White Squall (ATOM Study Guide)

As a film about the emotional journey of a group of young men from adolescence into adulthood, White Squall fits firmly into the rites of passage genre. As a 'true story' it provides students with the opportunity to explore the constructed representations of characters and setting , along with the function of narration in positioning the audience. The film can be used to study the story element conventions particular to the genre and the way production techniques such as visual composition and special effects contribute to the narrative. The following activities have been selected with national and state learning outcomes in mind, across the key learning areas of English and Media Studies. Secondary teachers are encouraged to select and modify activities according to the needs of their students.