photo edited by Laura Lai
by Laura Lai/ Review
I paused reviewing old movies for
this Writing Blog in September 2020.
I paused on It Happened One Night. –
movie made in 1934 and awarded by the Academy in 1935. It is in February 2021 that
I shortly returned to 1921, more precisely to the old movie The Kid, to celebrate 100 years since the first movie
directed and produced by Charlie Chaplin.
The course on Academic and Business Writing is also an opportunity to resume the series of reviewing old movies. For the academic writing exercise, I chose a cartoon awarded by the American Film Academy with an Oscar in 1936 in the section ‘short subject.' I chose an awarded cartoon for three reasons. First, because so far I have never reviewed a cartoon – although I love cartoons. Second, because of the given length of 150 to 250 words in which it might have been difficult to ‘squeeze’ the complex plot of a movie. And, third, a movie with kittens is the best choice since we had in the course an exercise with the picture of a kitten that gave each of the students lovely emotions. I loved the challenge of these exercises and the inspiration they gave me because I made film reviews before but never thought to play with formality or tone.
- ACADEMIC WRITING
- Original writing of a film review (short, formal, academic, objective) in 150 – 250 words.
The movie Three Orphan Kittens is an 8 – minute cartoon produced by Walt Disney. It was awarded an Oscar by the American Film Academy in 1936. It is the story of three little cats thrown in somebody’s yard on a cold evening of a snowy winter. The kittens found their way into the house where they have first-time experiences in the kitchen and in the toy room where they made a big mess playing with both food (the pie, the salt, and the milk bottle) and toys (balls, dolls, and others).
The movie engages the viewers from the first seconds with beautiful winter scenery and the three little characters that are thrown over a fence in the deep snow inviting them to follow the unfolding of their story. If the scenery is engaging, the characters are cute and their experiences beget laughter. It is a relaxing and funny cartoon. Enjoy it! (152 words)
- Formality change of the original text (informal and humorous)
The Three Orphan Kittens is a Disney cartoon that was awarded an Oscar in 1936. It’s the story of three kittens – it’s like seeing three little Toms, but no Jerry! – thrown in somebody’s yard, in an evening, and in a winter with heavy snow. They got into the house where they made a mess both in the kitchen – playing with the cake, the salt, and the milk bottle – and in the toy room. The scenery is engaging, and the characters are cute and fun. The overall cartoon is short: it’s about eight minutes. It’s nice and funny. I honestly don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t like it. Have fun watching it, guys!
- Tone change of the original text (sad and pessimistic)
The movie Three Orphan Kittens is an 8 – minute cartoon produced by Walt Disney. It was awarded an Oscar by the American Film Academy in 1936. It is the story of three unfortunate little cats deprived of their mother’s love thrown in somebody’s yard on a cold evening of a heavily snowy winter. Scared and confused they walk through deep snow to get into the house where it was warm. But because they were so young, they experienced for the first time the cakes, the salt they found on a table, and the milk bottle. The kittens experienced for the first time toys such as the ball and the doll. They created a mess both in the kitchen and in the toy room. They were caught by the maid and I let you all discover if the three orphan kittens ended up in the snow again. The only way to discover whether the kittens had a tragic end is by watching the movie here.
2. BUSINESS WRITING
- Official
writing of an email to a colleague whose office is nicer and more private in
order for her to lend her office for one hour for an important meeting (formal
and polite request)
Dear Mrs. Anna Smith,
my email concerns the visit of the delegation from Berkeley to our institute scheduled for March 22nd, 2021. Considering the importance of this meeting for our institute and the fact that your office is nicer and more private, would you please be so kind to lend it to me for one hour on Monday?
Thank you for letting me know a convenient time for you to make the office switch so that I can communicate the meeting time to the Berkeley delegation!
Sincerely yours,
Laura Lai
- Formality change (we are friends, and we often socialize)
Dear Anna,
I think I told you that on Monday our institute gets the visits of a delegation from Berkeley and I’m in charge of it. Would you mind switching offices for one hour on Monday? Your office is nicer and more private than mine. Please! Please! Please! If yes, tell me at what time is convenient for you to work in my office so that I can tell the delegation the right meeting hour.
Best,
Laura
[ANNA. ‘I’m not thrilled to visit you in your small, dark, and noisy office, let alone work in it for an hour that sounds like an eternity to me. You can close your office for one hour. I’ll use the Wi-Fi from the lobby.]
- Tone change (imagine that with this co-worker you had problems and disagreements in the past; you asked once and she didn’t answer; write her again, polite but with a more insisting tone)
Hi, Anna!
I’m sorry that my email interrupts again you from working, but I need to remind you about the visit of the delegation from Berkeley to our institute scheduled for March 22nd, 2021 (not 2022!). That’s next Monday! And I would like to remind you that today is Thursday.
I know that we had misunderstandings and disagreements in the past. But that’s personal and between the two of us. This visit concerns the institute in which we both work. I think I don’t have to explain to you the importance of this visit for the entire institute. In this sense, lending me your office for one hour would also be your contribution to our guests feeling comfortable during the meeting. This is what I previously meant by ‘teamwork’ but, obviously, we have different definitions of this concept!
Looking forward to your reply!
Laura
PS: Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with the director of the institute on this issue that I’m very willing to cancel if I get the right answer from you! J
[ANNA. ‘I’m sorry that I haven’t seen your previous email. It was in the spam folder. You may cancel the meeting with the director. I’ll work from home on Monday.
LAURA. Thank you for wishing me good luck with the delegation from Berkeley!
ANNA. I was about
to!
LAURA. Yeah, sure! When the cat will lay eggs, right?]
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