“reading” films taken from: silverman, j, and d. rader. the world is a text
TRANSCRIPT
“READING” FILMS
Taken from:
Silverman, J, and D. Rader.
The World is a Text
FILM TECHNIQUE
Camera Angles and Positioning How is the camera placed? Is it high, low, to the side? How does it move? Is it a handheld camera or is it stationary? How does it determine how you see the
movie?Blair Witch Project, Citizen Kane
Lighting
Light and shading are very important. Are there shadows? Is the film shot during the day or mostly at
night? How do shadows and light affect the
movie and your experience of it?Kalifornia, Forrest Gump
Color and Framing Often, directors try to give certain scenes an
artistic feel Is the shot framed similar to a painting or
photograph? Does the movie use color to elicit emotions? How does the movie frame or represent nature?Sin City, Kill Bill, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Pleasantville
CONTENT
Theme and Ideology What are the themes in the movie? What point is the director or writer trying
to get across? What ideas or political leanings does the
movie convey? Are there particular philosophies or
concepts that influence the message the movie sends?
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Norma Rae, Terminator, Avatar
THE WHOLE PACKAGE
Celebrities
What movie stars appear or don’t appear in the movie?
How do certain stars determine the kind of movie a film is?
Do the actors ever look ugly or dirty or tired or sloppy?
Jennifer Aniston, Ashton Kutcher, Humphrey Bogart, Al Pacino, John Wayne
Technology
What kind of technology is at work in the film?
How do special effects or stunts or pyrotechnics affect the film viewing experience?
Avatar, Aliens, Terminator, Mission Impossible
Genre
What genre does a particular movie fit into?
Why? What are the expectations of that genre?
Culture
As a cultural document, a cultural text, what does this movie say about its culture?
How does it transmit values? What kinds of ideas and values does it
hold up to or condemn?Lord of the Rings, James Bond, Milk, Kramer vs. Kramer, Born on the
4th of July,