Viewing Films Actively

New ways of looking at a movie!

Mrs. Garbo

Advanced Communications

Three Aspects of Film to Consider

Literary…

Dramatic…

Cinematic

Literary Aspects of Film Those aspects that films share with literature:

plot characters setting themes point of view recurring images symbols

Questions to ask when viewing on a Literary Level:

? Who are the characters?? What is the setting?? What is the plot?? From whose point of view is the story told?? What is the film’s theme?? Are there any symbols or recurring

images?

Dramatic Aspects of Film Elements that film shares

with live drama:

actors portraying characters through dialogue, costumes, and makeup

sets and/or locations

directors who leave their personal stamp on the production

Questions to ask when viewing on a dramatic level:

? How effective is the acting? Why?

? How does the set affect understanding and enjoyment of the story?

? How are the costumes and makeup effective in establishing a character?

Cinematic Aspects of Film Elements unique to film Requires some knowledge of

technical terms: Framing/Angles Lighting Camera Movement Music/Sound Editing

A Few Examples of Technical Terms

Close Up (CU)

A shot of one face or object that fills the screen completely.

Gives importance to object

Allows us to see the emotion of a particular character

USUAL SUSPECTS

High Angle (h/a)

Angles are defined by where the camera is placed

Camera looks down on what is being photographed

Takes away power of the subject of shot

HIGH NOON

Long Shot (LS)

A relative term A shot taken from a

sufficient distance to show a landscape, a building, or a large crowd

BULLIT

Writing and thinking about filmscan help you:

• Understand your own responses to a movie

• Convince others to see or not see a film

• Explain or introduce something about a movie, filmmaker, or a group of movies that others did not know

• Make comparisons and contrasts between one movie and others

• Build connections between a movie and other areas of culture

“Film, the most powerful medium in the world,

is awesome in its ability to change thinking and behavior.

It has no peer in its power to impart concepts, ideas, and information

quickly, interestingly, and, if it is well crafted,

indelibly.”-Marion Blue