You Be The Film Consultant

I watched Indiana Jones, Raiders of The Lost Ark, and selected three portrayals of archaeology from the film. Each of the portrayals was utterly farcical as would be expected from a blockbuster Hollywood film. I analyzed how each portrayal was connected to archaeological myths and described how the scenes could be reimagined in an accurate manner that fits with the realities of the scientific method and modern archaeological practices.

This assignment gave me the opportunity to analyze the ways in which film genres communicate archaeological falsehoods for the purpose of entertainment which can negatively affects communities and their understanding of archaeology. This topic bridges into questions of ethical responsibilities on the part of filmmakers.

To clarify the inaccuracies of the film, I applied clear and concise language while detailing both the inaccuracies as well as the corrections. It is important to not just point out problems in works, but also follow through with offering the corrections. Editing in this way becomes a more interactive process and enables the editor to gain important experience while viewing technical writing from another perspective.

For this work, the audience was my professor, but it easily could have been a client. Critiquing works is an important part of technical writing, and I often see this application in my line of work. To leverage the expertise of technical writers, it is important for them to act as editors, performing double-time as educators through effective critiques.

When reimaging the scenes to provide accurate archaeological information, it was important o leave an opportunity for creativity. A film must be enjoyable to watch, enjoyable to create, and enjoyable to promote, or it will not be successful. It is important to prioritize where edits are made and suggested so that they improve the product instead of harming it. A perfectly accurate work with zero audience is still a failure of technical communication.