1. To Kill A Mockingbird: Introduction to the Book and Film
Miss Snelgrove’s
To Kill A Mockingbird: Introduction to the Book and Film

2. The Text: Published by Harper Lee in 1962.
Harper Lee grew up in Alabama
She was born in 1916.
The text is told from the perspective of
Scout, a young girl, who witnesses the trial of Tom
Robinson, a black man accused of raping a young white
woman.
The novel challenges our perceptions of Race and Social
Justice.

3. The Film: Released in 1962. Received excellent reviews from
its first showing.
Has maintained high ratings to this
day on Rotten Tomatoes.
Considered a classic by most; it is one of the most recognizable Southern films.

4. Over the next few weeks…
We will be reading and watching To Kill A Mockingbird together as a class.
In addition, we will be looking at the historical and social context of race, racism and social justice in the United States (mainly the South).

5. We will also be addressing the following Essential Questions….
1. How do we define "racism", "prejudice" and "social justice“?     2. How do preconceived prejudices maintain racism? 3. How is racism maintained across racial, social and economic divides? 4. What is hidden racism and how to we identify it? 5. What roles do race and prejudice play in our social justice system, historically and currently? 6.How do various film techniques (shot distance/angle, dialogue and lighting) invite us to see race, racism and social justice in the South? 7. What is the role of stereotypes in the framing of various characters and populations in the context of To Kill A Mockingbird? 8. Are stereotypes are exposed or maintained through film and/or text?

6. Film Techniques
Get out the paper entitled: “A Short Guide to the Language & Analysis of Audiovisual Forms”
Things to know:
Narrative
Editing (The kinds of Cuts being used)
Cinematography (Camera Distance, Camera Angle, Camera Movement, Framing, Color & Tone)
Mise-en-scene (Setting, Lighting, Acting and Movement, Costumes and Make up, and Composition)
Sound (Music, Effects, Dialogue, Voice-overs/offs, Synchronization and Silence)