. Plot refers to the action; the basic
storyline of the play.
b. Theme - While plot refers to the action of the play, theme refers to the
meaning of the play. Theme is the main idea or lesson to be learned from the
play. In some cases, the theme of a play is obvious; other times it is quite subtle.
c. Characters - Characters are the people (sometimes animals or ideas)
portrayed by the actors in the play. It is the characters who move the action, or
plot, of the play forward.
 d. Dialogue - This refers to the words written by the playwright and spoken by
the characters in the play. The dialogue helps move the action of the play along.
e. Music/Rhythm - While music is often featured in drama, in this case Aristotle
was referring to the rhythm of the actors' voices as they speak.
f. Spectacle - This refers to the visual elements of a play: sets, costumes,
special effects, etc. Spectacle is everything that the audience sees as they watch
the play.

There are four steps you can take to analyze a play:

• Identify the type of play.

• Determine the theme.
• Analyze for dramatic techniques.
• Put it all together to illustrate how the playwright uses the dramatic devices
to send a message to her audience.

TYPES OF DANCES
1. Ethnologic Dances
These dances are associated with national and cultural groups. They
include folk dancing which is a form of social dancing that has become part of
customs and traditions of people passed or from generation to generation.
Tinikling, Itik-itik, and Singkil are examples. Folk dancing characterizes a
particular place reflecting the lifestyle of its people.
2. Ballroom Dances
These are social dances performed by pairs doing specific steps or
movements for fun, hence it is termed popular dancing. Examples are boogie,
cha-cha, tango, waltz, fox trot, swing and some latest rock dances. These
dances are sources of public entertainment and are also considered exercise
for people who have sedentary work.
3. Theatrical Dances
These spectacular dances are performed for the entertainment of
audiences as dancers interpret and create beautiful movements. Examples
are ballet, top dance, musical comedy, etc.