English I Honors—March 9, 2015

• Bell work: What do you know about making movies? Do you know any technical film making terms?

• Homework: – Bring your library book on Wednesday, so you can return it

to the library.– Study for Lesson #7 Vocabulary quiz next Tuesday.

• Remember: If you have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (w/Johnny Depp) or Corpse Bride and we can borrow it for the next few weeks, I will give you bonus points.

Lesson #7 Vocabulary

• A large family of words is derived from the Latin root videre, which means “to see.”

• video–n. the recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images.

• visage—n. a person's facial expression.• visitation—n. an official or formal visit, in

particular.• visible—adj. able to be seen• visualize—v. form a mental image of; imagine.

Lesson #7 Vocabulary

• vision—n. the faculty or state of being able to see.

• vista—n. a pleasing view• evident—adj. plain or obvious; clearly seen or

understood.• provident—adj. making or indicative of timely

preparation for the future.• Supervise—v. observe and direct the execution of

(a task, project, or activity).

Unit 2—Embedded Assessment 2

Writing a Style Analysis Essay

Clearly identifies and analyzes Burton’s style, uses evidence

from multiple films, and provides insightful commentary.

Displays in-depth understanding of

cinematic techniques and how they create special

effects.

Is logically organized.

Introduces the topic clearly and develops a

strong thesis; body paragraphs develop the topic with examples and

details leading to a perceptive conclusion.

Uses transitions effectively to clarify ideas and create cohesion.

Uses a formal style and demonstrates a

precise and sophisticated use of

terminology to knowledgeably

discuss cinematic style.

Has few or no errors in standard English.

What are some elements shared by short stories, novels, and film stories?

Similarities

Text (Literary Techniques)

Film (Cinematic Techniques)

CharactersPlot

ThemeImagery

SymbolismDialogueSettingMoodTone

Flashbacks Foreshadowing

Writers establish these elements through the use of diction and

syntax.

Directors establish these

elements through shots and framing,

camera angles, lighting and sound, and

editing.

Film Analysis

• Much like how a writer uses stylistic devices to achieve specific effects in their writing, directors use cinematic techniques in their films for specific purposes.

• In order to analyze a film through critical viewing like you do a text in critical reading, you must understand the tools that filmmakers use to create their visual masterpieces.

SHOTS and FRAMING, CAMERA ANGLES and CAMERA MOVEMENTS

• All compare to how a writer uses point of view.

• Shot: a single piece of film uninterrupted by cuts.

• Of course, different shot types, angles and movements achieve different effects.

ESTABLISHING SHOT - Often a long shot or a series of shots that set the scene; it used to establish setting and to show transitions between locations

From the TV Show “Seinfeld”

LONG SHOT – a shot from some distance. If filming a person, the full body is shown. It may show the isolation or vulnerability of the character.

From the movie “Titanic”

MEDIUM SHOT – the most common shot. The camera seems to be a medium distance from the object being filmed. A medium shot shows

the person from the waist up. The effect is to ground the story.

From the movie “Spiderman 3”

CLOSE UP – the image takes up at least 80 percent of the frame. Used to show emotion.

From the movie “The Shining”

EXTREME CLOSE UP – the image being shot is a part of a whole, such as an eye or a hand.

TWO SHOT – a scene between two people shot exclusively from an angle that includes both characters more or less equally. It is used in

scenes where the interaction between two characters is important.

From the movie “Tangled”

EYE LEVEL – a shot taken from normal height; that is, the character’s eye level. Ninety to ninety-five percent of the shots seen are eye level,

because it is the most natural angle.

From the movie “Toy Story 3”

HIGH ANGLE – the camera is above the subject. This usually has the effect of making the subject look smaller than normal, giving him or her the appearance of

being weak, powerless or trapped.

From the movie “Psycho”

LOW ANGLE – the camera films subject from below. This usually has the effect of making the subject look larger than normal, and therefore strong,

powerful, and threatening.

From the movie “Alice in Wonderland”

CAMERA MOVEMENTS• Compares to how a writer establishes setting, mood, or tone.• Pan – a stationary camera moves from side to side on a horizontal axis• Tilt – a stationary camera moves up or down along a vertical axis• Zoom – a stationary camera where the lens moves to make an object

seems to move closer or further away from the camera. *With this technique, moving into a character is often a personal or revealing movement, while moving away distances or separates the audience from the character.

• Dolly/Tracking – the camera is on a track that allows it to move with the action. The term also refers to any camera mounted on a car, truck, or helicopter.

• Boom/Crane – the camera is on a crane over the action. This is used to create overhead shots.

CAMERA MOVEMENTS

Use of Dolly/Tracking and Boom/Crane to shoot “Transformers”

LIGHTING

• Compares to how a writer establishes tone and mood in their work.

• Lighting creates significant emotional responses from the audience based on what people associate with light and darkness

• Lighting effects clarity, realism and emotion

HIGH KEY – the scene is flooded with light; creating a bright and open-looking scene

From the movie “Shawshank Redemption”

LOW KEY – the scene is flooded with shadows and darkness, creating suspense and suspicion.

From the movie “Insidious”

Bottom or Side Lighting – direct lighting from below or the side, which often makes the subject appear dangerous

or evil.

From the movie “The Blair Witch Project”

Front or Back Lighting – soft lighting on the actor’s face or from behind which gives the appearance of innocence or goodness,

or a halo effect.

From the movie “The Princess and the Frog”

Sound

• Compares to how a writer establishes tone and mood in their work.

• Diegetic – sound that can logically be heard by the characters in the film (dialogue, background noise, sound of things in the scene)

• Non-Diegetic – sound that cannot be heard by the characters but is designed for the audience reaction only (ominous music or sounds)

Editing Techniques• Compares to how a writer uses syntax.• Cut – two pieces of film are spliced together to “cut” to another image.• Fade – can be to or from black and white; implies the passing of time or the

end of a scene. – Fade-In – darkness to brightness– Fade-Out – image gradually gets darker

• Dissolve – a kind of fade in which one image is gradually replaced by another.• Wipe – a new image wipes off the previous image (quicker than a dissolve).• Flashback – cut or dissolve to action that happened in the past.• Shot-Reverse-Shot – a shot of one subject, then another, than back to the

first; often used for conversation or reaction shots.• Cross-Cutting – cut into action that is happening simultaneously; creates

tension or suspense and creates a connection between scenes.• Eye-Line Match – cut to an object, then to a person; can reveal a character’s

thoughts.

Practice Reading FilmTMNT clip Twilight clip Italian Job clip

Shots and Framing

Camera Angles

Camera Movements

Lighting

Music/Sound

Working with Cinematic Techniques

• In the TMNT clip, Jonathan Liebesman creates a suspenseful mood through his various shots and framing. In the beginning of the clip, Liebesman uses an establishing shot that shows where the turtles will have their final battle with Shredder. The viewer can tell that this will be a dangerous situation for the turtles. Additionally, he uses a close up of Shredder’s goons to show they are angry and ready to fight the turtles. Simultaneously, he uses a long shot to show that the turtles are outnumbered. When the turtles are in the elevator, he uses a medium shot to show the turtles emotion. However, Liebesman interjects a humorous scene to relax the viewer before continuing with the suspense. When the turtles make it to the rooftop, there is a close-up of Shredder’s face. It is hard to make out his emotion, but the viewer knows Shredder wants to tear the turtles to shreds. Liebesman varies his shots and framing to build suspense before the final showdown between the Turtles and Shredder.

Style Analysis Paragraph

• Topic sentence: In the Italian Job, the director uses ____________ to establish a ___________ effect.

• 1.Detail– a. Explanation of the importance of this detail.

• 2. Another detail – a. Explanation of the importance of this detail.

• 3. Another detail– a. explanation of the importance of this detail.

• Concluding sentence