Comenius
Reading FilmFilm Analysis
Reading a Film• The dual nature of film:
– Narrative content: • novel• short story
– Visual & Aural content: • Painting / photography• Theatre / drama• Symphony / opera
Reading a Film
• The Visual & Aural
– A unique combination– How films convey the narrative– Less abstract than writing– Must also be "read"
Reading a Film
• The Narrative
– Films can be compared to written texts.
– Contain many narrative elements:• Plot / story• Characters• Setting• Point of view• Themes / Message
Reading a Film
• Film Related to other arts
– The novel - expansive scope of narrative
– Theatre - visual & aural in real time
– Music - evocative like a film's sound picture
– Architecture (environmental art) - requires 3-D spaces
Film Visual
• Mise-en-scene
– Construction of the scene
• How it is done
• Meaning of objects
• Purpose of the arrangement
Mise-en-scene
Film Visual• Symbolism• Signs / connotations / codes – Cowboy• "merely" a cowboy
– ranch hand with specific job
• Symbol for:– Masculinity– America– Historical era
Signs / connotations / codes
Signs / connotations / codes
Signs / connotations / codes
Iconography
• Objects we EXPECT to see on screen in a certain genre
– guns in a thriller
– saloon in a western
– pretty girls in horror flicks
Iconography
Film Visual
• Lighting
– create atmosphere and mood– light and shade can suggest codes of meaning (e.g.
in a horror film)– strong light is harsh, soft light romantic– spotlight picks someone out– full face = trust and honesty– shadows = fear and lack of trust
Lighting
Low-key lighting• High contrast• Dramatic• Dangerous
High-key lighting
• Evenly shaded
• Lit background
• Non-threatening
• Fun
Film Visual• Camera angle
– Width• Wide• Normal• Telephoto
– Elevation• High to Bird's-eye view: • Eye level• Low to Worm's-eye view• Canted
Camera angle
Film Visual• Camera and Lens Movement
– Left / Right: pan, crab or track– In / Out: zoom or track – Up / Down: tilt or ped– Role– Wild Film (speedy, blurred movement)– Handheld (for closeness, intimacy)
Film Visual
• Shot• Editing - the cutting and joining of lengths of film that
makes the narrative flow.
Shot
• Single take• Size (close-up, long shot, panoramic)• Subjective point-of-view-shot (through the eyes of a
character in the movie) .• Eye-line shot (that makes YOU feel like you are part
of the movie, seeing things from your angle).
Shot Size• Long shot• Medium shot• Close up
Editing• Jump-cut = a dramatic cut that breaks the time
continuity/ jumps in time or space• Cross-cut = a cut that follow parallel action in two or
more separate scenes at the same time• Follow-cut = follows an action to its consequence• Fade (sometimes into black)• Split screen• Collage/matte
Visual (special) effects
• Used to create realism and meaning example:
– Space craft in Star Wars
– Animated monkey in King Kong
Frame Rate
• Film speed• Time laps• fast motion• slow motion• freeze frame
Film Sound
• wind-noise• screeching cars• background music• footsteps• music for mood etc.• narrative (musicals)
Film Sound
• Actual sound
• Commentary sound
Actual Sound• Voices of characters
• Sounds made by objects in the story: coffee cup, foot steps
• Music from: instruments, record players, radios, tape players in the scene
• Basic sound effects: dog barking, car passing as it is in the scene
Actual Sound
Commentary Sound
• Narrator's commentary• Voice of God• Sound effect which is added for dramatic effect• Mood music• Film Score
Commentary Sound
Genre - type of narrative• western• detective story• musical• comedy• thriller• sci-fi• drama• action• horror
Genre
Analyses
• The point of analysis is to figure out:
– THEMES: What we should think about
– MESSAGES: What we should understand
Further Reading:
Monaco, James. How to Read a Film, The Art, Technology, Language, History and Theory of Film and Media. Oxford University Press Inc, USA. 1981. ISBN 0195028066
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