Studying films

Revision for The Woman in Black

What makes a film?

There are lots of important techniques used to make films interesting to watch.

Meaning is generated through the combination of various techniques.

Techniques

Camera shots Camera angles Sound techniques Lighting Mise-en-scene

Camera shots Extreme close-up

Close-up

Close Up ShotA close-up contains almost no background, but

focuses on the whole of an object or a person’s face. Close-up shots are used to give detail, often of a character’s personality, and can reveal the thoughts and feelings of a character.

Extreme Close Up

An extreme close-up focuses on part of an object or face; for example an eye. Extreme close-up shots are often used to show tension.

Medium ShotShows a figure from the waist up,

with some background.

Long ShotA long shot includes a full-length

human figure and some of the surroundings. This shot shows the link between the characters and their environment.

Establishing ShotThe scene is shown from a distance

off, and the audience is able to appreciate the setting for the scene or movie.

Point of View (POV) shot

A POV or point of view shot shows the audience the scene through the eyes of one of the characters. This gives the audience an idea of being in the scene and experiencing the action or event.

Camera angles

High Angle shot- camera looks down on characters/ action

Low Angle shot- camera looks up on characters/ action These shots are both about communicating power –

who is in a position of influence? Who is weak or in an intimidating situation?

Eye Level Shot

Communicates a balance of power.

Camera Movements

Tracking- camera moves on tracks

Panning- camera stays in one place but follows movement.

Mise-en-scene

This is a French term meaning “put on stage”

It basically means everything that you see in each scene of a film.

Sets are DELIBERATELY constructed for a reason. Nothing is rarely in a scene by chance.

In film this means everything that appears before the camera, it literally means putting in to the scene. This could be character, setting, costume, makeup, lighting, special effects, dialogue, other sounds, space and time.

It is better to examine the functions of mise-en-scene. One film may use it to create realism, others might seek different effects: comic exaggeration, supernatural terror, understated beauty, and any number of other functions.

Were these monkeys deliberately placed in the

house?

Diegegis

In the world of the narrative

Diegetic Sound – what the characters actually hear. It might be birds chirping, or a character speaking to another.

Non Diegetic Sounds

Sounds that the characters in the narrative cannot hear.

MusicWhat kind of music does the

audience in a film can hear?What is the effect of different types

of music? Over-narration

Lighting

HIGH KEY Lighting = bright lights can suggest excitement, happiness, warmth… LOW KEY Lighting = dark and gloomy / low (can

suggest night time, fear, evil… BACKLIT / SILHOUETTE = mystery, why can their

faces not be seen? CONTRASTS

Sun/ moon = day/ night = safety/ fearGood/Evil

Shadows- eerie atmosphere, horror

How does the lighting add meaning to this film?

How does lighting add meaning to this film still?

Dialogue

Accent (the accent that characters have)

Dialogue (what characters say) Pace / Volume / Tone- Not just what is said, but how it is

said.

Describe the Year 10 Student who asks:

“Oi, what you doin’?”

“Excuse me, but may I enquire what all this commotion is about?”

“What’s happening over here?”

Costume

What the characters wear.- A character might be wearing a top

hat and bow tie. What the characters don’t wear.- What might it mean if the King was

all of a sudden wearing rags?

What do these costumes communicate to us?

Indiana Jones – The Professor

Indiana Jones – The Adventurer

Sometimes costumes can contain colour symbolism

Don’t fall in to generalisations though, sometimes black can mean mourning:

Distance

How might distance indicate relationship?

Be careful with generalisations – closeness does not always mean two characters are on friendly terms.