TITLE: North by Northwest Video Presentation
MEDIA: Digital Video Presentation
SOFTWARE: Microsoft PowerPoint
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 1920×1080px, RGB, 72 DPI
CLASS: COM 260 American Cinema
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This project is a video presentation analyzing North by Northwest, focusing on its significance within American cinema and its influence on the thriller genre. Created in PowerPoint and exported as a video, the presentation combines visual clips, still images, and structured slide design to examine key sequences such as the crop-duster scene and the Mount Rushmore climax. The project explores how Alfred Hitchcock uses suspense, camera movement, and narrative structure to engage audiences and redefine the modern action-thriller. Through this work, I aimed to translate film analysis into a dynamic visual format, blending cinematic storytelling with digital presentation techniques.
TITLE: The Godfather and the Rise of New Hollywood
MEDIA: Digital Video Presentation
SOFTWARE: Microsoft PowerPoint
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 1920×1080px, RGB, 72 DPI
CLASS: COM 260 American Cinema
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This video presentation analyzes The Godfather as a defining work of the New Hollywood movement. The project examines how Francis Ford Coppola blends classical storytelling with darker themes, antihero narratives, and innovative filmmaking techniques. Key elements such as low-key cinematography, montage editing in the baptism sequence, and complex character development are explored to demonstrate the film’s departure from traditional Hollywood conventions. The presentation also considers the film’s lasting cultural influence, highlighting its impact on modern gangster films and contemporary media storytelling.
TITLE: Singin’ in the Rain and the Cinema of Attractions
MEDIA: Digital Video Presentation
SOFTWARE: Microsoft PowerPoint
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 1920×1080px, RGB, 72 DPI
CLASS: COM 260 American Cinema
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This project is a video presentation analyzing Singin’ in the Rain through the lens of film theory, particularly Tom Gunning’s “Cinema of Attractions.” The presentation explores how the film reflects the transition from silent cinema to sound while simultaneously celebrating and critiquing that shift. Musical sequences function as moments of spectacle that interrupt narrative flow, reinforcing the idea of cinema as a visual attraction. The project also connects the film’s themes of technological change to contemporary media, demonstrating how anxieties surrounding innovation continue to shape the film industry today.
TITLE: Pre-Cinema and the Birth of Film
MEDIA: Digital Video Presentation
SOFTWARE: Microsoft PowerPoint
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 1920×1080px, RGB, 72 DPI
CLASS: COM 260 American Cinema
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This video presentation explores the origins of cinema through early visual technologies encountered at the Henry B. Plant Museum. The project examines devices such as the Magic Lantern, early cinema cameras, and stereoscopic viewers, analyzing how they contributed to the development of motion pictures. Drawing on Tom Gunning’s concept of the “Cinema of Attractions,” the presentation emphasizes how early film focused on spectacle and visual wonder rather than narrative storytelling. By connecting historical artifacts to modern cinematic experiences, the project highlights how technological innovation shaped the evolution of film from optical illusion to immersive storytelling.