16 The Art of Film

8/7/2019 16 The Art of Film

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The Art of Film


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Film The term encompasses individual motion pictures,

the field of film as an art form, and the motionpicture industry.

The name comes from the fact that photographicfilm (film stock) had historically been the primarymedium for recording and displaying motionpictures.

It also refers to cultural artifacts created byspecific cultures, which reflect those cultures, and,in turn, are affected by them.


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It is produced by recording images from the worldwith cameras, or creating images using animationtechniques, or special effects.

It is considered an important art form, source ofpopular entertainment, and a powerful method foreducating or indoctrinating citizens.

The visual elements of cinema give motion

pictures a universal power of communication,improved through the use of dubbing and subtitlesthat translate the dialogue.

Film (cont.)


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The Elements of Film Setting

a. Geographical

b. Historical

c. Social Milieu

Atmosphere

a. Mood


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Cinematography

a. Camera placement and movement

b. Lighting

c. Color

d. Focus

e. Frame

f. Composition

The Elements of Film (cont.)


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Pace

a. Fast-paced

b. Slow-paced

c. Meditative

d. Poetic

Suspense



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Sound

a. Realistic

b. Expressive

c. Simple vs. Multilayered

Music

a. Soundtrack vs. Source



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Editing

a. Cutting for continuity

b. Cutting within a scene

c. Cross-cutting (parallel editing)

d. Metaphorical/Symbolic cutting

Character

a. Complexity

b. Developmentc. Believability



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Acting

a. Professional/Non-professional

b. Realisticc. Stylized/Symbolic

Plot

a. Story

b. Subplots

c. Drama



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Narrative Structure

a. Straightforward vs. Complex

b. Flashbacks

Conflict

Point of View

Genre

Themes

a. Issuesb. Ideological conflicts



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How to Watch a Film (by Tim Dirks) Choose an appropriate film. Dont choose

films simply for the sake of entertainment.

Films are meant to entertain, but there aremany more out there that are made not

solely for that purpose. There are many

ways of choosing appropriate films, based

on the awards they have won, or film

reviews.


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How to Watch (cont.) Have a second viewing. Watch the film more

than once. During the first viewing, familiarizeyourself with the basic plot, main characters,

important actions, time and place, characterinteractions, and the films main themes. Duringthe second viewing, pay more attention, makenotes and observations, and begin to think in a

more concentrated manner about the filmstechnical details like the films structure, acting,directing, camera shots and angles, etc.


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How to Watch (cont.) Turn on dialogue subtitles. While this is

an obvious thing to do with foreign

language films, it is also recommended youdo this with films whose language you

understand. This will help in understanding

the dialogue better. Take note: the subtitles

are often abbreviated, which means they

dont follow the dialogue exactly.


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How to Watch (cont.) Watch film extras. If youre watching a

movie on DVD, play the added features,

including audio commentary, the originaltheatrical trailer or teaser, deleted scenes,and other related material. If yourewatching a movie in the theater, or on a

medium that does not support the above,try to look for such related materialelsewhere.


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How to Watch (cont.) Examine title and credits. Consider the

following when looking at a films title and itsopening credits:

a. Why was the specific title chosen (were thereany other alternative titles considered?), andhow do credits establish a tone or mood?

b. What are the first sounds and images in thefilm?

c. Can you find any motifs in the credits?d. Do the end credits have any unusual features

(e.g. outtakes, gags, additional footage, etc.)?


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How to Watch (cont.)

Use freeze-frames. If you are not

watching the film in the theater, use the

Pause button as frequently as necessaryif you feel there is something you do not

understand or there is a scene or shot you

want to see in clearer detail. Also, replay

various scenes, shots, and/or sequences

as necessary to help in understanding.


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Listen carefully to the soundtrack. Listen

carefully to the films soundtrack and how

the music, songs, and score enhance theactions of the characters and the films

mood. Take note, too, of the use of

silences: sometimes the silences can be

crucial indicators of important moments in

the film.


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Determine the choice of film stock. Consider

why the film was made either as color or black-

and-white (if a choice was possible at the time). If

there was a choice between color and black-and-

white, try to find out why the choice of one or the

other was made. Certain films will use both color

and black-and-white and many more will not use

film stock at all (like films made digitally). All of

these will affect your perception of the film.


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Study running time and timeline. Try tofind out the entire running time of the film

and the location of various segments,sequences, or turning points within the timeframe. Sometimes, something important inthe film happens fairly early, while other

times it happens quite late. There is usuallya reason for this, and is tied to a host ofother factors.


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Maintain objectivity. Try to be objective while

watching the film, and leave your preconceptions

and opinions you have heard before behind. If you

are a fan of the director or one of the actors, try

not to let this interfere with your judgment. If the

movie has been adapted from another medium

you have prior knowledge of (such as a novel, or

even another film), try not to let your knowledge

interfere with your assessment.


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Overall quality. View the film as a whole,

realizing that it is composed of the sum of

all its parts. Some individual parts might bebetter than others, but a film must be able

to hold itself together, to be cohesive and

meaningful in its entirety.


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How to Analyze a Film (by Tim

Dirks) Know the basics. Note the following basic facts:

a. Film title (including alternate and production titles, if any)

b. Year of release

c. Main stars/performersd. Director

e. Rating

f. Running time

g. Genre classificationh. Brief summary

i. Tagline(s)


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How to Analyze (cont.)

Identify the studio. Find out which studio

produced the film. Was it a major studio?

Was it a minor studio? Or was it anindependent outfit? Certain studios are

often recognized for producing a particular

kind of film (e.g. Disney, Studio Ghibli).

Also, find out, if possible, why the film wasmade to begin with.


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Learn about production. Find out about

the films dates of production, and study the

production credits to know who worked onwhat. It will also be helpful to find out any

facts from the making of details regarding

the film, as these tend to provide insight

into such aspects as cinematography,scriptwriting, and directing.


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Understand the marketing. Try to find out

how the film was marketed and/or

distributed. It will also help to find out thetagline/s used for the film. This is an

interesting consideration, especially when

thinking about the films popularity and the

hype or lack thereof surrounding a film.


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Research budget andbox-office. Whatwas the films budget? Was it under- orover-budget, and why was that the case?Also, find out how the film did in the box-office. Did it break records in terms ofsales? Or did it do very poorly? Box-office

sales are sometimes considered as a markof a films popularity, so this might be animportant fact to find out.


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Discover the films context. Was thereany social, political, and/or historicalcontext for the film? Because film is such apowerful medium, some films are shapedby society, politics and history even asthose are shaped by film, even in the film

itself. Was there any controversy when thefilm was released? Why was it consideredcontroversial?


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Note the films rating. Try to take a look at

the films rating. Often the rating given to a

film is indicative of how acceptable it is forchildren. Was it given an exceedingly high

rating? Why was that the case? Was it

given a low rating? Or was it even given a

rating to begin with?


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Learn about the initial reception. How

was the film received when it was first

released? Compare that to how the film isperceived today. It will sometimes be

interesting to note that certain films which

were considered too controversial or poor

during the time they were first releasedmight now be considered classics.


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Read about reviews and reviewers/critics

opinions. Find out who the major

reviewers in the film industry are, and thendetermine what they thought about the film

in question. If you can compare reviews

from across a variety of sources, that will

be helpful as well.


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Understand the films influence. Try to

find out the impact the film has had on

future films, and which elements andaspects of the film have been used

elsewhere, and how those elements have

been used. Also, try to find out of the film

makes a reference or an homage toanother film in some way.


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Classify the films genre. Try to decidethe films principal type, like its genre andsub-genre categories (e.g. action, comedy,musical, fantasy, sci-fi, etc.). Is it a hybrid(combination of one or more genres)? If so,how does it manage (or not manage) to

combine the genres? Also, find out if thefilm breaks the usual, recognizableconventions of the genre/s it belongs to.


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Classify the type of film. Is the film asequel, prequel, remake, spoof, anhomage? These will help you place the filmin a particular sequence of films, or identifyit in relation to other films. Also, were thereother versions of this film done before,

perhaps in other countries? What are thesimilarities and/or differences betweenthose two versions?


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Study the narrative origins and script. Find outabout the screen/scriptwriter, and his/herbackground, such as the other scripts s/he has

written, whether or not they were produced, etc.Also, it would be helpful to find out if the film wasadapted from another medium, or an original. If itwas adapted, how well was it adapted? If it isoriginal, how fresh is the idea/concept? Also, wasthe script effective in communicating the story viadialogue and action?


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Learn whether its fact or fiction. If the film is

based upon a historical fact, or on a historical

person, how true does the film stay to actual

events? Does the film itself tackle fact, or is it

obviously fictional? Does it mythologize a

historical event or person? All of these are

important things to consider, particularly when

dealing with period films, or films whose subject

matter deals with actual events or people.


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Examine the plot, story, or structure. Find out howthe film was structured. Figure out the pivotal scene/sand sequencing. Find out how the films plot was told:

a. Through normal expositionb. Flashback

c. With a narrator (voice-over)

d. Chronologically or linearly

e.C

haracter-drivenf. Objectively/subjectively

g. otherwise


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Ascertain special (visual) effects. Learn

how special effects were used in the film,

and how skillfully they were handled.Consider whether they used advanced

CGI, or some older techniques. Also, find

out whether the use of those effects was

crucial to the film, or if they are overused.


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Lookup awards and honors. Find out if the film

has any major awards, nominations or other

honors bestowed upon it. The Academy Award

(Oscar) is an important award to take note of,

along with awards from the Cannes Film Festival,

and the Venice Film Festival. Awards from more

specialized award-giving bodies (such as those

that focus on a particular genre of film) shouldalso be noted.


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Recognize the theme/s. Try to figure out the filmscentral theme, motif, idea, or dominant message, as wellas the films subtext (the message beneath thesurface), and try to answer the following:

a. Are there any prominent symbols and metaphors in thefilm? What is their purpose and effect?

b. What popular ideologies are reproduced and reinforcedin the film?

c. Does the film have an original theme or a traditionalone?

d. Is the films theme adequately or successfully supportedby the story, acting, and other film elements?


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Observe style and tone. Decide the

overall style and tone of the film (e.g. noir,

sophisticated, slapstick, etc.). Certaindirectors are associated with a certain

style, so this will come in handy when

discussing the film in relation to the

director.


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Distinguish the actors and their performance. List the following:

a. The films main characters (are their names

significant?)b. Consider a few minor characters and how they

are used

c. A brief description for each one

d. Their major motivations or ethicalvalues/assumptions

e. Their character development


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Ask yourself the following things:

a. Is there a hero or anti-hero?

b. Are the characters believable and three-dimensional?

c. Is the acting memorable, exceptional, or inferior?d. Ask yourself about the star quality of the performers for

each role: were they cast properly, or were they there onlyfor the star value? Were they cast againsttype? Werethere any debut performances?

e. Were their performances appropriate for their roles?f. Was the acting professional or non-professional?

g. Does one performer steal the spotlight from others?


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Disclose stereotyping. Find out if there

were any popular stereotypes in the film.

Were they challenged, or reinforced? Agood film will usually attempt to challenge

stereotypes, whether directly or indirectly

(via satire). Bad films will reinforce a

stereotype, whether or not it wasdeliberate.


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Reveal directing. Learn about the director

and his/her repertoire. Take note of his/her

films, stylistic characteristics, and favoritetechniques. Take note, too, if the director is

a veteran or a novice. Certain directors also

have a certain style, which will show

through in their work. Take note of that, aswell.


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Perceive cinematography and visual cues.

Identify the films cinematographer,

stylistic and visual characteristics, use oflighting and color (or black and white) to

create a mood, use of a static or moving

camera, amount of close-ups, and favorite

techniques. Compare screen time withstory time.


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Pay attention to the following visual clues:

a. Establishing shots (the initial shot in a scene)

b. Camera lighting (diffuse, high-key, low-key,muted, highlighting, spot-lighting, use of lightand dark areas)

c. Focusing (zooms, rack-focus, blurry, deep-focus)

d. Camera distance and framing (full shots,medium shots, closeups)


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e. Composition (positioning of elements, symmetrical vs.asymmetrical, use of shadows, doors, low ceilings,windows, mirrors, etc.)

f. Camera angles (tilted, wide angle, telephoto,

POV shots,angled, etc.)

g. Camera movements and shots (dolly shots, crane shots,pans, tracking, hand-helds, freeze-frames, reactionshots, the number and order of shots, the use ofshot/reverse shots in conversation or interviews, etc.)

h. Colors used

i. Film speed (reversed, or fast/slow-motion)


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Listen to score and/or soundtrack. Identify the

films composer, and if s/he has any previous

works. Note any memorable songs (and their

lyrics) and/or dances. Listen carefully to how

music is used in the film to underscore action, to

move the story along, or to provide an emotional

tone or mood. Is the films soundtrack

appropriate, effective, or is it too much? Note

also, the use of silence in place of sound.


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H

ow to Analyze (cont.) Identify locations or settings. Try to identify the

setting for each scene. Were they usedappropriately and effectively? Note the following

kinds of setting:a. Geographical (place)

b. Temporal (time period)

c. Locations (on-site)

d. Studio sets

e. Important props


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H

ow to Analyze (cont.) Note film conventions or cliches. Notice

the typical conventions used in the film. An

example of this is that cars will always burstinto flames when they crash into each

other, when this is not the case. Are these

cliches employed, or not?


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H

ow to Analyze (cont.) Detect editing. Is the film seamlessly and smoothly edited? Pay

attention to the following transitional edits:

a. Jump cuts

b. Wipes

c. Fade-insd. Fade-outs

e. Fade-to-black, dissolves

f. Lap dissolves

g. Mixes

h. Use of montage or rapid cutting between shots

i. Juxtaposition (cross-cutting, cutaways, match cuts)j. Aural editing (use of music, silence or noise to create transition)

k. Pace and rhythm of editing (length and speed of shots)


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H

ow to Analyze (cont.) Listen to audio clues. Listen to the following:

a. Sound effects

b. Music

c. Dialogue or voice

d. Silence

Study and distinguish the following:

a. Sound bridges

b. On-screen vs. off-screen sound

c. Post-synchronized sound vs. direct soundd. Diegetic sound (dialogue and sound effects)

e. Non-diegetic sound (musical score, narrative voice-overs)


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H

ow to Analyze (cont.) Observe costuming. Identify the use of

period costumes, body physiques, hair

styles, etc. All of these are of particularimportance when talking about historical

and cultural accuracy. The use of costumes

must also be effective in telling the story,

since it can lend vital clues to setting,characters, and sometimes, story.


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H

ow to Analyze (cont.) Identify dialogue. Identify the most

important lines of dialogue, and identify

lengthy monologues or speeches. Notehow the dialogue is delivered (fast,

mumbled, slow, loud/soft, etc.). Are there

any recurring lines of dialogue? How do

those lines function?

16 The Art of Film

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