For my project, I will create a 30min to hour podcast where the main topics discussed will be historical events that led to the visual representation and popularity of the classic and neo-noir. I will detail some of the real-life events which may have led directors to make the choices they did.
In the podcast I will have another person ask me questions, Most of these will serve as starting points, or talking points if you will, and then ill go into detail from there. I feel a podcast is the best way to represent this because it allows me to better articulate the main ideas and points I’m trying to get across. My original thought was to do a video essay, but there is a lack of need for the visual aspect as most of the events I’m speaking about aren’t media but real-life occurrences, and my thesis doesn’t need specific examples (although some will be used) because I am speaking about the common themes of noir which are easily identified across all noir films. I also feel that a podcast allows for some debate and speculation more than a video essay does, which also will help me to justify and solidify my points.
- I will need to be able to cut and edit the audio from the podcast with software. In addition to this, I will need a large sum of films to reference to frame the common themes of noir. Furthermore, a lot of historical research around the 1940s and 50s will be needed for me to effectively make connections between the real-world events and themes of the classic noir. The second phase would be connecting neo-noir, and to do this I will also have to research more current world events.
- some materials I might need will be a way to record quality audio between two people as well as ample reference material for the themes of noir and real-world events.
- some people I might want to contact would be other authors of noir podcasts. I could also attempt to contact writers or people who worked on films that are noirs or have noir themes.
- to complete this project I will have to have collected an ample amount of research in advance on current and 1940s and 50s events as well as have plenty of films and time codes to reference noir themes (films from class will be used) to allow the listener to understand the connections
This is a solid start, and I support your goal to identify historical events that influenced noir films (although I do think it may be more challenging than you might realize).
I’d like to also make a plug for reconsidering video essay, or perhaps some other form of presentation of the podcast than audio alone. Even though you’re focused on events and not films, the whole point is that the *films* were influenced by the events; if we don’t see clips from the films – or at least still images – the argument about the events being influential is going to be far less persuasive. Again, it needn’t be an actual video you edit, but you should seriously consider how a listener might be able to easily access the scenes you’re highlighting as examples.