1

February 7, 2015
Ms. Diaz
English 120
Lights, Camera, Action: A Rhetorical Analysis of Film School Ads
The New Zealand Whitireia Film and Television School released their first ad for their
film program in June of 2014, in this advertisement the school uses personal projects from their
students as examples and reasons to encourage other prospective students to join their program.
The commercial features plenty of student-made productions both during screen time and behind
the scenes work. The ad opens with stirring piano music playing in the background while the

Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:15 PM

Comment [1]: Period and new sentence?
Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:16 PM
Comment [2]: This is your introduction and
the only thing I can see that it really lacks is
a clear This ad is effective because x.

first shot we see is that of a womans bright blue eyes, where the light is ascending across her
iris. We then see clips of production crews working behind cameras on location, first on an
empty city street, then in what appears closest to a meadow with grassy hills in the background
or the crew. The shot moves back to the front of the screen and we see a pair of actors, an elderly
woman looking off into the distance while a young woman anxiously looks at her. The scene
rapidly cuts in between takes- back and forth from production work to screen time, often
showing moments of hope, despair, love, curiosity, and so much more.
As the scenes progress the cuts become faster, moving at a faster rate creating a touch of
suspense for the viewer. As the ad comes to an end, a black slide with the question Love

Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:16 PM

Comment [3]: You could make this its own
paragraph so that the summary is two
paragraphs (which would work).

movies? in bold white font flashes across the screen, along with more shots from productions,
finally ending with the words Apply Now accompanied with the schools contact information.
All within thirty seconds, the Whitireia Film and Television School uses emotion (pathos),
credibility (ethos), and a bit of reasoning (logos) to entice prospective students interested in the
arts to apply to their film program.

Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:17 PM

Comment [4]: Short and sweet explanation
of the rhetorical concepts.
Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:18 PM
Comment [5]: THIS section might work well
as your thesis!

The ad heavily relies on the use of emotion to target viewers and convince them to join
their school. The majority of the ads clips show people in moments of weakness and despair.
For example, one shot is of an elderly woman feeding a homeless man lying on the floor of a
dingy, torn down building. As viewers we empathize with the short-lived characters. Another
clip is of two young men walking into the ocean shores, at first we see them in a casual state, our
first thought might be oh, look at them, they must be friends until one of them grabs ahold of
the other and pushes him face first into the water and we see him struggle to breathe. We then are
left in suspense as the end of the ad nears and shots cut in at a faster rate. Using clips like these
gets in touch with the viewers feelings prompting them and inspiring them to create. Viewers
are shown if they apply for the film school the possibilities to create art and emotion are endless.
By showing shots of extensive behind the scenes work using state of the art equipment,

Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:18 PM

Comment [6]: Good analysisbe sure to use
pathos in the paragraph itself.

the viewer gets a sense of credibility (ethos) coming from the school. A shot of a make-up artist
touching up an actors makeup mid-scene is an example of how the school treats productions as
if they were typical big budget Hollywood productions. At the end of the well executed and
aesthetically pleasing ad, the school includes their contact information, appearing professional
and more credible.
Noting that this is only a thirty-second ad, producers rely mainly on pathos and ethos, but
happen to include logos in a small way. You can see towards the end of the ad when the words
Love movies? and Apply Now appear, the ad uses reasoning and interpretation to persuade
viewers into applying to the film programs. They appeal to a massive audience, not just those
interested in the film industry, because who doesnt love movies? By generalizing its audience it
allows for a greater response.

Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:19 PM

Comment [7]: Nothing in an ad is an
accidentthese are very conscious
decisions made by the production staff.
Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:19 PM
Comment [8]: Im not sure how these relate.
It could be a critique that the ad SHOULD
use more logos. What percentage of
graduates get a job? How many rewards
have their alumni earned? Things like that
could strengthen an ad.

The New Zealand Whitireia Film and Television Schools use of emotion, credibility, and
reasoning inspires young adults everywhere to pursue their dreams in the arts and bring stories to
life. They also show that you dont have to be an expert to create something beautiful or
heartbreaking, whether its onscreen or behind the scenes, a love for film can build up to
something greater. By joining the Whitireia Film and Television School you can expand, share,
and make your ideas into something that the entire world can experience.

Strong

Good

Sunny Diaz 2/8/2015 1:20 PM

Comment [9]: Very good conclusion!

Needs Work

Weak/NA

Cover Letter (10)

10

Introduction (10)

10

Explanation of concepts (5)

Summary of text (5)

Ethos (20)

20 19 18

17 16 15 14

13 12 11 10 9 8

7-0

Pathos (20)

20 19 18

17 16 15 14

13 12 11 10 9 8

7-0

Logos (20)

20 19 18

17 16 15 14

13 12 11 10 9 8

7-0

Conclusion (10)

10

Bonus awesome point (+1)

Total:93 /100