1)   “Citizen Kane” is one of the most influential films ever made.  Discuss this statement.

Kane is the most influential film ever made because it implemented many new film making techniques. As the film opens on Kane's large mansion Xandau, we see that the gate and the mansion off in the distance are both in focus using a wide angle lens, which had never been done before. Then, as Kane is being signed away at his cabin in Colorado, we see his parents and Thatcher inside in full focus, but we also see Kane outside in the snow through a window, also in full focus. This is also an innovative use of mise en scene, as each character is carefully placed to enhance emotion. Kane's rise and fall is also heavily dependent on mise en scene. Kane is not the easiest character to understand, and carefully planned scenes help determine what emotion is truly being felt. The storytelling technique used to narrate the film was also quite innovative, and was unheard of in Hollywood at the time. Wells uses multiple narrators, each discussing a different point in Kane's life followed by a return to the present day to move to the next narrator. The soundtrack and sound effects also enhance the storytelling by giving the audience audible cues as to what is happening in a scene or montage. Wells used basically non stop music throughout the entire film, which also had never been done before. Just about every part of this film was influential, from the cinematography to the lighting, many regard Kane as the Textbook for Film makers.

2)  What had Orson Welles done in his first 23 years of life to warrant the Hollywood Film Industry offering complete creative control to a first time filmmaker?

What I think warranted Welles creative control as a film maker was the fact that he had convinced anyone listening to his radio adaptation of War of the Worlds that the story he was telling was actually happening. This was a truly innovative move on Welles' part, as he literally made the story came alive. Welles knew that if people heard a story on the radio, they would have no way of knowing if the story being told was true or not, especially for people who were not familiar with War of the Worlds. Storytelling techniques such as this proved his prowess as a storyteller, and enabled him to become a film maker. The broadcast is generally known as the most famous broadcast in radio history.

3)  Pick an extended scene or sequence from “Citizen Kane” and discuss the storytelling technique by analyzing any combination of its component parts (direction, writing, performance, cinematography, production design, art direction, editing, sound, score, etc.). 
Welles deteriorates Kane's marriage to Emily with a series of breakfast scenes. First of all, each scene is framed generally the same, with Kane at one end of the table and Emily at the other. At the beginning of the sequence, the couple are still passionate, gazing into each other's eyes, and talking as lovers would, with a kiss at the end. Emily is generally dressed ladylike and is made to look attractive. As time passes, their breakfast conversations slowly start to become less passionate as Kane begins to fall out with Emily. They slowly start to talk about mundane things, and generally without eye contact or any enthusiasm at all. Emily begins to resemble an old lady rather than a sexy young woman. This scene is quite effective, as it quickly ended Kane's first marriage and is entertaining, because although quick, just about every stage of the deterioration of the marriage is shown in a short period of time, keeping the audience engaged.