Writing about media (movies, tv, video games...)

 Questions to ask myself after watching a tv show/film, reading a book, or playing a video game. And more! I will be using the term “Subject” to refer to whatever I’m reading/watching/playing.

This is just a list of suggested questions. I am only going to answer the basic questions and any that feel specific to the subject I’m writing about.

• Pre-impressions

• How did I come across this subject?

• What about this piqued my interest?

• What do I think this is going to be about? 

• What do I already know about it? 

• What kind of expectations do I have?

• General impressions

• General synopsis

• Things that stood out to me

• What did this remind me of?

• How did it do things differently?

• How did it surprise me?

• What makes the work so [adjective]?

• Post impressions

• What does this work mean to me?

• Was there anything I could personally relate to?

• If you liked it, imagine someone hating it for justifiable reasons. 

• If you hated it, imagine someone liking it for justifiable reasons.

• What is my single most lasting impression?

• What kind of person would I recommend this to?

• Things I liked

• Was there anything that delighted me?

• Who was my favorite character and why?

• Interesting creative decisions

• Things I disliked

• Was there anything that disappointed me?

• How would I have done things differently?

• Who was the worst character and why?

• Anything that bothered me?

• What would I have liked to see?

• Meta

• How are the creator’s experiences different from my own?

• How have the creator’s own life experiences manifested in the work?

• What is the work’s creative lineage? (i.e. who/what inspired it?)

• The story / message

• What message was the subject trying to say?

• How did it convey the message?

• Was it successful in conveying its message?

• What interesting things did I learn from this?

• What questions do I still have?

• How is this subject relevant to its time?

• Is it a product of its time, or is it timeless?

• Do you think the subject will have any lasting significance? 

• Or, how has it stayed significant?

• Discuss the symbolism

• What would it be like without a particular essential element?

• How does it use the genre to its advantage?

• What tropes did it employ?

• Score and sound design

• Thoughts on the soundtrack?

• Any particular tracks you really liked?

• Art direction

• How would you describe the visual style?

• Did you like the style? Why or why not?

• What kind of creative liberties did they take?

• Any interesting creative decisions that influenced the production?

• Any particular cinematography that stood out?

• What was the overall mood, and did it capture that well?

• Ask and answer at least 3 to 5 questions specific to the subject.

• Google “XYZ discussion questions”

• Incorporating it into my life and work

• What elements inspired me?

• What am I getting out of this and how will I use the information?

• What would I borrow from this, and how would I adapt it?

• What ideas could incorporate the ideas I borrow from this?

• What other media demonstrates the ideas I want to borrow?

Reasons to save WIPs

 

• When I do my oil paintings, I can look at the canvas any time. While waiting for my paint to dry, I can examine it and plan ahead for my next painting session. I can apply this to my digital work as well, and it’s good to have documentation of the process.

• I can look at my progress any time without having to open the file on my computer. Since I can’t work on it, all I can do is observe. I may notice things I might have not otherwise noticed when I was in Art Mode. This allows time for contemplation and planning

• I can see the last time I worked on it.

• It shows the behind-the-scenes process of how I got to the final result. There should be less wondering when I look back at it someday, years from now.

• This gives me something to look forward to. It motivates me to see the project through to the end. 

• It’s interesting to compare and contrast the final result with earlier stages. How has it changed from the initial vision? How has it stayed faithful? There are all sorts of questions to contemplate before, throughout, and after, the course of the art process.

Questions for writing about art

 There are many questions I could ask. I am going to focus on questions that feel relevant to the particular artwork I’m looking at. 

General

• What does this artwork mean to me? Why is it important to me?

• What is the story behind this artwork?

• What was the first thing I noticed about this artwork?

• How does the artwork make me feel?

• Does the artwork remind me of anything?

• Was my initial reaction different from my current reaction?

• What message is the artwork sending?

• Is it effective in sending that message?

• Do I agree or disagree with the message?

• What makes the artwork look so [adjective], and how?

• What makes the artwork so [adjective] outside the immediate context of the piece?

• What was my main takeaway from this piece?

• How would I describe this artwork from memory; what would remain?

• Think of at least 3 to 5 questions specific to the art piece.

What do I like about this?

• What about this originally appealed to me?

• What inspired me?

• What sets this apart from similar artwork?

• What does the artwork do differently that I haven’t seen before?

• What do I want to remember about this artwork?

What could I borrow from this?

• What would I borrow from the artwork?

• How would I borrow it?

• What ideas of mine could incorporate elements borrowed from this artwork?

• What other things demonstrate similar elements to this artwork?

What do I dislike about this?

• What would I have done differently?

• What could have been done better?

• What would I add or remove?

• Are there any artworks that demonstrate it better?

• What do I want to forget about this artwork?

About the artist

• What do I know about the artist?

• How did life circumstances shape the artist’s work?

• What is the artist’s creative lineage - i.e. who/what inspired them?

• How did the artist become famous?

• What is the artist most known for?

• Is this piece similar or different to their overall body of work?

• Was the artist conventional or controversial?

• Interesting stories about the artist’s life

• What does this artwork tell us about the artist?

• What kind of questions would I ask the artist?

• Where could I see this artist’s work in person?

Meta

• What kind of title would I give this artwork?

• How big is the artwork?

• How does the artwork’s size shape the context of the piece?

• How would the context change if the scale was changed? 

• What kind of person would like this artwork and why?

• What kind of person would dislike this artwork and why?

• What other things does this art remind me of?

• What kind of ideas and opinions does this reinforce?

• What was the artwork’s function?

Silly questions

• What if this artwork had sound effects?

• What would this artwork smell like?

• What would the temperature be like?

• What tags would this artwork use on social media?

Art style

• What do I find appealing about the art style?

• What makes the art style distinct?

• What are the artist’s signature techniques?

• How would I describe the art style?

• Is it realistic or stylized?

• How does the art style relate to the work?

• What kind of creative liberties were taken?

• How does the art style reflect ideas of the time?

• What genre does the art style fall under?

• What do I dislike about the art style, and how would I change it?

Subject

• What does the subject’s scale say about its importance?

• Is it a bust, full body, etc. What message does it send by its chosen framing?

• What attitude is displayed towards the subject?

• How would you feel if you were put in the subject’s place?

Medium

• Digital or traditional?

• What medium was used?

• How does the medium affect the style?

• How do you think the artist made the work?

• What medium-specific techniques were employed?

• How does the artwork make use of its chosen medium?

• What does this medium offer that others cannot?

• What would change if the artwork was done in a different medium?

• What techniques could be translated across different mediums?

Composition

• How would I describe the piece to someone who has never seen it before?

• What is the focal point?

• How does the composition direct your attention?

• How does the color choice affect the composition?

• How is the artwork organized?

• Is the composition conventional or clever?

• What message does the artwork send with its composition?

• Do you agree or relate with the message?

• What do you think happened before or after what’s shown in the piece?

• How is perspective used?

• Does it look 2D or 3D?

• Is there a hierarchy, or is it symmetrical?

• What kind of details did it take longer to notice?

• What kind of juxtaposed relationships did you notice? 

Color

• Describe the color palette used

• What is the most dominant color?

• How does the color and lighting impact the mood?

• Muted or vibrant?

• Warm or cool?

• Where is the light source?

• How is the light source used?

• What is the function of shadow?

• Are colors flat or shaded?

Pattern

• Variety, or repetition?

• Is it geometric or organic?

• Ornamentation

• Describe the shape

• Describe the texture

• Describe the form

Line and brushstroke

• Are contours used?

• How are edges handled?

• Describe the weight of the lines.

• Is it painterly and free, or tight and detailed?

• How do the brushstrokes impact the mood/nature of the artwork?

• What techniques emphasize the message of the piece?

Sources

• Visual Analysis Guidelines: “Pictures will answer if you ask the right questions”

• 82 questions to ask about art