Directors Vision Slides Year 8 English & Film Studies
Through Child Eyes
Exploring Themes, Key Events, and Character Perspective Diaries in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Themes, Events & Character Diaries
Let's Begin
Key Narrative Events: The Journey
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1
The Discovery
Stranded on Earth, E.T. hides in the toolshed. Elliott, feeling lonely and isolated, finds him. A secret, profound bond begins.
2
The Secret Invasion
Adults invade the domestic sanctuary, turning the home into a sterile lab. E.T.'s health declines as his connection to Earth weakens.
3
The Flight & Farewell
The children escape on their bikes, defying adult logic. E.T. heals and returns home, leaving Elliott forever changed.
Unit: Themes & Narrative Structure E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Study
Theme 1: Loneliness & Connection
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The film begins in emotional isolation . Both Elliott and E.T. are outcasts in search of belonging.
Suburban Solitude: Elliott struggles with his parents' divorce and feeling misunderstood by his siblings and peers.
The Mirror Link: Their physical and emotional states synchronize—when E.T. is sick, lonely, or happy, so is Elliott.
Diary Entry Context
Use the "Before" entry to describe this deep loneliness. What did Elliott feel as he looked out at the empty stars before finding a friend?
Focus: Finding friendship in the margins Steven Spielberg • E.T.
Theme 2: Childhood Innocence vs. Adult Suspicion
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Childhood Innocence
Children accept E.T. without fear. They teach him language, dress him up, and keep him safe, operating on pure empathy and friendship .
Adult Suspicion
Adults see E.T. as a threat, a clinical specimen, or an anomaly to be dissected, showing a loss of wonder and reliance on cold logic.
Focus: The clash of imagination and scientific bureaucracy Steven Spielberg • E.T.
Theme 3: Home & The Need to Belong
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"E.T. Phone Home"
The ultimate quest is not for survival, but for home. This deep longing resonates with anyone who has ever felt misplaced or abandoned.
Both characters grow through the painful yet healing experience of saying goodbye.
Loving Release: Real love means letting go. Elliott must allow E.T. to return to his stars, even if it breaks his heart.
Growth through Loss: By letting E.T. go, Elliott mends his broken heart and learns to face his suburban life with newfound strength.
Focus: Reconciling the pain of departure with emotional growth Steven Spielberg • E.T.
Writing Task: The Character Diary
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Your diary entries must chart the internal emotional journey, heavily based on the key events and themes we discussed:
1. BEFORE LONELINESS Ordinary life and the longing for connection.
2. DURING ALLIANCE Keeping the secret & protecting E.T. from adults.
3. AFTER ACCEPTANCE Saying goodbye, letting go, and healing.
Success Criteria
• Adopt the authentic voice of Elliott, Michael, or Gertie.
• Show internal changes matching key plot points.
• Incorporate thematic elements like wonder, isolation, and growth.
Get ready to write from your character's soul Steven Spielberg • E.T.
Cinematic Techniques Worksheet E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial • Year 8 English
Director's Craft Worksheet
FILM STUDY
Student Name:
Date:
Class / Teacher:
Concept: The Film "Composer". A filmmaker does not just record events; they carefully compose meaning. Steven Spielberg uses camera placement, light, and audio as instruments to build a specific mood and force the audience to experience the world through the innocent eyes of a child.
1. Camera Angles & Framing
Spielberg contrasts high-emotion Close-Up (CU) shots with high-tension Low-Angle (LA) shots to guide our empathy. Complete the boxes below:
Technique A: Close-Up Shots
How are Close-Ups used to establish empathy between the children and E.T.?
Technique B: Low-Angle Shots
How do low-angle shots change the power dynamics between children and adults?
2. Lighting & Shadows (Chiaroscuro)
Spielberg relies on dramatic backlighting and deep shadows to make scenes feel mysterious yet magical.
Explain the visual effect of backlighting in the forest scenes or when the children ride their bikes across the sky. Why hide characters in silhouette rather than lighting them brightly?
Steven Spielberg Study • Activity 1 Page 1 of 2
E.T. Study • Part II Class Analysis Portfolio
3. Soundtrack & Soundscapes: John Williams
A composer's auditory tracks work closely with the director's lens. Williams created distinct themes (leitmotifs) that evolve as the emotional bond deepens.
How does John Williams change the musical soundtrack during the climax of the film (the forest chase and takeoff) to build dramatic suspense and emotional release?
4. Point of View: The Child's Eye Level
Throughout the film, the camera is physically positioned below average adult chest height (around 3 to 4 feet). Adults' faces (except the mother, Mary) are purposefully cropped out or kept in shadow.
What is the psychological effect of this camera height on us, the audience? Why does Spielberg want us to see the adult world as "unidentified" or intimidating?
5. Critical Response Synthesis
Bring your observations together. Write a comprehensive paragraph answering the prompt below:
PROMPT: "How does Steven Spielberg use visual composition and auditory scores to invite the audience into the children's perspective and distance us from adult logic?"
Steven Spielberg Study • Activity 1 Page 2 of 2
Character Voices Worksheet E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial • Year 8 English
Character Voices Worksheet
WRITING TASK
Student Name:
Date:
Class / Teacher:
Task: The Character Diary. Write three diary entries from the perspective of one of the characters below. Your entries must show an internal emotional journey at three distinct stages: Before meeting E.T., During the height of the adventure, and After the final departure.
Step 1: Choose Your Character Perspective (Check One Box)
Elliott
Lonely, imaginative, seeking connection. Emotional anchor of the film.
Michael
Skeptical older brother who grows protective, active, and deeply loyal.
Gertie
Blunt, curious, innocent 5-year-old. Speaks directly and without pretense.
Entry 1: BEFORE (Ordinary Life / Desired Connection)
Phase 1
Set the scene before E.T. is found. Describe the everyday sibling tension, feeling isolated in the suburban neighborhood, or hearing strange, unexplained rustling in the backyard tool shed.
Date:
E.T. Character Diary Study • Activity 2 Page 1 of 2
E.T. Character Diary Study • Part II Creative Writing Portfolio
Entry 2: DURING (The Secret Alliance & Crisis)
Phase 2
Describe a key event during their shared journey (e.g., teaching E.T. English words, the terrifying moment government agents in hazmat suits quarantine the house, or the adrenaline-fueled bike escape).
Date:
Entry 3: AFTER (The Farewell & Lasting Impact)
Phase 3
Set immediately after the spaceship departs, leaving a brilliant rainbow trail in the sky. How has your character changed? What have they learned about connection, friendship, and childhood?
Date:
Self-Check:
Authentic child voice Sensory Spielberg details Clear Before-After growth
E.T. Character Diary Study • Activity 2 Page 2 of 2
Directors Vision Teacher Guide E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial • Teacher Support
Director's Vision Guide
TEACHER GUIDE
Lesson Intentions
Students develop critical film literacy by identifying Steven Spielberg's visual and auditory "compositions". They apply these insights to write voice-driven diary entries reflecting a key character's emotional arc.
Resources Required
• Directors Vision Slides • Cinematic Techniques Worksheet • Character Voices Worksheet • E.T. Film Excerpts (First Meeting, Chase, Goodbye Scenes)
1. Suggested Lesson Pacing (90-Minute Structure)
10 Mins
The Hook & Concept Intro: Introduce Spielberg as the "composer/author" of the text. Ask: What does a director "write" with if they don't use words? Brainstorm light, audio, framing.
20 Mins
Direct Instruction (Slides): Deliver slide content on Camera Angles, Lighting, Music, and POV. Pause to view E.T. snippets to demonstrate each style signpost live.
25 Mins
Analytical Task: Distribute the Cinematic Techniques Worksheet. Direct students to complete sections 1-4 in collaborative pairs, then draft section 5 (Synthesis) independently.
25 Mins
Creative Writing Focus: Unpack the Character Voices Worksheet. Guide students through character selection and brainstorming sensory, world-building details for Before, During, and After entries.
10 Mins
Reflective Debrief: Share student diary lines. Discuss how Spielberg's physical camera placement helped them feel like an active sibling in Elliott's secret suburban world.
2. Guiding Socratic Questions & Discussion Prompts
Prompt A: Hiding the Adults
"Why does the camera cut adults off at the chest early on?" Answer Guide: It creates alienation. To a child, the adult world is immense, rule-bound, and unsympathetic. It centers the kids as the sole protectors.
Prompt B: The Silhouette Motif
"What is the symbolic power of the silhouette over the moon?" Answer Guide: Backlighting isolates characters against vast, magical backdrops, blending regular suburban play (riding bikes) with mythological transcendence.
Steven Spielberg close study • Teacher Resource Page 1 of 2
E.T. Teacher Resource • Part II Class Analysis Keys & exemplars
3. Worksheet Response Keys & Exemplar Answers
Part A: Camera Dynamics (Close-Ups & Low Angles)
