JAWS

Scheme of Work
Assignment title: Analyse the ways that the director builds suspense and scare the
audience in the film JAWS.

Teaching sequence:
The main thing to emphasise all the way through is the distinction between
DESCRIPTION of the events and what is seen on the screen and ANALYSIS of the
effect on the audience. This is actually quite simple in this assignment as the title
focuses on how the director scares the audience. One way of maintaining this
throughout the viewing of the film is to make pupils divide their pages into two
columns one for description and one for analysis. It is also important to convince
pupils that everything in the film is there for a reason.

1. General introduction to film terminology and techniques

You could show the film trailer to show examples of the basics - or a section of
any film. Get pupils to draw the frames and label the different types of shot;
e.g.
close up - for facial expressions
extreme close up - object fills the frame
mid shot - used for two or three people talking
long shot - used to establish scenery show surround
high angle - camera shooting from above looking down
low angle - camera shooting from below looking up
pan - camera moves in an arc from a fixed point
track - camera moves as if on a track following a person or object
zoom - camera moves in to a close up often used to focus attention on a
relevant detail or emphasise a character’s reaction.

1. The opening sequence. (emphasis Music)

Play the opening sequence with the screen covered up – ie sound only
Ask pupils to write down what they think is happening.
Explore the ways that the music is used to create an atmosphere and is linked
closely with the shark.
Show the opening sequence and first scene in full.
Complete the analysis of the opening sequence grid analysing the effect on the
audience.

2. The second attack (the boy on the lilo)

Watch the attack (about 6 minutes of film 12-18 minutes)

Some questions to discuss:

• What signals are there to the audience about who is going to be attacked?
• Why are the lilo, the dog owner’s shirt and the boy’s lilo all yellow?
• Why are the first two attacks close together at the start of the film?
• Why don’t we see the shark at this stage?

Recap camera angles and technical terminology from lesson 1

Watch scene again focusing on the use of camera.

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Complete analysis of the opening sequence grid (it isn’t necessary to do every
single one)
If time, watch on….

1. Building tension and fear (from second attack up to 50 minutes)

After the excitement of the first two attacks the film slows down a bit.
Key points to pick up in the next section are the ways that tension and fear of the
shark are built up:
• The way that the sympathy with Brody’s family is built up
• The book of shark attacks
• The destruction of the jetty
• The autopsy
• Catching the wrong shark
• Going out on the boat at night

1. The 4th July attack (minutes 51-1hour 1 min)

Discuss why the film is set around 4th July
American Independence day, public holiday lots of people on the beach.
Something to build up to
Watch scene
No detailed analysis grid this time, focus on how this attack is the same and
different from the last one in the way that it is presented. Draw table in exercise
books.

How is it worse?
• Loads of people on the beach
• Men with guns/helicopters v tense
• False alarm lets us relax makes second attack worse
• Brody’s sons involved therefore we are more emotionally involved.

1. The climax of the film (1hour 8 minutes to end 1 hour 59 minutes)

As pupils are watching pause every now and then to note down how the situation
builds up.
• How does the director avoid showing the shark?
• Why does the director avoid showing the shark?

Other useful information:

1. Jaws was given a PG certificate when it was first released in this country in
1975. However, it has these certificates in other countries and for video DVD
releases:
Certification: Argentina:18 / Australia:M / Finland:K-16 / France:-12 / Netherlands:16 (video
release) / Norway:15 / Spain:18 / Sweden:15 / UK:12 (DVD release) / UK:A (theatrical) / UK:PG
(video release) / USA:PG-13 / USA:PG (original rating) / West Germany:16

2. The original working title for JAWS was ‘Still in the Water’
(information from the Internet Movie Database)

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Analysis of opening sequence (1)

Description Analysis
Title Sequence
Music begins very
quiet and slow.

The camera shows the

point of view of the
shark moving through
the weeds.

The music builds up

and gets louder and
faster.

Opening Scene
There is the sound of
a mouth organ being
played at the beach
party.

There is a large
bonfire on the beach.

The camera pulls back

to show a wide shot of
the sea. We can hear
the noise of the sea in
the background.

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Analysis of opening sequence (2)
Description Analysis
Whilst the girl is
swimming there is no
music.

The camera shows the

shark’s point of view
and the music starts.

The camera switches

between the top and
bottom of the water.

There is a shot of her

legs kicking and the
camera slowly zooms
in.

We do not see the

shark.

There are pauses in

the attack, and the
camera shows the boy
slumped on the beach.

After the attack

there is a sudden
silence.

At the end of the

scene all we can hear
is the sound of the
sea.

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The second attack (1)
Event Camera Analysis
Boy walks up beach to mother

Boy asks if he can stay in

water, mum says his name
and give him 10 minutes
Brody watches water

Man throws stick for dog

Dog runs in to water - boy

runs in to water.

Dog swimming with stick

Boy swimming on Lilo

Brody continues to watch the

water

Man in black hat swims

Sunburnt man talks to Brody

blocking his view

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JAWS
The second attack (2)
Event Camera Analysis
Woman playing in water
screams

Boys rush into water

splashing

Small child sings and man

calls for dog

Legs under water

Attack seen in distance

Brody realises what is

happening

General panic

Calm - Yellow Lilo washes up

on shore

Match these camera techniques to the details from the scene:

• tracking shot • jump cuts • simultaneous track and zoom
• zoom • close ups
• extreme close up • point of view shots

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Media Coursework essay
Analyse the ways that the director builds suspense and scares the
audience in the film JAWS

Paragraph 1: Introduction
• What the film is called
• Who directed it
• What it is about
• Where and when it is set
• Why it is set on 4th July.

Paragraph 2: Music
• Describe how the shark is connected to the music in the title sequence.
• Give two other example of how music or silence is used to scare the
audience or build tension. E.g. Radio playing on the beach, silence after the
attack.

Paragraph 3: Camera techniques

• Describe the second attack in detail and say how the camera was used to
help to build tension and scare the audience.

Paragraph 4: The shark

Write about the ways that the director builds up the fear of the shark.
• Music
• Showing the damage it can do
• Through characters’ reactions

Paragraph 5: Tension in the plot and the ending

Write about how the story is put together to build up tension and fear e.g.
• First two attacks close together
• Third attack on the 4th of July, Brody’s son involved
• Last section of the film out at sea on a small boat (add in all your notes
about how the ending of the film build tension and fear).

Paragraph 6:
Finally give your view of the scariest moment in the film. Give reasons for
your opinion.

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