How to read a film

Write down the name of your favourite film.Write a quick couple of sentences outlining what you like most about your choice.

I have chosen this film/movie becauseI would recommend that you watch it forWhats your favourite film?

How to read a filmTHE THREE Cs AND THE THREE Ss

StoryThe two main types of story are: Linear This has a beginning, middle and end usually chronological (in the order it might happen in the real world). Non-linear Where the story leaps backwards and forwards in time.

The story of a film provides its structure and shape. It is sometimes called the narrative. Stories can sometimes be told from a particular point of view, like a character telling his or her side of the story.Boyhood (2014) a linear film that follows a boy from childhood to adulthood in chronological order

SettingA setting is the place in which the action of a film, or a scene in a film, takes place. The setting can help you to tell if the story takes place in a particular time in history or where it takes place in the world.

The setting can help to show the mood or situation quickly to help the audience to understand the actions and emotional lives of characters.

How do these two settings show the difference in the lives of the characters pictured?

SoundThe soundtrack may contain several different sections and each one helps to tell the story. These can be music, sound effects, the characters dialogue (talking) and effects such as traffic noise or wind. Sound can make the audience feel different emotions such as joy or fear.

In the clip, the woman is driving. Does your idea of where she is going/what she might be looking for change when the music changes?

ColourColour affects how a film looks, and helps to tell the story in several ways; it can affect the mood depending on whether the colours are bright or sombre, or in a particular range of shades. Colour can also help show time passing, for example the colours may change as the films action moves from day to night.

The darkness makes the figure seem more menacing.The Dark Knight (2008) The eye is drawn to the light shining through the crucifix.There Will Be Blood (2007)

CharacterFilms can tell us what the people in them (the characters) are like in a number of different ways. The way they look, the way they stand or the expression on their faces can tell us a lot about them, as can their clothes, hair and make up.

How do you think this character feels at this moment?Is he rich, or is he poor? Does he fit in with his surroundings/the setting, or is he out of place?What has made you form these opinions?

CameraThe camera in a film acts as the storyteller, leading the viewer through the story.It is important to think about when and why certain shots are used. Close-up shots can be used to show emotions, while medium or long shots are used to show where the action is taking place. Angles of the camera can be used to show whether a character is scary (low angle) or powerless (high angle).Camera movement is sometimes used to move closer to make a scene more emotional.

This is an example of a point-of-view shot. TASK: Through whose eyes are you seeing? Write a short paragraph explaining what happened to your character before you ended up here.

Maid with the Flaxen HairRichard Stoltzman/Slovak Radio Symphony OrchestraFine Music, Vol. 1, track 22008Classical169700.17eng - Navona Records - Navona RecordsKalimbaMr. ScruffNinja Tuna, track 12008Electronic348081.66eng - Ninja Tune Records - Ninja Tune RecordsSleep AwayBob AcriBob Acri, track 32004Jazz200511.4eng - Blujazz Productions - Blujazz Productions