film notes 2012

Film NotesFilm is another way to tell

a story. The role of film is to help us understand and enjoy the story. It also follows some of the same rules as literature.

Film is another way to tell a story. The role of film is to help us understand and enjoy the story. It also follows some of the same rules as literature.

SettingEstablishes time

and place

Helps determine mood

May be realistic or symbolic

Establishes time and place

Helps determine mood

May be realistic or symbolic

» Look at clothing, actions, possessions, facial features.

» What can we learn by looking?

» Look at clothing, actions, possessions, facial features.

» What can we learn by looking?

Plot» A character’s

initial need or desire causes conflicts.

» Complications are objects delaying the character from achieving goals

» A character’s initial need or desire causes conflicts.

» Complications are objects delaying the character from achieving goals

Narrative construction

of filmSimilar to literature, film falls into a variety of genres or narrative styles.

(Westerns, war, police, parody, action/adventure, “women’s” pictures, buddy, melodrama, fantasy, science fiction)

These styles are well known and recognized by audiences

They have expected structures and outcomes

Similar to literature, film falls into a variety of genres or narrative styles.

(Westerns, war, police, parody, action/adventure, “women’s” pictures, buddy, melodrama, fantasy, science fiction)

These styles are well known and recognized by audiences

They have expected structures and outcomes

Classical Hollywood Cinema is the most prevalent film style

» clear linear story

» desire is to reach a goal (love, work, survival)

» change will occur in protagonist

» closure at end of story

» clear linear story

» desire is to reach a goal (love, work, survival)

» change will occur in protagonist

» closure at end of story

A common subset of Classical Cinema is Film

Noir» tough yet vulnerable hero

» moral dilemma

» femme fatale

» voice-over narrative

» dark, dangerous city-scape

» expressionistic lighting

» tough yet vulnerable hero

» moral dilemma

» femme fatale

» voice-over narrative

» dark, dangerous city-scape

» expressionistic lighting

Impressionistic film style

» Impressionism is used to illustrate elements of the theme.

» Dreams, thoughts, flashbacks, fantasies are examples of impressionism.

» They show the world from a character’s point of view

» Impressionism is used to illustrate elements of the theme.

» Dreams, thoughts, flashbacks, fantasies are examples of impressionism.

» They show the world from a character’s point of view

Expressionistic film style

» Emphasizes emotions rather than reality

» Uses heavy shadows and dim light

» Oddly posed characters have unnatural costumes and makeup

» Emphasizes emotions rather than reality

» Uses heavy shadows and dim light

» Oddly posed characters have unnatural costumes and makeup

Surrealism» Attempts to show the workings of the

subconscious mind through dreams» Irrational arrangement of objects» Gets away from the story» Makes a symptomatic point

(connects the film’s meaning with a societal belief or value, like the need for individual freedom)

» Attempts to show the workings of the subconscious mind through dreams

» Irrational arrangement of objects» Gets away from the story» Makes a symptomatic point

(connects the film’s meaning with a societal belief or value, like the need for individual freedom)

Film, like literature, has a number of levels of

meaning» referential - film refers to things we

know and that have meaning, like a plot summary. It is film specific.

» explicitexplicit- openly stated main ideas. It - openly stated main ideas. It shows what the main character or shows what the main character or audience realizes or learns.audience realizes or learns.

» implicit- interpreted meaning or theme» symptomaticsymptomatic - an - an ideologyideology or system of or system of

values represented by the film.values represented by the film.

» referential - film refers to things we know and that have meaning, like a plot summary. It is film specific.

» explicitexplicit- openly stated main ideas. It - openly stated main ideas. It shows what the main character or shows what the main character or audience realizes or learns.audience realizes or learns.

» implicit- interpreted meaning or theme» symptomaticsymptomatic - an - an ideologyideology or system of or system of

values represented by the film.values represented by the film.

Referential meaning

refers to things viewer knows and that have meaning, like a plot summary. It is film specific.

Ex. In the Depression, a tornado takes a girl from her family's Kansas farm to the mythical land of Oz. After a series of adventures, she returns home.

refers to things viewer knows and that have meaning, like a plot summary. It is film specific.

Ex. In the Depression, a tornado takes a girl from her family's Kansas farm to the mythical land of Oz. After a series of adventures, she returns home.

Explicit meaning

Openly stated main ideas but does NOT contain story details.»Ex. A girl dreams of leaving home to escape her troubles. Only after she leaves does she realize how much she loves her family and friends

Openly stated main ideas but does NOT contain story details.»Ex. A girl dreams of leaving home to escape her troubles. Only after she leaves does she realize how much she loves her family and friends

Implicit meaning» The understood or interpreted

meaning. Look at symbols and conflicts. This statement is most like finding a literary theme or a central truth about life.

» Ex. Friendship can increase one’s courage. Ex. Leaving something familiar

often makes a person appreciate it more.

» The understood or interpreted meaning. Look at symbols and conflicts. This statement is most like finding a literary theme or a central truth about life.

» Ex. Friendship can increase one’s courage. Ex. Leaving something familiar

often makes a person appreciate it more.

Symptomatic meaning» An ideology or a system of beliefs

represented in the film. This can deal with political, ethical, or religious ideas. What does the film say about society?

» Ex. In a society where human worth is measured by money, the home and the family may seem to be the last refuge of human values. This belief is especially strong in times of economic crisis.

» An ideology or a system of beliefs represented in the film. This can deal with political, ethical, or religious ideas. What does the film say about society?

» Ex. In a society where human worth is measured by money, the home and the family may seem to be the last refuge of human values. This belief is especially strong in times of economic crisis.

How film works on the viewer

» Unlike books, and like theater, film is there and then it is gone - when it is viewed in the way intended, it cannot be stopped, backed up and “re-read.”

» Film shots are developed based on how the human brain works and how it views visual objects.

» Unlike books, and like theater, film is there and then it is gone - when it is viewed in the way intended, it cannot be stopped, backed up and “re-read.”

» Film shots are developed based on how the human brain works and how it views visual objects.

How the eye works» The eye looks

first and mostly to the left, upper side of the screen

» It looks least at the lower right

» What happens on the screen is dependent on how the brain/eye works.

» Look to the left!

» The eye looks first and mostly to the left, upper side of the screen

» It looks least at the lower right

» What happens on the screen is dependent on how the brain/eye works.

» Look to the left!

Optical center

Optical center

Motion

»Action should move from upper left to lower right or from lower right to upper left

»Action should move from upper left to lower right or from lower right to upper left

Shot» An uninterrupted strip of

exposed film during an uninterrupted period of time

» Toy Story (1995) has 1,623 shots during its 77 minutes of play

» An uninterrupted strip of exposed film during an uninterrupted period of time

» Toy Story (1995) has 1,623 shots during its 77 minutes of play

How something is shot causes an emotional response and

conveys information.

» Distance Extreme close-up

»Fear, discomfort Extreme long shot

»Comfort, detached from action

» Distance Extreme close-up

»Fear, discomfort Extreme long shot

»Comfort, detached from action

» Angle that gets viewer’s attention

» Causes imbalance and confusion

» Angle that gets viewer’s attention

» Causes imbalance and confusion

aerial, crane= comfort, detachment

pan, panorama = gives key information without dialogue

High angle (camera looks down on subject)

» Security for the viewer but fear for characters in the film

» Security for the viewer but fear for characters in the film

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

» Most shots are this angle, which is eye-angle

» Seems like real life

» The news is shot like this

» Most shots are this angle, which is eye-angle

» Seems like real life

» The news is shot like this

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Low Angle (camera looks up to character)

» Viewer fears both for self and characters in the film

» Viewer fears both for self and characters in the film

Camera movement

» Zoom- increasing fear » (flattens out

everything)

» Bouncing—adds discomfort

» Zoom- increasing fear » (flattens out

everything)

» Bouncing—adds discomfort SMART Response Question

To set the properties right click and selectSMART Response Question Object->Properties...

tracking, dolly= increasing fear

(keeps depth in

shot)

How the mind works - The establishing shot

» Establishing shot- The viewers always must know where they are

» Every new scene starts with an establishing shot which shows time and place

» Establishing shot- The viewers always must know where they are

» Every new scene starts with an establishing shot which shows time and place

» Easiest way to create emotion Diegetic

»Natural sounds (wind, birds, car horns)

Makes scene realistic

Non-diegetic»Soundtrack, score

Used to create any emotion or intensify mood

» Easiest way to create emotion Diegetic

»Natural sounds (wind, birds, car horns)

Makes scene realistic

Non-diegetic»Soundtrack, score

Used to create any emotion or intensify mood

SOUND

Lighting

Editing/transitions

» Edits help create emotion by tying shots together in a strategic order

» Transitions create a specific under-standing in the viewer

» Edits help create emotion by tying shots together in a strategic order

» Transitions create a specific under-standing in the viewer

Edits/transitions

» cut - putting two pieces of film together. Seems closest to reality

» fade -going from a picture to black or white. Shows a passage of time and place

» dissolve -having a picture dissolve into another picture. Shows change of place and maybe time

» Wipe - have one picture push another picture off the screen. Often done for humorous effect

» cut - putting two pieces of film together. Seems closest to reality

» fade -going from a picture to black or white. Shows a passage of time and place

» dissolve -having a picture dissolve into another picture. Shows change of place and maybe time

» Wipe - have one picture push another picture off the screen. Often done for humorous effect

Conversations» In film,

conversations are boring or confusing to watch shot, reverse-shot

or two-shot shows conversations without causing boredom or confusion

» 180 rule, eye-line match, background

» In film, conversations are boring or confusing to watch shot, reverse-shot

or two-shot shows conversations without causing boredom or confusion

» 180 rule, eye-line match, background

Mise-en-scène is the construction of shots and includes all the elements in front of the camera that compose a shot: lighting; placement of characters in the scene; design of elements within the shot

Mise-en-scène is the construction of shots and includes all the elements in front of the camera that compose a shot: lighting; placement of characters in the scene; design of elements within the shot